Things have been pretty quiet the past week. It has been a lot cooler, 40s and lower 50s, but the rain has been present almost every day. The weekend was a wash as it rained all weekend. Christie has been gone so I can keep all the windows closed and a nice fire in the wood stove! Everyone has asked me how it has been with Christie gone, and I have to honest, I really miss her. But I tell them the cabin is a lot warmer and I wake up in the middle of the night and ALL the windows are closed! The rest of this week calls for the highs in lower 40s and the lows in low 30s! Christie Mason kind of weather!
I did find a new toy that I am so disappointed I missed growing up as a kid…Legos! I have the opportunity to babysit for some very good friends of ours in McGrath. The first thing we did was pull out the Legos and start building! I found myself really interested. The little guy said we were going to have a war so we needed to build our weapons. I figured one big weapon was better that a bunch of little ones so I went big. Then the little guy tried to take parts of my weapon! Let Go Of My Lego! Wait, I think that was a different commercial!Parsonage Update
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| R To L Tom, Pete, Mark |
The mission group, Arctic Barnabas, arrived last Thursday to help with the construction on the parsonage. It was a great group of guys, Tom, Pete and Mark, and they were a pleasure to get to know. Over several days they were able to get the bathroom sheetrock installed, taped and mudded, ready for painting. They also installed the bathroom doorframe and finished the floor cabinets and counter top work in the kitchen. It was a good few days of work and we appreciate these guys coming up from Kenai, Alaska and helping us.
While work is continuing on the parsonage, we are still not complete with the construction. It seems like the closer you get to completion the work on the little things start to take a lot time. There are still many man-hours of work left to be done. Then the furnishing can start. I have created “Lists” on both the WalMart and Target websites that include the inside furnishings needed to get the parsonage ready to occupy. You can look at the previous two blog posts to find out how to access these lists and possibly help out with any of the items.If you would prefer to make a donation, make your check payable to McGrath Community Church and note on the check “Parsonage Furnishings”. The check can be mailed to McGrath Community Church. P.O. Box 82. McGrath, AK 99627. You will receive a year-end statement for your contribution.
Ministry Update
This past Sunday I shared Part 2 of the series “I Challenge You…”. The challenge was “To Make Prayer A Priority”! We discussed the Definition of Prayer, the Purpose of Prayer, the Place of Prayer and the Priorities of Prayer. I used as the central passage Matthew 6:5-13, the model of prayer that Jesus gave His disciples. This Sunday I will try to ties these two challenges together and, based the challenge to have a daily, consistent reading and study of God’s Word, and the challenge to Make Prayer A Priority, we I will issue the Challenge To Follow What God Is Calling Us To.The church had a potluck Sunday night for the Arctic Barnabas guys. It was very well attended and as always the foods was very good! There was even moose liver smothered in onions and I think bacon! Wow…what a treat!
This Sunday will be my last Sunday as part of the extended summer stay in the community. I will fly out Monday for home and begin preparation to head back for the interim stay for six months. We are looking forward to the opportunities that are ahead.
K4G (Kids 4 God) Update
The weekly Bible clubs will not get started until after the first of the year. This will give us more time to prepare and hopefully get some parents to help out. Please be much in prayer about this.
If anyone would like to help fund the “K4G” Club we would appreciate it very much. The things we need most are snack items; powder drink mixes, maybe hard candy for prizes, and maybe kick balls, soccer balls (all deflated of course). I am looking for an earth ball. It is a very BIG ball that the kids can play with outside. If you feel led to help us please send them via postal service, Priority Mail to Mike Mason, P.O. Box 133, McGrath, AK 99627.
Lucy and her calf update
With moose season now in full swing, Lucy has been laying low. I had not seen her and her baby in over a week. I have to admit I really started to worry. Not about her safety with moose season in full swing (she is safe, you can’t shoot a cow moose, plus you cannot shoot a gun in the city limits, which is where she stays), but about whose garden she and baby were mowing down. I think they have hit just about everyone’s garden in town. They even got to Ray and Sally’s goodies, which almost never happens!
Moose Hunting Update
Lots of folks out of the community this week, all for a moose! Most of the people in McGrath depend heavily on a moose to provide meat for the next year. So far many of the people have their moose in the freezer. The weather has been rainy and cool, not so good for the hunting, but very good for dressing and bringing it out of the woods. Most people have a “meat-house” where they will bring the quartered moose back home and let it hang in the house for several days to aged. So, a lot of meat is hanging up around town.Three big bull moose were “harvested” this morning off the road leading out of McGrath.
Thoughts
With my extended summer stay coming to an end, we are looking forward to how the Lord is going to prepare us for coming back up in late October to begin a six month interim period at the church, and, how He is going to provide the necessary support; for the initial “setup” costs (major winter clothes, travel back to McGrath, and basic supplies to have when we get here), and the ongoing monthly support. If you receive our newsletter you have read about what it cost to live in the “bush” in Alaska. You do not buy groceries at the local store; a gallon of milk costs $17.00, a dozen eggs costs $10.00, a coke costs $3.50! The majority of the people shop online and have it shipped to the community. Oh, one small piece of information… there is NO road that comes into McGrath! You get to McGrath by air or river! A round-trip flight to Anchorage is $400! And only one flight in and out each day except Sunday. No quick trips to Walmart! You have to do a lot of planning to make grocery shopping cost-effective!
We have many challenges facing us the next few weeks as God brings all this together. There are several “key” things that need to happen. So we covet your prayers as we walk through these critical few weeks. This morning in my quiet time the Lord and I were having a pretty serious conversation in my journal. I was listing the major items that needed to be accomplished before we head back in late October. As I was writing, of course the enemy had to chime in. I knew he had to show up sooner or later! Let me tell you how he started to challenge me: “So, your God has called you to McGrath has He! Good! Let me ask you, wasn’t the parsonage supposed to be completed and ready to move in before you guys come back? Not looking good is it! And you sent letters out to your supporters didn’t you, asking them to pray for you and possibly be a financial partner? I heard you and Christie talking about this and she said there have been a few financial gifts, but not close to what you need. If your God has called you to this work why hasn’t He met the needs to make it happen? You say that you trust Him, but I do not see Him doing His part! Why don’t you just forget it and go home. You can do much better things with your time!”
The enemy has launched his best plan against us. I wish I could tell you I was making this up, but I can take you to my journal for today and walk you through what is going on. As I was praying and talking to the Father, a word came to my mind…ROCK! Then one of my favorite songs immediately came to mind, “The Rock Won’t Move” by Vertical Church Band. Look at the words, better yet, Google the song and listen to it:
When the ground beneath my feet gives way, And I hear the sound of crashing waves
All my world is washing out to sea, I’m hidden safe in the God who never moves
Holding fast to the promise of the truth, That You are holding tighter still to me
The Rock won’t move and His word is strong, The Rock won’t move and His love can’t be undone
The Rock won’t move and His word is strong, The Rock won’t move and His love can’t be undone
The Rock of our Salvation
My hope is in the promise of Your blood, My support within the raging flood
Even in the tempest, I can sing, I’m hidden safe in the God who never moves
Holding fast to the promise of Your truth, That You are holding tighter still to me
On Christ the Solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand
The Rock won’t move, the Rock won’t move
When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest in His unchanging grace
The Rock won’t move, the Rock won’t move
Then I was taken to two passages:
Psalm 61:1-4 (NLT) O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings!
Isaiah 44:6-8 (NLT) This is what the Lordsays—Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies: “I am the First and the Last; there is no other God. Who is like me? Let him step forward and prove to you his power. Let him do as I have done since ancient times when I established a people and explained its future. Do not tremble; do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim my purposes for you long ago? You are my witnesses—is there any other God? No! There is no other Rock—not one!”
I think I will keep standing on the ROCK!