Travels to Indiana & Michigan

Over the past 8 months or so I got to know a family in Canada that lead a ministry out of their home that really impacted me.    Recently the grandfather of the kids in this family just got remarried, his wife had died a year or two ago.   I was honoured when he invited me to his wedding a few weeks ago.    There are many parts to this story, and I will try to stay on track with the wedding and all, but more will hopefully come regarding other aspects of the trip.     Anyways the wedding was taking place in Flint, Michigan and for those of you who don't know I live in Illinois, about 7-8 hours away. So I broke up the trip by stopping at my aunt/uncle/cousin's (the Stuckey's) house in Indiana.   On Friday, July 28th I drove from Princeville IL, to Fort Wayne IN, about a 5 hour drive.   I arrived in Fort Wayne about 10:00 pm and spent the night there.  

11:00am the next morning I left the Fort Wayne home and headed off for Flint, Michigan.    The drive was close to 3 hours long.   The wedding wasn't taking place until Sunday afternoon, but there was a family Hog Roast that I was invited to for the Saturday.    I arrived at this massive campground 15 minutes early.   However I showed up at the campsite 10 minutes late.  Why? There was a huge line to get into the campground (with at $12 fee).  I was in line for nearly 25 minutes.   The good thing was that they didn't actually start at the time they had said, as many people were late.  The Hog Roast was a combination of Shirley's (the soon-to-be bride) annual family reunion and Lawson's (the soon-to-be groom) side of the family.    I've never actually seen a hog roast, I don't think.  I mean I've seen many in cartoons where a full pig is cooked and an apple is placed in it's mouth, but never in real life.   Well, they didn't put an apple in it's mouth, but it was just about everything else.   The took a full pig and put it in a roaster and cooked it up.  When I got there, they had taken the pig out and were starting to cut up the meat.  

When I first got there I met up with 2 of the family members from the family I knew in Canada.    Shortly after the rest of the family showed up as well.    They introduced me to many people that I no longer remember their names nor connections.   However I do remember one of the cousins (I think) names, Mark.     That is only because I talked with him a bit more and he came with us after the meal to go paddle boating with the rest of the kids.   After boating for a half an hour we went swimming at the little beach they had.   It was actually a lot of fun and time flew by really quick.  Before long it was 7, coming up on 7:30pm, so I left before the rest of the family did, as I had yet a 3 hour drive ahead of me coming back to Indiana.     Below are some pictures from boating followed by the details of the wedding on Sunday.

Sunday morning, I left Indiana around 9:15am and drove the 3 hours up to Flint again to attend the wedding.   The wedding was an unusual one.  After sitting down just minutes before the wedding started, I found out that it was a double wedding - 2 other older folks were getting married as well.   Both "weddings" happened at the same time and it didn't flow super smooth, but it still went well.  I say it didn't flow that smoothly just because their (basically) first rehearsal, was the wedding itself - there was no rehearsal before hand.   But it was good.    Other than the family from Canada that I had gotten to know, and the grandpa (who was getting married) also from Canada, I didn't know anyone else that was there.  

After the wedding we drove a few minutes down the road to The American Legion, where the place was rented out for the reception.   This was also very good and though there was only around 50 or so people there, there seemed to be enough food for at least double that.   And yet I did leave early again, around 4:15pm, I did really enjoy my time.     I then drove 3 hours back to Indiana and spent the night with the Stuckey's.   I spent the night again at there house, and I plan to stay all day today and spend the night again tonight.  My plan is to leave tomorrow to head back to Illinois.  

Do You Want To Hear More?

Hey, Just to let you know of an update to my Blog.   I have added a new page (in the centre just above the top post) called, "What Do You Want To Hear About".      If you click on this page, I have described there what it's purpose is and I leave it open to you.   In short, If you are wanting me to share about something or want an update or something like that, you are welcome to leave a comment on that page and I will try to update my blog with a post on that topic.  

Financial update

Something I do see as a tight area in my immediate future is finances.  I know that God will take care of me as He has told me clearly that He will provide - and I have been amazed watching it.   But I am seeing the trial a bit more clearly now.   This weekend I am heading up to Flint, Michigan for a Wedding.  I will drive to Indiana (about 5 hours) on Friday and stay with relatives.  Then on Saturday I will drive to Flint (about 2-3 hours) for a Hog Roast (I think that's what they said it was) then I will drive back to Indiana.  Sunday I will drive back up Flint for the wedding and reception, and then I will head back to Indiana.   After that I plan to head back to Illinois (about a 5-ish hour drive).   Here's my dilemma that I realized yesterday: I don't have any money to pay for fuel for that trip.  My bank account currently has $95 in it.  I just received a notice/bill in the mail reminding me that I have to renew my vehicle license, which will cost $101.   God has told me that He will provide and I really want to trust that, but I am having a harder time seeing it now as it is directly affecting me in a harder way.  I have thought about selling some coins from my collection to help cover the cost, but I keep getting the feeling that is not how God wants to provide.  I feel like He doesn't want me to sell them now, as they are something I will need (or want) later on.  I was also hoping to make a trip down to Texas to spend some time with my parents and sister (about a 14 hour drive nonstop, no traffic, each way), but I'm thinking I may need to wait until I have the money to do that - unless God directs me to do so.  With doing some traveling this summer (as I have already been to Wisconsin (about 3 hours away), Canada (about 10 hours away) and Indiana (about 5-6 hours away) I didn't think that I would be able to get a job this summer.   However I feel that I will need one this fall, while I am in school.  Though I am worried about how much time I will have for a job with all my homework - I do fear that it will be very overwhelming and too stressful.   But in the end, I know that God is more.  I know that God is in control.  I know that He will provide and hold me up.  He will never let me go, He will never forsake me.   I know that I am His, and He is mine.    I know that I have nothing to worry about and nothing to fear about.   And though in times like this, I feel like I need to let everything out and just say where I am, I know that God is with me and will help me and has a plan for me.   God is good, He is perfect in all His ways.

College Update

On Monday, June 24th, I went to Heartland Community College for my New Student Appointment.   In that appointment my advisor recommended that I switch degrees if I want to be able to teach.  My current program Applied Science - Early Childhood Paraprofessional will only allow me to be a teachers aid (or an educational assistant).  However if I took the Associate in Arts - Concentration in Early Education I would be able to be a teacher.  My advisor told me that the Associate in Arts program would give me more job opportunities upon graduation and would offer higher paying jobs.  The Associate in Arts is a 4-year program where the Applied Science is only a 2-year program.  She did recommend that I talk to another person whom she referenced as I may be able to do the 4-year program but take a test after the 2 year mark to be able to get the Applied Science certificate too.  

To me it makes sense to do the Associate in Arts program but I hesitate.   Back in the early months of the year when God directed me to Heartland Community College (HCC) I felt that He was also directing me to this Applied Science program, specifically.   As the advisor was talking to me suggesting that I switch to the Associates program I kept hearing a little quiet voice in my head saying, "no, no, no, no!"   I do not know if that was God or not, but I told the advisor I would like to stick with the Paraprofessional program for now and I will think about switching.  She said that would be okay and that I should know though, when we next meet - in October.   So I will continue praying about it, and that would be a prayer request of mine, for wisdom on what program to pursue.

So for this fall semester I am taking classes that I will need for both programs.  I am taking 5 classes - 16 credit hours.   These are the classes I will be taking:

1. Growth & Development of Young Children
2. Music Appreciation
3. Intro to Oral Communication
4. History of the US to 1865 [pre 1865]
5. Contemporary Biology

I have 3 classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 8am and 3:15pm, and 2 classes on Monday's and Wednesdays from 11am-12:15pm and 6pm-8:20pm.    I do not have any classes Friday through Sunday, which I am thankful for.   What I am really worried about as well is the homework.  My advisor said I would have about 35 hours per week of homework.    I am thankful that I will have some time for this, but I am still worried about it.  I also will need a job, as my finances are very low, and I do not have money for fuel at all for this fall.    

Calling Provided

As Last weekend God called me back up to Canada for a visit, I have now returned to The Sates.     Through the past month or so, God has told me over and over again that He will provide.   And I trust that.   So when He told me to go to Canada, I trusted that He would provide the financial aspect of it as well.     The day He told me to leave - prior to telling me, someone just handed me $60US.  That itself paid for my fuel to get to Canada.   Once in Canada I did fill up several times.   Though, Sunday morning, July 23rd, I was on my way to church and I had extra time so I thought I would fill up my car with fuel, as I was planning to leave straight from church to head back to The States.    But every time I thought about it, God said, "no".   So, thinking it was some timing issue that He was setting up I decided to take His word for it and wait until after church - even though that meant that it would dig into my travel time home.  When I got to church I talked with a handful of people and then headed into service.  I was sitting on the edge in the 2nd row.   When the ushers came down to pass out the offering buckets the usher quickly asked me if I was Joshua Baurer, I said yes, and as he was reaching to give me a bucket, he quickly reached into his pocket and handed me a little red card.  He said it was from a specific person, then he handed me the bucket and walked on.   I thanked him and passed the bucket down the row.  Then I looked at the little red card and it was a $100 fuel gift card!    Wow God, how you continually are faithful and how you continually provide!   I stand amazed!    So after church I stopped at this gas station and filled up my nearly-empty tank.    It came out to only cost about $50.    I had $50 left on this gas card (one that would only work in Canada) so I asked God what I should do with it, as I was leaving Canada.  He reminded me that I had been wanting a water bottle for the drive, so I could go in and buy one.   As I did, I noticed some Jack Links Beef Jerky - one of my weaknesses, though I don't normally buy them as they are so expensive.     I looked at the different kinds (Original is the best) and I didn't want to decide between 3 of them.  When I asked God, He told me that I could get all 3 of them as I had $50 to spend.   Based off of the prices on the shelf, the 3 bags of beef jerky came out to over $20 + tax + the water & it's tax.  But when the total came up it was all, including tax, less than $20, yet another blessing from God.   Now I have $30 left for the next time I'm in Canada.    I also had someone bless me with $20US cash that helped add enough fuel to my car to make it all the way back to Illinois.    I am still believing God for provision to come in for the fuel and expenses that I had while I was in Canada.  

Hiking Adventures

Last Thursday, July 20th, Some friends and I went for some hikes.   There isn't a ton to say about them, but the pictures say a lot.   The first place was some trails around a pond - and we kept trying to get good shots of fish.  Some of the cool cliffs in the distance on some of them were on our drive to the second hiking spot.

 Here is a picture of Lake Ontario as we drove over it on a bridge.

The second place we went to was a beautiful waterfall.   When we were driving here, Elsbeth and I were in one car and Jonathan and Tim were in another - we were each coming from a different place.  Elsbeth and I had gone on a hike at the lake, while Jonathan and Tim had come from home.    When we, Elsbeth and I, were driving there, we followed her phone's GPS.   The problem was when we got in the area the falls were suppose to be, the GPS dumped us in the middle of the freeway.   We tried to keep going, thinking it was off and it will now reroute us, and it did - it rerouted us back to the middle of the freeway.   We retried this several times, with the same result every time.   So I pulled out my phone and used Apple's maps to direct us to the falls.   My GPS the proceeded to dump us on the other side of the freeway in the middle of a subdivision.  So we stopped and Googled the falls and found the address.  We plugged this address in and it took us to the right place.  We were worried that Jonathan and Tim would have the same trouble so we texted them asking them where they were at and told them the right address.  But they were already there and they had no trouble at all.   Come to find out, between Elsbeth's and my GPS's, one of ours had about the correct longitude while the other had about the correct latitude, but neither had both correct.   

It was one of the most beautiful waterfalls I have ever seen.  What you can't see is the huge nearly straight up cliff right behind me.    That is where you walk in at (the picture above was taken from that spot), and then you hike down to the bottom.   It was a ton of fun.    You can see that in the middle there seems to be a bit of a ledge.   That ledge goes back about 10 feet before it hits the other part of the falls.   We climbed up the lower part of the falls and walked around, laid down and sat on the ledge.  We also sat under the upper part of the falls and just let the roaring water rush over us.   It was beautiful, wet and a ton of fun!  I definitely want to go back!  

These pictures (below) were taken by Elsbeth:

In this first one you can see Jonathan and I having a good chat up on the falls.

This is the view from by the parking lot.

Why Am I In Canada?

It's been so good to be up here in Canada again, even though it's only been a few weeks since I left.   I've been trying to figure out why God asked me to come back up here for the week.  I do not know the exact reason, but I have some ideas.  It may be because He wanted me to act on His word to go even when it makes no sense.  Maybe because He wanted to test my obedience.  It may be to show me that I can cross the boarder, as I thought I would not be able to.  It may be for the drive up here, for the audio I listened to (the worship music, the bible, and the podcasts).   I may be up here for some of the strong, valuable conversations I've had with some friends already.  I may be up here to bless someone (or multiple people).  I may be here to learn a lesson or lessons through God and/or other people around me.  I may be here to share what God's done in my life with others to encourage them and challenge them (which has already happened so far).

I do not know the full reason why I am here, but I know that God has used me already to do these things and He is going to continue doing so.   I am still praying that God will show me more of the reason(s) why I am here.   I am only 3 days into being here and I've seen God do so much already, this is exciting.  Hmmm.... Just writing that reminds me that I've been asking God for the past week or so to allow me to do something exciting, as I've considered the past week or so more boring.  I've seen life as a bit more boring the past week or so because He asked me not to "go, go, go" and to stay and be still; to rest and spend time with Him.   Yes I grew in it, and I have LOTS more room to grow in it, but I was really asking God for something exciting - and here I am.  Thank you Lord!

I've  found great joy in blessing people here so far.  God put it on my heart to bless someone with some Pepsi, of all things, but it really brought joy to them and made them smile.   All that brought me great joy.  While I was buying the Pepsi, God told me to pay for the groceries of the person behind me, a lady and her baby.  (This was all past 11:00 at night).   The lady had asked me if I could help her lift her basket of groceries onto the belt as it was too heavy to do with one hand, she had her baby in the other hand.  As I was paying for the Pepsi, the cashier was helping the lady unload the basked as she was going to put some things back.   God told me, and allowed me, to tell her not to put anything back as I am paying for it all for her.   She said, "no it's alright" several times, but I told her I will pay for it, and I did.  The cashier loved it, and he said something like, "this is going to get emotional."   The lady was blessed - and I had great joy as God used me to bless her.  

Saturday when I first got here, God had me withdraw $40 in cash from and ATM.  I figured that my debit card would be blocked as I didn't to tell my bank that I was going to be in Canada.  But by the blessings of God they did not block it and I can still use it - Praise God!.   I haven't known what I am suppose to do with the $40.  At first I thought, "oh its to put in the offering at church on Sunday." But God said, "no".  So I tried to figure it out.  I asked God several times if it was for "so and so" but He said, "no" each time.   So I have left it in my wallet to be used when He tells me.  He told me last night to use one of the $20's to pay the $10 of Pepsi, but in fear I used my debit card to make sure it would work when I paid for the lady's groceries next - as her groceries were more than $40.   So today I went into town to deliver the Pepsi, and I thought, "I would really like to go to the St. Jacob's Farmer's Market today.... but I'll do that after I drop off the Pepsi."  But God told me differently.  He told me to go to the Market first and then drop off the Pepsi.  My first concern with that was the Pepsi would get really hot in my car, but it didn't get all that hot - Praise God!   So I went to the market with the primary goal to get a drink at a really good coffee shop there that a friend works at.   I'm not really a coffee person, but my friend, Ariel, has gotten me into some of the specialty coffees that have other flavors and stuff in them.   As I was in my car in the parking lot, I was looking for change to use, but God told me that I didn't need to worry about that.  He told me to use one of the $20 bills and then give the change as a tip.  So I went ahead and went in.   When I got to the shop and was looking at what to order I thought that it was too hot to order something warm, so I saw an Iced Frappuccino and that looked interesting so I ordered it - I don't think I've had one before (and if I have I don't remember it).   They gave it to me for half price, which made me laugh inside as they didn't know that the more change they gave me, the more tip they would get.   After I got the drink and put the change in the tip jar I walked around the market.  By the time I made it all the way back around to where I had started, my drink was gone and I wanted another one, and I had peace about getting another one.  I figured I would use the other $20 bill and I felt not to give them the change this time.  But when I got there they gave me the Iced Frappuccino for free and in fact they gave me yet another 2nd one for free as well - they had a fair reason behind it (and it wasn't because of the tip earlier).  I was so blessed.  As I was walking back toward my car I thought to myself, "what am I going to do with 2 of these drinks, I mean I can drink them but I don't need both of them."   As I was walking out of the building I noticed an older lady sitting on her walker by the doors.  I felt prompted to go over and talk to her.  I didn't know what I was going to say, but God just spoke for me as I opened my mouth.  Out of my mouth came the words, "do you like Iced Frappuccino's?"  She said, "yes".  So I offered her the extra one I had been blessed with.  She happily received it and I left feeling blessed to be able to bless others with what God has given me.  I walked away thinking 2 Corinthians 9:8 which says, "And God will generously provide all you need.  Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others."

God Said Go

I had the plan (that arose on Wednesday after talking with my Dad) to drive to Texas on Saturday  and spent the next week with my parents and sister.   I have to be back by July 24th as I have my College Advisor Meeting that Monday morning.   I didn't know for sure if I should go or not, so I had told my parents I would tell by sometime on Saturday if I was coming or not - I wanted to pray about it and see if it's something God wanted me to do.  Well I forgot to pray much about it.   So I decided in my head that I would just go ahead and go, since I wasn't hearing anything direct from Him last minute.   But I was wrong - I had thought Friday during the day was last minute but it wasn't.  Friday night I really took some time alone with God to pray about it (at His suggestion) and I lost all peace about going - I just did not have peace about it.  I was sad, because I had been looking forward to going.   But then the crazy thought passed through my head: "well if your not going to Texas, go to Canada."   I dismissed it as I thought for sure it was just my head trying to distract me.   I really wanted to go to Canada, but I didn't think I was suppose to or allowed to.  I had previously thought about going up later on in the month, but felt that God didn't want me to.  I had just then assumed that it was because it was too early and I wouldn't make it up.   But talking more with God and taking it to a couple close friends to pray about as well, God clearly told me to Go to Canada - and I had a ton of peace about it - this was late at night.  And He told me to leave at 3am.   So I set my alarm for 1:45am (after falling asleep around 11:30pm) and left at 3am.  I had no time to withdraw cash or buy any thing to bring up or anything.   God said Go, and I went.  I was worried that I wouldn't make it across the boarder, but God made a way - and it went pretty smoothly.  I was and still am wide awake.  And the drive seemed to go really quick.    I don't know the full reason why I am up here now in Canada, but He has a reason for it.   I plan to be up here for about a week as I still need to be back for my College appointment on Monday, July 24th.

A Quick Overview Of The Week

This past week I had to take a Math Assessment for Heartland (the college I'm going to).  There was a bit of complication and disappointment in it as I originally was exempt from it due to my ACT scores back when I submitted them in March.  However Heartland only will accept ACT scores for 3 years after you take the test.  In April my ACT scores expired, and thus I had to take the math assessment.  I expected that I would fail it and have to take a lot of extra math courses, as I haven't done math in 4 years and briefly looking over some notes from High School Algebra, I was lost.   I went in expecting the test to take 45 minutes (as that is what it said online) but, thankfully, when I got there they said you have not time limit - even if it takes you several days.   So I answered 32 math questions in nearly 2.5 hours.   I was lost on over a third of them - I must of guessed well for I did good.  I bypassed 3 potential math classes (with my assessment score) and I was (and am) shocked - Praise God!  

A few days later I was also quite excited to be able to prove my "In district residency" as I am living with my cousins.  In doing this my tuition cost is cut in half to only about $4,000 a year!!!!    


Then On Thursday morning I drove in Wisconsin for a my cousins play, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader".    It was really good - I love it and would of loved to watch it again!     Then I spent the night at my aunts house (along with my grandma who had been up their with them) and on Friday morning my grandma and I drove back to Illinois.   I had a ton of fun.

Unrolling 1,250 $1/2 Coins

After getting up this morning I got the great idea (actually I came up with the idea yesterday) to go to the bank in search of some half dollars.  Not because I wanted half dollars, as I don't have that kind of extra money, but because I was in search for silver ones.  Every now and then a silver one or two gets cashed in with them and you will find them - usually in a roll of $10.    I quickly got up and showered.   I then ran right out to my car with a bucket of change I wanted to change out for cash.  But I didn't have peace.  I sat in my idling car for several minutes.  I really, really wanted to go to the bank, but something wasn't sitting right with my spirit.   God kept saying spend some time with me.   I kept telling Him that I had already tried this morning and had no luck.  I had kept getting too distracted and couldn't focus.   I thought maybe if I could get this fun thing out of the way I might be able to focus.  But, thank goodness, God knows me better than I do.  He told me that I didn't try spending some time with Him in His word.  I told Him my "concern" with that - that I would quickly become tired - as I didn't really feel like doing anything at the moment (except go to the bank) and I had no energy period.    But God kept saying to spend time with Him.  So I turned off the car and went back inside.  I put on the Bible on audio (thanks You Version) and sat down to listen.   I started with Joshua 1 and before Joshua 5 was finished I had to stop it.  A few words (in the way the version had phrased them) really stuck out to me.  God told me to write them down.  So I did, and as I did, I was able to write more about what I noticed with them and how I could apply it.    My application had a lot to do with God reminding me that He will provide and He will take care of my, just as He always had done.   After my quite time, I had a ton of energy and God gave me permission to go to the bank.  I was excited and hopeful.  

At the bank I cashed in my loose change and what I thought was going to come back around $11, came back about $31.   Wow, that was a bit of provision right there.  I asked if they had any half dollars and they said no.  But the lady suggested to go more into the city and check there as sometimes they will get more older coins cashed in there.  The lady said as she was handing me my cash that she actually just got a roll of quarters that had a silver one in it (you could see it - silver ones have a different color as they don't have the same copper content in them).  She gave me the roll as part of my $30. I felt peace about going into the city, so I went home and Googled all the banks within the city (within this one branch/company).   While I was home I looked up the silver quarter I had got and I was a bit confused as it was silver but I couldn't find any recored of this quarter ever being made.  So I decided to take it to a coin dealer and check it out.   Come to find out it's only a regular quarter that someone had plated with silver - it's still  only worth about 25 cents.

Anyways I headed out towards the city.  I stopped at 3 different branches of this bank and walked away with 4 half dollars, and none were silver.  I was very disappointed.  My 4th destination my GPS told me was 12 minutes away.   I decided to head home instead, I didn't need to drive that far - I didn't have the gas money to drive that far.  But God directed me the opposite way when I went to head home.  It was different than the way home and different than the other bank.  But He eventually told me to go to another branch that was a bit further away.  I knew that this branch likely had them as they have had them in the past, but it was quite a long ways away - a lot further than 12 minutes from where I was at and I had already ruled it out. But God told me to go there.  On the way I listened to 2 of Steven Furtick's Podcasts from Elevation Church.  By the time I got there I was pumped!  I went in and walked out with no half dollars.  However as I was walking out, the lady suggested another branch on the other side of town that would likely have some rolls.  That got me excited.   I drove over there and while I did I called Heartland to see if there were any updates as far as my School math assessment mess.  Nothing yet, I have to call back on Monday morning when the right people are in.

So I went into this bank, which I've never been in before, but its one of the branches of the bank that I bank at.    I had at one of the other banks withdrawn some money to exchange for the half dollars.   This bank told me they had tons and asked how many I wanted.  I gave them my cash and with drew another $95, telling them I wanted $250 worth (500 $1/2 coins).   They gave me them and I took them out to my car.   I unrolled all the rolls (each roll is $10) and went through them searching for silver ones - I found quite a few 40% silver ones.   Then I took them to the bank back on the other side of town that I was just at and to cash them in for cash - as I didn't want to cycle through ones I've already done.   That took a bit longer than I was expecting as their old coin counting machine didn't like half dollars and could only take 2 at a time.    As they gave me cash for them, I withdrew more cash taking my bank account down very low.  Then I went back to the bank where I had got the half dollar coins and got another $360 worth (720 coins).  As I was getting into my car I heard God tell me to wait to open the rolls and search through them.   But I was too eager so I started to rip them open.  I got through $100-$150 worth before I stopped as I didn't find a single silver one - previously most rolls had at least one silver one in them.    I thought, "I know that God asked me to wait, but the contents of the rolls will be the same if I wait as if I open them now.... But then again God is bigger than that, He can change the content."  God told me again to wait - and this time I had waited.   When I got home I had permission to open the rolls and I found a silver one in most of the remaining rolls - one roll even had 4 in it I think.    One roll, the second to last on, had a USA Half Dollar Commemorative coin in it - valued somewhere between $3-8.    Also there was a 90% silver half dollar in one, also valued $3-8.   In all there were well over 40 40% silver coins, each valuing $2-3.   WOW GOD!   Because He told me to go to that other bank - not only my gas cost was covered, but also God provided for other things too.  If I had to estimate, I would say I made about $100 profit today in value of the coins.   Now I want to go back and get more - I don't know if I will or not though.  

Life Today

Right now I am sitting at my grandmas house in Illinois.  Grandma Baurer (the one I'm staying with this summer) left yesterday.  She went back with my aunt and cousins to Wisconsin to stay with them for about 10 days.  I plan to head up there later on next week for my younger cousin's play, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader  and then drive my grandma home the next day.   I am spending my time here going through all my stuff, all thats left that is.  I got rid of most of my smaller things last year at the big garage sale and then most of my bigger things I gave away over the past year.  However I still have lots of stuff and papers here.  So I pulled out all my stuff that I've stored here in my grandma's basement the past year and a half and am going through it.  I am also going through all the stuff I brought back from Canada that I had while I was up there.  I haven't gone through it all, but I've already thrown out over 2.5 big tubs of garbage - mostly papers.   -- I don't like throwing things out, but when I learn the why I need to throw things out it's a lot easier.   I still want to dwindle down my total amount of things.  

One of the things I am going through is the remaining coins from my coin collection.  Not having the extensive amount of coin collections from everyday coins in Canada, I have not done much collecting at all over the past two years.  Last summer when God had me go through all my stuff then, He has me sell/get rid of most of my collection.  Boy was that hard, but it really helped cover a lot of my expenses - for example, just selling all of my silver (about $2,500 USD) paid for a car that I really needed.   Plus the other hundreds of dollars in coins that I had to get rid of helped cover the cost of living up there - as I didn't have a job or anything - I haven't had a job since the summer of 2015 - two years ago.   But God provides.  Last summer, in going through my coins God started me on a journey to teach me to learn to let go of my things and invest my time and money in that which is eternal.  I still have a decent size collection, though it is only a percentage of what I had a year ago.   But, as I am going through my coins I am thinking and praying about if God wants me to keep them or sell them.  (Or I suppose give them away?)   I'm not sure what His plan is yet.  I will need money to survive and I would like to keep a small coin collection, but I don't want to invest as much time and money that I had previously - I have found much more . . .  eternal investments to spend my resources on.    That is one of the big debates right now.  

Lately I have been struggling to stay in the Word daily.  I find that I become tired or fall asleep if I read the Bible for more than 10-15 minutes.   So in the desperate desire to sit in and listen to what God has to say in His word, I am using an audio bible as a transition.  I have most of the New Testament (with sound effects) on audio on my laptop.  So as I was cleaning and doing stuff today I played the Bible.    I found it very refreshing and relaxing.  I heard new things that got me thinking as I worked.  I didn't feel that it was like a study, but it was just filling my mind and heart and ears with His word - which is very important.   It's a start.  

I also have been getting into a little turmoil with myself (I'm kind of joking).  I am always searching for ways to excitingly engage and test and build my creativity.  That is one reason why I love art and painting, drawing and pottery so much is because I get to have fun with my creativity!  I don't get to do that all that often, and it really energizes me.   Well I found something that kind of does it, but it's a temptive addiction.     Minecraft.   I stopped using Minecraft a while ago because I spent too much time on it and it became boring and was way too hard to build anything big and cool - and I didn't have the patience.  Well I decided to play it while I had a bit of spare time, and I found it to be exciting again.  1) I have a lot more patience - that is one of the really BIG things God has been working with me on over the past 14 months.  2) Minecraft has a new mode of the worlds called "Amplified".  It makes the landscape so much more exiting and unique and amazing!   So I've been spending a lot of time on Minecraft lately, though I think I may be on it a bit too much - I need to work on that.  I'm torn with (A) I want to spend as much time as I can building, exercising and encouraging my creativity and (B) I don't want to make this an addiction nor do I want to encourage using my computer as an addiction.  

SLI 2 Grad Speech

A handful of you have been asking me if anyone filmed my SLI Year 2 Grad speech.   Well, yes someone did, thankfully one of my friends, Laura Kay, filmed it with her phone.   So I want to send a huge thank you to Laura for doing that and for sending us the video!

https://www.facebook.com/viewsrock/videos/10155388327421678/

A Chicken With Rocket Boots Explained

Last week I posted about my Going Away Party on June 25th at the Kuepfer's house.  In that post I shared that a friend gave me a word, "A Chicken with rocket boots".    Yesterday while I was on my walk with God, He showed me what that meant.  

First word: a chicken with rocket boots. Second word: a chicken with rocket boots is like a boat with wings.

A chicken with rocket boots. A chicken doesn't naturally come with rocket boots. A chicken can't even imagine what rocket boots are.   Rocket boots to a chicken are incomprehensible. But the owner of the chicken was raise the chicken and take care of the chicken.  He holds the chicken down so he can put the rocket boots on. Once the chicken has a rocket boots it's no better off than going without them because the chicken doesn't know how to use them. So the owner will take time to teach the chicken how to use the rocket boots.

Once the chicken knows how to use them he will fly.  Then he will do things that he was not able to do by himself, and without the rocket boots, the chicken couldn't really fly. Now the other chickens who don't have rocket boots saw the owner putting the rocket boots on the chicken and backed up a little bit.  They saw the owner teaching the chicken how are use the rocket boots and saw the chicken hesitate a little bit trying to figure them out correctly.  Again the other chickens backed up. But once the chicken learns how to fly, the other chickens will want to have rocket boots so they can fly. They won't go to the chicken who has the rocket boots because they saw the owner put the rocket boots on the chicken.  Therefore they will go to the owner for the rocket boots. But those who did not see the owner putting the rocket boots on the chicken will come to the chicken who has them. Either that chicken or the chicken who did see the owner, will now direct these chickens to the owner.   

I am the chicken, God is the owner.  He will hold me down to give me a good gift that will lift his name up. He needs me to be still and wait on him so he can prepare and do the right timing with the rocket boots;  He wants to fasten them on properly. He then will take me through a season teach me how to use what he has given me because with the gift he's given me I'm no better than without it if I don't know how to use it. When I finally know how to use it I will fly. Then others will be drawn to God for they saw the mighty work that he did. Those who do not see will come to me or those who didn't see and likewise be directed to God. His name will be lifted up above all else. His name and his name alone will be glorified.

Be Still & Listen

Life journal July 4, 2017

Proverbs 4:1 My child listen to me listen to your father's instruction pay attention and grow wise.

Proverbs 4:20 Pay attention my child to what I say listen carefully don't lose sight of my words let them penetrate deep within your heart. 

God is speaking I need to listen he wants me to be still and to listen to pay attention and to listen.  He wants me to keep my eyes on He's shown me, as he says "do not lose sight".   Pay attention; listen carefully; don't lose sight; listen to me; listen to your father's instruction; pay attention.  God is saying so many things here.  He wants me to pay attention, to listen, to not lose sight of Him; of His words, of His word 

(Application) God is speaking to me. God is wanting me to hear things.  God is wanting me to see things.  He wants to tell me things and is telling me things He just wants me to listen. He doesn't want me to go go go all the time, He wants me to be still and listen.  He wants me to take time, pause, and hear His voice. He wants me to take the time to get to know Him, to hear what He has to say.  I talk about valuable words... His words are the most valuable. So why would I not take time to hear Him?  So why would I not take time to listen to what He has to say?  Why would I not take time to listen to the most valuable words ever, but I would take time to take a nap or to mindlessly scroll through Facebook?  He wants me to listen, to be still and to listen.  His voice is so valuable and so full and gracious. His voice is unlike any other with the authority; the power and the beauty of His words pierce the heart and mind and soul and body like none other. He is speaking, He is showing.

I just have to be willing to open my eyes and listen.  I have to be willing to hear outside of the other voices.  I have to be willing to set aside every other voice there is in my life; every voice I have to be willing to set all of them aside to hear His voice.  I have to be willing to set aside Facebook; I have to be willing to set aside my phone; I have to be willing to set aside my laptop; I have to be willing to set aside sleep; I have to be willing to set aside other conversations; I have to be willing to set aside social time; I have to be willing to set aside hobbies; I have to be willing to set aside what I think is important so I can spend time with the God of the universe; to hear the most valuable words I can hear; in the most valuable voice there is. I have to be willing to take time to sit down, pause and to be still and listen.  He says listen to me, pay attention, listen to what I have to say, listen carefully, and don't lose sight of my words, let them penetrate deep within your heart. He wants me to take time. Wow. He wants me, a broken sinful human, to take time with Him, perfect ultimate loving God.  The one who already is, wants me to take time with Him, wow!  Be still and listen, carefully pay attention, "don't lose sight of my words, let them penetrate deep within your heart for they bring life and radiant Health to anyone who discovers their meeting. Above all else guard your heart for it affects everything you do." 

(Prayer) Oh Lord teach me how to be still, teach me how to focus when my mind and my body just want to go go and go. Teach me to just be still and listen, teach me how to pay attention when I'm not going and teach me how to stay awake when I'm being still. Give me a desire in an excitement and a passion for hearing your voice; for listening for you; to listening to you and talking with you -> a two-way conversation -> listening to most valuable voice on earth. Teach me Lord how to hear and to see. Teach me the value in your way, in your valuable name I pray, amen