July 4th ended with a symhonic concert and fireworks at the local fairgrounds, about a 5 minute drive from my mother's house. The second outdoor concert and fireworks I've enjoyed this year - first when with Amy in Biloxi, and now here in Bozeman with Lynne and my mother. Bozeman is a city with 45,000 inhabitants, and the fairgrounds and surrounding city blocks were filled with celebrants! An amazing feeling to experience a huge crowd stand and sing along to "God Bless America" under the darkening expanse of Big Sky country. We also witnessed first hand both the freedom and the rudeness of people - free to express themselves by talking and laughing loudly throughout the concert, much to the chagrin of those around them. Even continuing their loud chatter when the symphony played two songs of tribute to our military. Those around us showed great restraint in avoiding what could have been a nasty confrontation, though some heated looks conveyed at times the displeasure of such rudeness. Another lesson on wondering how my actions and my words affect those around me; I hope in a much more positive light than last night's experience. Though even their rudeness couldn't overshadow the splendor of the night - for God has blessed us with beauty, freedom and grace!
My readings yesterday and today were about delegation, family, and liesure - appropriate topics for me to study. Fit right in with today's Discovery reading. My prayers continue to be about following God's lead in what I and we do, which comes as a result of the careful study of the Word and much time in prayer.
Though we went to sleep with fireworks bursting in the neighborhoods around us (it's legal to shoot off fireworks for July 3, 4 & 5 in Bozeman) and though we awoke to God's firewords of thunder and rain, our moods cannot be dampened as we head to our week in Yellowstone today. Whether it's getting a break from sleeping on air mattresses the past week or the expectations of God's wonder in creation, we excitedly look forward to the coming week of gazing, reading, meditating, hiking and enjoying.
More blessed thanks to our congregation for the priviledge of this sabbatical time.
Friday, July 5, 2013
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
July 3 - Montana
We awoke early this morning and drove 23 miles to the Upper Hyalite Creek trailhead, south of Bozeman. Early? 5:30am - not too early. We strapped on our bear bell (thanks to Maggie E), our bear spray (thanks to a member of the church my mom is a member of), water bottles and carried our breakfast and binocluars. Right out of the truck we saw a mountain goat on a nearby rocky slope! We hiked up the moutain canyon and back, viewing the peaks, large patches of snow, three beautiful waterfalls and over 25 mountain goats in various groupings, and returned to our vehicle five hours later. What a gorgeous morning - from a body shivering cold upon arrival to a warm and comfortable temp at conclusion. Watching the sun arise over the mountain peaks was glorious, and God's creation shined in all its splendor.
Our laptop hard drive crashed soon after we left Ohio, and once it was repaired this week, we struggled finding our product key in order for microsoft office to be reinstalled, but providence smiled upon us today, and after two weeks of using the ipad (tough to type lengthy paragraphs on), we are up and running once again.
Skyped with Amy this afternoon and she is doing great. No group this week, but one will come Sunday. We plan on visiting her July 19-22 and then head for home. She's found a Gulf Coast Gator Ranch we can visit! And she's lining up some favorite restaurants for us, too.
With our morning hike, we flip-flopped our daily schedule, so we will be reading, praying and meditating after dinner this evening, or rather after we enjoy a peach cobbler mother made for us!
And I will be working on my sermon for July 14th, when I preach at Grand Avenue Christian Church (mom's church), using some of the new knowledge I've gained in researching, drafting and preparing for preaching.
Have a blessed July 4th.
Our laptop hard drive crashed soon after we left Ohio, and once it was repaired this week, we struggled finding our product key in order for microsoft office to be reinstalled, but providence smiled upon us today, and after two weeks of using the ipad (tough to type lengthy paragraphs on), we are up and running once again.
Skyped with Amy this afternoon and she is doing great. No group this week, but one will come Sunday. We plan on visiting her July 19-22 and then head for home. She's found a Gulf Coast Gator Ranch we can visit! And she's lining up some favorite restaurants for us, too.
With our morning hike, we flip-flopped our daily schedule, so we will be reading, praying and meditating after dinner this evening, or rather after we enjoy a peach cobbler mother made for us!
And I will be working on my sermon for July 14th, when I preach at Grand Avenue Christian Church (mom's church), using some of the new knowledge I've gained in researching, drafting and preparing for preaching.
Have a blessed July 4th.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
July 2 - Montana
We begin another day in Montana with my mother. Reading topic today was on delegation - for the blessing of ministry and the praise of God. Great food for thought our sabbatical time ends and we all move on in our congregational ministry.
Lynne and I continue to help my mother around her home - sorting and cleaning, organizing and arranging. We are in the process of sorting a few thousand photos - what a joy to look at, but what a task to go through!
We enjoyed a brunch yesterday with my uncle and aunt as we caught up with one another.
Weather - as many might want to know - Saturday's thunderstorm brought 1 1/4 inches of rain. Nights have been cool in the 50's or so, and the days are getting warmer - high 80's with the forecast of 93 today. Bright, bright sunny days. We've been drinking lots of water!
So another day of prayer, study, renewal and helping mother!
Lynne and mom will attend a women's bible study today, too.
Lynne and I continue to help my mother around her home - sorting and cleaning, organizing and arranging. We are in the process of sorting a few thousand photos - what a joy to look at, but what a task to go through!
We enjoyed a brunch yesterday with my uncle and aunt as we caught up with one another.
Weather - as many might want to know - Saturday's thunderstorm brought 1 1/4 inches of rain. Nights have been cool in the 50's or so, and the days are getting warmer - high 80's with the forecast of 93 today. Bright, bright sunny days. We've been drinking lots of water!
So another day of prayer, study, renewal and helping mother!
Lynne and mom will attend a women's bible study today, too.
Monday, July 1, 2013
Day Forty Three
July 1st - the first day of a new month, and of a new regimen. Awoke at 6am and after my personal routine, I read for an hour - reading both from Discovery and from my sabbatical readings. Pastoral leadership was the topic of my reading this morning, what a calling and what a task. I am blessed to be engaged in shared leadership at St. John's - shared with Pastor Adam and with our lay leaders.
I witnessed an aspect of leading by example and humility yesterday. My mother took Lynne and I to a local restaurant for brunch after our time of worship. The place was owned and operated by a woman, who had established the place decades earlier. In listening to our waitress and my mother, I learned that the owner was sitting at a table near by. I learned what a generous person she was in her community. Then I notice at one point how she got up from her meal to go close the swinging door to the kitchen - she could of had the waitress do it, she could have called out, for all to hear, but instead she quietly got up and closed the door, both to minimize noise of and sight into the kitchen. Maybe only I saw her do that, but as I read about leadership this morning, the Lord enabled me to recall her leadership by example and in humility.
I will be preparing notes on leadership for my personal growth and for future sermons.
After my reading, I spent time in prayer, praying for my own spiritual health, for the spiritual growth of my family, and for the spiritual health of the congregation of St. John's. Relying upon God's direction and patience, let us each devote ourselves to the Lord that we would be His sheep as we growth in faith and devote ourselves to serving people in His ministry.
Psalm 121 - our help comes from the Lord
Erich
I witnessed an aspect of leading by example and humility yesterday. My mother took Lynne and I to a local restaurant for brunch after our time of worship. The place was owned and operated by a woman, who had established the place decades earlier. In listening to our waitress and my mother, I learned that the owner was sitting at a table near by. I learned what a generous person she was in her community. Then I notice at one point how she got up from her meal to go close the swinging door to the kitchen - she could of had the waitress do it, she could have called out, for all to hear, but instead she quietly got up and closed the door, both to minimize noise of and sight into the kitchen. Maybe only I saw her do that, but as I read about leadership this morning, the Lord enabled me to recall her leadership by example and in humility.
I will be preparing notes on leadership for my personal growth and for future sermons.
After my reading, I spent time in prayer, praying for my own spiritual health, for the spiritual growth of my family, and for the spiritual health of the congregation of St. John's. Relying upon God's direction and patience, let us each devote ourselves to the Lord that we would be His sheep as we growth in faith and devote ourselves to serving people in His ministry.
Psalm 121 - our help comes from the Lord
Erich
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Day Forty Two
One of the interesting aspects of being in Montana is that there is a two hour time difference between here and Archbold, so as the congregation worships on Sunday morning, we are still waiting to go to worship this morning. I began with prayer for our congregation's worship, for the worship leaders and for the worshipers. We will go with my mother to her church once again, as it is a rare blessing to worship the Lord alongside my mother.
The past week has been filled with activity, and with times of relaxation and renewal. We spent Monday thru Wednesday traveling to, enjoying and returning from Glacier National Park. Driving by a snow field 10' high in the mountain pass was wondrous! We saw some fantastic scenery, saw a mountain sheep, hiked to some beautiful water falls, and were fogged in at the summit! The formation of the earth truly is amazing, with glacial affect and the variety of God's vast display of rock, water, vegetation and animal life. The trip up and back was about 7 hours one way as we took the less traveled routes and enjoyed scenic drives.
The past four days have been spent at my mother's house - a cottage apartment that is part of a large senior citizens complex. When my older sister and I helped move my mother last year to this new place, several things were left undone, not knowing my mother would wait for the next visit from one of her children! So we have rearranged furniture, hung pictures and curtains, and fixed a few odds and ends. My mother's failing eyesight has stabilized, but she has trouble reading printed instructions or reading her thermostat, so we have been helping her learn and remember various items to help her on a day to day basis. It's a blessing to help her around her home
Tomorrow, July 1st, I will begin to follow more of a regimen in my daily schedule as I start to put in place some of the guidance I've been reading about in my pastoral books. For the past couple of years I have been less than systematic in my morning and evening schedules, which I attribute to a wearing out of my soul at times. This blessed time of sabbatical has given much restoration and I look forward to getting back to earlier routine, with additional focuses pointed out in my reading and from my time at Moody. Waking earlier, at the same time, reading and praying for a set time, with more emphasis on personal prayer, and a new regimen on worship and sermon preparation will be some of the aspects I will be addressing. Into that mix will be more of a physical exercise program, too! Lynne has been very helpful in prompting daily walks!
Lynne and my mother get along tremendously, which makes living together for more than a few days much easier!
I find my river of life being renewed in so many ways as God directs the course of my days as a river is directed by its banks. The Lord is channeling my energy and devotion while I splash over and around activities and lessons, just as a river splashes over and around rocks in the river bed. How blessed life is to be so directed by the Lord,
And yet so many don't have such direction. As we went to a farmer's market yesterday, I saw a man wearing a disturbing t-shirt. Pictured on the front was a group of men sitting around a poker table. One of the men was portrayed as Jesus - with a halo around his head. Two words on the shirt - "ante, Christ." The depiction of the meaning of Jesus putting in his ante for the hand of poker was disturbing - what a sad, sad jibe at our Lord. One of the lessons I'm reading about has to do with evangelization - sharing the truth of scripture with those who don't know Christ. I look forward to God's continual leading in our mutual ministry.
I will try and be more regular in posting to my blog! Just got my laptop back as the hard drive crashed!
Blessings on this Sabbath day.
Erich
The past week has been filled with activity, and with times of relaxation and renewal. We spent Monday thru Wednesday traveling to, enjoying and returning from Glacier National Park. Driving by a snow field 10' high in the mountain pass was wondrous! We saw some fantastic scenery, saw a mountain sheep, hiked to some beautiful water falls, and were fogged in at the summit! The formation of the earth truly is amazing, with glacial affect and the variety of God's vast display of rock, water, vegetation and animal life. The trip up and back was about 7 hours one way as we took the less traveled routes and enjoyed scenic drives.
The past four days have been spent at my mother's house - a cottage apartment that is part of a large senior citizens complex. When my older sister and I helped move my mother last year to this new place, several things were left undone, not knowing my mother would wait for the next visit from one of her children! So we have rearranged furniture, hung pictures and curtains, and fixed a few odds and ends. My mother's failing eyesight has stabilized, but she has trouble reading printed instructions or reading her thermostat, so we have been helping her learn and remember various items to help her on a day to day basis. It's a blessing to help her around her home
Tomorrow, July 1st, I will begin to follow more of a regimen in my daily schedule as I start to put in place some of the guidance I've been reading about in my pastoral books. For the past couple of years I have been less than systematic in my morning and evening schedules, which I attribute to a wearing out of my soul at times. This blessed time of sabbatical has given much restoration and I look forward to getting back to earlier routine, with additional focuses pointed out in my reading and from my time at Moody. Waking earlier, at the same time, reading and praying for a set time, with more emphasis on personal prayer, and a new regimen on worship and sermon preparation will be some of the aspects I will be addressing. Into that mix will be more of a physical exercise program, too! Lynne has been very helpful in prompting daily walks!
Lynne and my mother get along tremendously, which makes living together for more than a few days much easier!
I find my river of life being renewed in so many ways as God directs the course of my days as a river is directed by its banks. The Lord is channeling my energy and devotion while I splash over and around activities and lessons, just as a river splashes over and around rocks in the river bed. How blessed life is to be so directed by the Lord,
And yet so many don't have such direction. As we went to a farmer's market yesterday, I saw a man wearing a disturbing t-shirt. Pictured on the front was a group of men sitting around a poker table. One of the men was portrayed as Jesus - with a halo around his head. Two words on the shirt - "ante, Christ." The depiction of the meaning of Jesus putting in his ante for the hand of poker was disturbing - what a sad, sad jibe at our Lord. One of the lessons I'm reading about has to do with evangelization - sharing the truth of scripture with those who don't know Christ. I look forward to God's continual leading in our mutual ministry.
I will try and be more regular in posting to my blog! Just got my laptop back as the hard drive crashed!
Blessings on this Sabbath day.
Erich
Monday, June 24, 2013
Day Thirty Six
We are staying in Whitefish, Montana tonight and tomorrow night as we explore Glacier National Park. My family visited Glacier in 1976 and I remember the beauty of what we will see once again tomorrow. We will travel along Going to the Sun Highway, a 50 mile journey, one way, and hike to a glacier or two. My mother is doing well, and what a blessing it is to enjoy her motherly hospitality once again! We worshipped with her on Sunday, at her church, Grand Avenue Christian Church, part of the Disciples of Christ. I will preach there on July 14. The book I am reading has been a great background as I listen to others preach and I am discerning a new system/schedule of study for when I return home. The discovery readings continue to keep me in touch with the church's study of Acts.
My focus continues to be on deepening my pastoral gifts and exploring how I can enhance my pastoral care, and I am learning much from my visits to other churches. My absence from St. John's continues to be felt as I miss familiar faces and friendly conversations! I pray that The Lord has continued to bless the ministry of our church.
Erich
My focus continues to be on deepening my pastoral gifts and exploring how I can enhance my pastoral care, and I am learning much from my visits to other churches. My absence from St. John's continues to be felt as I miss familiar faces and friendly conversations! I pray that The Lord has continued to bless the ministry of our church.
Erich
Friday, June 21, 2013
Day Thirty Three
Today we drive to Bozeman, Montana, to see my mother. The past week has been one of traveling and sightseeing. Hiking the past two days has provided wonderful view of God's creation. I've picked up several sermon illustrations and have been processing my meditations with God. It's been peaceful to be free from stress and worry as we enjoy seeking God's directions for our ministry. Another 9+ hours on the road today. So far we have blessed with safety, friendliness while traveling thru various cities, and blessed clear weather. Amy arrived home last night for a couple of weddings and Ryan comes home this weekend from counseling at a science camp at ONU. We trust they will enjoy some sibling time together before Amy heads back to Biloxi.
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