Lessons From the Sukkah

One of the many things that we enjoy about our ministry is being able to experience the "appointed times of G-d" through the eyes of those who have never experienced them before - over and over again.
This weekend, we decided to begin our celebration of Sukkot (Feast of Booths/Tabernacles) with a weekend campout, along with several members of our congregation, most of whom had never experienced what it is like to "dwell in booths" (Lev 23:42).
There are a lot of lessons we can learn from Sukkot. It seems that there is always something new to discover (I suppose that one of the reasons G-d told us to do this every year) - but there are also many wonderful lessons that are reinforced in a very tangible way.
This year, the one that seemed to impress itself upon me the most, was the fact that we should not hold too tightly to material things. G-d is our Shelter and Provider, but it is far too easy to forget that fact when we are surrounded by the comfort and convieniences our homes offer.
But there, dwelling in the "wilderness" of the farm owned by our friends, living in those temporary shelters, without running water, stoves and refrigerators, without a furnace to chase away the morning chill, it was a lot easier to remember how frail and temporary this life truly is and how silly it is to spend so much of our short lives seeking to attain things that have no lasting value.
We need to be seeking the Kingdom, not earthly comforts. We need to be relying on the care and sustaining power of G-d, not on the possessions that all too often possess us. The frailty of the sukkah reminded me of the frailty and vulnerability of my life. But the knowledge that just as G-d was with His people, caring and providing for them as they wandered through the wilderness, living in their temporary shelters - so He is with us as we journey toward our Promised Land. Our hope is not in what this world has to offer, no matter how comfortable and convenient it may seem, but in what G-d has already provided for us in Eternity.

Click HERE to read more Lessons from the Sukkah and see other pictures from this years celebration.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation - Part Two

It's been a while since I posted, but then, it's been a while since anything has really happened to post about. We're still in Wait Mode, although we have been making some progress on the planning end. Randy has prepared Autocad drawings of the layout of the property and the chapel, which I hope to get loaded to the website as soon as I figure out how to convert the files. We've also done quite a bit more exploring, and have several new pictures posted, some of them of the access points on Bryant Creek, close to the property, where we're hoping to provide float trips in the future.
I've been working on a couple new books I hope to have finished by the end of the year - a 6 week guided group/personal study on the importance of understanding the "roots" of our faith and a "how to celebrate the Sabbath" manual, along the same lines of our Messiah in the Passover Haggadah. We'd also like to revise the Messiah in the Passover Haggadah, rewriting it so that there will be two seperate books, both a Leaders and a Participants Guide, since there is much more teaching material we'd like to include, but feel it would make what we have now too confusing to follow.
We'll be leaving this coming Friday morning to travel to Yuma, CO to share the Bridegroom of Believers study with a congregation there. We going to make this a "mini-vacation" since thse teaching trips are about the only chance we have to get away together. They plan on video taping the session, so we're hoping to FINALLY have a DVD available soon, since all our previous attempts to record the study have been less than successful (ask me about that sometime - lol) - so we'll see!
Well, that about all I can think to babble out for now. Just figured it was time to let you know we're still here and still enjoying the journey!

Marji

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Well, the site is now "officially open to the general public" and we've gotten a lot of positive feedback, fixed a few previously undiscovered glitches (thanks!) and settled into the daily maintenance routine. I'm still interested in any ideas you have about improving the site, so keep those cards and letters coming!

We've also spent quite bit of time exploring the property the last few weekends. To this point, we've discovered 2 additional creeks, a "new face" to what had been previously known as The Rock, a beautiful grotto in the bluff along one of the larger creeks and that there's a lot of work ahead of us if we're ever going to get near the building stage (read - trees, trees everywhere!)

We did get 3 of the 4 old vehicles moved off the property, thanks to one of our new neighbors and found someone to do the road work once the necessary funds are available. I have spent quite a bit of time talking to folks about the overall vision we have for Stone Haven and have been tremendously encouraged by the enthusiastic response I'm seeing. The director for the local Independent Living Center has even offered to lend us a hand for our first Benefit Concert (planned for October 22 - more on that when the time gets closer) by playing bass guitar!

We're planning our first Volunteer Work Day for September 10 with a Creek Clean-Up Float Trip. I'm going to try and get some publicity for the event through the Missouri Dept of Conservation to help us raise awareness of the new venture, although it is admittedly WAY too soon to even begin thinking about offering float trips - but hey, we can have SOME fun along the way :)

As far as what's next - my current project is preparing a Power Point presentaion to use when the time comes, but we're really in Wait Mode on most things. The paperwork for the 501(c)3 status is ready, but the filing fees were raised on July 1 of this year, so we need to gather those funds before we can proceed and I'm hesitant to begin Full Force Promotion until we actually have approval. I don't anticipate any problems, but no sense in counting our chickens before they hatch - especially since there's a chance some of them might turn out to be roosters!

OK - that's all I have for this time.

Upward and Onward!
Marji

This is the Great Adventure!

The land has been purchased, the incorporation process has begun and new website is finally up and running! You can help by letting me know if you find any "bugs" or have any ideas on improvements, additions, etc. I want to thank those of you who are reading this for your help and support to this point. We never would have made it - financially - physically or emotionally - if you hadn't been there to lift us up. A THOUSAND blessings on each of you. I'll keep you posted as plans progress. Until next time -

Enjoying the Journey
Marji