A CHANGE IN SCENERY

I feel very blessed to have had a roof over my head my entire life - a place to call home, a place where one feels comfortable, safe, and loved. Whether it was my home while I was growing up or the house my wife and I currently live in, it’s nice to be home, but sometimes it’s nice to get away and enjoy a change of scenery.

My wife and I are celebrating our 25^th wedding anniversary this year, so we decided to check an item off our bucket list and go to Hawaii. After enduring a seemingly endless Midwest winter, it was a perfect time to head to a tropical climate. The eight-hour flight was a bit trying at times, but the excitement of the vacation helped us endure. Once we landed, we were welcomed by the warm, humid Pacific air. It was a refreshing change from the cold, dehydrated air of the Midwest. Over the next few days we took in all the sights and activities we possibly could.

We took several hikes and long drives, enjoying the lush green mountains, crystal blue water, and the array of trees and flowers. I just couldn’t get enough of the beautiful landscape. On the fifth day of our trip, something bizarre, yet typical happened, we got homesick. As much as we enjoyed other people making our bed and straightening up after us everyday, we looked forward to getting back home to family and friends. We spent the final days relaxing and soaking up the sun.

Sure, the eight-hour flight back wasn’t as exciting as the flight there, but it was comforting to know we would soon be home. We were welcomed by snow covered grass, dreary skies and cold, dry air…I instantly missed Hawaii.

John 16:22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

JUST GET TO IT

Have you ever had a project or task due at work that you had no desire or ambition to perform?

Sometimes, one may think about it for days, putting it off until the last minute, and possibly lose sleep because it has consumed their thoughts. This has definitely happened several times to me over the years. I won’t bore you with the details of my job, but I will share an experience that many of you can probably relate to.

There were two significant snowfalls this past weekend in the Midwest. The first one came through and dumped about 4 inches of snow, nothing too outrageous. I got the shovel and snow blower out and took care of business. It actually felt good to get outside and perform some physical labor. Another snowfall was predicted for the next morning…potentially 6-10 more inches of snow. Because it seems like meteorologists just throw darts at a board with a bunch of numbers on it for their predictions, I didn’t lose any sleep. The next morning I woke up at 5am and when I looked out the window, I was disgusted with the meteorologist’s accuracy. There was 8 inches of snow…they got lucky with the dart board again. I went back to bed, however I was wide awake thinking about the snow that needed to be cleared. Many things were planned for the day, but nothing was getting done until the driveway and sidewalks were cleared. I tossed and turned for another 30 minutes before finally deciding to get to work. I stood and stared out the window for a while thinking it will eventually melt, but eventually was probably two months away by the looks of things. Minutes later the snow blower was puttering away clearing the heavy white blanket that covered everything in sight.

Eventually my work was all done, so I took our dog, Ruby, for a walk. It seems Ruby’s main job is to sniff anything and everything. Even though the fresh snow covered everything, she didn’t let that delay her getting right to work.

Romans 7:19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do-this I keep doing.

HUMAN LIMITATIONS

Standing at the base of the tall pine tree,

I stared up through the branches trying to see how far it was to the top. The kids around me challenged, “Just start climbing and see how far you get!” Being about 11 years old, I figured I’d better get moving before someone double dog dared me. Shortly after climbing a few branches, my hands were already sticky from sap. Maybe this will help to keep my grip, I thought to myself. Moving further up the tree, the trunk began to narrow and the branches got thinner. At that point, the wind was very noticeable, causing the tree to sway back and forth. Thanks to the encouragement of my buddies hollering from below, “Don’t be a sissy, keep going,” I pressed on. As I felt a branch crack under my foot from the weight of my body, it suddenly became difficult to weave through the narrowing branches. Figuring I was probably high enough off the ground, I took a quick moment to enjoy the view and began my descent. Upon making it safely back to the ground, I brushed the bark and pine needles from my hair and out of my shirt. Looking up the tree, I felt confident in my conquest.

Just as my ego started to inflate, some smart aleck kid said, “That’s nothing, I’ll show you how to do it.” He jumped up to the first branch and like a chimpanzee, continued to swing from branch to branch. In a matter of seconds, he was most of the way up the tree. I asked one of my buddies if the kid reached as far as I did. “No, he’s about ten feet higher,” he replied. “I never liked that kid,” I huffed under my breath and walked home. I spent the next week trying to wash the sap from my hands. Sometimes, we would like our bodies to be able to do things that are just not possible.

John 3:6 That which is born of the flesh, is flesh. And that which is born of the Spirit, is spirit.

MAKE ROOM FOR GROWTH

My wife and I needed to mix things up a bit. Our typical Sunday routine was getting a bit ordinary, so we decided to take a mini road trip. We packed a picnic lunch and immediately after church we headed down the road.

The destination was a small town an hour’s drive away. It was a gorgeous day with the sun shining and a warm breeze…perfect conditions for a road trip. The road was fairly straight as it cut through seemingly infinite farms fields. Eventually, the road started to curve following the banks of a river that led to our planned destination. We pulled into the city park, found a shady spot to sit, and enjoyed our lunch.

After lunch, we took a short hike to the actual destination of our trip - the last old-fashioned covered bridge in the state.

It wasn’t like old paintings of a covered bridge; in fact, it has been well-maintained because cars haven’t been allowed to drive on it for decades.  We walked over it a couple times and started heading back to our car. As we walked down the path, I noticed a cluster of birch trees in their full shedding state. Birch trees are one of the few trees where you can actually see the bark’s shedding process. The old bark needs to shed to allow for the tree to continue to grow, which seemed rather fitting since the purpose of the trip was to shed our ordinary routine and allow for growth.

1 Peter 2:2 Like new born babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.

THANKFUL IN ALL THINGS?

ENOUGH ALREADY!!! I'm almost positive that I share this thought with most people regarding the miserably cold temperatures that has had a death grip on much of the United States - definitely the upper Midwest. It’s like a constant running nose that causes a person to go through an entire box of Kleenex in a day, or a sore back that makes you realize how much you use your back muscles every minute of the day, even when you’re trying to sleep.

Back to the ugly subzero temperatures, it was getting pretty old trying to avoid it...having to put on multiple layers of clothing just to take out the garbage, or having to let your car run for an eternity so it's somewhat warm enough to sit in. I HAD ENOUGH of sitting around, so I asked my wife if she wanted to go on a hike New Year’s Day to enjoy the great outdoors. She looked at me like I was crazy and said, “you know how cold it is, right?” I took that as a yes, so we bundled up and headed out the door.

The destination was a nearby waterfall. I figured the current sub-

A view well worth the cold.

zero temperatures, combined with a waterfall, would create something spectacular…at least it was worth a look. It was reassuring to see we weren’t the only people there, and the view was well worth it. It seemed nothing good could come from such bitter temperatures, but thankfully we didn’t let them win. After a couple minutes though, the sub-zero wind-chill was starting to bite at our faces, so we took a few pictures before our camera froze and headed back to the car, which seemed to run for another eternity before we were warm again.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

THE GIFT OF GIVING

My eyes slowly opened, and everything was blurry. After blinking a few times and rubbing the sleep from my eyes, things started to come into focus. I noticed the house was quiet. This was a rare occasion in a house with four young boys. It felt so good just lying there until it dawned on me; it’s Christmas morning; what am I still doing in bed?! I threw myself out of bed, probably yelled something at one of my brothers about it being Christmas, and flung the bedroom door open, banging it against the wall. I ran through the hallway, which seemed a lot longer back then, and headed down the stairs. The stairs were non-existent to me. I took one large leap to the first landing and then one more as I thunderously landed on the living room floor.

As I straightened up and gazed toward the Christmas tree, there it was...the best Christmas present of my youth! The metal and brass pieces glared blinding reflections of light as I cautiously walked toward it squinting my eyes. I sat on the little throne, picked up the two smooth, wooden sticks and began to play my first drum set. It was a Mickey Mouse set and I loved it! If anyone was still sleeping at that point, no one was asleep anymore.

Maybe not the exact set...but this is how I remember it

My parents had a knack for knowing what we wanted for Christmas. It was one of those things I took for granted as a kid - like how they provided food, shelter, and protection. They never seemed to think much about it, they just did it. Being a husband and father, I now understand how you just do things for those you love without thinking much about it.

Much like my parents, the woods provide many of the same conditions. Trees provide food for us and many critters of the earth. We build homes from their timber and the critters build nests within their limbs. They protect everyone from the scorching sun, heavy rains, and relentless winds. I am grateful that both my parents and the woods are a part of my life.

I'm also thankful for you, the readers of this blog! Without you, I would just be some guy hammering away on a keyboard. To show my appreciation, five of the new Timber of Faith caps will be given away. If you are interested in a cap, please comment below, or send me a message on Facebook. Your name will be placed in a drawing to distribute them. THANK YOU!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

MAN, IT'S DARK OUT

It’s that dark time of year. It’s dark when you go to work, it’s dark when you get home…it always seems to be dark. On December 21^st (the Winter solstice) It will only be light for 8hrs 46min 12secs of the 24hr day. That’s a lot of darkness!

As a pre-teen I was able to find my way into plenty of trouble. On one occasion the trouble was serious enough to bring me in front of a judge. Leading up to my court date I tried to act cool and pretended like it was no big deal. Within our family it was a very big deal. My dad had to take time off work to be at court. He even cut my hair, so I wouldn’t look like a vagabond. The night before court was the longest, darkest night of my life, I didn’t sleep a wink. I laid in bed thinking about all the “what if’s”. At that age I didn’t know how to clear my thoughts and be at peace. I anxiously waited for the sun to rise. The seconds seem to tick by in slow motion. My body tossed and turned hundreds of times that night. I can vividly picture the bottom of brothers bunk from starring at it for hours and hours. Eventually the sun finally rose, and the day begun.

Fortunately, this current very dark time of year does offer many opportunities to catch a sunrise. I love watching the sunrise! A sunrise marks the fresh start to a new day. It doesn’t matter what happened earlier, currently, or what is yet to be; while watching the sunrise, nothing else matter. It’s 10 to 15 minutes of complete bliss for me. Do you have a way to find your peace?

A recent winter sunrise

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.