The kids

The kids
Originally uploaded by leyendecker2004.

This is to curtail some of the animosity that could be expressed at the previous post ; ) Who can be mad when there are cute kids like these? Read the next post and listen to the link...be changed.

One Thing You Lack...
(Click the Above to Listen)

As of late, in praying about what our family is called to do while we are exiles here in this world, this present darkness, I have been doing some serious marinating on the scriptures and what they say. Most of you know that I work two jobs (teaching in the morning for a few hours and youth ministry full time) and this is demanding on my family, my prayer time, and my dedication to either job. While youth ministry is going really well (because it is the Lord's work through the intercession of Our Lady), I find it is hard to serve two masters-teaching in a school and ministering for the Lord. So it seems that I will not work a second job next year. This will of course be very difficult for our family, as this second income is equal to about 35% of our full time income. So as you can quickly gather, times will be tough next year- Oh wait, that statement is totally not true. With our current bills (Student loans, 1 car payment, mortgage, gas and electric, food, gas, and medical expenses) it will be mathmatically impossible to make our ends meet. Yet, I am overjoyed! I know this sounds crazy, but I am entirely confident that God, in His providence will provide, and we will be given the opportunity to live even more simply, to look at what we need- You know, Kingdom Living, Following Jesus, giving up all for His sake. The link that is posted above is a powerful 6 minute compilation of clips from the "Jesus" film, mixed with some music and some preaching on God's telling us that if you feel like you are following Him, if you feel like there is still something yet to do, if there is still something holding you back- It is the One thing that you lack that is keeping you from really walking in freedom. I know many will say this is too hard core, or it is not possible, or what about....., or any other host of things, fears, and concerns that we will put up. But these are Jesus' words, not mine. They are what He asks, not me. These are hard words. They speak of suffering, giving up all, and wallowing in all the joy you find when you have done this. Yep, I said it. Repent, sell, give, follow. Oh wait, I didn't say it, He did. I hope we listen. I hope we follow. I hope we seek. We shall find. Please click the link above and let's use the comment section as a way to talk about the audio. Many won't comment because it will be giving more time to an already uncomfortable subject. Many will scream and argue (as much as you can on a computer, and definitely in face to face conversations) and will dismiss His truths. These are hard words. These are life giving words. Please drop some comments and dialogue about this....

Resurrexit Sicut Dixit!!!

The Lord has risen indeed! Man, this Holy Pasch is an amzing time. It is a time when all things are made new. It is not as if Jesus wasn't raised during Lent, or that He is not risen during Christmas, but this is that special time of year, coinciding with the Passover of the Jews, when we really focus on His rising from the dead. This is usually especially powerful after the journey of Lent in which we are trying to experience death-death of our sins, our selfishness, our habits that are blocking us from knowing Him more fully. So here we are at Easter when we exalt Him again with the Alleleuia, we give praise with the Gloria. We have just walked with Him in the desert and we have recalled that He left us His very presence in the Eucharist on Holy Thursday, we traced the footsteps of His Passion and Death on Good Friday, we sat in the darkness and silence of the tomb on Holy Saturday, and we exalted His fulfillment of our redemption when he rose early on the first day of the week, Easter Sunday. I pray that we might be found knowing Him, wanting to grow ever closer to Him. I pray that we realize what has happened and the freedom that we live in now, the grace we have been given. I pray all these things for myself and for all of you. I pray that after we have suffered with Him, we might also rise with Him. I don't know how many of you read this, but I pray for all those who do that you come to know more fully the glory of the resurrection.