Thoughts on Palm Sunday from the Skit Guys...

Ruby - Final Update

Yes, it was Cat Scratch Fever.  Ruby started taking anti-biotic on Friday, and Sunday was her first fever free day in 22 days!  I thank you all for praying so, so much.  Your prayers, and actions were 'priceless'.

From Ruby - 'Thank you, I no go to the hobstable'

Ruby (far right) - back in form with the neighborhood girl gang:

Ruby -

Could it be?  Infectious disease lady thinks so . . . . antibiotic is on the way . . .
http://www.catscratchfeverdisease.com/

and now... "Amen" by Chris August

God, the Spirit and Ruby

This will be tough to write, various feelings are flying around inside me right now.  I have had to struggle with who God is: I am praying to him, does he heal my Ruby?  Some things I wrote down yesterday:

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“Indeed, God calls us to battles where the deck appears stacked in favor of those who are his enemies and ours, just to increase the drama of the play. And there is the clear picture, even from God himself, that he does so to enhance his own glory.” - John Eldredge - The Sacred Romance

God could allow harm to come to my little Ruby, to enhance his own glory?  What if the harm is not temporary, is this still true?  It’s easier to stomach if it’s short term suffering, as long as it ends well.  

Is this the God I believe in?  Is this really the ‘personality of God’?
(If I am honest, this is not the God I want to believe in, but if I look at the world and the Bible, what do I find?  Am I ‘all in’?  Do I have the nuts to believe in the true God, and not the one I want him to be?)

‘As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.  His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’ - John 9:1-3

Do I have the nuts to believe like Job or this family?:
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;  may the name of the LORD be praised.” - Job 1:21
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th6Njr-qkq0

People are awesome, they ask, ‘What can I do?’.  First, just asking helps.  Second, we don’t know if there is really an issue yet, so it’s hard to say.  We do need prayers, we need prayers that whatever direction our current journey with Ruby takes, we stay strong in the faith.  We need prayers that we don’t bend our vision of God to fit what we think he should be.  We need prayers to love God, above all else.  And, due to my weakness, we need prayers of healing.

“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” - Mark 9:24b

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This brings us to now.  

• Yesterday we learned that the doctors had laid out a new plan.  It looks like she has arthritis, but there needs to be one last set of tests performed to rule out other options.  
• Not knowing events:  a strange bunch of men join together physically and in spirit to pray for Ruby 
• For the first time in 18 days, Ruby has no fever (on Motrin)
• I ate far too many tortilla chips, simply because they showed up on my steps
• Today, 8am, Ruby will no longer be on Motrin
• She has no fever - We monitor day by day, hold off on tests (Freaky healing)
• She has a fever - Bone marrow biopsy

So today, please pray!  I have a hundred emotions swirling inside of me right now.  (One is that we have the devil on the ropes, but that's probably coming from watching Act of Valor previews far too many times).  But, it's a big day.

God, I give you praise.  Simple because you are God and worthy of praise.  I will praise you no matter what.  I have no earthly idea how I could ever do that in some scenarios.  In fact, I don't think I could.  But I trust you would give me the strength, and you would use this group to do that.  You already have.

It's super scary God, but I trust you (well, I'm trying).

To GOD be ALL the GLORY!!!

Let's go see the "Act of Valor" Movie

Just makes sense that some men of courage should go watch some men with 10x more!!
Oh yeah sorry, Dyk and I thought this was an ok substitute to the Snake King mtng. Timing was critical with the theater and all....
trailer link
The facts guys, you can figure it out from here.....
This Thursday, March 15
Holland 7
9:30PM
Ok, I'll help: Ya'll meet at Meijer south parking lot at 8:45 :)  See ya there.  Some Hollanders have been invited to join.....PABAMA!

Pabama! A view from the back window

Awesome Job, Pabama Knights! Two more awesome drops. One a little less stealthy than a conventional Pabama drop and the second one a drop, door bell, knock, wait, light... run and a perfect get-a-way (that was from the Knight's view). Little did they know that we had some spies looking in their back slider. My wife had just got off the phone with Kendra and she was having a bad night... then there was a knock on the door. Bridget (my wife) and Drew (my son) said the girls were jumping up and down in the dining room as they discovered the contents of a mysterious basket that was left at the front door.

Thank you God for allowing us to share some of your Glory tonight!

Now that's Pabama!

PS. You also gotta love the fact that there were two prayer circles in the middle of a Meijer store! You know that didn't go unnoticed.
Prayer and poop brownies (not really Herm, they were really good) right in the middle of Meijer... but it was just a little bit.

Why is Jesus sleeping?

Throughout life, I have learned that there are / will be storms.  These can come in the form of many things: illness, death, loss of a job, etc.  Right now, many of our loved ones are going through a storm, some smaller than others, but all painful.  Clausings, Dyks, Hunters, and many others are experiencing things that can bring us to our knees.  I would dare say that as far as "storms" go, these are some of the worst, like being in a boat during a huge storm.

One story that I never really cared for in the Bible (probably cause I don't get it) is the story of Jesus calming the storm in the boat.  Sure, it is a nice story - the disciples are terrified of the storm.  Jesus comes over, shuts it up, and chews out the guys for not realizing that God is in control.

Ah, what a nice parallel to my life.  Life gets a little (or a lot) stormy.  I doubt God's power.  He reminds me that He will take care of me, likely upset that my faith is not deeper.

But here is my question - why is Jesus sleeping in the boat in the first place?  Why, in life, does it seem like He is just sitting back waiting?  To strengthen our faith?  Maybe.  But I just don't like the idea of Jesus taking a nap while we struggle with things.

It has just always seemed weird to me.

It is well, with my soul.

Praying for our brothers and sisters going through storms right now.

"O" what a day....

I reminded people today in my office (PABAMA-style) that Oreo turns 100 today!
Oreo pudding dessert, a "100" chocolate Oreo cake, and a nice stack of chocolate and blond cookies.
Many thanks are due to my Pabama Princess.  I pretty much just stacked the cookies.....
Happy Birthday OREO!

Am I in close fellowship, and is my purpose his purpose?

Everyone,

I know, sorry, here is Oswald Chamber @ utmost.org again. You can read the whole thing on the site. His stuff has no fluff to it, and I don't see too many people living it . . . so is he full of it, or is he on the money? What are your thoughts?

Excerpts from today:

Is He Really My Lord?

Mar052012
. . . so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus - Acts 20:24

Joy comes from seeing the complete fulfillment of the specific purpose for which I was created and born again, not from successfully doing something of my own choosing.

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“Do you love Me?” Then, “Feed My sheep” (John 21:17). He is not offering us a choice of how we can serve Him; He is asking for absolute loyalty to His commission, a faithfulness to what we discern when we are in the closest possible fellowship with God.

Pabama Run - March 8

The next Pabama Run is for a single mom of three girls; ages 10, 7, and 5. This mom has a part-time job and is doing her best to raise these girls on her own due to her first husband committing suicide and a divorce with her second husband. She needs the Lord to touch her in a special way. I know that this is the group that the Lord can use as His hands and feet. Being a single mom with limited income, she struggles both with relaxing time for herself, but also fun adventures with her girls. So let's brainstorm some Pabama ideas for her. Comment with some ideas... Gift card to bring girls to a movie? Gift certificate for a massage? Come on all you creative folks.

ODe to the RAM!

Ok, it's a simple 4-step process to be ready for ODRAM....

1. Get out your NUTS and signup!  www.odram.com (we ARE using bus ride back)

2. Tuck your NUTS safely up and mount your bike seat

3. Follow as closely as your wives will let you (see #1) to the training program described below in the right-hand column.  You've got a month to figure it out before April 1, balance the schedule, get a bike and helmet, find bike pump, whatever...

4. Learn the draft line (pictured above).  See ya out there!

'Nuf said.

Bible Reading

'They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”' Luke 24:32

If anyone is looking to join a group reading the OT in chronological order, they start tomorrow. Let me know if you would like to join.