Something Different for Me

If you have looked around on this blog page - you've seen the small Compassion International banner and a link to their website. I got an opportunity to serve at a local event for Compassion. Christian recording artist, Adam Paul Williams, was doing a concert and Compassion presentation at a local church - they needed a couple of people who were sponsors to work the booth. Skip would have been terrific at this but definitely not able to go in that kind of crowd. You see the fun and interesting other volunteer, Martha, standing inside our booth area with Adam Paul and his wife Kelly and the host church music ministry director setting up in first picture.




Then we have the completed display - the large banner is the artist and his compassion sponsored child - picture taken about a year ago when he visited Guatemala. Also seen is the adorable child of Mr. and Mrs. Williams - and no I am not in any of the pictures - didn't think to ask someone to take one of me in the group!









I was blown away by the beautiful voice and worshipful nature of Adam Paul Williams. Have added a link to his website and I hope the embedded link will play a little of one of his recordings. Had such a great time telling people about the blessing of sponsoring a child through Compassion and the work Compassion does with over one million children around the world. Wanted to share this with y'all - it is good on Buhlaland to know our two little guys in Bangladesh are cared for with the help of such a wonderful organization. Enough effusiveness - we are blessed so abundantly - being able to share it is absolutely the cherry on the sundae of our lives!

Adam Paul Williams

Good to have a Friend

I've been a little tired - for what seems a long while but tired distorts my sense of time and probably proportion. This morning -this glorious summery SonDay morning - the gifts of rest, restoration and worship are mine to enjoy. While shooting a picture directly at a light source isn't "right" - I loved the effect of pure light breaking through. The light breaks through both visually and emotionally - and yes spiritually. I do have a friend - who will be with me to the end. Life is blessed on Buhlaland with productive work, times of tiredness leading to surrendering to rest. Bless y'all - sit a while and think of how the light reaches you. It is good on Buhlaland - and restful

Facing Tomorrow

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

It is very good on Buhlaland - a little rain forecast and lots of weeding, egg gathering, home renovation, doctor appointments and prayer to do!

Blue skies,music and new life

Extraordinary weather this spring - storms moving through quickly but most days breezy and beautiful.

Because we don't go to church (as in a building on Sundays) to worship (compromised immune system issues) - we worship together and have found special joy in listening to music and singing along. Because He Lives is an older song - definitely not contemporary worship - but the message was special for us today.



Joy of new life - all other goats had given birth the last of January to first part of February. We weren't sure Pearl was actually pregnant - but she presented us with twins this week. Smallest kid we've had which is absolutely healthy - and already with an attitude! Life is growing on Buhlaland and we know it is all Because He Lives. It is very good .

Little doeling and her brother, Jasper resting in the sunshine.

He IS Risen

We went with a group of friends to the Capernaum Experience on Maundy Thursday - experiencing a re-creation of a village in Capernaum around the time of Christ's life on earth. My favorite moment I didn't capture with a picture. The actor playing Christ came through the villlage square laughing, stopping to talk and play with the children ( everyone stays in character). I often picture my Savior laughing and always loving His children-- a man not of comely features but he draws people - - -

Isaiah 53(the Message paraphrase)

Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this?
The servant grew up before God—a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field.There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look.

He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand.One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum.But the fact is, it was our pains he carried our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.

We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures.But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him our sins!He took the punishment, and that made us whole.

Through his bruises we get healed.We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way.And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him.
He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn't say a word.Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared, he took it all in silence.Justice miscarried, and he was led off— and did anyone really know what was happening?

He died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people.They buried him with the wicked, threw him in a grave with a rich man,Even though he'd never hurt a soul or said one word that wasn't true.
Still, it's what God had in mind all along, to crush him with pain.The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life. And God's plan will deeply prosper through him.
Out of that terrible travail of soul, he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it.Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant, will make many "righteous ones," as he himself carries the burden of their sins.

Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly— the best of everything, the highest honors—Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch, because he embraced the company of the lowest.He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many, he took up the cause of all the black sheep.

Being one of the black sheep - I'm eternally grateful for his willingness to become sin - MY sin so I could be forgiven. He is Risen! He is risen indeed.

Day After Christmas

83 degrees today - yes I am writing this post on December 26 2008. I love Texas! After some unusually cold days we are getting unseasonably warm -I just love it.

Winds out of the south bring moisture and warmth which creates heavy cloud cover.
At one point the sun seemed to pull open a peep hole in the clouds to reassure us he was on the job.

Snickers, has a longer winter coat. He is almost a year old so he still hasn't reached his full growth. Little fellow will still come when I call him but he is less my little bottle baby and more a buck goat.























Norman, my favorite doe, is beginning to look more like she will be having a baby within the next month. Her daughter Yo Yo is also looking quite ready to give birth - we think she'll be a good mother like her mother and grandmother (Nubiana). I'm posting mundane thoughts and sights as a reminder to myself - today was a simple day filled with laundry, cleaning ,making soup, tending to some business and then I spent an hour outside. Outside with a warm, humid wind and our animals in God's creation. Mundane perhaps but for me it was way more than good today on Buhlaland, a blogging friend might say it was wicked good! I answered a question on a religion blog about when we worship for Christmas - and my honest response was if we are in relationship with God - our lives are supposed to be worship. Worship on Buhlaland occurred with calm joy around 11 am December 26, 2008.

He is Risen and life renews

Wild plum blossoms in our back pasture - the fragrance is almost overwhelming. A perfect "find" on an Easter afternoon walk. Wonderful Holy Week for us - Good Friday service was moving, reassuring (traditional elements tend to give us a spot on which to stand). Easter Sunday - the empty grave, life renewing in ways we only understand in our small ways. One speaker said we should realize when we respond to the centuries old declaration "He Is Risen" - "He Is Risen Indeed" was said by about one billion believers today. Amen and Amen!

EAGLES' REST: Yes, Virginia, This Really IS a Baptist Church

First time I've done a blog link - but Bob Cleveland over at Eagle's Rest uploaded a video clip to youtube that is more than worthy of mention. Crank up your speakers and devote 9 minutes to watching and hearing meaningful worship -

EAGLES' REST: Yes, Virginia, This Really IS a Baptist Church