Cheer-leaders, Chickens and Children

That title makes me smile.

It's been a wild last 3 weeks and in the best of possible ways.

Teresa and I, and Grant, got to go to NC to be with Kimmy and Ian to await the arrival of Job Luther Lugg. Grant and I went to a marketing seminar in the middle of the time we were there and Job came after with put in the new flooring in the house and even waited until we got back from Florida. God allowed him to come at the exact right time for all of us to get to enjoy it.

Being a dad is great. Not because I get to boss people around at home but because I get to see the change that happens in the lives of people I am very close to. With Kimmy there have definitely been some roller coaster types of times- she's a girl and we sort of expect that there will be highs and lows. Watching my little girl being pregnant and then getting to be in the room, though behind a curtain, for the birth was both hard and awesome. Hard, because that's my little girl laboring. Awesome, because this is exactly what she has dreamed about almost her entire life; being a wife and a mom.

I am struck by a few things with this experience and added to this having chickens. I would expect you to ask "What does having chicken have to do with labor, delivery and grand-parenting". I'm glad you asked. I think it has much more to do than may first meet the eye, or ears.

In child labor there is almost always a birth coach. They really have nothing to do with the actual delivery. If they weren't there the child would still arrive. If they are good or bad a baby still enters the world. What is their job? Encourage the new mom and keep them focused.

So what does that have to do with chickens? Our chickens are new at laying eggs, in fact they haven't all laid even one egg yet. I would assume that as they have more egg-laying experience that this trend will not be so prevalent, but yesterday Teresa called me and told me that there was a bunch of noise coming from the coup. I had been working on some things in the coup and had stepped out to get some supplies. She went in to investigate that ruckus and one of the chickens was in the new nesting boxes "laboring" to get this egg out. All the rest of the hens were down on the ground "cheering" her on. She was being supported by her fellow hens. Much the same way as a birth coach would cheer on the mom.

Our Christian life is in some respects the same way. There are a lot of hard times and sometimes we get down and just need a little cheering on. The trials will probably come no matter if there is a cheering section or not, but it is much easier to endure the trials and hardship of life if there is someone there, who is familiar with our circumstances, to cheer us on. That is the job of the Boby.

There is another link to the spiritual aspect of this and that is there is One Who has been tempted in all ways, and yet was sinless and He is our High Priest Who is familiar with all our weaknesses, Who know exactly what we are going trough and He never leaves or forsakes us. We have a "Royal Cheer-leader" with us at all times.

As I was listening to Kimmy labor, as I watched her struggle to stay focused through many hours of contractions, as I watched Iam try to comfort her, though there is a reason they call it labor, I reminded myself that they have a Heavenly Father who loves them much more than I- which is hard to imagine but I know it is true, and He knows precisely what they need at this time.

We still have a part in the cheer-leading and that is what we should be doing, but there is One Who can comfort much more than we ever can and we must focus on Him in the hard times. Come alongside your friends in need and encourage them to look to the One who is really able to meet their need.

Pleasure and Pain

In our life to Life group the other night the question of trials and God's care came up and I read this and thought it was well connected. Maybe it will clarify things for you as well.

(James Smith's autobiography, "Marvelous Mercy!" 1862)

The following in an excerpt from the diary of James Smith:
It has just occurred to me, that the reason why the Lord has of late allowed me to be so severely tried--is that I have been very little at His throne of grace. Nor have His promises appeared so precious, pleadable, and suited to my case.

Jesus is determined to have me often at His throne, and if the invitations and promises of His Word will not draw me there--then He will send trials to drive me there! Blessed Jesus, are you not saying to me by every trial, "Call upon Me! Make use of Me! See what I will do for you!"

What a proof of the deep depravity and base ingratitude of my heart is this--that You are obliged to send trials and troubles to bring me to Your feet! Yet it is so! For unless drawn by the cords of Your loving-kindness, or driven by painful trials--I seldom come to You with earnestness, fervor, and life!

I am so prone to wander, to be light and trifling--troubled by shadows, and excited by mere trifles! I abhor myself because I am vile! O how base my heart is, to despise so glorious a privilege, and to neglect so choice a duty!
O Jesus, cleanse it by Your precious blood!
O Holy Spirit, purify it by Your sacred operations, and keep it by Your power!
O Righteous Father, devote it wholly to Yourself! Give me submission--help me patiently to carry my cross after Jesus, though it is rough, heavy, and galling. From the depths of my heart I can say,
"A sinful, weak, and helpless worm;
On Your kind arms I fall!"

What a proof of the loving-kindness of Jesus to my soul is this--that He will not allow me to be comfortable or happy, while living at distance from Him!

Blessed Jesus! pardon me, correct me--but never leave me to myself! Draw me--or drive me; but never allow me to live long at a distance from You!

Gracious Lord Jesus,
keep me near You,
looking to You,
living for You,
leaning on You,
believing in You, and
expecting from You, all that I need!

Surely this is a sweet life--living on Jesus alone, making Him all in all!

"O bring me to Your sacred feet,
And let me rove no more!"

As we await the arrival of another generation into our family, in a beautiful facility with all the latest technology I can't help but think about days of old and so many countries that don't have access to this blessing. I don't want to take it for granted.
What would it be like for the literally millions of young women across he continent of Africa who don't have air conditioning so they labor in the intense heat knowing full well early on in their pregnancy that the likely potential of the child living past 5 years is less than 50%. They know that there is a good possibility that they may labor for as long as a week and lose the child and also may end up with a fistual that will then cause them to lose their family. Not to mention how they will feed the baby or if they, themselves, will be healthy enough to care for this next generation.
We are blessed in so many ways and we want to celebrate well all the blessings that God has given us.

A remedy for heart trouble!

Well, a blog that was started by "heart issues" should have a post on it every once ein a while like this. Just read this and thought it was good and timely.

(James Smith, "The Remedy for a Troubled Heart!")

"Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God--believe also in Me!" John 14:1

We often trouble ourselves. We often allow our hearts to be tossed about like the waves of the sea, without any real cause. Our Savior forbids it. He forbids it in tender love. He forbids it because it is injurious. It lays us open to temptations, and fosters unbelief and anxiety. Our Lord would have us be calm, patient, and composed; therefore He says, "Let not your heart be troubled!"

He prescribes a remedy for heart trouble, or inward anxiety:

1. "Believe in God." Believe in God as your Father--as loving you, acting for you, and rejoicing in your welfare. See Him . . .
ordering all events with consummate wisdom;
overruling all with infinite skill; and
sanctifying all to your welfare, by His sovereign grace.

There is no room for 'chance'--for His government is perfect.
There can be no unkindness--for His love is infinite.
All will be directed right--for He personally superintends every detail in the universe!
The floating of the atom,
the rolling of the sea, and
all the movements of every mind--
are alike under His control and direction!
"He works all things after the counsel of His own will."

2. "Believe also in Me!" Believe. . .
that I sympathize with you;
that I feel the deepest interest in your welfare;
that I never withdraw my eye or heart from you for one moment;
that I will support you in every place, and under every trial;
that My arm shall be stretched out for you to lean upon, as you come up out of the wilderness of this world;
that I will save you to the uttermost;
that I will show you a brother's love;
that I will stand by you as a firm friend in every distress;
that I will overturn all the designs of your foes against you.

Remember Jesus, that Jesus who . . .
lived for you,
labored for you,
suffered for you,
died for you,
rose for you, and
is now in Heaven pleading for you--
says, "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God--believe also in Me!"

New Business Ventures

So, it's been quite a while since I posted here. Since the last post I have been in Ethiopia, North Carolina, Arizona, California and Florida. We are scheduled to be back in NC and Florida soon to meet our new grandson, Job Luther.
What I have been doing is starting up a few new business opportunities. One is Weinberg Marketing Solutions, Raleigh SEO and Brand-Local.com.
With all the years I have spent in business I have some idea of what makes a business work as well as what drives clients to that business. Please see the new websites and FB and Twitter pages and support us if you are so inclined.
God has opened many doors that would not have been opened without His leading and so we are excited to see where He leads us in this process.
Blessings to you all.

Clinging in Good times

I've been thinking about my own dependence on God in this interesting time and I believe that He has worked in my own heart to get me to this point. He constantly has been shaping me in order that I might have the faith to be where I am today. I believe He does this in different ways for each of His children. He gives us just enough encouragement to keep us going and enough heart ache to keep us clinging to Him.

The disappointing part for me is my lack of realized dependence on Him when times are good. I have been asked if I feel like a modern day Job, or just a simple question "How are you really doing right now?" with the thought that maybe I am not really ok or that I am going though something too hard for me to handle. I appreciate the concern, I really do, but God has pounded on me enough over the past few years that He has made me ready for what He is bringing, and He has done the same for you if you are one of His children.

So back to the point of this post- why do I wander when times are good? It is so irritating. I want to cling to Him like I currently am all the time and as soon as there is breathing room it seems I am back to looking to my own understanding and not looking to Him.

Oh for the time when all is consumed with all the He is, but I guess that is only when we are promoted to our new Home. I want so much to live like that here but I guess that's the fighting of flesh and living as a sojourner. Maybe today will be the day we can go Home and not have to fight this body of sin anymore. Jesus- return for Your people today.

What's Next?

Ten years ago I was contemplating very seriously leaving Les Schwab after 18 years. Ten years ago there was much uncertainty about what the future would look like and if starting a granite company would be a good thing, but I didn't really give much thought to the idea that it would not be successful; was that pride or naivety? Maybe it was both.

Ten years on that "coaster" has given me much joy, many new friends, some hard work, hopefully a large group of satisfied clients and now a closed door. All of our family, except John, has been able to work at PG and that was fun. We have been able to travel to parts of the world we may have never been able to see and cross paths with friends we would never have met. We have built long lasting relationships and learned much about partnerships. We have grown.

So "what's next?" is now the question I hear most often, connected with "Are you ok?". So I will answer the 2nd first and the 1st second.

Yes, I certainly am ok, in fact I am more than ok. I can know for certain that I have done everything in my power and used every resource available to me to stay where I was and just as God showed His faithfulness in keeping Grant alive and in bringing John to our family, I know that much of life does not depend on me, but rather is Him leading us where He would have us go. I had been praying, and had asked others to pray as well, that He would make it very clear to me where He would have us to go and that requires doors opening AND closing. He made it clear.

How can one be good with being unemployed in this economy and at this stage in life? I can only tell you that I know He has a plan for me and He has been faithful for generations and HE will not stop being faithful today or tomorrow. I know that according to Eph. 2:10 He has work planned for me as long as I have breath here and as soon as there is no more work there will be no more breath. He promises to supply all our needs and He is faithful in that as well. I am not relying on my resources but His and His resources are much greater than mine.

So back to question #1. What's next? i am not sure what I am going to do but I am excited about where He is leading me and what He has planned. We are not promised the "bread" or the "fish" but something better and so I am excited to see what the "better" thing is. Will it be in the stone industry or not? I am not sure. I have many contacts around the world and I really enjoy this business, but I just don't know yet. I want to be somewhere that I can assist in building a great team again and a place I can make a difference in people's lives. I want to be somewhere I can freely tell of God's goodness and faithfulness and be a light into this dark world. I want to be more involved with widows and orphans, if possible in Ethiopia, but not limiting where He leads. I just want to be used by Him to encourage people as they walk with Him. I want people to see that living for Christ is worth the "trouble and heartache" and that there is joy in serving Him, even if we are not in control.

Please pray for my heart to be satisfied in Him and that Teresa would have peace in this un-secure storm. He is good and kind and He NEVER fails.