Another mode of transportation

My son Randy working on customizing his S10.

Mode of Transportation

This fellow rides by our house occasionally. The batteries in these things must have a pretty good range as he seems to travel for miles without charging.

Christmas Morning Breakfast

Grandkids Opening Gifts

And the Chocolate Fountain

Christmas Eve at the Martins

Fondue has become our traditional Christmas Eve supper.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Where Are We Going?

Maybe the reason that God doesn't tell us where he is taking us is because we would try to get there on our own.

Cookies

Decorating

It's Cookie Day at the Martins

Alexia licking icing.

The Electricity is Still Off

Ice

Another Ice Storm

The electricity has been off for a couple hours.

Cutie

Mia Is So Proud Of Her Belly

She is being held by her Uncle Randy.

Bridge

The prison has it's own bridge across the Susquehanna River.

Prison

Today I stopped at Retreat SCI to visit a friend of mind.

An Icy Dreary Day in PA

Ponder This

When we try to put God down on paper, all we do is build a monument to our intellectual cleverness.

from the god players by Earl Jabay

Birthday Flowers

Gwen taking a picture of the flowers her boyfriend sent her.

Spanish Preaching

This morning we attended a little church in Lebanon who was sharing the service with a Spanish Church. It was kinda fun to try to figure out what he was saying before it was interpreted. I didn't do so good.

Here Is Something I've Been Thinking About

Making Bargains With God

We have all heard the stories of someone who, finding themselves in a difficult or life threatening situation, call out to God to deliver them. Along with this cry for help, they promise God that in return, they will serve him more faithfully. A lot of times this promise involves going to the mission field, giving more money, quitting bad habits or other radical changes in their lives. All too often, when the situation has been fixed, life goes back to normal and all of the promises have been forgotten.

I have a friend, who about 12 years ago, went through a life threatening health crisis in his life. While lying in the hospital, he promised God, that if he would let him live, he would dedicate his life to all-out service in the kingdom. Unlike the forgetters, my friend has striven to keep his promise. He has dedicated himself to Bible study, he has served in various mission opportunities, he teaches Sunday, he reaches out to the hurting and he has been a blessing to many people. He says that he was driven to do big things for God. In the past year this drive, this desire and all this effort has wore him out to the point that he has suffered physically and emotionally. In a recent conversation about this subject, we discussed whether or not Jesus was expecting him to keep his part of the bargain. Maybe he looked at my friend and just shook his head and said something like “I wish you would just come and hang out with me and rest in my presence. But it looks like you are going to have to learn the hard way.”

While contemplating this whole issue, I listened to a podcast by Jim Bakker who was speaking about the story of the prodigal son. The prodigal was going to make a bargain with his father. When he found himself in a hopeless situation he got to thinking about survival. And the only hope for survival was his father’s dinner table. Now, he reasoned that there was no way that his father would ever take him back, he had disrespected and embarrassed him. What to do? “I know what I will do,” he thought. “I will go back to my father, be a hired servant and work for my food. That way I will survive. It won’t cost my father anything since I’ll be working. He is a good man, I’m sure he will have mercy on me. And maybe if I work hard enough, I get some promotions and be almost like a son. I’ll convince him that I will really be dedicated and a hard worker. Surely he won’t turn down a bargain like this.”

What did the father say about this bargain? “Pish Posh!” Actually he didn’t say anything about it. He didn’t rework it or fine tune it. He didn’t add or subtract anything. He just ignored it. After showering him with hugs, kisses and great affection, he went straight to the party. He told his servants (not the son) to get out the good clothes, put on the jewelry (which signified that he was a son – not a servant) and fire up the bar-b-que. “We are celebrating the return of my son! Welcome home!”

And so it is with us. When we try to make a bargain with God, he ignores it and invites us to celebrate as his child. Sadly, too often we ignore his invitation and try to keep a bargain that God never wanted in the first place. He lovingly waits until we are done trying to earn his love and approval by our own effort and then he is there to get the party started when we, like the prodigal son, come to our senses.

That’s the difference between mercy and grace. Mercy would have been to honor the bargain, God allows us to do that if we insist. Grace invites us to a whole new relationship with a loving father who just wants us to revel in his love and presence.

You know, the elder brother would have been satisfied with the bargain. As long as the younger was a servant, the elder could glory in his exalted status. “I am the faithful son. I am the blessed one. I am the righteous one. After what you did, you should be glad that we allow you to even stay around. Always remember who you are and what you have done and everything will be OK.” I cringe when I think about how often I have acted like that.

"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!"

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

It sure doesn’t sound like God is interested in any bargains, does it?

They Love Watching VeggieTales

Cool Shoes

Thanksgiving Table All Set

The whole gang was here.

Gaither Vocal Band

It's a bad picture due to the limits of the Treo but it's a picture of the stage at a Gaither Vocal Band/Signature Sound concert in Youngstown, OH. My favorite song of the evening was the old hymn "Sitting at the Feet of Jesus". It's about following a relationship, not religion. It's about asking Jesus to change me into what he wants me to be, not doing things to impress him or try to gain his favor. It's about reality not false expectations. It's about listening and waiting not forging ahead in my own power or with my own ideas. It's about grace! Here are the lyrics:

1. Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
Oh, what words I hear Him say!
Happy place! so near, so precious!
May it find me there each day;
Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
I would look upon the past;
For His love has been so gracious,
It has won my heart at last.

2. Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
Where can mortal be more blest?
There I lay my sins and sorrows,
And, when weary, find sweet rest;
Sitting at the feet of Jesus,
There I love to weep and pray;
While I from His fullness gather
Grace and comfort every day.

3. Bless me, O my Savior, bless me,
As I sit low at Thy feet;
Oh, look down in love upon me,
Let me see Thy face so sweet;
Give me, Lord, the mind of Jesus,
Keep me holy as He is;
May I prove I�ve been with Jesus,
Who is all my righteousness.

Can You Believe This?

We are on our way to Youngstown, Oh to meet some friends. We drove through some snow up on I80.

It's a cold & rainy fall day in PA

We babysit the girls for a few days this week.

Skating

Last evening we took some kids from the youth center to Skateaway in Reading

Tom & Joyce's Wedding

Joyce is our sister-in-law whose husband Eldon was killed in a construction accident about four years ago. Eldon was Ella Mae's brother. We are so happy that God has led Tom and Joyce together.

Lake Erie

The view from Chad's back yard.

Lake Erie

I traveled to Erie to attend a friend's memorial service today. Chad loved to spend time on the lake in his sail boat. Chad, we will miss you!

Frost

It's October 29 and we finally had our first frost. We have had a very mild fall. The 10 day forcast have us reaching the high 50's to the low 60's. I love it!!!

Prison Cell

The walls were made out of styrofoam. Look at how authentic they look. The model was made by Duane Denlinger who works at Sight & Sound building props, etc.

Prison Cell

We unveiled our new prison cell model at the auction. This is SFPM director Nelson Martin. He does look sort of guilty, don't you think?

SFPM Auction

This is one of the paintings sold at the auction. "Friends Forever" is a watercolor of the Amish School tragedy. I found it very moving and wanted to buy it, but it brought a pretty penny as it should have.

SFPM Auction

The Friday evening chicken bbq is very popular.

SFPM Auction

This past weekend was the annual Support for Prison Ministries (SFPM) auction. It was very well attended by many generous bidders. The proceeds fund the Lanaster County Chaplain Program, WeCare, and various aftercare programs.

They Learn So Young

Mia "talking" on a cell phone and carrying her purse.

Halloween Parade

In front of the youth center.

Halloween Parade

Tonight was the annual Halloween Parade in Womelsdorf. At the Youth Center we give out free popcorn, hotdogs, hot chocolate and cider. It was a great success!

California Trip

Well, I'm on the way home. It was a great trip, we saw some great country, ate some great food and hung out with great friends.

California Trip

California Trip

Lunch in China Town

California Trip

China Town

California Trip

California Trip

California Trip

California Trip

California Trip