Catching Up

Memory: Blessing and Curse

I hope I don't forget what I was going to share.  Let's see....oh yeah, now I remember. Quick I got to write it down down before I forget again.

That's how I feel sometimes. Probably one of the biggest area of embarrassment is forgetting peoples name, especially those who make Brooklake Church their home church.  I think it takes me about 15 times saying the person name and/or doing an activity with them, like hunting, shooting shotguns, going on a bike ride or being part of a class where discussion happens in small groups. Even then I struggle some times.  Several people in the Brooklake Church family have been a big help to me, every time I greet them they say their name...I am deeply thankful for their  understanding. In fact, I thank them for it.  There are some people who can remember a name after only one time meeting people.  I do admire them and  jealous of them.  There is one area that I don't have a problem remembering, it's numbers... I don't know why but I can remember numbers without any problem.  Now won't it be great if every person, instead of having a name had a number?  Okay, I know that would be  weird. "...the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name."Isa 45:3  When I read God knows every person who has lived and will live, by name that is beyond comprehension...billions of names. So when I talk to Him I don't have to remind Him of my name. He already knows me. In fact He knows me better than I know myself. That's why I can trust Him, even when I feel embarrassed over my forgetfulness...He even knows that. 

Flight of the Eagle

I was pulling out of our development this morning headhing to the church campus. As I was on the road I looked up and saw a bald eagle in flight.  It was one of those moments when one just has to pause and reflect on a beautiful creation of God.  Seeing eagles is not a big deal for me.  I see plenty of them when I go fishing in Canada on Copper Island.  But one in my own back yard is another story. I was wondering if the populaton is growing or if the food supply is so bad they have to come more inland for food..I have some wonderful gold fish in my back yard pond.  All day long my mind has gone back to seeing the eagle in flight.  In the past I have had dream after dream of being able to fly like a bird....no I wasn't smoking something...I think I dreamed it over a hundred times. There is something about being able to soar in the sky. 

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 28-31 NIV

 

Some day I will fly.  Just a athought!

Catching Up again

When I first started this blog and came up with a name I didn't know it would be so prophetic.  Here I am trying to catch up again with whats been happening.  I wish I could say this year, 2010,  will be different, but I am a believer that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior...that is scary...okay enough of the philosophy stuff.

What a year it's been for the Axton family, our first grandson and granddaughter have arrived, with another grandson  due in the next 7 weeks.  Where has time gone? It seems like yesterday our three boys were living at home with us going to school. Now they are having children...hopefully many of them. Let me be clear about this, their wives are having the children.  These days you have to be very clear about that. How things change.

Yesterday Melody and I met with some good friends, Dave and Karla, and Wayne and Jenny.  For the last several years we have gotten together with these two couples.  We go back a long time with them...college days...Dave, Wayne and I played on the basketball team of the college we all attended, good memories.

Right now I am sitting in my office listening to a cd of Martina McBride, female country singer.  One thing about country songs is  each song is a story, usually about relationships, between a man and woman or a parent and a child.  SInce I was raised in the type of music it's nice to listen once in a while, sort of music to the soul for me.

This past year the church I serve threw a big party for Melody and I.  We completed 30 years of being the lead pastor here. Where has the time gone? To say the least I felt very uncomfortable, but I also felt very loved and appreciated.  I know not every pastor gets to experience this type of celebration. Melody and I have poured our lives in to this church family trying the best we could to be obedient to God's direction and purposes. We had successes and failures.  We've had our ups and downs but through it all I believe we have be obedient to His will, although there have been times I have questioned the direction and my motives. I do know this: With the time I have remaining on this earth and at this church I want to do His will because one day I will stand before the Throne of God and give an account to what has been entrusted to me. What a day that will be! No eye has seen, no ear has heard what that day will be like, yet time has a way of going by so quickly.

RIght now I need to wrap this up because I need to get caught up with some exercise...blessed exercise oh how I detest thee yet I know I feel better afterwards but I still detest thee.

Happy New Year from a man who is trying to get caught up.