We are in the middle of a series at church entitled "Legacy". With our new service we now have a creative team that dreams and prepares with our preacher and they are coming up with appropriate themes for the times and make some neat videos to drive home the point. Mom, Dad, and Grandma Stracke got to see a neat lesson and video last week that was special for Memorial Day Weekend.
Our preacher, Buddy Bell, recently asked me if I knew of a good story of someone who passed down a legacy of faith. I told him I had a neat personal story of my Grandma Miller and he wanted to hear all about it. I told him of having to write a Family History paper in my graduate work 12 years ago and how I got to interview Grandma Miller for 4 hours and learned a lot of neat stories from this woman who had survived and shined in many ways from a hard life. I told him of her sneaking out into the cotton fields to read her Bible and praying for God to give her understanding; of her basically running away from her stepmother and coming to a church of Christ; of her raising 4 boys on her own...etc.
I then told Buddy of feeling moved to write her a letter to thank her of the Legacy she left behind by anchoring herself in Christ. Marcie was pregnant at the time with Easton and I had just read "Anchor Man" by Steve Farrar. Buddy asked if I had the letter and I assured him I did not as I hadn't made a copy of the one I had sent to her 11 years ago. He asked me to look, just in case, as he would love to use the story in the Legacy series. I looked in my old files in my office and saw a "Family History" tab and found the letter! I couldn't believe it. I took it into his office and read it out loud and started crying and hugging on Buddy for support.
The creative team took me to a place that looked like southern Louisiana and they took different shots of me and told me to look "contemplative". They then recorded me reading part of the letter I had sent to Grandma. In Buddy's lesson he's going to set up the video that you can see if you "click on the link below". This is the rough draft they put on You Tube as they are going to show it this Sunday. I thought you guys would like to see it as we are all a part of a legacy of faith handed down from both sides of the family...this just happens to highlight the Miller's side. When you think of the life she went through spiritually, physically, emotionally, and socioeconomically...it puts things into perspective very quickly and directs me to thanking my Lord for the many blessings I receive today due to those before me. Blessings to all! Todd
Click here to watch Video
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
More of May
We saved Andrew's last gift for Red Robin. Nana, this is what you bought for Andrew...he loves it!
The free sundae is the reason he picked out Red Robin...seriously. I love the cheeseburgers and bottomless fries myself.
The Dugger family visited us this past weekend on their way to the beach for a couple of days. We started off the day at the zoo...
After touring the zoo for a couple of hours, with the turtles and frogs being the Dugger boys favorite part instead of the animals (Ha), we headed to Bass Pro. Thanks Uncle Joe for getting a 4 wheeler for all of the kids for your land! Just kidding.
We went to Shakespeare park after Bass Pro so they could hunt for turtles and frogs for several hours and then went to Jim n' Nick's Bar-B-Q. After that we went to watch Isaac's baseball team play...it was a full and fun day together.
Here is Marcie and her crew on Mother's Day morning. The boys made her cards and we spread 3 gifts to her throughout the day. The boy's really love their Mom!
Last but not least, after Mother's Day, Monday began Potty Training Boot Camp. Owen is doing pretty well so far, but we are waiting for the deuce to go in the toilet. He is so modest here!
The free sundae is the reason he picked out Red Robin...seriously. I love the cheeseburgers and bottomless fries myself.
The Dugger family visited us this past weekend on their way to the beach for a couple of days. We started off the day at the zoo...
After touring the zoo for a couple of hours, with the turtles and frogs being the Dugger boys favorite part instead of the animals (Ha), we headed to Bass Pro. Thanks Uncle Joe for getting a 4 wheeler for all of the kids for your land! Just kidding.
We went to Shakespeare park after Bass Pro so they could hunt for turtles and frogs for several hours and then went to Jim n' Nick's Bar-B-Q. After that we went to watch Isaac's baseball team play...it was a full and fun day together.
Here is Marcie and her crew on Mother's Day morning. The boys made her cards and we spread 3 gifts to her throughout the day. The boy's really love their Mom!
Last but not least, after Mother's Day, Monday began Potty Training Boot Camp. Owen is doing pretty well so far, but we are waiting for the deuce to go in the toilet. He is so modest here!
Monday, May 11, 2009
Salvation: A Relationship
I thought I would share a devotional I read yesterday that touched me personally...and in my ministry with others.
(John 14:8-10, John 17:2-4)
The word "know" can mean many things from as little as "to perceive with the senses or the mind" to a much deeper meaning of "a thorough experience with."
This knowing, then, is not just intellectual, but a personal, intimate understanding. Jesus defines eternal life as knowing God the Father and Jesus Christ (John 17:3). Eternal life is having an intimate, personal relationship with God the Father and Jesus the Son. This intimacy with God is what salvation is all about. Forgiveness of our sins is not the point of salvation. This intimacy with the Father is. Of course, Jesus did die to purchase forgiveness for our sins because unforgiven sins block us from intimacy with God. Sin was an obstacle that stood between God and us. It had to be dealt with, and it was. But anyone who views salvation as only forgiveness of sins and stops there is missing out on eternal life.
Salvation was intended to be presented as the way to come back into harmony with God. Instead, it has often been presented as the way to escape the problems of this life and later the judgment of hell. It is possible to get born again with that kind of thinking, but more often than not, people who get saved through that type of ministry view the Lord as someone to help them through times of crisis and not someone to know in an intimate way. Jesus died for us out of love (John 3:16) - a love that longed to have intimate communion with man.
Most non-believers are so occupied with their "hell on earth" that they don't really think or care about their eternal future. They are fed up with religion. They are looking for something that will fill the emptiness inside. Only an intimate relationship (eternal life) with our Father can do that. We need to tell them.
May these words challenge and bless you today!
Todd
(John 14:8-10, John 17:2-4)
The word "know" can mean many things from as little as "to perceive with the senses or the mind" to a much deeper meaning of "a thorough experience with."
This knowing, then, is not just intellectual, but a personal, intimate understanding. Jesus defines eternal life as knowing God the Father and Jesus Christ (John 17:3). Eternal life is having an intimate, personal relationship with God the Father and Jesus the Son. This intimacy with God is what salvation is all about. Forgiveness of our sins is not the point of salvation. This intimacy with the Father is. Of course, Jesus did die to purchase forgiveness for our sins because unforgiven sins block us from intimacy with God. Sin was an obstacle that stood between God and us. It had to be dealt with, and it was. But anyone who views salvation as only forgiveness of sins and stops there is missing out on eternal life.
Salvation was intended to be presented as the way to come back into harmony with God. Instead, it has often been presented as the way to escape the problems of this life and later the judgment of hell. It is possible to get born again with that kind of thinking, but more often than not, people who get saved through that type of ministry view the Lord as someone to help them through times of crisis and not someone to know in an intimate way. Jesus died for us out of love (John 3:16) - a love that longed to have intimate communion with man.
Most non-believers are so occupied with their "hell on earth" that they don't really think or care about their eternal future. They are fed up with religion. They are looking for something that will fill the emptiness inside. Only an intimate relationship (eternal life) with our Father can do that. We need to tell them.
May these words challenge and bless you today!
Todd
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Andrew is 6!!
We wanted to give you guys a few shots of our day so far, as most of you know, we like to celebrate and spread the wealth throughout the day. (The pictures at breakfast with Easton and Isaac are special because they spent their own money on those gifts for Andrew) It's been a fun day so far as we got everything done outside before the storms came and we even found a turtle close to the playground. Andrew's little friend is Reese from the Roger's family. We are about to head out to Red Robin and then church. I always take the day off on their birthday, but I still get to teach tonight as that's more fun than work. Andrew's friend is spending the night and I think I hear the animated Star Wars Clone Wars in the background...may the force be with you.
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