Clip-clop, clip-clop

Clip-clop, clip-clop, the sound of a horse and buggy can be heard from the bedroom window as the Amish drive by. I look down at the brown horse and black buggy. The sound seems to be more common than the sound of cars. "Where are they going in weather like this?" I wonder as the wind whistles and the snow falls in little flakes. I have moved to Amish country. Instead of deer crossing at night, though there is that danger too, the more common thing to watch out for is a horse and buggy barely visible with the little lantern that the have hanging on the buggy.

The other I went to the Amish dry goods store about five minutes away. I missed it the first time because my only sign that I was at the right place was D.E.E. on the mailbox. I pulled into the driveway and parked the car. The sign on the door said "open" so I walked into the little dry goods store connected to the house. There were bags of flour, sugar, and oats stacked up on the floor along the wall. There was one wall of shelves and then halfway in the room was another shelving unit. On those shelves was so many goodies. I found what I came for and wandered around some more because no one was there to check out my order. Finally a girl came in. She stoked the fire and said "winter-land has returned." It took me a minute to understand what she was saying because of her thick accent. The day before had been 62 but you wouldn't have guessed it by the wind and snow.

When I left the little shop a young man was hitching up the buggy and a little boy, lunch-pail in hand was next to him. As I started backing down the driveway the kid ran down to meet a bunch of other boys. As I drove off they all raced after my car. I felt a little out of place as if I too should be wearing a bonnet and dress and riding in a buggy.

That day there were many Amish out and about. I had heard whisperings of a funeral, which are only on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but nothing concrete. "I saw some buggies by the pond, maybe it was _____________ boy, did he break through the ice?" "No I heard it was one of the English (non Amish), the ice broke off and the Amish boy threw his shoes on land and swam across to get help." In the end I don't know what it was but as I fell asleep it was to the sound of clip-clop, clip-clop.

Looking at Jesus

 It started sometime last year; I decided to read the Bible chronologically alongside the Conflict of the Ages Series. This has been such a blessing to me and has helped me to understand the Bible more and where things fit in. Somewhere during the course of reading I felt a lack in my life. I wanted to know Jesus more. I desired more than ever before to reflect God's character. Each day we as Christians should be drawing closer to Jesus day by day. Walking with Him and talking with Him. Beyond that talking of Him.

When I finished Prophets and Kings I was so excited to begin the gospels. I am trying to go slowly learning and digesting rather than rushing through things. This morning I was reading about the temptations. Jesus met every temptation with a "It is written..." and when He was younger and his brothers wanted him to do something he shouldn't he met them with a "thus saith the Lord..." Throughout His whole life Jesus was saturated with the scriptures. He loved God and therefore loved the Word of God. He spent time learning the word of God so that He knew God and would know the will of God and so He could meet temptation. It so important that we look to Jesus as our example how to live. Just as he faced temptation young and old with scripture we can do the same thing. Whatever our situation demands there is a promise and/or command for us. When we are faced with temptation we should do as Jesus and turn our faces to God and lean on His word to help us overcome!

Verse for this week: "Deliver me in your righteousness, and cause me to escape; Incline your ear to me, and save me." - Ps 71:2 NKJV

God's Appointment

Yesterday I began my new "job," I'm actually a volunteer for a month and we shall see what happens after that, and I was supposed to meet Pastor McNeil at the church at 12pm. Everything was starting off to great day. My car was packed as I hopped in a half an hour before I needed to leave. I had planned to make a slight detour to say good-bye to a friend and then be on my way. I started up the car and slowly took m... the tires were spinning. My car was sitting on a patch of ice. I dug out in front of the tires, I dug out behind the tires, I put salt down, I pushed and pushed, and still the tires spun. No matter what I tried I could not make the car budge. Much prayer was going into this as the minutes ticked away.

As I was praying I was reminded of  Elijah and Mt. Carmel. As Elijah was praying for rain it didn't come the first time nor the second but it took seven times before he saw any evidence that there was going to be rain. By the time Elijah prayed the seventh time he was completely emptied of self. Was this one of those times? I prayed instead that God would empty me of me and be filled with Him. 

The car did not miraculously move the next time I started the car but I got an idea. One of those "brilliant" ideas. I left my car in first and pushed and pushed. My car began to inch forward and because it was in first I quickly made my way around the car grabbed the door and jumped in to pull the emergency brake and pull the car out of gear just as the car made its way into a bucket and a plow. Thankfully nothing was damaged except for my license plate which is a little bent up. 

Then I realized that my car was stuck again. I was actually enjoying this. It was a puzzle something that needed to be solved. Praying and pushing and digging forty five minutes from the time I first turned the key I was on my way. I called the Pastor to tell him I was late and I found out he too had been stuck in his driveway and was going to be late. 

The most exciting part of the day came a few hours later. Pastor McNeil was showing me one of the churches when a man with two kids walked up to us. We began chatting and during the conversation it was brought up that he was the man that mows the grass (the church has been dead for awhile but the pastor has plans of starting it again.) We told him we were going to be starting the church up again and it would be on Friday evenings. The man was interested in coming to church because it was only two doors down from his house and it would be more convenient than going to the next town over to go to church. We got his name and number and will be visiting him soon. God's timing is precisely perfect. Had our cars not gotten stuck the pastor and I might have been at the Salamanca church earlier and missed the meeting with the man. It is better to let God organize our day; our appointments may get a little messed up but we will make it for all of His.

I just wanted to add that the verse I was memorizing last week was Psalm 71:1

In you, O Lord, I put my trust. Let me never be put to shame. -NKJV

I think that it is a fitting verse to describe this experience.