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posted by Jonathan on 02/24/07

This has been a very snowy winter. David and I rolled up a big ball of snow and carved it into a throne. Then we got another medium ball and made a foot stool to put your legs on.

We also have been shoveling all the snow off the front cement pad into one big pile. Then after it had been below freezing for over three days, David, Daniel, and I went out with shovels and dug out a winding tunnel. Daniel got the idea to make a tunnel coming out of the middle into a little fort. It was hard not to get discouraged because it was cold and wet and hard to dig through. But everybody kept on working. It got done a lot faster than we had planned.

It takes determination like this to wake up early enough to dig into God word so you can start the day from God’s perspective.

4 Comments » | posted in Art Work

posted by Robert on 02/22/07

I recently returned from a 5-day trip to Guadalajara, Mexico! It was my first time in Mexico and the 70° weather was a nice change from Chicago’s chilly winter winds.

As I understand it, temperatures are idealistic all year long in the beautiful Lake Chapala area where we stayed. IBLP’s beautiful Guadalajara Training Center property was formerly known as “Paradise”, and now I can certainly understand why! The warm sunny days with soft cool breezes whispering through the palm trees reminded me of Florida in the springtime.

The purpose for our visit was business, not pleasure, however. I was traveling as an assistant to Dr. Bill Gothard, who had invited Dr. Stephen Paine, Dr. John Stancil, and Dr. Roger Billica to come down and review a powerful natural remedy that is being used in a Guadalajara clinic. The developers have offered to allow IBLP to use it at their Total Health Conferences.

The panel of doctors asked questions, viewed x-rays, and listened in amazement as patient after patient shared testimony of how this natural remedy had started the healing process where traditional medicine failed. It was incredible! The doctors were very impressed.  Evidently there is a certain combination of electrolytes, minerals, or nutrients in this product that greatly boosts the immune system and restores key deficiencies that are causing serious diseases in many people.

Dr. Billica, an expert in functional medicine, is currently studying it further and we are looking forward to seeing how this product can possibly be used in the future to bring healing to the hurting.

Realizing the potential of this product made the trip a very exciting and worthwhile one for me. The trip wasn’t only health-centered, though. One day we stopped beside the road for ice cream. Mr. Phariss, the director of IBLP Mexico, Dr. Gothard, and Dr. Stancil posed for a quick shot.

“God be merciful unto us, and bless us; and cause his face to shine upon us; Selah. That thy way may be known upon earth, thy saving health among all nations.” Psalm 67:1-2

11 Comments » | posted in Ministry Reports

posted by Donald on 02/22/07

Ever since I can remember, the morning Rhema Search has been a special time for our family. Rhema Searches are different than the personal devotions that we have on our own because we read the Bible as a family and share the insights and direction that we find. Recently, a particularly good application was demonstrated.

February is the month for it to snow—and snow it did! On top of that, it was Monday. Every Monday morning we clean the house and take care of the porches and cement areas. Instead of calling them chores, we call them character-builders and, well, I would be learning the character quality of determination because snow removal fell under my jurisdiction!

Working steadily and watching my back, progress was made. I got an early start too which helped but after nearly two hours a couple large portions still lay undone. Was it going to take all morning?

That is when the application from our morning Rhema Search came into play. In that morning’s Bible-reading we had read Exodus 35:29: “The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing . . .” Up until about 9:30 Esther, James, Daniel, Jonathan and David had been working with willing hearts to finish that morning’s housework. And then, with snow clothes and boots, Jonathan and David burst from the door (It was a complete surprise!), grabbed shovels from the garage and helped to do in ten minutes what would have taken me thirty! Their choice to use their few spare minutes in that way was a tremendous encouragement.

Thank you for your availability Jonathan and David! Now the Staddon parking lot is not only clear but will be, with upcoming warm weather, both dry and looking nice until the next blizzard. Whether it’s bringing an offering for the Tabernacle or shoveling snow around the house, the Lord loves those who are available to give cheerfully. Keep it up!

AVAILABILITY

                     Making my own schedule and priorities 
                                  secondary to the wishes
                        of those God has called me to serve

7 Comments » | posted in Family News, Possessing the Land

posted by James on 02/19/07

I just couldn’t help but post these photos of our past ice-skating escapades. The other post shows the ideal. This one shows the other side. Yes, ice-skating is fun, but it has its ups and downs.

After an intense struggle against the foe of gravity, David finally lost his balance and toppled to the ground. But gravity could not keep him captive for long; his endurance put him back on his feet!

Everyone posed for a group picture - or at
least they tried. This is what came of it.

Good and bad run on parallel tracks! You can’t have one without the other.

5 Comments » | posted in Family News, The Bright Side

posted by Michael on 02/16/07

    An idea was put into action in 2004 which has turned out to be a success after a two-year trial. The idea was to make a specially designed birdfeeder that would attract specific beneficial species of birds to the orchard area. The beneficial species include those with the habit of finding and eating the harmful insects in tree bark and branches. Of course, we were not very interested in attracting the fruit-eating birds, and the seed-eaters posed little benefit. A little research revealed that these beneficial species include Brown Creepers, Nuthatches, Woodpeckers, Chickadees and Titmice. Interestingly, black oil sunflower seeds and suet are the favorite foods of these species while at the same time being less attractive to other birds.

    As for the feeder, it should resemble a tree trunk with food in the cracks. It should be designed to hold suet and sunflower seeds, possibly peanuts, and should have no perches in order to encourage only the species that easily cling to the sides of trees. Even though we have really only used sunflower seeds, the feeder has done an excellent job of bringing all the above species into the orchard. All except for the Brown Creeper, that is, which only likes suet and is difficult to attract even with that.

    We keep the feeder up from September through March. It is an especially valuable source of food for the birds when the ground is covered with snow. Keeping it up in the springtime brings riots of cowbirds. Further improvements include a way to attract birds that eat almost entirely insects (but not bees) in the summer, and creating more cover in the orchard area for the birds to hide in. A second feeder may be in order as the orchard expands.

    “The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works. The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth. He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him: He also will hear their cry and will save them. The Lord preserveth all them that love Him: but all the wicked will He destroy. My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless His holy name forever and ever” (Psalm 145:15-21).

It was a delight to take some time on my birthday to snap these photos. The birds certainly bring praise to their Creator!

6 Comments » | posted in Photography, Possessing the Land