The View From My Window
February 12, 2012
Wow What Wonderful Winter Weather We?ve Wintered Wouldn?t u say? Remember the record rainfall of 2011? We set the record for rain in a year by September! Then came the floods! Our 1st snowfall of the season was a doozy and it came in October! Poor snow blower salesmen, sad ice melt providers, weeping snow-day-less students, penniless snowplow drivers and melancholy grounded snowmobilers. But for the rest of us: Some Sweet Silent Snowfall Season So Sunny, So Sensational, So Slick-less
Pastor :)
January 29, 2012
My son-in-law was telling me about a new problem they?ve been having in Utah as of late: freezing fog. A thick fog will roll through and leave behind a thin layer of ice on everything it touches. Almost zero visibility is compounded with slippery pavement for a morning commute that takes him over a mountain. Just when you think you?ve seen it all what you can?t see gets to you. Life is certainly an adventure. What?s next acidic fog? You walk out to find the paint has been dissolved off your car, your grass has been bleached white and your dog is hairless. ?That?s silly,? you say. Read the book of Revelation; far worse than silliness awaits those who are not ready to go when Jesus comes back for His own. Earthquakes, space debris, cosmic disruptions, floods, poison and more will cause people to run for their lives and wish they were dead at the same time. Don?t be caught unprepared; seek the Lord while He may be found.
Pastor :)
January 8, 2012
It's here, it?s here, it?s finally here: winter has finally arrived with its first arctic blast! I don?t ski, snowboard or even sled ride anymore. Winter is my least favorite season of all; my body seems to mind the cold more as I age. So why am I so excited that it?s here? The sooner it gets here the sooner we?re done with it. I?ve learned to embrace January and February because I know that warmer days are coming. Conversely, I almost hate to see June and July because I know that all too soon they?ll be gone. I know what you?re thinking: it?s time for me to take a pill. Actually I think that when you get to be my age you?ll think the same way. I?m beginning to see how Paul could endure all those terrible trials because he knew that he was getting closer and closer to heaven. Maybe old age (the winter season of our life) is just getting us ready to burst into glory like a calf released from the stall in spring. I suppose we senior saints ought to feel sorry for you younger members of the kingdom because you?re likely to have to spend a lot more time here than those of us with more miles on our odometer. Soon and very soon we are going to see the King?
Pastor :)
January 1, 2012
Happy New Year! Wow what a rush; I stayed up until almost 10:00 last night. I found out a long time ago that if I go to bed the New Year still gets here and I?m in better shape to face it. That?s what?s supposed to happen: we learn stuff then apply it to our lives so that we can do better in the future than we have in the past. That can be tricky because doing better takes constant vigilance; knowing and doing are two different things. Another secret I found out about a long time ago is how to eat healthy but I can?t say that I?ve been applying that knowledge to my holiday season diet. In fact, quite the opposite is true. So I?m facing the New Year well rested but carrying ten extra pounds. Ah, but this is the first day of a fresh start: tis the season to reevaluate and live better! Don?t be one of those people that has given up on resolutions because you don?t seem to be able to see them through. Be one of those people that keeps trying until you get it right. Restart today, restart this very moment. ?I hereby resolve to??
Pastor :)
December 4, 2011
We?ve got a number of Steelers and Ravens fans in our church. If you follow football you?ve probably noticed that both teams seem to come up big against tough opponents yet struggle in the games they?re supposed to dominate. Those games are particularly hard on us fans. We sit down in front of the TV anticipating ?a laugher? but get a ?white-knuckler? instead. How life like! Trouble drives me to God who always comes through; it?s the little stuff I think I can handle on my own that gets me in trouble. The day starts out all bright and cheery but by the afternoon I?m wondering how in the world I got myself into such a mess. I?m so thankful that God isn?t done with me when I?ve given up on myself. He is so very gracious, kind and merciful. The Lord picks me up yet again, dusts me off, reviews the lessons learned with me hoping I?ll actually remember them the next time, and sends me on my way. The ones who get hurt the worst in this cycle are our ?fans?; you know the people who love us. They?re counting on us to get it right or at least do better than last time and they?re the ones that are often left with the mess we?ve made (we forgot to take out the garbage, we had an outburst of anger, we made a bad judgment call?). May we mature and become wiser for their sake.
Pastor :)
November 20, 2011
It was about 5:40 on a dark foggy morning. I was a little over a mile into my run. I heard the motion before I saw the shadowy figure running across the lawn to my left. At first I thought it was a very large dog but the clopping noise its hoofs made on the street told me it was deer. I followed the shadow with my eyes until it disappeared between the houses to my right. My head jerked back to the left wondering if any more would be coming. The impression the encounter burned into my mind was the awesome speed at which the beast was flying. If I had been in its path I don’t think I would have been able to get out of its way quickly enough to avoid being bowled over. I’ve always known deer are swift but this close encounter left me in awe: the speed, the force, the sound – all while I was running yet feeling as though I was standing still in comparison. Oh the marvelous works of our God!
Pastor :)
October 23, 2011
Utah, at least the part we have visited, is blessed with so many scenic delights: mountains, the Great Salt Lake, a large level plateau, but one thing they lack is an abundance of trees. Arriving home to Pennsylvania in the middle of October when the woods are coming alive with color is an awesome sight to behold. The ability to travel is a great privilege; living in a place surrounded by beauty is an even greater blessing. My eyes are delighted by God's artistry displayed throughout the sky and painted across the fields. My ears delight to the sounds of music that worship His name. My soul is restored as I enjoy His handiwork day after day. Our God is an awesome God and His works are marvelous; Blessed be the NAme of the Lord our God!
Pastor :)
October 16, 2011
Let me tell you (complain) about the weather in Utah. We arrived in Salt Lake City Sunday evening having escaped the 50 degree and rainy weather at home to be welcomed by 81 balmy degrees! Although it had rained almost every day for the past three weeks in central PA, Utah only had about 1/4 inch of rain over that same time period. The forecast for Tooele was clear and warm until Thursday. Monday night the storms moved in. I was out jogging Tuesday morning before dawn in a light rain when I heard what sounded like heavy machinery moving across the golf course to my left. Was it a mower, a backhoe or a bull dozer? It sounded too loud for any of those. It was, as I soon found out, a very heavy rain moving across the valley. Thankfully I was inside when the hail storm hit that afternoon; dime sized hail covered the ground. Wednesday morning I waited until the sun was up to take a run; the wind gusts of up to 50 mph made it a real challenge. Early Thursday it was snowing these big fluffy white flakes and the wind had died. I thought, "Now this is jogging weather!" A half mile out the white fluffy flakes turned into ice pellets that stung my hands and bald head. It's Friday morning and the weather report is calling for us to climb into the low 40s by this afternoon. I see the sun is up and I should unwrap myself from this heavy blanket I'm wearing and get my running shoes on. They say exercise is good for your mental health as well as your physical well being. I'm beginning to wonder.
Pastor :)
September 25, 2011
It was a gorgeous day for a picnic! Slightly on the cool side but no rain in sight for our annual Round Up Sunday. Deb Flickinger did a great job on the pork & organizing the kitchen crew. There were too many helpers to mention (but I will sneak in a mention of the Riley’s because they seemed to go a little above and beyond) that carried tables and chairs, washed down tables and helped prepare food. Our thanks to Jerry Mickey for a fine performance (we’re still wondering where that ketchup bottle went). The Jetts once again blessed our families with unforgettable moments on horseback: can’t thank you enough! Bongo Bob’s donkey, Joy, was a complete delight. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves as much as I did. Perhaps my favorite activity of all was watching the little ones ride the horses. But let’s not forget the wonderful service we had before the picnic. I’m especially proud of the fine job our worship & booth teams do when we have visitors in the house. What a wonderful church family! What a wonderful God that blesses us with days like that!
Pastor :)
September 11, 2011
Kayla sent a picture yesterday of our two and a half month old grandson with a big smile on his face. It was an otherwise gloomy, rainy day but that smile from across the country lit up our lives. One large toothless grin chased our blues away. Colten was just happy about going for a ride in the car; he had no idea, nor was he particularly concerned about bringing joy to his grandparents. Even though I said, “He’s happy because he’s thinking about his pappy” I know he’s clueless as to who I am. Colten’s world is very small: what he sees, feels and tastes at any given moment. He has no concept of relatives or friends that live outside his field of vision let alone the fact that his actions can have any effect on them. Just outside our field of vision is a sea of people that love us. They are part of that great cloud of witnesses the book of Hebrews talks about that is cheering us on to live for Christ. The Lord Himself along with His holy angels are moved to cheers or tears depending on our choices to endure with integrity or fold under pressure. Send a smile toward heaven today. Let God know you appreciate His love and support. Act as though He’s watching because he is & what He sees could make His day.
Pastor :)
August 28, 2011
Even though she’s been home for several weeks now Barb and I still talk about what we learned while she was helping the kids in Utah as I held down the fort here. I guess we would call them “emotional lessons” because their instruction was first felt in our hearts before it made its way to our brains. Our brains told us that being separated after thirty two years of marriage would be no big deal: we’re not newlyweds; we have cell phones and can Skype at any time. The kids needed our help more than we needed to be together, said our heads. We told our hearts to behave themselves and instructed our brains to keep us busy until it was logical for Barb to come home. Chris and Kayla were hoping she’d stay for three months, I said a month tops and Barb said, “We’ll see.” The first week went smoothly enough but by week two whatever physical reserve my wife had was spent and her emotions took a nosedive. Out of nothing more than her inability to make a decision Barb stayed another week. I liken being separated from my wife to fasting: I can do it but what I’m missing is constantly on my mind. When you are together for so long little things can irritate you about one another. After being separated for a while you cherish being together again. My brain still can’t analyze it but my life is more relaxed when my wife is near. We can drive each other nuts but part of what we learned is that mostly we keep each other sane.
Pastor :)
July 24, 2011
One of my duties while visiting my daughter’s family recently was the early morning shift with my new grandson. After finishing my run and showering I’d take the baby in order that Kayla could get some uninterrupted sleep. So from 6:30 to anywhere from 9 to 11 Colten was all mine. We read the Bible together and played a lot of online scrabble in between feedings, burping (we took turns), bouncy walking and diaper changing (which we did our best to put off until a mother or grand-mother was available). There were these golden moments when the baby was at a complete rest with his head on my shoulder or laid back with his head resting in the crook of my elbow. Babies are soft & warm & comforting when they’re not screaming. Over the time we were there he started to gain control of his neck muscles better & began to look at bright colors. Once while holding the baby in one arm & spreading some blankets on the couch with the other in order to lay the baby down to change him he lifted his head, leaned back then came crashing against the side of my face. I let out a squeal of pain and my wife said, “You can’t yell when you’re holding the baby.” I said, “He started it.”
Pastor :)
June 26, 2011
Sam Starner is a farmer from way back when & still maintains a world class garden. One of the things he’s known for is the sweet corn he grows. I asked him last Sunday if it was going to be a good year for sweet corn . He said, “Yes…if it rains.” We got so much rain earlier this year that farmers couldn’t get their crops planted. We’ve had some pretty impressive storms come through & drop a lot of water in a short period of time. Our lakes, streams and wells all seem to have plenty of water. There’s something about rain that makes the difference between bumper crops and famine. If we get it all at once it could wash out all that has been planted. If there are too many rainy days in a row that’s not good either. If it doesn’t rain for a couple of weeks the harvest is in real danger. Rain has to be measured, regularly scheduled and consistent if we are going to reap its greatest benefits. The Bible likens the end days revival to the later rains that farmers look for to finish their crops. Those rains determine the harvest. We can expect the Lord to be faithful in these last days to pour out His Spirit in ways that will finish the great ingathering of souls. Grab a sickle.
Pastor :)
June 19, 2011
Barb & I were married almost five years before our 1st child was born. I remember my wife taking exception to the question people would often ask before then, "When are you going to start a family?" She would always tell me once we were alone again, "We have started our family; there's you and me." Along that same vein I now take some exception to the term "empty nest". Not only are the two original members of the family still here, we've got two dogs who think they have two full time servants. It's not an empty nest, it's an observatory. From our vantage point we are enjoying watching our kids soar. There was a time when Kayla was Daddy's little girl. Barb asked her who she wanted in the delivery room with her (she's having a baby on teh 27th of this month). She said she only wanted one person in the whole world to be in there with her... that's her husband (phew!). Seriously, I can't tell you how gratified I am to have been replaced. I want my kids to love their spouses more than their parents. That leaving part was hard on us but watching the cleaving part develop is a beautiful sight.
Pastor :)
June 12, 2011
We had more graduates this year than I expected and the degrees are impressive: teaching, accounting and law. One minute they’re kids and the next they’re professionals! Not long ago we were teaching them to tie their shoes; now they can do our taxes or represent us in a law suit. We’ve got kids in Hong Kong, Korea, and scattered across the States. Now that I’m a little older I can really see the value of pouring ourselves into our children; they’re just not children or moldable for very long. If you have something to say to them you better say it now; if you have something you think they should know you need to teach it now. Ever say to yourself, “I wish I knew this when I was younger?” If that ever happens to you again be sure to find a child and pass your wisdom along. And speaking of children; have you spent much time with any lately? Is there a niece or nephew that would love to hear from you? There is a way to stay in touch with the youngest generation to be sure you are passing along your passion for the things of God: become a teacher or teacher’s helper in one of our classes. We meet with our kids Sunday mornings, evenings and Wednesday nights: take your pick!
Pastor :)
May 29, 2011
The staff and congregation of New Life would like to thank each and every one of our veterans for the service you have rendered to our country. We value our freedom as well as the liberty you have helped to maintain for people around the world. Sometimes we question the motives or actions of our government but never those of our service men & women; you have served or are serving because you love us. May God bless you today as you reflect on your military career and think about those you served with at home or overseas.
We also recognize the sacrifices made by the families of military personnel. Reflecting on his own time of military service Prince Charles said that between going to serve his country and sending his sons off to war, being the sending parent is the harder. When you are deployed you pretty much know when you are in danger and when the danger has passed but for the family back home there is no sense of relief until their loved one comes home. May God richly bless you for your sacrifice to the cause of freedom.
Pastor :)
May 22, 2011
In two weeks we’ll be hosting our annual Strawberry Festival! June kind of snuck up on me this year. If you haven’t already, begin now thinking about your submission to the strawberry dessert contest! If you’re stuck for an idea always remember that its hard to go wrong with strawberries, chocolate, whipped cream, and pound cake (I’d shy away from anything healthy). You may not win the contest but you’re sure to make some new friends. If your last name begins with A-L please bring a main dish along with your dessert. If your last name begins with anything other than those letters please bring a side dish along with your dessert. If you are food challenged feel free to bring along a bag of chips or pretzels. We’ll provide the drink, plates & plastic ware. Also, be sure to bring along your softball equipment for the annual game! Volleyball, kickball, horse shoes, and other entertainments will also be available. If you have any lawn games or even table games you think others would enjoy bring them along too. Picnics are a great time to invite others along who haven’t been to a church for a while.
Pastor :)
May 15, 2011
It’s one of those mornings for me: there’s a log jam in my brain as I try to figure out which item to cross off my list next. Every time I go to complete a task I get sidetracked onto another or find other things that need to be done while I’m doing what I’m doing. Instead of shrinking my “to do” list, it keeps growing! No one item on the list is daunting but the mere fact that there are so many unrelated items waiting for me, calling for my attention, warning me of trouble if neglected makes it hard for me to concentrate on the task at hand: writing this column. Maybe you can help me get organized; here’s what’s on my list so far for today: 1) Go to the Post Office to get the mail, 2) Email the Storms the closing songs for the next week, LeRoy & the booth guys copies of the bulletin & area pastors about the prayer breakfast this week, 3) Do my attendance report after reviewing the Who’s Who in the Pew, 4) Print & copy this bulletin after I get it done, 5) Prepare next Sun’s Adult SS lesson, 6) Print off agenda’s for tonight’s Board Meeting, 7) Respond to the emails in my inbox…but I can’t move forward until I get this View written & I have no idea what to write about this week…
Pastor :)
May 8, 2011
First two announcements: 1) Girl’s Club that meets on Wednesday nights needs some help this month (see Jobie Zepp if you can volunteer). 2) The Evangelism Class will be meeting twice each week to give its members a choice. Next Sunday the group will be meeting in Room 3 during the Sunday school hour (9 a.m.) and again on Friday evening at 7 p.m. at the Gait’s house in East Berlin. Friday’s class will be a repeat of Sunday’s so if you miss Sunday school you can make the class up on Friday.
I heard an “expert” on the news the other day explain that our cooler & rainier than normal spring is due to global warming which of course was caused because of our poor management of the planet’s resources. In other words, its our fault that its chilly & raining because we’ve overheated the planet. Huh? I guess you have to be an expert to figure that one out. I suppose if we cooled the planet down it would get warmer. You’ve heard of the “new math” this is the “new science”. If it gets any hotter we’re all going to freeze to death! If the droughts predicted due to global warming become any more severe we’re going to drown!
Pastor :)
May 1, 2011
Happy Easter everyone! I know Easter was last week but what a wonderful celebration we had here at New Life! For me it was truly a happy Easter. Imagine my pride as I watched so many from our congregation serving one another and our guests so well and so joyfully. What a great church family to belong to. When I stepped into the pulpit I felt like “we” stepped into the pulpit. Not any one of us could have taken care of the many areas that were addressed last week: breakfast, egg hunt, music, drama, sound booth, internet, preaching… But together I felt like the Lord was pleased with our service. The only regret I had going home was that more people didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to get their lives right with the Lord. However, I felt that we came as close as we’ve ever come to making the message of God’s love, grace and judgment clear to those who attended. May the Lord continue to work in the hearts of those who were here but are not currently serving the Lord! May the Lord grant us the privilege of ever getting closer to Him; ever serving Him with purer motives and sincere hearts. What a joy to walk with Jesus & to be a part of His family!
Pastor :)
April 24, 2011
Have you noticed its been raining a lot lately? Last weekend we had that terrible storm come through that blew the roof off the Manchester Mall & flooded quite a few local roadways. Many of us had to do some creative navigating just to get to church; some of us had soem real flooding issues. Then it continued to rain just about every day this week. No major storms, just a constant dripping from the sky. Okay, it wasn't a CONSTANT dripping but a few drops with mostly cloudy skies day after day has a way of wearing on a soul. I want to see the sun; I miss the sun! A month ago we would have loved these temperatures but this is this month & we want more. We should be content, we should be thankful as we stand on the threshold of SUMMER! Summer: that glorious sunny season where the sun comes out early & stays up late, when you can fish or swim or just sit in the shade with a glass of lemonade. Ah summer, shorts, flip flops, lightning bugs, grilled burgers, vacations, & droughts. Yes, summer is coming when the temperatures will soar, the kids will be home from school and relatives will come to visit. That's when you'll not hear any complaining out of us!
Pastor :)
April 10, 2011
Did you know that chocolate chip cookies were invented by mistake? The cook was using a recipe that called for cocoa to be added to the batter but finding she was out of cocoa cut up chunks of chocolate thinking they would melt into the cookie. They didn't and America's favorite cookie was born! Wouldn't it be nice if every mistake turned out so delicious? We'd probably be happy if everything we did right worked the way we were hoping it would. Life is a mixture of sweets and sours, joys and sorrows, victories and losses. Rarely is it what we expect and often we have to make do with what we have rather than what we want. Yet, if it weren't for that wrinkle in our plans many of the great people and inventions of history would never have been discovered. Washington, Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt stand out as favorite presidents because they lead our nation through its darkest days. Esther made it into the fabric of Scripture not because she was beautiful but because she risked her life to save her people. It is often in the unexpected, the unwelcome and the unappreciated events of life that heroes and desserts are made. Don't curse the drama; trust the Director.
Pastor :)
April 3, 2011
Several people have asked me how I’m coping with life after having dropped cable television. At first, I just watched whatever was on any of the ten channels we pull in with our rabbit ears but some of that was stuff I wouldn’t normally watch (not bad but not good either). Now I just watch far less TV and its been a real blessing. My wife and I talk more, I read and write more and the evenings often seem to go just a little bit slower – which is a very good thing because my days click off way too fast. Barb & I will sit and watch a movie together a couple times a week but I think its more like a date now than just watching television (I’m sure she doesn’t count it as a date). I thought I’d miss my sports news and games more than I do; who knew a guy could live without that? I think I can honestly say that I wouldn’t go back to cable or any other form of enhanced television regardless of the price they offered. Now, if they were willing to pay me in order to have their junk available to my home I’m not sure how much I’d have to charge them but one thing’s for sure: I’d make them sign a contract and I’d raise the rate every time the contract expired.
Pastor :)
March 27, 2011
It’s a rainy, cold first day of spring as I write this column. I started slow this morning and all my normal routines seemed to be frustrated by some minor mishap or other. You know what it’s like: you miss the garbage can even though you are standing directly above it, you open a new box of cereal but the bag rips weird so that more cereal goes on the counter and floor than into your bowl when you try to pour it, the last person in the shower used up the soap and didn’t replace it (then you remember that was you)… I know the future is bright because hey, its spring! But the present isn’t so great because hey, its cold! In the overall scheme of things I’d rather have a blue now and a happy future than visa versa. I hope you’re having a happy today but even if you’re not there are a few things we can do to ensure a brighter tomorrow. First of all make Jesus Lord of your life: the Bible tells us that SOON He’s coming back for His church and after that there will be no more tears or sorrow or stress for those who are in Christ Jesus! Next, be sure to guard your mouth, heart and attitude against overreacting to those minor inconven-iences; our overreactions have a way of setting others on edge.
- Pastor :)
March 20, 2011
You really blew me away last Sunday; as I said then, the weekend we lose an hour’s sleep is traditionally the poorest attended Church service in America. You responded to the time change by filling the house! I told my wife a few weeks ago that I now look forward to filling out my attendance report every Monday because we’re growing again.
I don’t think we’re growing because we’ve done something to promote it; I believe we’re growing in order to finish the reason God planted this church here. The Lord is building a congregation filled with people who are ready to discover their talents and use them to: 1) Worship the Lord, 2) Build up the people who are saved & 3) Reach people who are not now walking with the Lord. We’re through pampering, coddling, and pleasing one another; we want to get serious about the will of God. There is a genuine love between our members that forms a great launching pad for ministry to others. Have you decided what ministry you would get involved with if you were to get involved? Have you thought about what your 1st step in that direction would be? Are you ready to launch?
- Pastor :)
March 13, 2011
The Bible says that “laughter doeth good like a medicine”. Last night our gym was used to house the Young at Heart fun or game night. I hope everyone who came had a blast! The folks in our age bracket generally know how to have a good time. Much of the competition and pride of youth has worn off and we’re just as happy seeing someone else enjoy themselves as we are being the momentary object of embarrassment. As long as someone gets a laugh out of it we’re usually game for whatever. I’d wager that old people are better at having a good time together then young people. Our youth leaders put a lot of time and energy into just getting the teens to loosen up a little in order to think about enjoying themselves. But they’re so worried about what they look like in front of everyone else or what the crowd thinks of them… We’re far less concerned about what our hair looks like (what hair?) if we’ve traded our hour glass figure for a figure eight or the Frosty the snowman look. We know how to show up in order to have a good time. We’ve learned to laugh. Any day now the older crowd is going to stop envying the young & the young are going to be lying about their age (in an upward fashion).
- Pastor :)
February 27, 2011
Tom & Angie Russell have done an excellent job with the Easter Egg Hunt over the past several years but won’t be able to head it up this spring. Would you or anyone you know be interested in leading this great event for 2011? It’s a late Easter which probably means good weather which hopefully means an outdoor hunt and I’d hate to miss an opportunity like that! Maybe there’s a Sunday School Class that would like to take it on as a project? Please let me know if you are interested.
What a joy it has been to me personally to see all the new faces in the congregation over the past several months. Without any special events, holiday celebrations or invitations people have just started coming and then coming back; I can hardly wait until all our regular folk get over the bug that has been going around so they can join us too! There’s nothing prettier than a full church on a Sunday morning. Our youth leaders tell me that a similar thing is happening in their group: new kids, a fresh spirit and spiritual growth. You and I have been planting and watering for a while; how refreshing that the Lord is bringing an increase.
- Pastor :)
