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Saturday, August 4, 2012

Today when we woke up around 7am there had been a lull in the rain and it was really windy so we decided we better at least crank the camper down before the rain started again.  Grandpa had to come out and help us bc it was so windy they sides wouldn't stay tucked in.  Five minutes before we were done with our Bible study, Ron and Dee stopped in to say good-bye.  After they left, we went and put the float boat in.  Mom and Scott drove it to the public launch and Dad and I took the trailer via road.  Before we took off we realized we had a flat tire on the trailer so we filled it at Muse's on our way out.  Dad did a great job of backing it down the long slope.  Then I jumped in and it was really gross - uneven clay and got deep fast.  I was waist deep after about three steps.  Scott drove it in and Dad cranked in on with Scott  moving it over a little bit.  Nana did her trapeze act to go down the ladder and onto the tailgate.  Scott and I rode in the back of the truck.  When we got back we worked on packing some more while Dad backed the pontoon into the shop all by himself (well Mom might have been helping him).  I went down to the lake for one last kayak.  The waves were big!!  It was so much fun and really hard to paddle to the island.  I got back really fast though!  Then Scott was coming out so I paddled again.  I was really tired.  After that we took our kayaks up and belted them down.  When they were ready we hooked up the camper and moved it up out of the way.  Lunch break was next then we went and said good-bye to Jason and Julie.  They left about noon.  We finished up most everything else and then went and took one more bath in teh lake.  The waves were even bigger and I took a mouthful at one point.  Scott and I swam a tiny bit out and then rode the waves back in.  It was fun.  It was really cold when we got out of the water though!  After double checking everything we were finally underway.  It was about 2:30pm.  On the way out, Ojibway Trail was really busy.  I've never seen so many cars on it before.  We stopped once too so we could see how big the waves were on Big Eagle.  Once we got on 502 we did not have on car behind us the entire way.  Scott drove and I slept most of it.  The border was smooth as silk.  You could tell we had prayer support!  We hit the line of four cars at 4:40 and were across in less than ten minutes.  The guy just wanted us out - he moved three cars ahead of us to the other guys one.  He asked us three questions and then let us go.  His replacement was coming in the booth right when we took off.

Friday, August 3

I can't believe we are three days into August!  Today Scott and Dad went fishing by Tugboat Island (which I guess isn't really the right Tugboat Island).    They caught 10-12 walleye but only kept 4.  I woke Scott up at 5am and he did his Bible study then they left around 6.  I fell back asleep sometime during his Bible study and didn't wake up again until 7am.  I figured I should pray for them and at some point mid-prayer I fell asleep again.  I didn't wake up again until 9am.  I went in and checked on Nana - she was working on Sunday school material and had no plans so I came back to the camper and toasted a raisin english muffin and did my Bible study.  Then I started to work on packing the camper.  The guys came back around 10:30am so I didn't get much done.  We watched them fillet the fish (Scottie did a really good job), then were going to take the entrails to the island but decided to wait for Ron and Dee.  We had a nice cruise and visit on the float boat as we watched for eagles.  We only ended up seeing 2 of them but neither came down to eat.  We did however see about 10 Magpies.  I have a picture but haven't looked to see if it turned out - I will post it later. 

After the boat ride, Scott and Dad took naps while I continued to pack/clean the camper.  Jason came over and we invited them over for a fish fry/hamburgers down on the beach.  They were excited.  After that we went to Groves so I could take pictures of their boat and Dad and Scott picked up their tires that had fallen off the dock and rescrewed them back in.  I think Ron was delighted.  They were expecting company so we got out of there so they could get ready. 

After that Scott and I took a kayak ride over to Cedar Lodge.  It was really windy and there were a lot of white caps.  It was definitely one of the rougher days we have had here but not as rough as past years and especially not as rough as Lake Michigan!  We coasted a lot of the way back but had to paddle back into camp because it would have swept us to Deer Trail Bay.  Mom had just come out so she and I swam out a ways a couple of times.  Then we took our baths and started getting ready for the party.

The party turned out really nice.  We had a wonderful time visiting and goofing around.  About 9pm we started to hear thunder so we scrambled to get things cleaned up.  Scott cleared off the line and we hung our clothes on the porch so hopefully they will be dry when we pack tomorrow.  We plan to leave in the afternoon sometime.  It's supposed to rain all morning and we have to close up the camper.  Maybe God will grace us out as He has the last few days and we can put it away dry.  We also have to put the float boat in sometime tomorrow.  I was really hoping for one last spin on the kayak and a swim before we leave.  We'll see what happens!

Thursday, August 2, 2012

What a day!! I'm wiped out.  We were going to fish at 5am but when my alarm went off it was still raining.  Wednesday night a few minutes after we went to bed there was another storm.  It hailed again but it was dark so I don't know how big they were.  Dad woke us up at 7am to go fishing.  Dad, Mom, Scott, and I went out on Dad's boat and then Jason and Bob followed us on Bob's boat.  We went out by Dog Island where mom caught one fish and Dad caught a craw daddy.  Bob caught 2 walleye, I think only one was a keeper.  Then we went to Three Towers were Nana caught another keeper walleye and she and I both caught a northern.  We went back home around 11:30am and realized we had to have garbage at dump by 1pm so we all rushed like mad to get ready to go.  We followed Dad in our truck because we wanted to stay in town to go to the Credit Union but it wouldn't open from lunch until 2pm.  On the way to the dump Scott thought we had a flat so we stopped and then weren't sure how to get to the dump.  We turned down Blue Lake Road and missed the turn but did see the sign as we were going by.  When we got there Dad and Mom had emptied the whole truck and were watching the mother black bear with two of her cubs sleeping in the tree.  I got some cool shots.  They went on to Dryden to talk to the locksmith and we went and had lunch at the bakery to kill an hour before the Credit Union opened.  We got didn't get back from Vermillion until 4pm.  Mom and Dad had just started their doctrine so Scott and I were going to do ours but Ron came in.  Then Mom came in and needed an email from Alan, then Jason came and needed Dad's battery charger, then Julie came and asked to borrow a kayak because Jason was going to swim around the island.  I offered to go with them so Julie and I kayaked while Jason swam.  He made it to the beach side in about twenty minutes then they buried a treasure for the kids on the beach.  After that we headed around to the other side where Julie and I found a silver float so I got it and put it on my kayak.  We followed Jason around most of the island and then each took a side when he it the open water because Mertz's were out tubing in their boat and we were afraid they wouldn't see him.  Not counting the stop on the beach he made the swim in about 46 minutes.  We think it's about 2 miles but plan to measure it in the am. 

As soon as we got back, Dad and Mom were down at the dock ready to take the pontoon boat out for a swim.  Mom jumped in first and then me.  The water was really smooth.  We goofed around and swam around the pontoon for a couple of times and then Nana decided the boat needed to be pulled out more.  She hauled it a ways then Dad jumped and pushed it back the opposite way.  After that, we goaded Scott into diving in.  Then Dad was hiding from Mom and snuck back on the boat  ran to the other gate and cannon-balled  close to mom.  It was fun.  Then he swam under the pontoon boat checking everything out.  We messed around a little longer and then headed back to shore.  Mom and I swam and the guys got back in and drove the boat in.  When we got back upstairs it was 8:30pm!  We quick made the fish for dinner and then threw everything back and ran out to take a pontoon ride around Paradise.  We got back to the dock five minutes before sunset.  The moon was incredible hopefully some of my pictures turned out.  We went back up and had brownies (from the bakery) with ice cream.  Then Scott and I came out to finish our Bible study.  Scott's in bed now and I'm ready to go.  We were supposed to fish again in the morning.  Jason wanted to go again because they are leaving Saturday, too.  I bowed out because I need to start packing.  Plus we need to take the pontoon boat out tomorrow.  I'm hoping I will be able to kayak.  There are supposed to be am showers and then isolated T-storms.  Hoping it misses us like it did today!

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Today we all slept in until 8am and did our doctrine around 9am.  We listened to the next communion message.  It was really good.  Then everyone kind of went their separate ways.  Mom, Scott, Hannah, and I played Shanghai Rummy.  Scott kicked our butts and I took last.  In the middle of the game we made grilled cheese and tomato soup.  It was way to hot for soup.  The humidity was terrible.  After everyone had eaten and we quit our game.  We headed out to the shop to see how much Dad and Alan had cleaned up.  They had shoveled rock and filled in a hole and then moved the traveling fishing boat closer to the back corner.  Then they hung Alan’s canoe up since they are leaving soon.  After that Dad said we were going to take the float boat out and jump off of it.  By the time we took off a storm was moving in.  We thought we had time so Mom, Dad, and I jumped off and started swimming back while the plan was for Scott to drive the boat back and swim out to meet us.  But he had to wait for Alan to bring Hannah back on the jet ski.  She was getting ready to jump in and lost her flipper.  It doesn’t float so there wasn’t any hope.  She was very sad.  We got about half way and it really started to thunder so Dad thought we should get back in the boat but we couldn’t figure out what they were doing (found out later they were looking for the flipper).  Mom and I swam hard.  Dad caught a ride part of the way holding onto the jet ski.  By the time we reached the shore, lightening had started and the rain came.  I got hit by something hard and we soon realized it was hail.  I have never seen it hail up here.  It was pretty wild.  We got everything together and secured and ran up to the porch to watch the storm – frantically closing windows in the house.  It was crazy storm.  It was raining and hailing so hard you couldn’t see the island.  The hail was making splashes all over the water.  There was a couple of golf ball sized hail, too.  After the storm, Hannah and I went out and collected some of the bigger pieces that hadn’t melted off.  It doesn’t look like we had much damage to our vehicles or camper which was completely God’s grace.  After the storm, Scott and I went back to the camper and read/napped.  Around 6pm we had grilled chicken and baked potatoes.  Then I went down to the lake to swim but ended up working on scooping up nasty green algae near the shoreline.  I got about four leeches from it which I found on my short kayak excursion.  Mom, Bridget, and Hannah went back to the Olympics.  Dad, Scott, and Alan went Muskie fishing and I was left in charge of the fire by the dock.  I took my kayak to Paradise Island and back as quickly as I could.  Then I picked up some of the kindling around the fire and added it.  After that I took my kayak back out and shaved my legs then finished my bath.  I went and said hi to the girls and had Hannah check me for leeches in case I missed any.  She and I went down and she fixed a s’more by the fire.  Then I rinsed off in the lake and came up to my camper to blog.  There are more storms expected.  Might be kind of scary in our camper!!   

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Today, after our Bible study everyone was tiptoeing around me and being all nice.  I have a pretty wonderful family but it was still pretty awkward.  Dad, Scott, Alan, and Hannah went fishing.  Mom came and visited me in the camper and Bridget had breakfast on the dock in her new chair.  Then mom left to watch some of the Olympics, Bridget too.  They spent most of the day doing that.  I laid around in the camper and read.  Then I fixed some toast and hot chocolate on my camper stove.  Then I did a load of laundry in our new wash machine out in the new room in the shop.  It was wonderful.  When they got back from fishing, we had lunch and saw pictures of their exploits.  Hannah had a cute baby walleye.  Alan had a nice glob of stick bass.  But… Scott had caught a really big northern and they had pictures to prove it.  After lunch, I made a Hannah trailer while Scott worked on his homework.  Then we packed the float boat for dinner on the rock and I thought fishing.  Dad, Mom, Sue Martinsen, Scott, Hannah, and I took the float boat to Connaught Point.  Bob, Jason, Julie, Lennox, and Elliot met us there in their boat.  Alan and Bridget came a little later in the fishing boat.  The weather was beautiful and everyone enjoyed visiting.  After dinner, Scott, Alan, Jason, Hannah, and Lennox went fishing.  Julie, Elliot, and Bob took Bob’s boat home and Dad, Mom, Sue, and I headed home through Canoe Narrows.  It was a lovely boat ride.  I got some loon and eagle pictures and some cool pictures by the Indian Art rocks.  Dad and I unpacked and cleaned up the float boat and took baths.  Bridget and Mom are over watching the Olympics and I’m working on my photographs.

Friday, July 27, 2012

We were supposed to take our kayaks out to the Walleye Hole and someone was supposed to pick us up but Mom and Dad went to Dryden so we waited for them to get back.  Hannah and I read in the camper for the entire morning.  Alan and Scott worked in the shop and Bridget evidently took her bike to the tracks and went blueberry picking.  Hannah and I didn’t even know that she left until Alan came and told us he was taking the four-wheeler thing to see if she was okay.  She ended up picking blueberries for 5 hours!!  Scott and I took off on our kayak excursion.  We went west of Paradise, east of Sunrise and out to the Walleye Hole.  There Scott explored a small part of the shoreline of the island and then fished for walleye.  We took about 5 swipes through the hole and all he caught was a perch but he did lose his bait.  We paddled southeast to the mainland and did a little casting.  I caught a northern but Scott didn’t see it because he was caught on a rock.  By the time he was free, I had flipped the hook so I didn’t have to bring it on my boat.  After casting at little on the shore we cut across to Tivo (Eagle Island) where Scott got out and I got freaked out because it appeared that the vultures and eagles were going to swarm me looking for fish.  I video logged what I thought to be my last minutes on this earth so that there would be proof as to what happened to me but eventually I got far enough away that they lost interest.  I had a meltdown when we returned because we had paddled about seven miles and no one came to get us.  We came in an hour after we had asked them to come get us.  So Dad had found a boat he liked and talked Alan and Hannah into going back to Dryden to look at the boat.  Mom and Bridget had been worried but didn’t have a way to come out and check on us.  After exploding and then crying, I finally pulled myself together confessed and focused on the abundant grace that God has provided me.  As mom pointed out I am exercising a lot and my hormones are probably pretty out of whack from it but it is no excuse for acting the way I did.  I guess I’m not perfect! J After dinner (which I skipped because I needed to soak my muscles in the cold water), Bridget and Hannah went to Jeff’s to watch the opening of the Olympics.  Scott and I went to bed and watched a really stupid movie.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

This morning the thunder and lightening woke us up around 3:20am.  Scott and I closed up most of the camper and listened to the rain until we fell asleep again.  We did doctrine around 8am then Scott, Hannah, and I started our shopping excursion.  It had been raining all morning and was still spitting off and on.  We went to Moose Creek gift shop and then had lunch at Buster’s around 11am.  On our way to Dryden, we stopped and Egli’s Sheep Farm and Hannah and I bought winter hats which actually felt really good since it was so cold and rainy!  After that we hit the public library in Dryden where Hannah found some books for sale, I tried to read but ended up taking a nap and Scott worked on homework.  Jason Colwell walked in with Knox and Elliot.  It was fun to see them, they had not been to the cabin yet but stopped in Dryden to pick up some groceries.  Hannah and I then drove to the gift shop on main.  We walked about three blocks stopping in stores along our way then we crossed the road and checked out a few more stores including the salvation army where Hannah found another kitchen treasure.  About an hour and a half later we picked up Uncle Scott and headed for Walmart where we found a few treasures then headed to Canadian tire to buy some water fins.  After filling up with gas we headed back to the cabin.  Arriving around 6pm, Mom and Bridget had an awesome dinner (pot roast, homemade biscuits, and mashed potatoes).  After cleaning up I took my kayak out to Sunset Island.  On the way back Scott met me on the far side of Paradise and paddled back with me.  It was nice.  I figured I paddled about three miles.  We tried out my fins and took a bath.  Now we are sitting in the camper (kind of cold) working on our computers.  Haha I actually wore my new hat all night too because it was so cold in the camper.  It got down to the fifties.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

We got up around 6:30pm and did BD around 7pm.  Then Dad, Scott, Alan, and Hannah were going to go out walleye fishing.  No one had charged the boat battery so they had to wait 45 minutes for it to charge so we all started working on the shed again.  Dad and Scott finished digging the sewage ditch while Ron Grove supervised.  Bridget worked on putting visquine over the insulated walls.  Hannah and I finished two more electrical boxes and Alan hooked up the electricity and strung the sewage piping.  They finally left for fishing.  Mom and I went to Andy Myers who basically told us they couldn’t fit in our fishing trip now.  Bridget went blueberry picking.  Mom and I then ate lunch and had a nice talk.  After that we kayaked around Paradise Island.  We saw an eagle and a Merganser family.  The fishing crew drove by on their way back.  They hadn’t had much luck fishing except Hannah almost pulled in a big northern but it bit her line off.   Everyone else finished burying the sewage line while Hannah and I played with field guide apps and I caught up on my emails.  Finally, Mom, Hannah, and I went swimming.  We swam almost to Paradise Island.  Then we had dinner with Ron and Dee (Bridget’s homemade corn chowder) and played a couple of hands of shanghai Rummy.  Alan and Scott hooked up the rest of the plumbing.  We now have a wash machine running and the toilet that works.  The only problem is if you want to use it you would have to shut the big shop door, the little shop door, and cover the windows bc the walls aren’t up yet. 

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Dramatic morning fishing plans changed three times.  I lost my cool and everyone ended up working most of the morning.  Hannah and I wired the electrical boxes and switches.  Later in the afternoon, she and I took kayak adventure along the west edge from dock to Kulbom’s along the shore to the public boat launch and then back.

July 20-21, 2012 Canada

Friday, July 20 we arrived to the cabin around noon.  It took us most of the afternoon to get unpacked and set up the camper.  Bridget made us burgers and some fish that Paul and Alan had caught.  

Saturday, July 21 the cement truck pulled in right on time at 8am and we all went out to pour part of the floor in the shop.  Alan had all of the pipe laid so we could put in the electrical and plumbing later next week.  In the afternoon, Hannah, Paul, Scott, and I took to the lake.  Paul did a reenactment of last year's Water Sumo Boy and then we all swam part of the way to the island.  When we got back Nana had come down to the lake so Hannah and I went back out swimming with her.   Hannah had on fins and was flying through the water.  She could outrun any muskie!  We headed in to pack for dinner at Connaught Point.  Alan, Scott, and Paul took off fishing around 5pm and the rest of us packed the pontoon boat for a hot dog roast and took off, Hannah at the wheel.  When we got there Dad, Hannah, and I jumped out and scouted a place to get to the rock.  I pulled the pontoon along the beach and into some weeds then dad decided to go back to the other side so everyone else got back in and moved the boat while I took the kayak around the peninsula.  Ron and Dee arrived about then so after they got the boats settled I pulled up the kayak.  I ended up with two leeches probably from walking thru the weeds.  We had a beautiful night and Paul and Alan even caught a couple of walleyes.  There was a baby deer swimming across from Boat Island to Canoe Island.  I was sure it was a baby moose so Paul and I jumped in the kayak and chased it.  He got the pictures on his iPhone but I haven't seen them yet.  When we got back after we we took baths and Paul wanted to play Shanghai Rummy.  We played to rounds pretty much all slap happy.  Paul said we couldn't quit until he won and it was eleven o'clock so I fed him players for two rounds so he would win and we could all go to bed.  

ACL Palm Beach, Florida June 10-16, 2012

Pam and I left Bourbonnais at 2pm with Ben as our chauffeur.  It was a fun ride catching up with him.  We walked in checked in our bags, breezed through security, and were waiting for our plan within an hour.  Both flights went great and were ahead of time.  The transfer was short and quick.  The second plan was def newer and much more comfortable.  When we got to our baggage (which came out immediately- mom had to have been praying!), we called Jeff (fellow conferencer) to see if he had arrived and wanted to share a cab.  After we found, him we took about a fifteen minute ride to Palm Beach Atlantic University and landed right in front of the library.  Security came and took our luggage to the OceanView dorm (no oceanview that I can see) and showed us how to use our access keys.  We arrived in our rooms around 11-11:30pm.  Made our beds and settled in for a sleepless night.

The next morning we went to breakfast and then headed to the beach.  They told us it was 1.2miles straight over the bridge but I'm pretty sure it was longer than that.  It was really hot and really humid!  When we arrived to the beach we got right into the ocean.  It was awesome! There were some decent waves and there was a yellow flag which meant medium danger.  We swam for about an hour and then started the trek back.  My shoes must be worn too thin bc the bottoms of my feet felt like blisters.  We went back a couple of blocks south which was shadier.  Then just before crossing off the island we sat on a bench under a tree and cooled down to rest my feet.  As we were crossing the bridge a boat came so they had to lift the draw bridge.  It was really cool!  I can't believe how high it raised the entire road - lamppost and all!  Then this dumb little boat went through - not even sure why they had to lift it!!  Anyway we went back to the room and collapsed before we had to go to the opening dinner at 5pm.  It was pretty much like eating Sodexo.  Then we went and sat outside while everyone introduced everyone else and we had an opening prayer.  Some students came and did the PBA cheer which was cute.  I met a couple of people and then we had ice cream which wasn't very good.  I headed back up and got some work done and went to bed around 9pm - another rough night's sleep.

Tuesday we spent at sessions and eating more Sodexo style food.  We met a lot of people.  I enjoyed visiting with Ruth Kinnersley during one of the meals.  I also met Fern, Barbara, and Karen.  Wednesday, it was more of the same except we went to two business meetings: Liberal Arts and Nazarene Meeting and our poster session.  I met alot of people at the poster session.  Played with QR codes with Karen and Libby.  Talked LibX tool bars with David from Indiana Wesleyan.  Thursday am we skipped an am workshop and walked back to the beach.  It was glorious.  After that we went to workshops and meetings.  Dinner was in the Art Museum.  It was good but we didn't have much time to visit the museum bc it closed at 9pm and the dinner went late.  It was sprinkling on the walk home but Pam and I had a nice chat with Tammy Condon. 

Friday, we went to MacArthur State Park and kayaked.  Steve, Karen, Linda and her sister, John, Pam and I took off for a couple of hours.  John, Pam, and I paddled around the entire island that opened up to the waterway.  Everyone else hung around inside the "cove."  After we finished we took the "tram" (golf cart) to the beach.  It was incredible. It was like being at a zoo.  We walked out of the Mangrove forests to the beach - it was a completely different environment.  The water was beautiful and felt incredible.  As you entered there was a "cliff" of shells that you almost had to jump off to go further in the water.  When the waves rolled over it you could hear "chimes."  It was beautiful.  The water felt great and a couple nice sized waves came and knocked us over.  We weren't even in for five minutes when Steve said we had to go.  It was disappointing but I had probably already gotten enough sun for the day.  We headed back to campus.  Pam went to the Flagler Museum and I went up to the room.  I "im"ed with Hannah for awhile and started to watch Netflix but kept passing out.  I didn't even hear Pam get back.  Around 5pm we met John for dinner and the three of us walked to a Taco place.  After that we went to Sloan's for ice cream and walked along the waterway on the trip back.  It was a nice evening.  Pam and I watched the Adventures of TinTin and then went to bed.  I was up at 2:30am bc it was storming outside and the bathroom sewer stunk so bad that I ended up calling Security.  The guy that called had a name tag that said C. Bible.  I told him he had a cool name. :) He was going to report it and somebody must have done something bc it wasn't too bad in the morning. 

Later Saturday morning, we packed up our rooms ran into Craighton at the library and worked on the computers for a while.

Informatics Bonfire

Informatics End of the Year Bonfire
April 27, 2012 6:30pm

When we are born there is a barrier between God and us.  We cannot have a relationship with Him because God is perfect and has perfect righteousness.  We are not!!  We are born into the slave market of sin. John 08:34, “Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.”

There is nothing we can do as humans to escape this slave market, we are hopeless and helpless.  The good news is that God has provided a solution - a way out of the darkness.  II Corinthians 05:21, “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”  JC came to this earth in perfect humanity and redeemed us from this slave market.  He did all of the work – dying as our substitute on the cross.  We do not have to do anything!!  God’s grace is amazing!  All you have to do is accept JC as your Savior and you will be saved. 

After Christ died on the cross he was resurrected.  This resurrection gives us hope.  Once you accept JC as Savior you will have eternal life!  John 10:28, “and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand.”

I believed in JC as a child but those of you that know me probably have figured out that I am not perfect.  I sin and screw up often.  How can this be if I am a Christian – if I believed in JC as my Savior?  It’s because I’m still a sinner!  Romans 03:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Every time I sin I lose fellowship with God – not salvation just fellowship.  Believing in JC did not make me a spiritual giant who can handle any thing in life.

I often stop myself and think, “What am I doing?”  I don’t want to be this person and yet I often can’t stop it!  Romans 07:15, “For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.”  Did God provide salvation and then just leave me hanging afterwards?  No!  He knows that we cannot function spiritually without His grace and provisions.  All we have to do is name our sins to God and He is faithful and just to forgive us those sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness!  I John 01:09.  How incredible is that?!  My pastor uses the term “rebound” for confessing your sins.  This is his analogy:

Excerpt from Pastor R.B. Thieme's Rebound publication:

Winning a basketball game requires players to shoot and to rebound the ball.  When the ball leaves the hand of a shooter, arches gracefully toward the basket, drops inside the rim of the hoop, and rips through the net, he scores.  But when his shot misses, the ball must be rebounded.  Rebounding recovers the loose ball as it caroms off the rim or backboard.  Rebounding restores the opportunity to shoot, to score, and ultimately, to win.

In the spiritual life every Christian misses shots or sins.  But like basketball, the contest of the Christian life does not end when a believer sins.  God graciously provides the way to rebound from sin, to restore the filling of the Holy Spirit, to recover fellowship with God, and to keep moving in the spiritual life.  Rebound offers the believer an infinite number of chances to be a winner in the Christian life. 

Every time I sin, I can privately name that sin to God and I am forgiven.  I can forget my screw up and focus on God and the amazing promises He has given to me.  I can move on.

Philippians 03:13, “Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,” Philippians 03:14, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Many of you are beginning the rest of your life next week and I hope you’ll keep that verse in mind:  II Corinthians 04:18, “while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”  Remember that as you embark on this new journey in your life that you have a unique opportunity to grow spiritually and set an example to those around you.  I will pray that when you miss a shot (and you will) you will have daily reminders to rebound that ball so that your shots/baskets count in the spiritual life.  I hope I have set this example for you and that you have recognized the grace I have extended toward you as a reflection of the incredible grace God has extended toward me.