Restoring Our Soul

The treadmill of life seems to run full speed wearing us down both physically and spiritually. Unless we find ways to slow things down many of us crash and burn. For Ardella and me it can be as simple as spending a few hours in the mountains. We recently went bear hunting one sunny evening and even though we didn’t find any bears, out spirits were lifted up by being in God’s creation.

I parked the truck on an old road separating a clear cur and thick timber so Ardella could watch the road and hillside. About twenty feet from the truck was a muddy area that contained the clear tracks of a medium sized grizzly bear. I cautiously walked over the hill to an old log pile that over looks the clear cut where we have taken some nice whitetail bucks. From this vantage point I could watch along the lower part of the cut where a creek meanders through some old timber. Soon I spotted some movement that turn out to be a doe with her last year’s fawn. They fed in the area for the rest of the evening. Two other deer appeared from the top as did a big bull moose. The bull was enjoying all the new green shoots on trees and was really chowing them down. He looked in good shape in spite of the long winter. One of the does fed very close to him but he didn’t seem to mind. As the sun lowered in the western horizon over the Selkirk mountain range I headed back to the pickup. Ardella had watched four deer too and enjoyed one that came closer to investigate the truck. We went home restored by spending an evening with God in his wonderful creation.

The Bible speaks of our restoration many times. Psalm 80:3 says, “Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.” We are only fully restored by a relationship with Jesus; without Him our lives are a mess. Jesus speaks of giving us a peace and freedom that come from the Father. Why do we resist that and try to find peace in this world. Have you noticed that there isn’t much peace right now in the world? Instead there are financial worries, wars and threats of more wars, complete breakdown of families, abortion accepted as normal, and many more problems. We look for governments to fix these problems instead of God. The Bible I read says that won’t work. But who needs God?

Take some time to get restored; take a hike in the mountains, go fishing, or spend an evening around a camp fire and let God refresh you. Let the light of Jesus shine again through you to the lost sheep of this world.

Freedom Requires a Sacrifice

Freedom always requires a sacrifice. Yesterday our nation recognized the sacrifices of lives that have been given freely so we can enjoy freedoms we take for granted everyday. Men and women of our armed services have laid down their lives, others suffering permanent injury for our freedoms. A walk through a national cemetery brings home the realization how little most of us have given. Clebe Mc Clary, a Marine Lieutenant severely wounded in Viet Nam once said, “You have never lived until you nearly die.” Clebe went through years of surgeries yet never has felt bitter and is a great patriot. He is now in God’s Army and changes people’s lives and gives them hope. You can visit him at www.Clebe Mc Clary.com

I thank all veterans and our present service people for the sacrifices they have done and do every day for us.

Jesus said he came to set us free. What did he mean? Jesus took on all the sins of the world at the cross so we can be set free of all our sins. Too many people don’t believe in Him so they continue to carry the burden of sin. It is like being in spiritual chains. How about it? What is your life like? Are you willing to accept him as your savoir? He made the sacrifice just for you!

Mom's Day

Last Sunday we celebrated Mother’s Day with the usual tradition of taking a driving tour at the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge near Bonners Ferry. It was a gorgeous sunny day and our first stop was at the headquarters so the granddaughters could look through the telescopes and find some geese. They also enjoyed seeing a replica of an eagle’s nest and watching hummingbirds at a feeder. As we proceeded through the refuge on the dike road, we were greeted by several broods of new goslings, a turtle, various ducks, and an eagle setting in a tree. We were watching the eagle and noticed the old nest in a large cottonwood was gone but knew the eagle acted like there was another one nearby. Just then we saw the eagle’s mate fly up from some tall grass with its talons full of dry grass. The eagle flew directly over us about twenty feet off the ground and dropped the grass into a nest that contained its young. The parent that had been perched in the tree took flight to hunt food for the family and the other eagle remained nearby to guard the eaglets. That was not only a great Mother’s Day present; it was also a good lesson on raising children. Our tour continued as we watched hawks, deer, pheasants, and a beautiful mountain bluebird.

The whole time we were reminded how important mothers are in raising youngsters whether they are human babies or God’s wild creatures. Mothers shape the lives of their children and prepare them for life. I give credit to Ardella for the wonderful job she did raising our two daughters. Their relationship isn’t just mother and daughters; it is based on friendship and trust. The girls aren’t the only ones blessed for having Ardella as their mom, so am I.

Mom's Day

Last Sunday we celebrated Mother’s Day with the usual tradition of taking a driving tour at the Kootenai Wildlife Refuge near Bonners Ferry. It was a gorgeous sunny day and our first stop was at the headquarters so the granddaughters could look through the telescopes and find some geese. They also enjoyed seeing a replica of an eagle’s nest and watching hummingbirds at a feeder. As we proceeded through the refuge on the dike road, we were greeted by several broods of new goslings, a turtle, various ducks, and an eagle setting in a tree. We were watching the eagle and noticed the old nest in a large cottonwood was gone but knew the eagle acted like there was another one nearby. Just then we saw the eagle’s mate fly up from some tall grass with its talons full of dry grass. The eagle flew directly over us about twenty feet off the ground and dropped the grass into a nest that contained its young. The parent that had been perched in the tree took flight to hunt food for the family and the other eagle remained nearby to guard the eaglets. That was not only a great Mother’s Day present; it was also a good lesson on raising children. Our tour continued as we watched hawks, deer, pheasants, and a beautiful mountain bluebird.

The whole time we were reminded how important mothers are in raising youngsters whether they are human babies or God’s wild creatures. Mothers shape the lives of their children and prepare them for life. I give credit to Ardella for the wonderful job she did raising our two daughters. Their relationship isn’t just mother and daughters; it is based on friendship and trust. The girls aren’t the only ones blessed for having Ardella as their mom, so am I.

If My People

About six hundred people gathered at Farmin Park in downtown Sandpoint, Idaho today to observe the National Day of Prayer. We thought it was important even though our president has different ideas about praying as a nation. Our founding fathers strongly believed in praying to God for mercy and guidance. They were men who believed in the saving blood of Jesus.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says if my people pray and humble themselves and seek God’s face he will hear our prayers and heal our land. Right now our land needs a healing by God. We are sliding down the slope of self destruction bent on our own intellect to save us. This nation slaughters unborn children, worships riches, and the government is playing God. The government is trying to push God out of our lives and set their authority over God’s laws. We can only pray that God is able to change their hearts and minds. I encourage all Christians not lose the hope we have in Christ. We know the end of the story and who wins. Just make sure you are on the winning team. Christ is coming!

Several prayers were offered by area pastors for our country. We had a color guard shared by young boy scouts and some veterans of WWII. That was really neat. I believe the most stirring moment was when Pamela Faye Houston was singing If My People with her lovely voice and two bald eagles flew right over the park. They just didn’t slowly fly over but were sparring with each other providing a spectacular sight. Now what are the chances that two eagles would fly over the park at tree top height and especially during Pamela’s song? God is Great!

God has been working in the Sandpoint area the last two years and Christians are coming together like never before. There is a new unity in the spirit. This is the second year in a row that hundreds of people have joined to pray for our country. We had men from ten churches put on a Christian sport show and hundreds of people from various churches went out to do work projects throughout the community. Thirty cord of firewood was collected for needy families last winter and we are looking forward to doing that again.

Changing a country starts in our communities with each of us showing the love of Jesus to others. The first place to start is with prayer to God. He will hear us.