Sunday, August 26, 2012

Hoop Party


Restoration Farm Hoop Party
Saturday, September 1st and Monday, September 3rd

Your first question might be “What is a Hoop Party?”

Restoration Farm is a small farm near Stover, MO that will be raising chemical free vegetables, fruits and berries. As part of the farm we will have what are called Hoop Houses which are small metal frame arched buildings covered with plastic. In these small buildings we will be able to extend and in some case continue to grow vegetables into the winter months.
On Saturday, September 1st, and on Monday, September 3rd, we will be building these hoop houses. If you would like to join us please sign the list.

We will begin at 7:30am with a short explanation and prayer for what we will be doing. We plan to work until about 4pm but of course you may leave at any time. Lunch will be provided and for those who want to stick around we will have a BBQ. Bring gloves and small tools.

Directions:
Our address is 13269 Glencreek or Glen Creek Drive, Stover, MO. From Versailles drive west on Hwy 52 until you get two miles west of Stover and turn right on Hwy 135. You will be heading north. The turn off to our drive is about 3.4 miles. You will know you are almost there when you see the Hunter Automotive sign. Turn left onto Oakbrook Drive which is the first left after Hunter Automotive. The drive looks like the driveway for the house that sits there. Drive ¼ mile back into the woods and turn right onto Glencreek Drive. At the top of the hill turn left on Restoration Lane which is our driveway.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

When A Leader Messes UP

What happens when a Christian leader is caught in sin or admits that he or she has sinned? It has been my experience that most will want them kicked out of office and banished from leadership. That might be the appropriate action but for the most part I think our attitude should reflect what the Bible teaches. I will use only one scripture to prove my point.

Let's look at Galatians 6: 1-5 1-3 Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.
 4-5Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don't be impressed with yourself. Don't compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life. 

 Let's look at what these verses say. We are told to restore the person and keep our comments to ourselves. It also tells us to share their burdens. To me what we are being told to do is work to restore the person back to relationship with Christ and the body. We cannot do that if we talk behind their back with others. We are told to share in their burdens which to me is the heart of the message. Once we understand the burden, the wound or whatever it is that caused them to sin in the first place, we can begin to help restore them and keep from talking about them and their actions.

My personal story is that I was caught up in a habit that controlled me. I hide it well but it kept me from being the man God knew I could be. The leadership and body of the church  I attended showed mercy and grace to me. Men encouraged me through my struggles and also offered to hold me accountable. It was not easy and it took years but because of mercy and grace that the body showed me I made it through. I believe that these folks were being led by the Holy Spirit and that is why they were able to do what Galatians 6: 1-5 says.

I want to encourage you to be a person who restores and not a person who adds to destroying a person. Our enemy would like nothing more than to see Christians tearing apart other Christians.

Be like Jesus and decide never to let another brother go.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

This is a 360 degree view of our farm.

It begins at the pond and RV and moves to the south. The trees toward the south make up our southern border. The view after the south is easterly and our homes and small forest that is between the house and the road. Next is our barn to the north and beyond it is a bigger forest of trees which goes down to a small wet weather creek that makes up our northern border. The view finally swings past the chicken coop and back to the pond and RV which sits on the western border of the property.