tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51655925192872590552024-02-25T09:36:37.614-08:00Three Minutes to NineGinger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.comBlogger1137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-67105185379945845262018-12-13T19:26:00.000-08:002018-12-14T13:35:27.551-08:00"The Happiest Dying Woman You'll Ever Meet"<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me with Joan and Karen out for Christmas Tea, 2014</td></tr>
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In the early hours of December 10 my dear friend Joan Clyde slipped away to Jesus. She had been experiencing back pain for several months and it had not subsided so she had an MRI at the end of August. On the 31st, the Friday of Labor Day weekend, she got the results on the phone from a doctor she had met only once. "You have cancer in several places in your back," she was told. "You have two choices. You can either come in for more tests or you can call Hospice." She chose Hospice.<br />
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I first met Joan in 1995, when our family moved back to the Northwest from our three-year stint in Western New York. Joan and I served together on the Women's Ministry team of the Marysville Free Methodist Church for several years and enjoyed a sweet friendship. Joan was a retired school librarian who lived very near the church in a charming brick home that she had decorated with exquisite taste, including the artwork of the old masters, Victorian pieces, and her grandfather's violin. I couldn't get my fill of the colors and style of her living room, the sense of being enveloped in peace as I sat on her white sofa, and the delicious treats that would appear on the table when our committee had tea together.<br />
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It was our first year back that Joan and I were assigned to be prayer partners. She took a keen interest in my family and, ever since that time, asked me often about my children and told me, "I pray for your sons every day." I am grateful for those prayers and the love and faith that carried them to the Lord for 23 years.<br />
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That wasn't the only gift I received from her that year. At Christmas she gave me a beautiful outfit—a pair of pants and matching sweater that she purchased for me at Nordstrom. She told me that she and her sister in California had everything they needed and they had decided some years before that instead of exchanging gifts they would choose someone else for whom to buy a gift. What a joy it was for me to be the one she chose that year<br />
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Joan's fine taste and her flair for art (particularly her penmanship) delighted us all. She could whip up invitations and programs for our events and decorate a beautiful table. You can't imagine a lovelier table than one that Joan had prepared for a women's event. I suspect our committee stayed together for so many years because no one wanted to miss out on the joy of working with Joan.<br />
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She loved the Scripture and completed the whole series of Bible Study Fellowship and several Precept Bible Study classes. Her prayers lifted our hearts to the Father's throne. Not only was she a friend of many women, she was also a friend of God.<br />
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One evening we had gathered at the church to plan our annual Spring Women's Brunch, but Joan was late. That was so out of character for her that we waited for several minutes for her to arrive. Still no Joan. When we heard sirens in the neighborhood I ran to the street and saw that the aid car had stopped in front of Joan's house. Her husband Pat had had a heart attack which he did not survive. It was an awful blow to Joan, and she never fully recovered. She missed Pat terribly and began that day to turn her mind more and more to Heaven.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joan's birthday lunch in April at The Living Room</td></tr>
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Karen and I got together with Joan to celebrate her birthday the last several years. This past April we took her to The Living Room, a church building in Marysville that has been turned into a multi-room coffee house, where we sat at a table in the former sanctuary and sipped our tea and ate our lunch and caught up. I never knew Joan's age. I thought she might be close to my mom's age so since Mom turned 90 this year I asked Joan if this was a special birthday for her. She laughed, as if she saw right through my attempt to find out her age, and said, "No, it's not a special year for me!" I still don't know how old she was.<br />
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I saw Joan just days after she called Hospice. She looked radiant and told me, "I'm the happiest dying woman you will ever meet!" Each time I saw her after that, or whenever we spoke on the phone, she affirmed that sentiment and told me that she felt the presence of the Lord with her and such sweet peace. She had very little pain. Her daughter and son-in-law were with her for the last months of her life, along with many caregivers, even someone who came by to wash her hair. She always looked beautiful and greeted me warmly when I stopped by to see her.<br />
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Below is the last card I received from Joan, written September 6, 2018. It says, "Dear Ginger, What a happy surprise, your unexpected visit. Thanks for the lovely card and even lovelier message, the bookmark and the macaroons (no appetite, but I ate them all and they were yummy!) You have always been my example of a true and faithful woman. God put you into my life at just the right time and He has allowed us to be friends for all these years. I am so grateful for you. Love, Joan"<br />
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She may have been a happy dying woman, but what rapture she must be feeling now in the tangible presence of Jesus. </div>
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I'm signing off with my name as Joan wrote it on the envelope in which she mailed the above card. May the Lord teach us to know Him in such a way that we, too, will be able to join Joan in saying, "I am the happiest dying person you will ever meet!"<br />
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In Christ,</div>
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Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-83067195723013160082018-09-17T08:57:00.000-07:002018-09-17T08:57:01.483-07:00In Honor of My Other Mother, Lynda KauffmanMy mother-in-law would have turned 100 last week. I am grateful that our lives were intertwined, and offer you a brief moment to be blessed by this lovely woman.<br />
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Lynda was born in 1918 in the township of Hume, New York, and lived there until she was in her 20s. She married Harold, the neighbor boy, and their newlywed nest was a little house on her parents' property.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lynda with her mom, Winifred Burch Mills</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lynda, her mom, and her Gramma Burch</td></tr>
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Who would have dreamed that this young woman, so fond of her family homestead, would make countless trips across the country, settling her family into homes in Buffalo and South Seattle, on Vashon Island, and Queen Anne Hill, in Tucson and Fort Worth. They eventually returned to Houghton and lived on the "farm," as they called the family property, until they died in 2009 and 2010.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and Dad Kauffman with Carol, Tom, Dan, and Marilee</td></tr>
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Lynda was charming and adaptable. They came to Seattle for our wedding in 1989 and we decided to introduce our parents to one other at Black Angus. But I had forgotten to make reservations. You might be able to get away with that sometimes, but it's not a good idea on Valentines Day. Despite some awkward moments, all four parents took our dilemma in stride and found instant friendship with one another.<br />
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When our boys were tiny (just seven months and twenty-two months) we packed up and moved from Seattle to Houghton to live near Tom's parents. Lynda was an attentive grandma, a supportive mom, and a source of unrestrained love for us all. She cooked farm food, always ample and delicious—well, there was that rooster she prepared for us one night. It was rangy and tough, simply beyond earning any kind of compliment! Always the good sport, she handled our reaction like a champ.<br />
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After we moved back to the Northwest we saw Tom's parents quite often. We loved our trips to the farm, where the cookie jar was always full and Dad and Mom's arms were always open. And we loved their visits too.<br />
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Tom's folks took us on many outings, including <a href="https://parks.ny.gov/parks/79/details.aspx">Letchworth State Park</a> and <a href="https://www.gcv.org/">Genesee Country Village & Museum</a>, two of western New York major tourist attractions. And sometimes they'd hitch the trailer up to their tractor and drive us into the back woods of the property for a picnic.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three generations at Letchworth State Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring Genesee Country Village and Museum</td></tr>
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They made a handsome and compatible pair, Dad and Mom. Each morning over breakfast they had devotions, reading the Bible and praying together. Most evenings they read books aloud to one another. They were happiest when they were together, and they weren't shy about demonstrating their love. I often heard Lynda say to Harold, with pink cheeks and a girlish smile, "Oh, Daddy!" They were married for 70 years.<br />
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<i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span class="text Prov-31-30" id="en-NIV-17315" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; position: relative;">Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;</span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Prov-31-30" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">but a woman who fears the <span class="small-caps" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal;">Lord</span> is to be praised.</span></span></i></span></div>
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<span class="text Prov-31-31" id="en-NIV-17316" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; left: -4.4em; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; text-align: center; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;">31 </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text Prov-31-31" id="en-NIV-17316" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; position: relative;"><i><span class="text Prov-31-31" id="en-NIV-17316" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">Honor her for all that her hands have done,</span></i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="text Prov-31-31" id="en-NIV-17316" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; position: relative;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px;"><i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Prov-31-31" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">and let her works bring her praise<span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-17316I" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-17316I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span> at the city gate.</span></span></i></span></span></div>
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<i><span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Prov-31-31" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
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<span class="indent-1" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box;"><span class="text Prov-31-31" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; box-sizing: border-box; position: relative;">Proverbs 31:30-31</span></span></div>
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~ Ginger KauffmanGinger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-4609050355138561362018-09-14T08:57:00.000-07:002018-09-17T06:55:01.858-07:00Ohme Gardens<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ever since I was young I had wanted to go to Ohme Gardens. It's a beautifully lush park, I'd been told by my grandma, on top of a bluff in Wenatchee, a kind of oasis in an arid land. Each time we drove past the sign to Ohme Gardens as we traveled across the state on I-90 I would look longingly up the hill toward the gardens, wondering what I was missing. Finally, we stopped to visit.<br />
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In contrast to the day's unbearable afternoon heat we found shade and cooler air inside the gardens. Water features, tall, lacy trees, and lots of plantings provided a pleasant setting for visitors.<br />
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Wenatchee is located in north-central Washington, on the east side of the Cascade Mountains. With precip<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">itation only 29 days of the year (find data <a href="https://www.bestplaces.net/climate/city/washington/wenatchee">here</a>), it is no wonder the area is so dry. So how did these welcoming garden</span>s come to be?</div>
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The answer is found on the <a href="https://www.ohmegardens.org/thegardens/pages/the-start-of-ohme-gardens">Ohme Gardens website</a>:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In 1929 Herman Ohme purchased 40 acres of land for an orchard. Included was a craggy, dry, desolate, rock-strewn bluff with a breathtaking view of the snow-capped Cascade Mountains and the shimmering Columbia River valley. Herman and his new bride, Ruth, loved to stand on the bluff and dream of flourishing alpine meadows, shimmering pools and shady evergreen pathways where the hot, relentless summer sun allowed only sage and scrub desert growth. They set their minds on achieving that dream.</span></span></blockquote>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrCFvL79rbbTKiBNsn-bPk5cTDoqO5G1cm4cNX88h_9LwzfmW9u7R6UTlfQtvYH7h2wt033DNDFY526pxKuXxdSzh-W__OqVSJQFO3wcCnn_rODXwMyZNgKTyS8s_HhZ_8K6dThTIRA1o/s1600/Ohme+Gardens+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="648" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrCFvL79rbbTKiBNsn-bPk5cTDoqO5G1cm4cNX88h_9LwzfmW9u7R6UTlfQtvYH7h2wt033DNDFY526pxKuXxdSzh-W__OqVSJQFO3wcCnn_rODXwMyZNgKTyS8s_HhZ_8K6dThTIRA1o/s400/Ohme+Gardens+5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzS89_BwayZaeUHm7w-IgM6wMnt2X6xRdtt-cgW6GzIdBAaIw4pJOBixY_e9zDpVar2Wb197UePxGJUCH-lUUsEh_Dn4MglZkX8QLlqB4EQ4PKLT94M8fjTf0h5-g3o6YgpS4xSy8pF2D/s1600/Ohme+Gardens+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="484" data-original-width="648" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmzS89_BwayZaeUHm7w-IgM6wMnt2X6xRdtt-cgW6GzIdBAaIw4pJOBixY_e9zDpVar2Wb197UePxGJUCH-lUUsEh_Dn4MglZkX8QLlqB4EQ4PKLT94M8fjTf0h5-g3o6YgpS4xSy8pF2D/s640/Ohme+Gardens+9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Because weddings and other events are held at Ohme Gardens, I suggest you check out their schedule before visiting. But do go! It's a lovely place, and I think you'll like it.<br />
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~ Ginger KauffmanGinger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-150779159515672442018-08-31T17:51:00.003-07:002018-09-17T06:55:32.672-07:00When Graham Kerr Came to Dinner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graham Kerr at our front door</td></tr>
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It began with my husband's simple comment. It sounded to me like a statement of resignation. "Well, I guess I'll never have a chance to be a sous chef for Graham Kerr." Is this a secret dream he harbors? I wondered. </div>
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I knew that his interest in the Galloping Gourmet (what Graham Kerr was called in his early years as a celebrity chef) pre-dated our courtship. When I met Tom I learned that he loved cooking shows and was, himself, a fine cook. In the early years of our marriage we were in the studio audience for four episodes of his program, The Graham Kerr Show, produced by KING 5 in Seattle. What a delight to watch this charismatic man whip up a nourishing, beautiful, and delicious dish or two while connecting so well with his audience. Book signings and public presentations came later. We knew Graham Kerr, but he certainly did not know us.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graham's newest book, this is a reprint of his first book, <br />
written when he was 26 years old.</td></tr>
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An idea began to form in my mind. In a few months Tom would be celebrating his 70th birthday. Perhaps Graham Kerr could come to our home and he and Tom could make dinner together.<br />
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I contacted Graham with the help of mutual friends and shared my idea. He agreed to my request and the planning began. The menu was worked out, Tom got his assignments for the meal prep, I bought a crepe pan for the event, and we cleaned the house. I called our friends Ike and Donna and invited them to join us. The dinner was scheduled for August 24.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our friends Donna and Ike...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and the beautiful flowers they brought for the table.<br />
Notice the blackberries! Nice touch, Donna!</td></tr>
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Tom and Graham made a fine team in the kitchen. Following Graham's own recipes, they created amazing crepes for our main course. Many of the salad ingredients came from Graham's garden and the dessert parfait was a perfect finish to our meal.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tossing the salad</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Arranging the crepes</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding the sauce and the cheese to the crepes</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHSjY6O1d3oD3Ld8pLiLHh592AmFRn2VutuYFT7ui-Nc1tTKQ8t8EhWR1I8DgAHfVlgUYWZStiF1jy-1cUIbEEaisqEQ9SBw1sH7fyVeBGwT2UeC76jiStLqbTWgBX1rbOEGoll3M4YZ1/s1600/Graham+Kerr%2527s+Crepe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="864" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLHSjY6O1d3oD3Ld8pLiLHh592AmFRn2VutuYFT7ui-Nc1tTKQ8t8EhWR1I8DgAHfVlgUYWZStiF1jy-1cUIbEEaisqEQ9SBw1sH7fyVeBGwT2UeC76jiStLqbTWgBX1rbOEGoll3M4YZ1/s640/Graham+Kerr%2527s+Crepe.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, so delicious!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graham calls this The Patriot</td></tr>
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When the day arrived, we were ready, but I'm not sure we were completely prepared—prepared to find in Graham Kerr such a charming man.<br />
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He is open. He told us about his assignments in the British military when he was a young man, including a stint in the unit's kitchen. "Follow me down this hall," said the cook. "I have your office ready for you." When he entered the room he faced a sink full of dirty pots and pans and he was charged with keeping them clean, a job that lasted for several months.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zpLfFFHdPEAhfo8FGgY8pw_uAcqGfyG_CzaTDU0gsNkZkYRtQ3ki3JarRmJOYMeBf-fwYw8pzw3lkTyf81tB1d4ArFbor-yanpNO4ZFfHNTVcPCanFqPpPffvfPTNFQO-Al0PwhpQNXr/s1600/Animated+Graham+Kerr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5zpLfFFHdPEAhfo8FGgY8pw_uAcqGfyG_CzaTDU0gsNkZkYRtQ3ki3JarRmJOYMeBf-fwYw8pzw3lkTyf81tB1d4ArFbor-yanpNO4ZFfHNTVcPCanFqPpPffvfPTNFQO-Al0PwhpQNXr/s640/Animated+Graham+Kerr.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He's an animated storyteller!</td></tr>
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He is adaptable. Before the dinner I had to call him with bad news. Our brand new oven had quit and the repairman couldn't fix it before our dinner. Since nothing on the menu required baking he said to me, "Don't worry! I have a blowtorch and I have been wondering if it will brown cheese as well as melt it." So we had blowtorched crepes!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blowtorching our crepes!</td></tr>
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He is gracious. Graham just seemed to be happy to be at dinner with friends. He wasn't trying to impress anyone, only to serve us.<br />
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But what we appreciated the most is his heart for Jesus and for people. He puzzled over a question through the evening. He wanted to know what people seem to be looking for in life—what are they pursuing? If we could put that into words it would make us more effective in sharing the life of Christ with them. He spoke of people he knows who are seeking God. His desire to walk alongside them and love them touched us both deeply.<br />
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Graham spoke of Matthew Henry, a pastor and author who lived from 1662 to 1714. He is known for his six-volume commentary, Exposition on the Old and New Testaments. In his entry on Matthew 11:29, where Jesus said, "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me," Matthew Henry tells the reader that "it is a yoke that is lined with love." More than once that evening Graham used that quote to encourage us.<br />
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He prayed for each of us, one by one, when it was time to leave, and we knew that we had spent the evening with a dear brother in the Lord. The fellowship that we share as followers of Jesus leaves a sweetness like nothing else.<br />
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We'll look back on this evening in the years to come and we'll remember the anticipation, the preparation, and the scrumptious meal we shared together with friends. But even after those memories have faded we will still hold on to the feast it was for our souls.<br />
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~ Ginger Kauffman<br />
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Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-8854207078036836182018-08-18T20:57:00.000-07:002018-09-17T06:56:16.311-07:00Exchanging Wildfire Smoke for Wildflower Beauty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Shuksan and Reflection Lake</td></tr>
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The wildfire smoke from Eastern Washington and British Columbia had hung in the air for days. It was beginning to feel oppressive. So we picked up my mom and headed to Mt Baker, where we traded in the wildfires for wildflowers.<br />
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I was excited for this day trip, although I didn't have much confidence that the air quality would be better at Artist Point (just past the ski area at Mt Baker) than it was at sea level, where we live. Nor did I understand how you can travel closer to Canada, where many of the fires were burning, and yet not have the smoke. But that's what we found.<br />
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To get to Artist Point, take Interstate 5 to Bellingham, and get of at exit 255, WA 542-E/Mt Baker Hwy. Follow the signs (or you GPS) to Artist Point. It took us about two hours to make the trip from Stanwood. We drove through beautiful farmland and passed rivers, giant trees, and small towns. My body relaxed more with each mile. Although the drive up the mountain is winding and mostly without guardrails. the roads are well maintained and safe. The sky, free of most of the smoke, held just enough clouds to provide drama for our photos.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRjBhXA-zUNCssCCVDwOknCDznlbcPEDjFGp2j8St-XzVgb5oDwxmKJC0d_ZKRfOnhctNZ9uK1GSojz0_vqry4wsqLHY33CAp7dhgOSC1ArANgsnzImZrNU0cZHgmUuzt_SWnNROODfOy/s1600/Mt+Baker+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="504" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglRjBhXA-zUNCssCCVDwOknCDznlbcPEDjFGp2j8St-XzVgb5oDwxmKJC0d_ZKRfOnhctNZ9uK1GSojz0_vqry4wsqLHY33CAp7dhgOSC1ArANgsnzImZrNU0cZHgmUuzt_SWnNROODfOy/s640/Mt+Baker+3.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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My Grampa Blanton was a tall, strong man who spent most of his life in the woods of the North Cascades, cutting down trees. About 17 miles from our destination we found this bronze sculpture which was recently installed at the Glacier Public Service Center to honor lumberjacks. It gave Mom a perfect photo op as well as some special memories.<br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EhZUAaJypJtBabHaf0fu9Z7TG4GwOyc-QAfwgTt9s4cMRlmtx91raJUz_v2gJaJ-gaXSr7srlXVdQKxSw3-GrO3Xr5pjboA6v7HzLJk0nRoZ_yRocLt6yqCdbWpDptTQ-n8Efm3b7_Ix/s1600/Mt+Baker+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="504" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1EhZUAaJypJtBabHaf0fu9Z7TG4GwOyc-QAfwgTt9s4cMRlmtx91raJUz_v2gJaJ-gaXSr7srlXVdQKxSw3-GrO3Xr5pjboA6v7HzLJk0nRoZ_yRocLt6yqCdbWpDptTQ-n8Efm3b7_Ix/s640/Mt+Baker+4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">My first glimpse of wildflowers. (Notice the switchbacks far below the trees and plants.)</td></tr>
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Somehow I had a mental picture of the fields being filled with wildflowers, everywhere you look, when you go to the mountains in July and August. The reality is that I have never seen such a spectacle. Still, there were many beautiful flowers as well as glorious mountain scenes that called for numerous oohhhs and aahhhs.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpEcu3Mt6ud_QC6VFXxCVf2mI0pMcyu5g8XmXW1Xd5U-iZymgqbTi_rfuvYdikoQ-dCbs001AUkT3uhaOwPMZgcMpc2bgTAKd1sTXpcHK7Kub3Dk-o8yvT6OxrIyBlZDSb1ZY7fYNjEZ0/s1600/Mt+Baker+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="504" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXpEcu3Mt6ud_QC6VFXxCVf2mI0pMcyu5g8XmXW1Xd5U-iZymgqbTi_rfuvYdikoQ-dCbs001AUkT3uhaOwPMZgcMpc2bgTAKd1sTXpcHK7Kub3Dk-o8yvT6OxrIyBlZDSb1ZY7fYNjEZ0/s640/Mt+Baker+11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg020Js0T7PVv-Qs0nyv8Nyu0kfYBa-5x0O57u3YLf2JZg8HtDjehgoFRujyfJC4ubhl7YwxxEUbLiwxWMhnl3sFnKYF5O7oJ6OYxxlBLImukYPMNg9_Dk9kIlTkv3XUTMvdDVH52SERBR4/s1600/Mt+Baker+12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="504" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg020Js0T7PVv-Qs0nyv8Nyu0kfYBa-5x0O57u3YLf2JZg8HtDjehgoFRujyfJC4ubhl7YwxxEUbLiwxWMhnl3sFnKYF5O7oJ6OYxxlBLImukYPMNg9_Dk9kIlTkv3XUTMvdDVH52SERBR4/s640/Mt+Baker+12.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41T0uVzqHS5lqzuSOTJSgMKg7DHQBop_rNPQP69M3bCvusCVADloEdA6K7lYgmrd4n-Zl-0t7VFbVBeTF4kjlRnaF0vLvjXFsBdR2kflCjm6go2lQH20_UIUDVe1F3VzBuxwefKSDI2tk/s1600/Mt+Baker+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="672" data-original-width="504" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41T0uVzqHS5lqzuSOTJSgMKg7DHQBop_rNPQP69M3bCvusCVADloEdA6K7lYgmrd4n-Zl-0t7VFbVBeTF4kjlRnaF0vLvjXFsBdR2kflCjm6go2lQH20_UIUDVe1F3VzBuxwefKSDI2tk/s640/Mt+Baker+7.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite photographer with Mt Shuksan in the background</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsGSVITdoEff000zMn_e5kugIIbHjapIK7JIakj__yQaaLjA9HKJLm6jamagnoufRqzuenqPk974Q5GdBW8TWuHqVgi5AyK1dovg6Pt81BGK2mVIhkJTMNWQSqP53Pbm4XZUfDFkipGqi/s1600/Mt+Baker+1a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="378" data-original-width="504" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqsGSVITdoEff000zMn_e5kugIIbHjapIK7JIakj__yQaaLjA9HKJLm6jamagnoufRqzuenqPk974Q5GdBW8TWuHqVgi5AyK1dovg6Pt81BGK2mVIhkJTMNWQSqP53Pbm4XZUfDFkipGqi/s640/Mt+Baker+1a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Shuksan</td></tr>
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And when it was time to drive back down the mountain we were filled up with the beauty and the fresh air and the time we got to spend together.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30bul_w2LBJvptlv5cNPo7fP8bXe_GuEjc2TD3bRCwC8s6jw40ImLD4kpaNw6zuq3AEShFwvTZFSXclUzTLyQgR7Dj8EJC6lNoD2g856R2g9p3ceVz5I75z9s4ph3WG7YwQAD-78KZRvU/s1600/Mt+Baker+15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="296" data-original-width="720" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30bul_w2LBJvptlv5cNPo7fP8bXe_GuEjc2TD3bRCwC8s6jw40ImLD4kpaNw6zuq3AEShFwvTZFSXclUzTLyQgR7Dj8EJC6lNoD2g856R2g9p3ceVz5I75z9s4ph3WG7YwQAD-78KZRvU/s640/Mt+Baker+15.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Baker</td></tr>
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~ Ginger Kauffman</div>
Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-64303808303862422282018-08-15T09:00:00.000-07:002018-09-17T06:57:07.201-07:00How's You Love Life?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykRq2tfYLBpEushi17SFhX7S6qJJ-8-7UvRrCRMSZAYrU1Bu348f0UhyphenhyphenwaAR7KRCHPMVJhyTbjIVy44Ygay6pL5qIYuW4fSt-eI27ytr6bjtQi3IMnkaK4lSzhyKj94v_U6a5QZrfvAdh/s1600/Husband+Washing+Dishes+1950s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="400" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjykRq2tfYLBpEushi17SFhX7S6qJJ-8-7UvRrCRMSZAYrU1Bu348f0UhyphenhyphenwaAR7KRCHPMVJhyTbjIVy44Ygay6pL5qIYuW4fSt-eI27ytr6bjtQi3IMnkaK4lSzhyKj94v_U6a5QZrfvAdh/s320/Husband+Washing+Dishes+1950s.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Genuine love honors others. It also honors Christ. Here's a slightly modified version of a list that made its rounds on Facebook several years ago and, although I posted it in 2011, it seems like this would be a great time to share it again.<br />
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1. <b>Listen without interrupting</b>. <i>He who answers before listening, this is his folly and his shame </i>(Proverbs 18:13). Ouch!<br />
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2. <b>Speak without accusing</b>. <i>My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry</i> (James 1:19).<br />
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3. <b>Answer without arguing.</b> <i>Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid</i> (Provers 12:1). Don't justify yourself or make excuses. Listen for the truth. It just may be that the one speaking to you is offering you a gift that will help you grow.<br />
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4. <b>Trust without wavering.</b> <i>It [love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres</i> (1 Corinthians 13:7).<br />
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5. <b>Share without pretending.</b> <i>Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that is, Chris</i>t (Ephesians 4:15). Be real: live the truth; speak the truth.<br />
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6. <b>Give without sparing.</b> <i>All day long he [the sluggard] craves for more, but the righteous give without sparing</i> (Proverbs 21:26). If God did not spare his Son on our behalf, we can be generous with others.<br />
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7. <b>Promise without forgetting.</b> <i>Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life</i> (Proverbs 13:12)<i>.</i><br />
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<i>8. </i><b>Forgive without punishing</b><i>. Share with each other and forgive whatever grievance you may have against one another</i> (Colossians 3:13). There's no room for "I forgive you, but..."<br />
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9. <b>Enjoy without complaint.</b> <i>Do everything without complaining or arguing</i> (Philippians 2:14).<br />
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10. <b>Pray without ceasing.</b> <i>Pray continually</i> (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Love invites us to hold people up to God in all our thoughts concerning them.<br />
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<b>Let all that you do be done in love</b> (1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV).<br />
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~ Ginger Kauffman</div>
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Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-87500157455189905482018-08-13T09:00:00.000-07:002018-09-17T06:58:02.398-07:00Good Listeners, Wise Counselors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Many years ago, when I was feeling oh, so weary and lonely, I invited a visiting pastoral couple to my office for a chat. They stepped into my windowless little room and over peanut butter cookies and tea we talked about ministry and frustrations and dreams. They listened to me, asked a few probing questions, and bathed me in grace. Pots full of tough questions that had long simmered on the back burners of my mind began to find answers that day as a result of that brief encounter, and, for the first time in months, I felt refreshed. All because two people, gentle and wise, were willing to listen and point me to Jesus.<br />
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Recently I had a similar encounter. I had gone to see a pastor/friend about a concern that weighed heavily on my heart. Though I didn't know him well, I knew he was the one I wanted to talk to. As we talked it was like he heard things I didn't speak, things I didn't even know I felt. But he was right, you know. He listened to my words, and to my heart. His questions encouraged me to open my hands to God, and I left there refreshed.<br />
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I am so grateful for wise, discerning people who listen, both to the people around them and to God, and gently speak truth into our difficulties. I am grateful for the peace of God, and for the fresh breeze that blows through our hearts when he sets us free.<br />
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Are you weary? Frustrated? Lonely? Discouraged? Burned out? Weighed down by guilt? Broken hearted? Do questions swirl inside your soul that you can't articulate, much less resolve?<br />
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I pray that the Lord will speak his peace and grace into your heart today, giving your a freedom you can't even imagine. Maybe he will show up through the pages of Scripture or in the words of a devotional reading or on a podcast. Or maybe he'll use a friend who listens to your heart and lifts you to Jesus.<br />
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~ Ginger Kauffman<br />
<br />Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-21898081939988194142018-08-08T09:00:00.000-07:002018-09-17T06:58:24.596-07:00ALL: A Study of Psalm 145<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does" (Psalm 145:13b).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Psalms remind us again and again to praise the Lord. But why praise him? How should we praise him? Does God really care about us anyway?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As I studied Psalm 145 the other day I found the answers to those questions. It encouraged me so much that I wrote a Bible study to share with you.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #454545; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It will take about 20-30 minutes to work through it. God bless you as you study this jam-packed psalm which will remind you of the depth of God's love, care, and faithfulness. </span><br />
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<b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">ALL: A Study of Psalm 145</span></b></div>
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<b style="text-align: center;">Psalm 145</b></div>
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<b style="text-align: center;">World English Bible</b></div>
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<b>A praise song by David.</b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V1" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">1 </span>I will exalt you, my God, the King. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I will praise your name forever and ever. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V2" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">2 </span>Every day I will praise you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I will extol your name forever and ever. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V3" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">3 </span>Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">His greatness is unsearchable. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V4" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">4 </span>One generation will commend your works to another, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and will declare your mighty acts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V5" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">5 </span>I will meditate on the glorious majesty of your honor, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">on your wondrous works. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V6" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">6 </span>Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I will declare your greatness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V7" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">7 </span>They will utter the memory of your great goodness, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and will sing of your righteousness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V8" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">8 </span>Yahweh is gracious, merciful, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">slow to anger, and of great loving kindness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V9" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">9 </span>Yahweh is good to all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">His tender mercies are over all his works. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V10" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">10 </span>All your works will give thanks to you, Yahweh. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Your saints will extol you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V11" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">11 </span>They will speak of the glory of your kingdom, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and talk about your power, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V12" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">12 </span>to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">the glory of the majesty of his kingdom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V13" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">13 </span>Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Your dominion endures throughout all generations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yahweh is faithful in all his words, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and loving in all his deeds.<a class="notemark" href="http://ebible.org/web/PSA145.htm#FN2" style="color: blue; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.16em; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super;">†</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V14" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">14 </span>Yahweh upholds all who fall, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and raises up all those who are bowed down. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V15" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">15 </span>The eyes of all wait for you. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">You give them their food in due season. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V16" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">16 </span>You open your hand, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and satisfy the desire of every living thing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V17" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">17 </span>Yahweh is righteous in all his ways, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">and gracious in all his works. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V18" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">18 </span>Yahweh is near to all those who call on him, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">to all who call on him in truth. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V19" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">19 </span>He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">He also will hear their cry, and will save them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V20" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">20 </span>Yahweh preserves all those who love him, </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">but he will destroy all the wicked. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="verse" id="V21" style="line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: super; white-space: nowrap;">21 </span>My mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Study Questions</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1. Read Psalm 145.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2. Re-read verses 8-21. Circle every “all” or similar word in the passage.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">3. Identify what each circled word refers to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">4. In a sentence or two, summarize these verses, focusing on the character of God.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">5. Read verses 1-7.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">6. David begins this psalm with his declaration of God’s greatness and our appropriate response: worship. List three or four ways David says people will worship.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">7. In Psalm 145:1-7 David calls us to worship. In verses 8-21 he gives examples of why we worship. Which example(s) do you most identify with? Why?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">8. Read through Psalm 145 again, personalizing it as if it came from your own heart rather than David’s. For example, read verse 1 like this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“I, (fill in your name), will exalt you, my God the King;</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span> I, (fill in your name), will praise your name for ever and ever.”</span></div>
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~ Ginger Kauffman</div>
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Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-88795287834103858592018-08-06T12:41:00.001-07:002018-08-18T10:22:42.971-07:00Through the Bible in a Lifetime<br />
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(This post originally appeared on October 28, 2010)<br />
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We saw Tom's sister Marilee recently and she shared a couple of interesting stories with us.<br />
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When she was three years old, she and her mom (Lynda) went to visit Grampa Mills, Lynda's father who pastored a church in Ottawa. Grampa asked Lynda to preach! She felt totally inadequate for the experience, but as a result of her message, five children gave their hearts to Jesus! Meanwhile, little Marilee sat in the pew by herself. At one point her mom looked down to see that Marilee had taken the New Testament out of her purse and was biting on its spine. From the pulpit, she could do nothing about it! <br />
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A few months ago, after Mom passed away, Marilee found that same New Testament, tooth marks and all, still in Mom's purse, and now she carries it in her own.<br />
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When Marilee herself was a young mother, her innovative pastor stood one Sunday among stacks of Bibles designed to guide readers through the entire Bible in a year. He told the congregation that he would give a Bible to anyone who would commit to read it through in a year. She took him up on the challenge and received a Bible. At first she read to fulfill her obligation, then to not disappoint the pastor. Eventually she read for the joy and power of the Word. That was over 30 years ago, and she continues to read through the Bible each year.<br />
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You might say she is still sinking her teeth into God's Word.<br />
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~ Ginger KauffmanGinger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-37843801300282168312018-08-06T08:57:00.000-07:002018-09-18T21:40:11.774-07:00Rest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Yes, my soul, find rest in God;</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>my hope comes from him.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Psalm 62:5, NIV</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">~ Ginger Kauffman</span></div>
Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-76746094390079044702016-12-04T08:57:00.000-08:002016-12-04T08:57:00.152-08:00Behold He Comes, Bringing Joy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When Jesus took up the scroll in the synagogue, as recorded in Luke 4, he read from the prophet Isaiah: <i>The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor...to provide for those who grieve in Zion -- to bestow on him</i> a crown of <i>beauty</i> instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment or praise <i>instead</i><i> of a spirit of despair </i>(Isaiah 61:1-3).<br /><br />The angels told the shepherd, <i>Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: he is Christ the Lord</i> (Luke 2:10-11).<br /><br />Peter reminded his readers that <i>though you </i><i>have</i><i> not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls</i> (1 Peter 1:8).<br /><br />Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. It gives vivid, tangible evidence of the presence of God in our lives. What could be more winsome than a person, filled with the presence of the Lord, living joyfully, even in the face of difficulties?<br /><br /><i>To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy -- to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen</i> (Jude 1:24-25).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">(This post first appeared in December of 2013.)</span>Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-19110377983541783862016-11-02T11:14:00.001-07:002018-02-14T20:13:34.952-08:00America's Most Urgent Prayer Need<span style="font-family: inherit;">This article was posted on May 1, 2013, as we anticipated the Nation Day of Pray. It is as pertinent today as it was three-and-a-half years ago, only now it is more obvious. With the election fast approaching, I ask you to read with an open heart. I believe it is God's desire for our nation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Tomorrow is the National Day of Prayer. People in the Stanwood-Camano community will, once again, meet in the parking lot of Haggen from 12:00 till 1:00 p.m. to worship and pray together while people across the country will be praying in similar gatherings throughout the day, focusing on the injunction to "Pray for America," the theme of this year's National Day of Prayer.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />We watch, stunned, as each day we see greater evidence of the need for prayer for our nation. It is impossible to listen to the news without recognizing that America is in distress—economically, politically, spiritually, in our families, our schools, and our neighborhoods.<br /><br />But I believe there is a need even deeper than our need for reform in our country. It is for revival.<br /><br />Revival is what happens when men and women of God come to him in humility, crying out for God's forgiveness for sin, for his cleansing, and for his deep work in their lives. It comes when we acknowledge our desperation as individuals and as a church for God himself, when we realize that we cannot do the work of God without the grace and power of God. It comes when we throw ourselves completely on him, allowing him to fill and direct us.<br /><br />The fruit of revival is manifold, but I believe the greatest evidence of revival is love. When we have met with God and he has revived our souls—and our churches—there will be such an outpouring of God's love within the church and into the community that everyone will know that we are his disciples (John 13:35). And we will work to end injustice; we will serve with joy; we will not bicker among ourselves; we will be clean vessels through which the light of Christ can shine.<br /><br />When God's people are revived in this way, others will be drawn to the light. But until revival comes, we will not experience the fullness of God's power in our lives or our nation.<br /><br />I encourage you to pray for America, but don't limit your prayers to one day of the year. Let's make prayer for our nation a part of our daily lives. Let us pray from hearts that are seeking him for revival. Let us allow God to do his work within our own hearts and within the church. Until we seek his face and receive his cleansing we cannot really expect God to heal our land.</span>Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-82570419192977833862016-06-27T08:50:00.001-07:002016-06-27T09:11:25.935-07:00Love Like There's No Tomorrow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Everybody dies. The thing is, most of us don't get the chance to write about it later. Ocieanna Fleiss did. In <i>Love Like There's No Tomorrow: How a Cardiac Arrest Brought My Heart to Life</i> she tells the story of her death and recovery.<br />
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Ocieanna's died on a Saturday night. Her heart stopped for over ten minutes. Although the medical team got it started again, they held out little hope for her survival. Despite the odds, God brought her back to full health.<br />
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But that is only part of the story. Through <i>Love Like There's No Tomorrow</i> I met a delicate child who struggled to find her place in the world and in her family. I watched her grow into a young woman whose purpose in life was to earn God's favor. I saw a beloved wife and mother who was stressed and overwhelmed by life's demands. The cardiac arrest was the beginning of a a healing that "brought her heart to life" in ways she had never before experienced. It propelled her into God's glorious grace.<br />
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Ocieanna's unique writing voice combines beautifully with her responsive heart to God's deep work in her life. Her story is one of hope for all who are former—or even current—legalists, for those who constantly feel the strains of life, and for all who long to be at rest in the Lord. I'm guessing that's pretty much all of us!<br />
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Meet her for yourself at her website, <a href="http://ocieanna.com/">Ocieanna.com</a>, where you can read the first three chapters of <i>Love Like There's No Tomorrow,</i> find a link to purchase any of her four books, browse her blog, or invite her to speak to your group.<br />
<br />Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-51821606531860562702016-06-16T08:35:00.001-07:002016-09-19T16:11:44.241-07:00Voices From the Past<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Today I'm sharing this story, originally posted on February 2, 2010, because it reminds me of my big brother, Tommy, and gives a glimpse into our dad's sweetness. Even now, at 90, I Dad's sweetness and love remain strong. Happy Father's Day, Papa.</i></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tommy and me, 1954</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I couldn't pronounce my r's when I was little. I called myself "Gin-juh" and my baby sister "Glowia." I must have been about four and my brother Tommy five when he decided I needed a little coaching. I'm told the conversation went something like this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Ginger, say car."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Kaa."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"No, say <i>car</i>."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"<i>Kaa</i>."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"Ginger, say <i>ca-rrrr</i>."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"<i>Ka-uhhh</i>."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">"No, honey, say <i>ca-<b>urh</b></i>."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">At this point I started jumping up and down shouting, "He called me honey! He called me honey!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When I was digging through the boxes of childhood treasures in our garage in December, I came across a small canister. Thinking it strange that someone had saved an old can of shoe polish, I pulled it out and discovered a small yellowed note taped to the top which read, "Us at home, Nov 23, 1954." It was a wire recording! We found a man in Seattle to transfer the recording to CD and just last night were able to give my parents their belated Christmas present.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On the recording, Dad played the part of Art Linkletter and told us we were on his "Houseparty" radio program. He asked us questions about ourselves -- names (Tommy and Gin-juh), ages (five and fo-uh), what our parents did (Daddy was a nol'um layer [linoleum layer] and Mama didn't work but she liked to read), who was the boss at our house (of course the answer was our Daddy!). Tommy said George Washington was the smartest man in the world, and his wife was the smartest woman. I said the prettiest woman in the world was Mrs O'Brien! No one at the table had any idea who Mrs O'Brien was, but she must have been gorgeous. Already I had two boyfriends -- Chuck and Leroy. Tommy thought it would be fun to be a <i>zraff</i>(giraffe) so that he could watch the fireballs, and for no reason I could come up with, I wanted to be an <i>ow-uu </i>(owl). In an attempt to get five-month-old Gloria to talk, we made her cry instead.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and my daddy, 1956</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We each sang a song, exuberant me with words I can't quite make out, and my brother singing sweetly and clearly, "Whisper a prayer in the morning, whisper a prayer at noon, whisper a prayer in the evening, so keep your heart in tune." </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Tommy and I did a lively rendition of "I Love to Go to Sunday School," then Dad and I sang "Whisper a Prayer" with Tommy, this time Tommy singing the harmony to Dad's and my melody. Tommy was undisturbed by my attempt to find the right note or even by the melody that Dad was singing as he harmonized high above us. I'd forgotten how naturally music came to him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Our family didn't own a recorder or camera during our early days, so this find is especially precious to us. Tom and I were glad to get it back from being transferred while my brother Ted, who was passing through on his way back to Juneau, and Peach (that is, Glowia) were both available to hear it too. Tim, check the mail. Your copy will be there in a couple of days.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now where did we put that cassette of our boys when they were preschoolers?</span></div>
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Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-58964160698631571132016-04-19T13:15:00.002-07:002016-04-23T11:38:49.135-07:00The Hound of Heaven: A Modern Adaptation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Hound of Heaven has been calling me today, reminding me of his relentless pursuit of humankind. Despite the old English Francis Thompson used in his enduring poem, <i>The Hound of Heaven</i>, when he wrote it over a hundred years ago, even the modern day reader cannot miss the meaning of the story. Propelled forward at a heart-pounding pace, the poem tells of a soul being chased through life by One who will not give up the quest. Finally the hounded hears the Voice of Love as the Hound moves in:<br />
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All which I took from thee I did but take,<br />
Not for they harms,<br />
But just that thou might'st seek it in My arms.<br />
All which they child's mistake<br />
Fancies as lost,<br />
I have stored for thee at home:<br />
Rise, clasp My hand, and come.</blockquote>
<a href="http://threeminutestonine.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-hound-of-heaven.html">I have written before</a> about this poem that captured my imagination when I was a teenager. I write again today because I want to share an updated version of <i>The Hound of Heaven </i>by Oxvision Films. This animated modern adaptation is beautifully done, telling the story in word and image that connects well with 21st century young people.<br />
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As you watch the video below and sense in your heart that God is following hard after someone in your life, pray for your loved one and ask the Lord to help them yield to the God who wants only their best. Share the video with the young people in your life. Do you see in this video your own story? Why not post it on your social media, and include your own testimony.<br />
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Father, use this updated version of <i>The Hound of Heaven</i> and whatever other means you choose to draw people to yourself. Help us be sensitive to the needs of those around us and might we be faithful to take advantage of any opportunity you give us to share the truth of your love with others. May it all be for your glory. Amen.<br />
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<a href="https://vimeo.com/oxvisionfilms/the-hound-of-heaven-ma">See the video here.</a><br />
<br />Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-65880914746650716442016-04-15T13:27:00.002-07:002016-04-15T15:23:44.728-07:00What's Better Than a Chocolate Bar? Making It Yourself!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When you walk into <a href="http://north40farmfood.wix.com/home">Salt & Thistle</a>, a cute little shop close to Subway in the Stanwood Camano Plaza, you will notice local handmade goods and other sustainable products. Cute, bright, practical, fun items to buy for gifts or keep for yourself. You'll also find baked goods, soups, quiche, and smoothies, made fresh daily on site.<br />
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Melissa Tarkington, owner of Salt & Thistle, has a dream to provide small, local farmers and producers an outlet for their goods. Besides offering retail space and creating tasty treats, she also makes Salt & Thistle's community kitchen available to local vendors who need a place to prepare their goods. And she offers a variety of classes—pretty much whatever you want to learn—to groups of four or more.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A list of the chocolates Melissa makes and sells at Salt & Thistle </td></tr>
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"Do you offer chocolate making?" I asked Melissa one day. I had already discovered the delicious chocolate bars she makes and had purchased them on several occasions. "Sure! If you want to make some chocolate I can do a class for you."<br />
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The birthday of my friend Joan offered the perfect excuse for a chocolate making class. We gathered some friends and set the date. When we arrived the table was set for six, with food as scrumptious as it was beautiful. When we'd had the last bite of salad and hors d'oeuvres that we could fit in, Melissa brought out the bowls of chocolate for a taste test.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joan, the Birthday Girl, and our lovely dinner</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"This one was..."</td></tr>
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For loving chocolate like I do, I discovered that I'm not too discerning about what I'm eating! I had few words to describe the chocolate pieces and I wasn't even sure which ones I preferred. But Melissa gave us several words to apply to the confection—such as bitter or smooth finish, dark fruit notes, coffee and vanilla bean flavor, and hard snap. which is how top grade chocolate responds when being broken. She also instructed us in the world of chocolate making, such as where cacao beans come from (ten degrees on either side of the Equator); the sad reality that many growers and producers use child labor in their businesses; and what it means when chocolate "blooms." (When the oil separates from the chocolate the top of he bar looks dark, like an oil slick; when the sugar separates it gets powdery. Don't worry, though. The taste of the chocolate is not degraded.)</div>
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Then we were ready to make our own bars. Melissa had two pots of chocolate waiting for us, a pot of dark and a pot of milk chocolate. She also had a tray of nuts, berries, coconut, sea salt and other goodies that we could add to our bars.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stirring the dark chocolate</td></tr>
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Once we chose our ingredients we poured a ladle of chocolate into a mold and added our goodies. Here's Joan pouring hers. Mine was harder to pour because the dark chocolate had begun to harden.</div>
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I added "date bacon" to my candy bar. I did NOT want bacon in my chocolate but Melissa assured me that it was actually chopped dates, fried briefly in a pan with olive oil, a bit of maple syrup, and smoked salt. The mold below shows my date bacon bar on the left with two chocolate bars that were tempered by hand on a cold steel table. You have to work fast in this business or things don't turn out too pretty!<br />
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A few of the chocolate bars were ready to take home at the end of the evening. Melissa popped them out the molds and wrapped them for us. I took mine home to share it with m family. Not too beautiful, but it tasted just fine!<br />
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My friends and I enjoyed ourselves immensely. Thanks, Melissa, for a great evening. We wish you success in your venture with Salt & Thistle and the many ways you serve the community.</div>
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Stop by Salt & Thistle for a little shopping and a bite to eat. They are open Tuesday through Saturday. If you are looking for a commercial kitchen, check with Melissa. And if you are looking for a class on canning, making scones, chocolate, or pretty much whatever you can think of, give this versatile young woman a call. You'll be glad you did.Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-12543093977099325212016-04-04T09:17:00.001-07:002016-04-04T09:17:53.420-07:00Consider it Pure Joy?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2RnuIv6wwKN1P1xKN1uTRvvHuSgDUts5JEVlOoe_cBtZLpdmjoxoillbsRgbjvN8l8B0Gn4B-_Y_gCfVZo2BueDMkgEigNbpzRF6WQJtRbIVbvgZTtuZW2P8aYo6QQ7efmcBR6SV6hyW/s1600/Consider+it+Pure+Joy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK2RnuIv6wwKN1P1xKN1uTRvvHuSgDUts5JEVlOoe_cBtZLpdmjoxoillbsRgbjvN8l8B0Gn4B-_Y_gCfVZo2BueDMkgEigNbpzRF6WQJtRbIVbvgZTtuZW2P8aYo6QQ7efmcBR6SV6hyW/s1600/Consider+it+Pure+Joy.jpg" /></a></div>
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"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4).<br />
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Have we ever considered the trials we pass through "pure joy"? Has there ever been a time when the end results of the faith-testing—perseverance, maturity, completeness, lacking nothing—have captivated us so thoroughly that we not only endured the trial but delighted in it?<br />
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If you are like me, you hear James's words in your head, but your internal auto-correct turns them into, "Don't kick and scream, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. Grit your teeth and bear up, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance." After all, what is perseverance if it isn't slogging through a difficulty all the way to its completion?<br />
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We need a new understanding of this profound passage. How, indeed, can we consider trials a joy?<br />
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Here is how <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-4&version=VOICE">James 1:2-4 is rendered in The Voice</a>:<br />
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Don't run from tests and hardships, brothers and sisters. As difficult as they are, you will ultimately find joy in them; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience as you endure. And true patience brought on by endurance will equip you to complete the long journey and cross the finish line—mature, complete, and wanting nothing.</blockquote>
The joy James is talking about may not be our initial response to trials, but if we respond to them in faith (which blossoms under pressure) and learn to patiently endure, we will ultimately find joy in our hardships.<br />
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In my post entitled <a href="http://threeminutestonine.blogspot.com/2016/03/surrendered.html">Surrendered</a> I said that Jesus "was able to survive the experience of being surrendered [by Pilate] to the will of the crowd because he had already surrendered himself to the will of the Father." And so it is with us. If we are surrendered to the will of our loving Father, we can trust Him with anything that comes into our lives. Our faith and patience will grow as we trust him through our trials.<br />
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At the end of this long journey we will stand before the Lord; we'll be mature, complete, and wanting nothing. Knowing that each trial we endure along the way is preparing us for that great moment, we can rejoice. We are God's, and He using our trials for our good!<br />
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Read more about <a href="http://www.hearthevoice.com/about-the-translation">The Voice</a>.<br />
<br />Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-86804564428461120992016-03-25T14:20:00.001-07:002017-03-02T10:34:03.109-08:00Surrendered<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCsXwef8xzGIM_Il678oPAFeJmPaZR3KwvGPLIb-YFhx4EL4ixva4z0FCIUkxlyCeou-C7ZxME4j8JRmQzv0v34OooO6Lpu2USvW4cZf4GIuijFjvYLLkf36tO41lZfoIChyphenhyphenAPzK-8Ber/s1600/Crowds+Demand+Barabbas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguCsXwef8xzGIM_Il678oPAFeJmPaZR3KwvGPLIb-YFhx4EL4ixva4z0FCIUkxlyCeou-C7ZxME4j8JRmQzv0v34OooO6Lpu2USvW4cZf4GIuijFjvYLLkf36tO41lZfoIChyphenhyphenAPzK-8Ber/s1600/Crowds+Demand+Barabbas.jpg" /></a></div>
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Recently I read the story of Jesus before Pilate. It was early on Friday morning of Holy Week. The religious leaders had arrested Jesus, tried him, and found him worthy of death. Because execution was forbidden for Jews, they took him to stand trial before Pilate.</div>
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After questioning Jesus, Pilate was convinced of his innocence. However, the religious leaders had aroused the crowds, and Pilate was afraid of them. "What shall I do with Jesus?" Pilate asked the people. "Crucify him!" they cried. Ignoring his own convictions and his wife's pleas for Jesus's life, he washed his hands of any guilt and released Barabbas, "the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one [the crowds] asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will" (Luke 23:25).<br />
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What a chilling thought, that the holy Son of God would be surrendered to the will of an angry mob.<br />
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I noticed a handwritten message in the margin of my Bible, pointing me back a chapter to Luke 22:42. We see Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane on Thursday night, just hours prior to his trial before Pilate. Hear him pray: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMNMbqMFJUjXEGRSAXovPdKBN8bLH5sRfT8Q3YaOAVbpJEuFJ1XJXbEuX9d5LA5wZzXxE_PwLLB_EU_B4tCIkR9gXOftAerGZc9oCRb-rywK0LSPxT-37fp-pl2YIjHD7bL4syMf7Z2or/s1600/Jesus+Praying+in+the+Garden.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMNMbqMFJUjXEGRSAXovPdKBN8bLH5sRfT8Q3YaOAVbpJEuFJ1XJXbEuX9d5LA5wZzXxE_PwLLB_EU_B4tCIkR9gXOftAerGZc9oCRb-rywK0LSPxT-37fp-pl2YIjHD7bL4syMf7Z2or/s1600/Jesus+Praying+in+the+Garden.jpg" /></a></div>
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Jesus was able to survive the experience of being surrendered to the will of the crowd because he had already surrendered himself to the will of the Father.<br />
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This is how we, too, can be equipped for those experiences where we seem to have no control of our situation. Perhaps it is illness or a broken relationship, or maybe it is financial strain or the grief over a loved one's death. If we have submitted ourselves to the Father's will we can rest in His loving hands. Surrendered to God, we need not be afraid of "the will of the crowd" concerning us.<br />
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<i>In God, whose word I praise—</i></div>
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<i>in God I trust and am not afraid.</i></div>
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<i>What can mere mortals do to me? </i></div>
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Psalm 56:4</div>
<br />Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-72948769814134393362016-03-15T06:40:00.001-07:002016-03-15T06:45:28.342-07:00In Time of Trouble<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Aj3Uv4sPTuvdsH5U-3r9kizrDQwhRIW_RjumW3g5DjWYSVvB9iu8If3t-Cwyknj0h7WM8p-FxGE7li-MkQ7X9OzlN3KWTTou0-nPdR2GKlbeJrHOOSEd030e7MZI4idmSwjAwQItZNTV/s1600/Andrew+Murray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Aj3Uv4sPTuvdsH5U-3r9kizrDQwhRIW_RjumW3g5DjWYSVvB9iu8If3t-Cwyknj0h7WM8p-FxGE7li-MkQ7X9OzlN3KWTTou0-nPdR2GKlbeJrHOOSEd030e7MZI4idmSwjAwQItZNTV/s1600/Andrew+Murray.jpg" /></a></div>
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When South African pastor Andrew Murray was visiting England in 1895, he began to suffer pain from a previous back injury. While he was recuperating, his hostess told him of a woman who was in great trouble and wanted to know if he had any counsel for her. Murray said, "Give her this paper which I have been writing for my own [encouragement]. It may be that she will find it helpful." This is what Murray wrote:</div>
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"In time of trouble say: </blockquote>
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God will keep us by His love. By His grace, we can rest in Him. </blockquote>
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First—God brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place. In that I will rest. </blockquote>
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Next—He will keep me in His love and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child. </blockquote>
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Then—He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He meant to bestow. </blockquote>
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Last—In His good time He can bring me out again—how and when He knows. </blockquote>
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I am here—by God's appointment, in His keeping, under His training, for His time."</blockquote>
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This story is from David Jeremiah's book, <a href="http://www.davidjeremiah.org/shop/p-5270-what-to-do-when-you-dont-know-what-to-do.aspx">What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do</a> and appeared recently in <a href="http://odb.org/2016/03/04/for-his-time/">Our Daily Bread.</a></div>
Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-38998571849996893382016-03-05T14:40:00.001-08:002016-03-05T14:50:55.752-08:00Sun Breaks<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlgAMkv8WIZC5fLgPYCczcyKL624bWMxSA-E0pdgM_c6nwGo4rCT0pN4w46sHF0cg5SKSweejs4IJ0hYfZFL9m4l82CrBnJJdeGcSKxd2VISd5xfVEb7oNyMbjlTyIdG9uY4Kww-ctfOl/s1600/Sun+Breaaks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWlgAMkv8WIZC5fLgPYCczcyKL624bWMxSA-E0pdgM_c6nwGo4rCT0pN4w46sHF0cg5SKSweejs4IJ0hYfZFL9m4l82CrBnJJdeGcSKxd2VISd5xfVEb7oNyMbjlTyIdG9uY4Kww-ctfOl/s1600/Sun+Breaaks.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taken at Cannon Beach, Oregon in October, 2015</td></tr>
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<i>When the sun breaks through a rip in the clouds and floods the vistas with golden light, heads go up and lungs expand. It's like a mini-vacation, a kiss of beauty from the heavens, a note of encouragement that brighter days are coming. </i></div>
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~ Joan Husby, in the introduction to her blog, <a href="http://rainsongpress.blogspot.com/">Sun Breaks</a></div>
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We've had record-breaking rainfalls this winter. Rain has come to us in buckets and sheets, and even a few cats and dogs. Yet we've had enough sun breaks these past three months to keep us from total madness.<br />
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In the past week Tom and I have taken advantage of these rare moments and gone out with our cameras in search of some beauty. We didn't have to go far. The photos below were all taken within twelve miles of our home.<br />
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Bonhoeffer Botanical Gardens, located at Freeborn Lutheran Church on 300th St NW, east of I-5 at exit 218, is clearly visible from the freeway. A work in progress, this gardens will eventually showcase a thousand plants native to the Pacific Northwest. With beautiful boardwalks, educational kiosks, grasses growing on the roofs, and native habitats, people will come from miles around to enjoy this marvelous botanical gardens.<br />
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Workers were at the park while we explored, preparing the security system for the many glass pieces that will be on display, creations of artists from nearby Pilchuck Glass School.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7zVr-RqYf1fp3Fhd8Ha13ujwNEzQXp5ZLzNuGl55eX2l5pStpSGpxEecLO78A7G2Etj0-cDDKoH4gOTipDEZuFQaxsD2Mobj8WHOCdvNauxipOKwDJzXkAC4G5PtetcWkCcRRe-MBv0U/s1600/Nature+Tour+2+%2528Bonhoeffer+Gardens%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ7zVr-RqYf1fp3Fhd8Ha13ujwNEzQXp5ZLzNuGl55eX2l5pStpSGpxEecLO78A7G2Etj0-cDDKoH4gOTipDEZuFQaxsD2Mobj8WHOCdvNauxipOKwDJzXkAC4G5PtetcWkCcRRe-MBv0U/s1600/Nature+Tour+2+%2528Bonhoeffer+Gardens%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jSYNVWaZClHfLYJFAAIwpeCyAg_P9KyEC0W7Er2SZTIPC4XXyYP6pfjvpsswB0p7P4QgdaYwm9wT1WMyuGvALWnpm-3FcxLm3GIIbSbCrlDh30IErFd84DSpZ1XfsbSV9D95oWCtdM3H/s1600/Nature+Tour+1+%2528Bonhoffer+Garden+Rock%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6jSYNVWaZClHfLYJFAAIwpeCyAg_P9KyEC0W7Er2SZTIPC4XXyYP6pfjvpsswB0p7P4QgdaYwm9wT1WMyuGvALWnpm-3FcxLm3GIIbSbCrlDh30IErFd84DSpZ1XfsbSV9D95oWCtdM3H/s1600/Nature+Tour+1+%2528Bonhoffer+Garden+Rock%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4RuAZpPOgjud0MbXJpNYtciXCx0qiAtJcof1VxbWFjSZ1TpgW3HJ2xkdeZzJE4tapM4kUw7QX7_DxIO5jcRLRQbxfeM9cVuA-p9FrPDDitUdhMrDpnNCxzIQCgTOUIKYGRBKI3aaOYUB/s1600/Nature+Tour+A+%2528Bonhoeffer+Gardens+Kiosks%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm4RuAZpPOgjud0MbXJpNYtciXCx0qiAtJcof1VxbWFjSZ1TpgW3HJ2xkdeZzJE4tapM4kUw7QX7_DxIO5jcRLRQbxfeM9cVuA-p9FrPDDitUdhMrDpnNCxzIQCgTOUIKYGRBKI3aaOYUB/s1600/Nature+Tour+A+%2528Bonhoeffer+Gardens+Kiosks%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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Cama Beach State Park on Camano Island has much to offer visitors but nothing more appealing than the warm sunshine and these apple blossoms that greeted us.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5trjxuhBi-rRTdH5aWSVlp7-zC2qdT47-9XcA-fxa7HCEdN7iax2FVKZSYpvQj9F8aw4PvEZ9-t8BJaP4tX_asHLnWkm7X52ncdDmX3fRQp6PyRDZE9PLs3QTDw6dZJfzuPUtFZtXRDkq/s1600/Nature+Tour+%2528Apple+Blossoms%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5trjxuhBi-rRTdH5aWSVlp7-zC2qdT47-9XcA-fxa7HCEdN7iax2FVKZSYpvQj9F8aw4PvEZ9-t8BJaP4tX_asHLnWkm7X52ncdDmX3fRQp6PyRDZE9PLs3QTDw6dZJfzuPUtFZtXRDkq/s1600/Nature+Tour+%2528Apple+Blossoms%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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We wanted to check for eagles on Thomle Road, just off Marine Drive. Shortly after we turned on Thomle Road we saw an eagle sitting on a branch, not too far from his nest. Down the road we discovered two more adult birds and another nest, And then there were the cherry trees laden with blossoms in the late afternoon sun.</div>
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The forecast is for several more days of rain. Perhaps we'll get a few sun breaks. But even if we don't, the heavens have given us a kiss of beauty, and it's enough to keep me going until Spring is here to stay.</div>
Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-64855843405852397752016-02-28T18:02:00.000-08:002016-02-28T18:02:16.505-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-82323622111034392672016-02-18T20:27:00.000-08:002017-03-10T21:57:06.603-08:00Face to Face with Jesus <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I recently read <i>Face to Face with Jesus: A Former Muslim's Extraordinary Journey to Heaven and Encounter with the God of Love. </i>The author, Samaa Habib, was raised in a Muslin family in the Middle East. Her nation was in turmoil for much of her growing up years. As a teenager she began attending a tae kwon do class taught by a group of Christians who shared the love of Jesus with their students, she chose to follow Christ.<br />
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Samaa's book, written with Bodie Thoene, tells the story of her earnest faith and tireless pursuit of Jesus, even in the face of unrelenting difficulties. For example, her church, far from her home, held an all-night prayer service that began at 10 p.m. every Friday. But her country was in the midst of civil war and public transportation was unreliable. Besides, there was a curfew in the city, so every time she went to the prayer meeting she put her life on the line. Even to go to the bread line to get food for the family was hazardous. With danger lurking each time she left the house, she also faced danger in her <span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">own</span> home. Her parents and many of her siblings opposed her conversion and threatened to take her life.<br />
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The pages of <i>Face to Face with Jesus</i> throb with the steadfast faith of this young woman and the steadfast faithfulness of God. Again and again He rescued her from difficulty, disaster, and death. Indeed, the title of the book comes from the moments in which she literally was face to face with Jesus in Heaven.<br />
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Many people today face perils similar to Samaa's. Strengthen them, Lord. Show Yourself strong on their behalf and may they live and die for Your glory.<br />
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Most of us in the West will never experience such dire circumstances. Lord, use Samaa's book to call us to Your heart so that we, too, will pursue You tirelessly and live for you joyously. Help us to abandon ourselves totally to the One who is faithful.<br />
<br />Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-9968336356508624862016-01-28T12:28:00.000-08:002016-01-28T12:28:23.976-08:00I Told the Mountain to Move<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Patricia Raybon grew up in the church. She was a good Christian lady. But when her husband was rushed to the hospital for life-saving emergency surgery, and her daughter had left the church to embrace Islam, and her relationship with her mother had deteriorated into an obligation, she started praying. She studied the masters of prayer, Andrew Murray, R.A. Torrey, Mother Theresa, Richard Foster and many other men and women of yesterday and today who had learned to pray. And she sought the Lord for herself and poured over the pages of Scripture, struggling through the issues that seemed like immovable mountains in her life.<br />
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It is out of this experience that she wrote the book, <i>I Told the Mountain to Move: A determined struggle to learn how to pray; a triumphant lesson in learning to love</i>. Patricia Raybon is utterly honest; I'm sure I have never read a book by an author more transparent than Raybon. A journalist who teaches at University of Colorado at Boulder, she is a fine writer with a unique voice. A powerful voice. A voice that draws the reader into her mind and her heart.<br />
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The book is made up of twenty-four prayer lessons that Patricia Raybon learned through the years covered in the book, lessons with names like "Love Each Other" and "Be of Good Cheer," simple words but often foreign concepts. <i>I Told the Mountain to Move</i> describes the amazing changes that occurred in Patricia herself as she learned to pray from the Lord himself.<br />
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I found the most impressive change to be the transformation that occurred in her most significant relationships. As the book began, her marriage was in disarray, she felt compelled to preach to her daughter, and she and her mother could barely be in the same room together. The Lord restored each of these relationships as he taught Patricia about love and prayer.<br />
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If you struggle with prayer, if your relationships lack grace, if you have unsurmountable problems, then you are right where Patricia Raybon started out. Let her take you on a journey that will teach you to pray the kind of prayers that make mountains move.<br />
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<br />Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-41300413115324955232016-01-27T09:53:00.003-08:002016-01-27T09:53:47.859-08:00Today's Post<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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You'll find me today at <a href="http://nwhealthymama.com/2016/01/my-northwest-healthy-dad/">Northwest Healthy Mama</a>, where I talk about my Northwest Healthy Dad who just turned 90 a few days ago. Stop by and take a look!<br />
<br />Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5165592519287259055.post-5261902705932858852016-01-05T17:35:00.002-08:002016-01-05T17:35:06.526-08:00Growing as a WriterI've been writing all my life. Three pieces from my grade school days come to mind, two poems—one a retelling of the Christmas story and the other describing an idyllic community with tree lined streets and lots of churches, a place where I thought I would like to live—and a fanciful tale in which I described the noses of the people who got off the bus while I waited to get on. My childhood diary was less interesting, featuring entries such as,"This morning I played at Gretchen's house. I had tomato soup for lunch." Clearly not all writing is equal.<br />
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With term papers in high school and college, essay tests, and letters, lots of letters, I had many opportunities to pursue my love of writing. Years later, when Tom and I found ourselves in a rural community where jobs were as scarce as hen's teeth, we decided to start our own business. Tom's background in graphic arts and publication design at Boeing and my writing experience led us to create a publication of our own, a magazine we called <i>Family Scrapbook</i>. We put up a half-wall in the huge living room of our hundred-year-old farmhouse, making it possible for us to keep an eye on our two preschool sons while we created our 40-page bi-monthly magazine. It was a venture far beyond our previous experience and proved to be just the creative challenge we needed.<br />
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Now, twenty years later, I look back through the seven issues of <i>Family Scrapbook</i> we published before the cost of producing a national magazine overwhelmed our resources, and smile deep inside, remembering the joy of working with my husband on a project so completely satisfying.<br />
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Christmas letters and an occasional article made up the bulk of my writing for the next fifteen years. Then one morning I awoke with an urgency to start a blog. I could hardly wait for my son to get off the computer so that I could get started. I lept onto the computer and hardly came up for air until I had <a href="http://threeminutestonine.blogspot.com/2009/09/ive-been-thinking-about-blogging-for.html">my first post</a> up. That was September 17, 2009. I've loved blogging–sharing things I care about while honing my writing skills. I joined Northwest Christian Writers Association (NCWA) and love hanging out at the monthly meetings and various writers conferences with folks who, like me, want to write to the glory of God.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Critique Group -- Members (left to right, standing) Me, Joan Husby, Diana Savage,<br />Agnes Lawless, Sylvia Stewart, (seated) Marjorie Stewart</td></tr>
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A year ago I was invited to join a critique group. Of all my writing adventures, this is by far the most stretching. These women, these beautiful, creative, amazing women, have become dear friends and colleagues to me. Being with them for a year has inspired me to work harder and write better. It is a group who pours themselves into one another's writing and after the critique session ends we share our joys and concerns over brown bag lunches.<br />
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Each of these women is an accomplished and prolific writer and every time we meet I learn more about the breadth of their writing skills and the depth of their faith in Christ. I am grateful to have these lovely women in my life.<br />
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Are you a budding writer (or artist, or musician, or actor, or...) who wonders if you will ever really get good at your craft? Do you feel like the years are slipping away and you may <i>never</i> become accomplished and God will <i>never</i> use you? I have often felt that way too. But as I look back over the years I can see that the Lord was growing me as a writer all along. The childish poems and school essays, the letters to my camp friends, the magazine and the blog—these things were years apart but they were what I could do at the time. If you have a dream in you heart that the Lord put there, He will nurture it. Keep at it; find support through NCWA or another group; take a class; hire a mentor. Bring your dreams to Jesus. He just may show you how He has been growing you over the years. And don't worry about when and how He is ever going to use you. Chances are, He already is.Ginger Kauffmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08334574316518084961noreply@blogger.com2