Hi all,
just a quick not to let you know some bad news...Amy and I just got back from the hospital in Boone, IA where Amy's Dad, Alan Odegaard, has passed away at the age of 61. He has been in poor health for a while and was admitted Wed AM at around 2 in the morning and hadn't been given much of a chance to recover from the sever pneumonia or even the possible Lung cancer he had.
Please continue to keep us and our family in our thoughts and prayers.
Thank you to those who have been a support to us this whole time,
Later EH!
Steve
FAMILY ODDS & ENDS
Here are just a few updates about members both sides of our family:
Being as it was Thanksgiving here in the US, we spent the majority of the day with both the Fletchall side of the family as well as the Odegaard family. It seems as though all that were present are doing well. Nieces and Nephews are growing taller and getting older. Family is getting larger in number as new "Special Someone's" enter into the picture.
As far as who was or wasn't there, I'm not going to go into great detail. But in terms of immediate family Amy's dad wasn't able to join us today as he has been struggling with the flew the last couple of days and living in Ogden, IA (we were able to talk to Alan tonight after the festivities were finished). Also, Amy's brother Eric, who is still in the Navy and stationed in San Diego, CA, was absent but on the brighter side we had a great conversation with him this evening while he was on break from his "Duties." As far as extended family goes, we missed bits and pieces from different families and for various reasons. But as noted most are doing well.
Please keep Grandma Gertie, in California, in your prayers. Your health is beginning to fail and she has spent time going back forth between the hospital's ICU and an Assisted Living residence. She is struggling with Colon cancer and has daily ups and downs.
I hope you all enjoyed this day with your family,
Later EH!
Being as it was Thanksgiving here in the US, we spent the majority of the day with both the Fletchall side of the family as well as the Odegaard family. It seems as though all that were present are doing well. Nieces and Nephews are growing taller and getting older. Family is getting larger in number as new "Special Someone's" enter into the picture.
As far as who was or wasn't there, I'm not going to go into great detail. But in terms of immediate family Amy's dad wasn't able to join us today as he has been struggling with the flew the last couple of days and living in Ogden, IA (we were able to talk to Alan tonight after the festivities were finished). Also, Amy's brother Eric, who is still in the Navy and stationed in San Diego, CA, was absent but on the brighter side we had a great conversation with him this evening while he was on break from his "Duties." As far as extended family goes, we missed bits and pieces from different families and for various reasons. But as noted most are doing well.
Please keep Grandma Gertie, in California, in your prayers. Your health is beginning to fail and she has spent time going back forth between the hospital's ICU and an Assisted Living residence. She is struggling with Colon cancer and has daily ups and downs.
I hope you all enjoyed this day with your family,
Later EH!
THANKSGIVING REFLECTIONS
You know that on a day like today there is so much going on that sometimes we can lose focus on what Thanksgiving Day is really to be about. Yes the all the food is great, the time with family is great and even the time watching football is great. However if that is all we see on this day we have sadly missed the most important blessing of all. Christ dying on the cross for our sins.
How many of us didn't take time to sit in the quiet and still of communion with God, but we took the time to stuff our face, watch our sports, put up the Christmas Decorations and whatever else we do. I must admit I didn't always feel this way but for some reason this thanksgiving connected on a deeper level with me then years past. I can't say it is because of the morning devotion I had or anything else I did...all I know is that this year when it comes to be thankful it meant more then food, family and fun...it was about what Christ has done, all that He's given as well as how much our lives have been blessed beyond the stuff, the money and the possessions.
As this Thanksgiving comes to an end I want you challenge yourself by asking this quesiton. How much time did I spend thanking the Lord for the blessings He gave in comparison to the amount of time I spent eating the food set before me?
Later EH!
How many of us didn't take time to sit in the quiet and still of communion with God, but we took the time to stuff our face, watch our sports, put up the Christmas Decorations and whatever else we do. I must admit I didn't always feel this way but for some reason this thanksgiving connected on a deeper level with me then years past. I can't say it is because of the morning devotion I had or anything else I did...all I know is that this year when it comes to be thankful it meant more then food, family and fun...it was about what Christ has done, all that He's given as well as how much our lives have been blessed beyond the stuff, the money and the possessions.
As this Thanksgiving comes to an end I want you challenge yourself by asking this quesiton. How much time did I spend thanking the Lord for the blessings He gave in comparison to the amount of time I spent eating the food set before me?
Later EH!
I'M THANKFUL FOR...
As I listened to Ray this past Sunday I had the scripture below running through my mind and wanted to share it with you this week. It is a great reminder of what we should be thankful for and to whom we are thankful to as well as a reminder of who God is. It seems all to easy to forget what God has done amidst the busyness, the distractions and the got to have’s. Take the opportunity this week to GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD!
From our family to yours, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Steve & Amy
1Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.
2Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.
3Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.
4to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.
5who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever.
6who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever.
7who made the great lights—His love endures forever.
8the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever.
9the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.
26Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endure forever.
2Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever.
3Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.
4to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.
5who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever.
6who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever.
7who made the great lights—His love endures forever.
8the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever.
9the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.
26Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endure forever.
(Palm 136: 1-9, 26)
From our family to yours, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Steve & Amy
EARLY MORNING MIND DUMP!
Each morning Amy and I read a passage of scripture and then participate in a prayer time together. And this morning, let me tell you was amazing. Have you ever gone a while without reading a certain passage of scripture, yet you know every time you read the text it impacts you, but you forget how much? It happens to me and this morning Amy and I continued reading from the book of Matthew, and not just any part but our chapter to study/discuss was Matthew 5.
Now I have, and always will love reading the gospels, but I must admit that it had been a while ago that I last delved into the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5, 6 & 7) and I forgot what an eye opener it was. To make things even more interesting Amy and I will read scripture from various translations depending on the morning as well as use a parallel bible for reference and clarification on tricky spots...today we read Matthew 5 out of Eugene Patterson's "The Message," a modern day paraphrase of the scripture (usually we will use NIV, but a translation I like more and more is the English Standard Version - the ESV). Check out Matthew 5 of "The Message" here. If you don't have a copy at home here is a link to Amazon where they sell it.
I'll be pondering Matthew 5 most of the day today since it is my day off...so don't be surprised to see an entry later on actually talking about what I read.
Later Eh!
Now I have, and always will love reading the gospels, but I must admit that it had been a while ago that I last delved into the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5, 6 & 7) and I forgot what an eye opener it was. To make things even more interesting Amy and I will read scripture from various translations depending on the morning as well as use a parallel bible for reference and clarification on tricky spots...today we read Matthew 5 out of Eugene Patterson's "The Message," a modern day paraphrase of the scripture (usually we will use NIV, but a translation I like more and more is the English Standard Version - the ESV). Check out Matthew 5 of "The Message" here. If you don't have a copy at home here is a link to Amazon where they sell it.
I'll be pondering Matthew 5 most of the day today since it is my day off...so don't be surprised to see an entry later on actually talking about what I read.
Later Eh!
IF NOT YOU, THEN WHO...2
Here is the other side of the postcard we presented at our Annual Meeting. I am really excited about the vision that is beginning to take root here. Simply praying now that others in our church will begin to get excited about the possibilities and the opportunities to minister in our community, with our community as well as to our community!PS: The tag line that got cut off under our logo is:
REACHING OUT WITH OPEN ARMS!
IF NOT YOU, THEN WHO...
Here is side 1 of the postcard advertising our new vision at WCCOC and that was presented at this year's Annual Meeting. I believe it sums up our call as believers in Christ rather simply and straight forward, don't you?!
TIME STARVED MARRIAGE
I came across this link to a Time Starved Marriage Assesment in the book Amy & I are currently studying called Your Time Starved Marriage by Drs. Les & Leslie Parrot of http://www.reelrelationships.com/ . The Parrot's are two of our favorite authors and this is the 2nd book/study guide we've down with them. Amy and I love the opportunity to spend quality time with each other and the resources the Parrot's provide are a great tool of opening communication lines. Highly reccomend anything by them.
SPIRITUAL WARFARE VIDEO -- AMAZING!!!!
It is amazing to see what God places in front of you to combat the circumstance around you. Our senior pastor and I were just talking the other day of the battle that is coming the way of WCCOC because we are moving, changing & shaping our ministries. And let's just say...it is happening all around us. I don't mean just the staff. Many of our families feel the strain today a fight they have in their own marriages, spiritual lives, work environments and relationships around them. And we cannot forget that our students go through the same thing...to illustrate, click here to see this VIDEO the depicts the life of a teenager. It is intense...It is amazing...It is accurate...It is what your child might be going through even as you read this. Please take time today to listen to your children...hear for real what they have to say.
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