A special day of baptism (in pictures)

Joshua
Jessica
Lisa
Joel
Maddy
Maddy

sweet

the middle turns sixteen today. that many years ago share tells me she was up all night with a newborn who seemed "mad at her"
i laughed as she still exerts her teenage angst and makes sure you know how she feels. i like this about her in a strange way. she makes me smile most days. she is creative, daring and extremely clever for her age. she may be turning 16 but she is going on womanhood. i pray her dramatic flair and verve for people never wane. happy birthday brookie. we love you. i tried a few times to get you to proof read this but decided the world needed to know. well at least the four people i know who read this ranch dressing. smile. i will deal with the consequences later.

made new

with a tank full of high test gas, a quart of oil and a rip down the 401 my friend and his brand new 1986 Volvo sedan passed the e-test. he took the test himself a week ago online and failed. but this is not a post about test and tires this is a post about lives made new in the waters of baptism. this sunday at the ranch in a cattle trough five distinguished Christ learners will be buried, washed, rinsed and reminded of all that God has done for them and plans to do with them. a welcome home of sorts. i have always said that i would walk a mile over broken glass in slippers or swim through a pond full of thumbtacks to see this XXX spirit filled action. it takes emotional energy and feels not unlike that 4door sedan of my friends must have felt.
alive.
a road ahead of them. curves and bumps and accidents even. travel without abandonment. detours and destinations. so with all of that here are the learners who are heading to the cool waters. if you are in the neighbourhood and wish to come and celebrate, bring blessing and cake and warm dishes of food to share than show up at just past 11-am on Sunday. rustlers it is potluck and we will need bath-towels and cameras and Kleenex.

susan
lisa
jessie
madyson
and joshua
for those wondering josh's mom tells me he is "39-inches long and 39 inches tall and 19 and three quarters pounds." if you plan to knit something up or pick him up an outfit or something this may be needed information. a nice homemade card will work as well.

and if truth be told my friend could have passed the test if he had studied more. i hope he comes sunday and speaks some good stories and sees the water move.

oh eight dates

here are the dates for your nearly new calendars.

january 16 storytellers meet at erbs. 730pm
january 20 bowable lunch 11am
january 27 the water is fine. potluck baptism.
bring gifts and well wishes 11am
january 29 games night 7pm
january 30 WITH meeting 6:30pm
feb 3 ground-beef day. the day the cow saw his shadow.
bring something with meat.11am
feb 3 watercolours for wimps begins 2-4pm
feb 6 prayer meeting 7pm
feb 10 pancake sunday. bring maple syrup
feb 17 bowable lunch 11am
shillington ordination happens at 4pm bring triangle sandwiches
feg 20 prayer meeting 7pm
*feb 23- 24 book fair 10-4
feb 27 WITH meeting 6:30pm

Road (parking lot) Hockey!

After Church on Sunday! Bring your sticks!

January Good Food Box

Order yours this Thursday January 10th 1-5pm from Robert at Rustle.(Pickup Thurs the 17th)

Prayer

Join us for prayer Wednesday January 9th 6:30pm at Rustle. If you can't make it to Rustle, feel free to join us in prayer wherever you are!

roundup

yesterday we had our second roundup sunday. we spoke of things past and present and made some promises. the overwhelming response to a year gone by was had. it was hard emotionally, relationally. vocationally and even spiritually as the sea of hands raised indicated. seems we need to take the crunchy with the smooth i guess. we also recognized signs and wonders in the year gone by and hoped for the same God moments in "OH Eight." we spoke of markings:days set aside to magnify and capture may be needed. the spring of the killer B's. it was mentioned that sunday mornings will be highjacked for bbaptisms, babies and birthdays and even a book fair for the neighbourhood may in fact still be full gospel. more than sundays please.
we agreed we are a high needs bunch and agreed that champions are few but servers are many amongst us. we have grown to expect things but still more helps are needed as champions fall. we need each other. we are better together. shepherds pies come when we all add potatoes, veggies and ground beefs. we grow tired. some get hurt along the way. this can be lessened when each take a turn serving. pace yourself. you are needed. each of us has a part to play and all of us need to be involved. with and in common. it may be true that outside helps will also be needed. a few of us decided to shovel snow last week after the new years day dumping with a parking lot of knee-deep ahead of us. it looked hopeless. there was some grumbling, a few swears under frozen scarves and then (cue the heavenly hosts) a four wheeled angel with a scoop bucket and a kind man in a tractor swung by to make light work to a depressed trio of shovellers. this is outside help. show your need sometimes.
God sends quails and sometimes plows if you do! it is not of ourselves. OH Eight will be a year of unexpected helps. jill johnson a friend of ours wishes to help our neighboured response and program efforts. she doesn't even attend our church! you will here more of her soon. she is a couple degrees away from me and henry and loves our endearing qualities and wants to help. sam laitenen wants to follow his heart in ministry to become a chaplain. this year you will see him move that way. the outside and the inside are not very far apart. there ares no lines in kingdom. efforts. never be surprised where help comes from.

and in closing we made our way to the table to tell God to use us. take us. make us His. deploy us and commit our hearts and hands to His doing. let us be full and let us be emptied. exalted and laid low for Him. So be it. And the covenant which I have made on earth let if be ratified in heaven.


we then ate big salads, leftover chili and stews and made light work of a rustle birthday cake. there was some talk. there were some tears. there was even rejection in the room. this happens. we have picked fights with all that has separated us from God. our problems our large. a struggle that seems endless. as my good friend north says..."please Jesus come" we ramble on.

if you are reading this today you are either interested in this adventure, have too much time to read online blogs or you rustle and we know you. either way pray for us that Oh Eight will be one of much God movements.

signs and wonders, in common and the full favour of lives devouted to Christ.
may it be so