milking cows

10.2.2010  |  Ferguson's  |  Galesville, WI

We went to the pumpkin patch and apple orchard with Joe's parents and his brother Kevin and his family.  I'm not sure how many of you know or realize(d) how much fun Joe liked to have, and the silly things he enjoyed doing.  Yeah, yeah, maybe I put him up to some of it, but he enjoyed it with a smile.  We did a lot of fun, random things, and there are many memories from here to Mankato, here to Eau Claire, here to the Dells, in Buffalo City, in Saint Charles, in Rochester, and even from here to Virginia.  Today I was reminded of one place we would always stop at - the Nelson Cheese Factory.  We would get a back of dill or garlic cheese curds and each get an ice cream cone.  Once we even bought a bottle of Riesling on our way to the cities for a mini-vacation.

Sweet Pea is moving and stretching all the time, what a glorious feeling.  We got another car load of awesome gifts today at a shower with my John Marshall family.  She isn't really going to be in need of much for quite a while!  Statistics say she is about 16 inches and 4 pounds at this point - wow, a real baby!!  I can't wait until she gets here!  I'm really excited to try out this parenting thing.

Pastor Rick's message today focused around Mark 12:28-34, but I'm focusing on only through 31: 
One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The LORD our God is the one and only LORD. And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.  The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.  No other commandment is greater than these.”

I learned that I cannot truly love unconditionally if God isn't in me to love through me. The commandment is to love with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength - that is a big deal, and we cannot do that without God's help.  As we draw nearer to God, he comes nearer to us.  And, unless I am communicating with God, I will not know what he is saying.  From today's message, I gained insight on how to do this:  have commitments to relentless prayer, to living out God's Word, and to life-giving relationships.  If we say we love God, but we hate those around us, we are lying.  If we can't love people (which we can see) how can we love God (which we cannot see).  Loving people is an extension of loving God.  My new slogan I'm going to try to live by (which means I have to allow God to fill me up with love) "You matter to God; therefore, you matter to me."

Deuteronomy 6:4-9  is where Jesus is quoting from (God) in Mark:

“Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.  And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.  

I'm excited to teach Sweet Pea about this love. 

I write these things to you so you can see what God has done and is doing for me (equipping me to live a life filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control ... even as a fatherless widow) and I want to share it with you.