It seems to me...

It seems to me that snow throws peoples world off its balance.  There are reactions of many that act as if they have never seen snow or even more so know what to do in it.  Have you ever been somewhere nice and comfortable when it snows?  Maybe a cabin?  A house in the woods?  When you go outside what do you hear?  Silence?  Little animals?  The icy drops of precipitation cascading down from the edge of the rooftop?  For me, I hear peace, we listen so much with our ears for everything that we forget to listen with our hearts in matters of the heart and of the Lord.  Yes God has spoken to people audibly but most of the time in scripture I find that God speaks into peoples hearts.  When things happen in the natural we tend to just write them off as just that, "natural".  Frozen rain falling slowly from the sky creating a beauty that man can't?  What about snowmakers you ask?  Are you kidding?  Snowmakers?  There is nothing beautiful or creative in that.   All creation cries out Holy, it cries out a significant point of Gods pure handiwork.  Snow my friends, isnt just a neat thing, its created by God, its a way of Him saying "Shhhh....calm yourselves, listen to my heart for you and this world"  There is a wonder and an awe of looking across a field covered in snow, if we could see through the Lords eyes, that same wonder, covers us, we are his handiwork.   My prayer is that when God is moving and showing himself all around us, that we will be spectators at the wonder of His touch.    Snow. 

Important Wedding Information

Friends, for those of you who don't know I am engaged to be married in just a few short months.  So much to do in so little time.  To those of you who already know thank you for all your kind words and excitement, Eve and I are looking forward to our life together. 

I also wanted to let you know that our wedding wont be a large gathering.  Due to capacity, size etc we aren't able to have alot of people attend our wedding.  I say this to say that if you don't get an invite from me to the wedding know that it is nothing personal and that I truly do appreciate you and I wish you could be there to celebrate with us.  There are so many of you who have been great friends and encourager's along the way.   Because of the nature of the size of the venue etc, it will limited to family and some friends.  Much Love to you all,


Russ

A word from Max

Let Him


Posted: 13 Jan 2011 10:01 PM PST

“Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does.” I Corinthians 14:1 The Message

Loosen up. Don’t you have some people to hug, rocks to skip, or lips to kiss? . . .

It’s time to retire. Not from your job, just retire from your attitude. Honestly, has complaining ever made the day better? Has grumbling ever paid the bills? Has worrying about tomorrow ever changed it?

Let someone else run the world for a while.    - Max Lucado

Once your in it

Once you are in it, can be applied to so many life situations, we never really know until "once we are in love" or "once we are in the middle of training for a race", etc.  But the whole idea of not knowing or to be said another way, not having the experience to enter into each experience in life.  Oh we try our best for sure, we study history so we dont make the mistakes of people in the past who were in our shoes.  People in war study past techniques, what worked what didn't.  In some ways we are in a guessing game for each day we come into, we are at a guessing game if, and that is a very BIG LARGE "IF" we are trusting in ourselves. 

God almighty, maker of heaven and earth, the creator.  The teacher "rabbi", counselor, and so many other names to describe who He is.  What I am continuing to see in my life is that I am made to learn, not to know everything at the beginning.  I am made to learn from Christ and His leading, many hope for the courage or the might, or whatever it will take "IF" they are ever put into a situation they dont know what to do.  Life in Christ is resting in Gods ability to provide everything we need.  He has already provided it in Jesus.  Head knowledge is good, experience is good, but being able to not lean on your own understanding and Trust Christ to lead you moment by moment, that is freeing and healing and the way we were made.  Dont worry about once you are "in it".  God himself promises to give you what you need when you need it. 

The Griffon

For all of you busch garden fans, the word "Griffon" may send chills down your spine by just the mention of its name.  While wanting to keep this a mystery to those who have no idea what I am talking about I will say this is a ride that has been a metaphor for life.  As I look back in my life especially the past year or so, I see how God has been asking me to trust him, amongst the ups and downs, the fast parts of life and the slow journey of coming to what looks like the edge of the unknown. 

If life is an adventure, we need to realize our God has gone before us (psalms 23)  and there is so much to discover, experience and be apart of.  Our life comes from Christ which makes our hearts come alive. 

Its official

More to come, perhaps a video, but I am officially engaged to an amazing woman who has captured my heart.  The Lords faithfulness continues to astound me.  I will give you a hint its the woman I am hugging in the picture of my blog, Eve I love you.