So much to do, so little time.

With Celebration Freedom coming up on Saturday, the fourth of July on Sunday I thought I better not wait til the weekend to get a little further on my painting. This is probably the toughest part of the whole thing. The final details. Putting on the last few layers of paint has the potential of either bringing it closer to what you ultimately want or the potential to muck it up. What I love about acrylics and oils is that as long as you keep the medium wet, you can keep moving the paint arount until you have it the way you like it. After it's dry, if you don't like it, just put a few more layers over the top. It's giving and forgiving. The goal of our spiritual walk with Christ. Staying pliable in the master's hand so you too can be giving and forgiving until you finally reflect what the creator desires. Now the question becomes, at what point is it finished?

Thursdays With Our Congressman

Today we had an opportunity to ask Congressman Hoekstra about a distubing trend that seems to be surfacing. Former muslims who have converted to Christianity, come here legally seeking political asylum, are now facing deportation. While at the same time, bans on people with known ties to Hamas are lifted. For example:

Hussein Wario, who graduated from Hope College here in MI, has been denied his appeal for asylum.

Mosab Hassan Yousef, who we talk about in our April 26th blog, is also facing deportation.

While Wario is from Kenya and Yousef from the Middle East, these two men have several things in common.

1. They are here legally.
2. They are men who contribute positively.
3. They have converted to Christianity from Islam.
4. They have written books about the dangers of Islam.
5. They are now facing deportation.

Meanwhile, a man by the name of Tarik Ramadan, who is KNOWN to be assisting Hamas has now been cleared to enter the United States. People are taking notice and groups beginning to seek help from members of congress. We believe this is very important and will be continuing to talk with Congressman Hoekstra about it in the weeks to come.

Old Church, New Church, His Church, Same Church

It's like one of those nonsensical Dr. Seuss stories that ultimately has an underlying message for us all. A church formerly known as Christ Community in Spring Lake, MI has changed the name and now removed a cross that once adorned it's bell tower. Why? Well, according to C3Exchange pastor, Rev. Ian Lawton, it was to reflect their diverse members which include Muslims, athiests, and Buddhists. I am so happy to say the story drew out more response from listeners than any other story we've done. Happy because today we saw a unified body of believers come together under the cross of Christ. Quite literally. Check out The Chris and Emilee Show facebook thread.

Okay, my first question: Why in the world does an athiest need a church?
Second question: At what point does it no longer fit the definition of a church? The church is defined in the Bible as the people in whom Christ dwells. The "body of believers". So what if that body of people don't believe Christ is who He said He is? You no longer have a body of "believers", so how can it still be a church? Isn't that like putting dogs in a parking lot, calling them ponies and then claiming you're on a ranch?

The removal of the cross specifically was due to the fact that according to Lawton, "has become a negative symbol for a lot of people".

So ultimately, the question becomes: What does God's word say about all this? After all there is nothing new under the sun and it is salvation history from beginning to end. Well, lets' see:
First, this doesn't take the Lord by suprise. He knew it would happen: "For a time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." 2 Tim 4:3. So much so, people took offense to Jesus, himself. Nevertheless, He tells us what to do: "What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. Matthew 10:27

If you cannot proclaim Christ by a cross on the bell tower of your building, then you are no longer a church. For the church belongs to Christ alone.

Father's Day is Drawing Near

I have never been more ready for Father's Day. I have a roast (Chris' favorite meal) thawing in the fridge, cards are signed, and a gift neatly wrapped in gold foil sitting on the mantle.

I have always loved Father's Day. So much so that ever since I was a little girl, I would make homemade cards complete with original artwork. Now that I am grown with a family of my own, we still don't do anything over the top expensive, but after the weeks of thought and preparation, it usually shapes up to be a pretty memorable day.

"Honor your father and your mother as the Lord your God has commanded you so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land your God has given you."
Deuteronomy 5:16

Miracle in the Making

Chris is at Berlin Raceway tonight, so this is the perfect time to throw myself into that painting. A solid block of several hours where I can just paint until I don't want to paint anymore. If that is even possible. Miracle is coming along great. While her right eye is blue, I wanted to make sure her left eye, once blue but now brown, could be shown off proudly . It's just the initial layers of gray, pink and white so I've got a ways to go, but so far so good. Blue is a whole other story, but we'll get to him another day.

Foundation Laid

This week I did manage to steal away some time to work on the background of the painting. Everytime I start a new one, the thought comes to me about the importance of a good foundation. You're inspired and excited to get what's in your mind out onto the canvas. You can hardly wait to start mixing colors and spreading the paint around. The first few steps of prep work are definitely NOT the fun part, but at the same time, they are the most important. If it's not preped properly, not only does it make it harder to paint, the painting won't hold up well or the whole thing can end up way off center.

So it is with life. If not set on the firm rock of Christ, life gets harder and it is impossible to withstand the trials that come. Spending time in the Bible and prayer may not sound like a hoot, but it definitely sets the tone for the day and direction for life. So don't look at those things like chores you must do or ways to "earn points" with God, instead see the true value that Christ brings to the art of life.

In the Studio this Morning

Kurtis Cunningham joins us again today and will be with us each Thursday as we go throughout the summer. We met Kurtis several weeks ago and it was pretty much an instant friendship as we quickly discovered the things we have in common. Aside from loving Christian music and listening to JQ, Kurtis is an avid sports fan keeping meticulous stats of the current standings from Nascar to Baseball, and everthing in between. He also has an intense passion for radio. So of course, Chris sees a lot of himself in young Kurtis.

Kurtis has also been diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Williams Syndrome and actually has become a spokesperson, going to places like Dubai to bring awareness of this disorder. We are privileged to be able to bring Kurtis into the studio to get a look into radio, how it works, and see how God may use Kurtis and all his interests and passions in a way to expand the kingdom and encourage the body of Christ.

Inspiration Comes Around Again

Ever have those dry spells where you're brain seems a little dull and you feel completely empty? I recently had one of those "dry spells" - until last week. Follow along as I post the progress of my latest project.

Over the weekend, I was inspired again. Chris & I had an oppotunity to visit Horseplay Equestrian. It's a wonderful place where the love of horses and the love of Christ actually meld together into a cool ministry. Horseplay is a horse rescue ranch which is a good mission in and of itself, but it doesn't end there. These horses are then used to help rescue people. Ranging from camps for underprivileged kids to one on one counseling sessions for kids dealing with things like abuse or addiction, Horseplay Equestrian pairs kids with horses to help teach life lessons and Biblical realities. Completely free to the kids, Horseplay has been relying on the Hand of God for provision to run the camp and He has been nothing less than faithful.

While touring the ranch I was quite taken with two of the rescued horses, Blue and Miracle. These two horses are the offspring of paint horses. One of the uniques traits of paints is that, if the offspring are born completely white, they can suffer from a broad range of health issues often leading to a very short life expectancy. Another unique trait is the tendency for these all white horses to have bright blue eyes. Since Blue and Miracle have come to the ranch, under the care of the owners and the help of some vounteers, they appear to have turned the corner and are getting healthier by the day. Not only are they growing stronger, but they are beginning to show splotches of color and one of Miracle's eyes has even turned from blue to brown. These horses are examples of the turn around that can be made even in the most desperate circumstances. So pairing horses and people who are kind of from the same place in life can be quite a learning experience - for both people and the horse.

After touring the ranch, I am inspired. So much so, I am picking up my paintbrush once again. (It's been more than a year) This weekend, got the canvas prepared and the horses blocked in. A painting of the horses that inspired me, this portait is titled "Blue Miracle". When it's finally finished we'll auction it off at the ranch with proceeds going directly to Horseplay.

Doughnut Day

Before you dismiss it as a frivilous way to indulge yourself, there is a lot more to it. The first friday of every June was set aside as "Doughnut Day" in 1938 in honor of the women who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War One.

So if ever there is a reason to enjoy a doughnut, today is the day!

Good Old Fashioned Encouragement

Feeling a little frustrated, downtrodden, or rejected today? Maybe you're bordering on self-loathing. Then you NEED to take four minutes of your day and watch this:

www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=18d5fe4e6dcf04df1865

Have a Blessed Day!

Chris' Love for Bacon Never Takes A Vacation!

Yes, we split it and No, we didn't finish it.