In our neck of the woods we seem to have a warming trend, it is 20 degrees out there right now with a promise, from one source, of it getting to 24.  We are having a temperature inversion – as often happens around here – Timberline on Mt. Hood has at temp of 39 degrees.

Spitting a bit of snow.

At this temperature my floodlight does well by the hummingbird feeder, so won’t have to change every 20-30 minutes, but do have to be aware when it goes down.

While the other parts of Oregon will be warming up and the snow will be leaving – at least for a bit – we will be a few days, maybe even a week or two behind everyone else here in the Gorge.

As I look out the window and see the grey sky and the black and white landscape under this snow, I am reminded that color vision is a gift that God has given me to appreciate His world.  I am looking forward to seeing Carla’s flowers blooming in all kinds of colors this late spring.

I remember once when one of the elders of our church came up to Carla to talk to her about her flower arrangements.  He said that he had always considered raising flowers in a garden to be a waste of space, water and energy.  Gardens are for fruits and vegetables.

But after seeing how her flowers had brightened up the sanctuary over the years, he came to appreciate gardens with flowers, and thank her.

He was also the one that pointed out to her that pigs do not belong in a Jewish manger scene.  She had placed them with a number of other farm animals in the scene.  She realized he was right, so put it on the outside of the scene on a bale of straw, looking into the window.

There was something poignant about that, reminded me to be on the inside with Jesus, not on the outside, looking in.

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Mathew 3:4-6 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

⁵ Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

⁶ And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

John, as we know, was just a few months older than Jesus.  From what I understand he spent his preparation time getting ready to serve the Lord, in the wilderness.

There he spent years developing a relationship with God.  There was nothing to distract him, no televisions, games – videos or otherwise – people, business, etc. just him and God.

When the time came for Jesus to start His ministry, John was already preaching His coming.

He didn’t go out to the cities, he didn’t broadcast on the radio or television, he didn’t send out messages.  He just did what God told him to do.

The Holy Spirit did the rest.

And people flocked to him.  His preaching touched their hearts and they asked forgiveness of God for their sins.

We want to do great things for God, but often that is pride speaking, not the humbleness of a man who wants God to use him anyway He chooses.

We don’t take enough time out of our lives, busy as they may be, to excuse ourselves from the distractions of this world.  We allow anything and everything to come before our quiet time with God.

We may plan great things to honor Him, but without taking time TO honor Him in our hearts and minds, spending alone time with Him, listening to Him in quiet moments, praising Him – just because He is God - thanking Him, waiting on Him to guide us into the service He would have us in, whether it be today, or weeks or longer, our service is tainted.

Without taking that time to be in the wilderness with just us and God, we cannot be used to the fullness of our abilities.

We should not be concerned, as individuals, about how others will come to us to receive His Word; we should just allow the Holy Spirit to guide them to us, and then, in turn allow Him to guide us in helping them.

I am not saying we should not plan our service to God.  I am a big believer in logistics.  Gathering materials needed to be able to get the mission accomplished, and that takes planning.

But before the plan, comes the recognition of needs and the only way we can truly understand so we can make those plans, is our quiet time, alone, with God.

We may have similar missions as an individual as other people but we are unique and God uses that uniqueness to His advantage and uses us to the best of our abilities – WHEN we let Him.

John was ready to receive all these people that the Holy Spirit brought to him, because he had spent that essential time of quiet meditation, praise, worship AND listening to God before he started his mission.

The Holy Spirit prepared him for service.

The Holy Spirit has also been preparing us for His service, all of our experiences, all of our education and training, our jobs, hobbies, sermons we have heard, Christian classes and gatherings, passed accomplishments – and failures - our relationships with others, reading and studying His Word; everything we are and have been God will use to His glory.

We just have to make sure that what we are doing IS for His glory and not that of ourselves.

John was not a polished, well-bred, well dressed preacher more interested in appearance than the truth.

He was himself, serving God and Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan the Holy Spirit led them to him.

May I also be prepared and ready to assist and teach those that the Holy Spirit sends my way.  May I place God first and provide the wisdom of the Holy Spirit as He guides me.

I cannot dictate to God how He will use me, I must submit to Him.

Later, Art (-: