When Doug and I were first married and gas was cheap, we traveled one evening to Huron, SD to look at a car with some friends. We traveled over 300 miles round-trip and sat in a vehicle for over 5 hours. While the drive together was fun, the car was a lemon and we drove home empty handed. Since that time, whenever we have considered traveling somewhere and I share my concerns that maybe the destination is too far to go, Doug’s comment is usually, “We’ve driven a lot farther for a lot less”.

This phrase has been echoing in my mind recently as I was planning a trip to our son Dalton’s graduation from military training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. It is a twenty four hour round-trip for the purpose of witnessing a twenty minute graduation ceremony. Over 1,500 miles were traveled on the interstates and highways of MN, IA, NE, KA and OK.   Definitely a long way to go, but “too far”? For this mom—it was worth every long mile in the car!

Which has got me thinking… how far is “too far”? Is “too far” a regulated rule or a personal choice? Consider these scenarios that have been popping into my head as I write this article. In order to save 10 cents on a gallon of gas… how far is too far? For your child to be part of a sports team… how far is too far? To maintain employment… how far is too far? To enjoy a vacation… how far is too far? I would say that for these examples, it is a personal choice and there are many things that factor into the decision. While one person wouldn’t drive across town to save money on gas, others might drive to Rock Rapids or Sioux Falls to get a cheaper tank full. And while some would prefer a vacation at home, some are enticed to travel to other countries.

But how about some other scenarios. For the teenage boy and girl in the back seat of a car… how far is too far? For the football superstar disciplining his son… how far is too far? For a tax-payer trying to manipulate the bottom line… how far is too far? For many decisions we like to claim that there are gray areas until we realize that we have indeed gone too far, the devil has come knocking, and we have fallen victim to the thought that we can play with sin. I am reminded of the phrase “Sin will take you farther than you ever wanted to go, keep you longer than you wanted to stay, and cost you more than you ever wanted to pay.”

In Genesis chapter 4, I sense Cain playing in the gray area of what would be a good enough offering to bring to the Lord. When the Lord was not pleased with his decision, Cain became angry. The Lord spoke to him and said, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” Isn’t that the way it is for all of us? Sin follows us around like a shadow, hiding around the corner, and crouching at our door. 1 Peter 5:8 warns us to “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” And while most of us would not be so stupid as to jump into a cage with a lion on the hunt, we think nothing of toying with the tools of the devil and become angry when we get caught or suffer the consequences of that sin.

But thankfully, regardless of how far sin has taken you or what it has cost you, we are given a promise in 1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Praise the Lord that we can never go too far to be out of the reach of our merciful Savior.

Erin Jacobsma

For several years now there is a place in our home that has become a dumping ground of sorts. The place where the junk mail gets tossed, the newspaper gets unfolded, the craft projects sit in limbo, where school papers wait for parental examination, and bills get stacked. This place also happens to be our dining room table. Now before you judge me and assume we eat out for every meal or that we eat facing the television instead of each other, in my defense… we have a 10 foot long table and only 3-4 people who eat together at any normal meal. The table was custom made for me by my dad to fill my dining room space and to accommodate my past occupation. The table is handcrafted from the recycled hardwood floors when we renovated our home and easily seated the 10 children in my home daycare.

The problem with this situation is I repeatedly “promised” my dear husband over the last 20 years that I would never have a cluttered table! Needless to say, the dear husband has taken great delight in reminding me of my failed promise whenever the clutter begins to grow past the ends of the table and take over our favorite eating spots! In my childhood home, the kitchen table was an ever ready space for a planned meal, an afternoon snack, or a spontaneous game of cards. We never had to “clear the table” until after the meal was finished and I held that fact in high esteem and carried that goal with me as a young wife. However, since I began working at church and our daily eaters have turned from 10 to 4, the table has become a natural catch-all.

Recently, the Holy Spirit has been nudging me to examine my catch-alls. Not necessarily the physical ones in our home, but the tables in my mind that seem to accumulate clutter. The dictionary describes a catch-all as “any place where things are placed indiscriminately or without careful thought.” I confess there are many things in my mind that have taken up residence without much thought—grocery lists, punch lines from a favorite movie, news headlines, Facebook posts and much more. It is easy to get sucked into the information highway and line the shelves of our minds with liberal thinking, foul attitudes, empty thoughts, and untruths. But how completely contrary to what the scriptures have in mind!

Philippians 4:8 says “…fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Can you imagine what the world would look like if everyone fixed their thoughts on things that were excellent and honorable?

As I clean off the dining room table and put things in their proper places, I know it will soon need to be done again. And so it is with our minds. It is not just a “once and done” task, but a continual process. Hear the words of this cleaning plan: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:2

Forever clearing the clutter,

Erin Jacobsma

I am a planner… a list-maker… a detail person… an organizer… maybe even a border-line control freak. I like to know what is going to happen and when. I don’t like loose ends. I can also be flexible and “fly by the seat of my pants”, but it is not my preferred method. Planning and preparing is my forte!

Several weeks ago I received a call in the church office from a youth pastor by the name of Scott, who had heard of our flooding troubles and asked if we could use some help from their youth group during their mission trip. Of course I said “Yes” and asked what their plans were. To my amazement (aka shock, disbelief, temporary horror…) he told me that they did not have a plan. He informed me that they had a dozen people making the trip, but the only plan that they had was to seek God’s will and ask for His guidance as to where He wanted to use them. Wow! They had no plans for food, lodging, work, activities, nothing! I immediately told them that we had plenty of space for them to sleep and newly finished bathrooms, complete with showers, that were available for them to use. Scott shared his appreciation and told me that they would be in prayer over this opportunity to serve. As I hung up the phone my mind did a quick rewind to last summer and the youth mission trip that I had been a part of and all the planning and preparation that went into that trip. I felt convicted over the amount of time spent planning and fund raising and the lack of time spent seeking God’s will and provision!

Well, several days passed and the youth group from Cross Lake Evangelical Free Church arrived at ARC and my planning abilities were in full swing! Whether this group had plans for their stay or not, surely I could bless them with mine. I had made plans and preparations for their first breakfast, invited them to the 50’s Night supper and sought reinforcement from others for future meals. The trouble with my planning was that I didn’t know exactly how long they were going to stay. Monday and Tuesday went off without a hitch, but by Tuesday night I realized that I did not have a plan for breakfast the following morning, nor could I accomplish it on my own because of another commitment. I came to grips with the fact that I would have to tell them that I blew it. Relief came in the form of a text at 7:30 the next morning! Youth Pastor Scott informed me that someone had offered to take them to Vinnie’s for breakfast that morning and so he was hoping that I did not have something prepared at church. Wow! God really does provide; both for those who try to plan and for those who don’t!

As I shared my God-moment with Scott later that day, we talked about how much easier life is when we just submit to God’s plans. He really does have a plan for our lives and good works that he has prepared in advance for us to do! Scott said it reminded him of planning a vacation. When he planned a vacation for his family and the kids were just along for the ride and didn’t know any of the details, they had a great time and everyone experienced things together. But what if the kids had planned their own vacation and their own agenda for the trip. The trip would be filled with disappointment, anger, and frustrations.

What a comparison for life! Proverbs 19:21 says “Many are the plans in a man’s head, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” I have to swallow hard as I write this. I had many plans in my own head for this summer: camping, starting a running club for young girls, leading a Bible study, planting a garden, etc. Good plans! My plans for this summer did not include back surgery and recovery. And while canceling my plan is not my favorite thing to do, I do trust that the Lord’s purpose will prevail. God is good, all the time; and all the time, God is good!

Erin Jacobsma

I don’t claim to be a master gardener or possess any sort of green thumb, yet somehow over the last several years, plants that have been gifted to ARC on various occasions have found themselves under my feeble watch.  I enjoy the looks of the greenery and the variety that it adds to our décor, but I feel very inadequate to care for them.  There is a reason that you won’t find a living plant in my house!  Oh there have been plants; they are just no longer living.  I can never remember if leaves falling off the plant mean that it has been watered too much and yellowing leaves mean it was watered too little, or vice versa or something all together different.  I never know if the poor plant is drowning or starving!  Thankfully George, our resident plant professional, was willing to coach me and give me some advice.  Rule #1 was for me to pick one day of the week to water the plants and then do it.  He said that way I wouldn’t forget.

So I decided to get the job done right away and water the plants every Monday.  This plan worked well for awhile, until… I got busy and forgot.  Monday faded into Tuesday, Tuesday rolled over to Wednesday, Wednesday slid into Thursday, and by Friday morning I was greeted with green leaves that were no longer standing at attention, but were bowed low to the ground.  Oops!  I wondered what George would say…  I was sure that I had killed the plant, but I decided to give it a long overdue drink anyway and see what happened.  To my amazement, within hours the plant was completely renewed.  The leaves were glossy and smooth and once again stood upright.

I pondered how this plant reflected my life. Many times I have made a plan to regularly spend time with God in prayer and in His word.  I wake up early to pray, start a new devotional book, or commit to a small group Bible study, and I feel alive and refreshed.  My steps seem lighter and my nerves less frazzled.  I echo the words of the Psalmist when he writes “He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul”.  (Psalm 23:2-3)

But then sometimes the things of life get in the way.  A rushed morning leads into a busy day which multiplies into a busy week and soon the plan is pushed aside or forgotten.  The calendar and to-do list have become more important than an open Bible and a bowed head, and I feel dry and deserted and my spirit droops.  Just as with the drooping plant, I do not need to wonder what is wrong, I know what is lacking.  And just as with the original disciples of Christ—the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

So what do we do when we fail? We need a drink. In John 7:37, Jesus offers the invitation: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” There are so many opportunities to come to the water. Maybe it’s in your bed while you are lying awake at night, maybe it’s falling on your knees and telling the Lord you are sorry for forgetting or replacing Him, maybe it’s sitting in the Prayer Room or the Worship Center and saying nothing more than, “I’ve missed you, Lord”. Another opportunity to drink deeply was offered last Monday night at the Celebration of Prayer and Praise. I think most that attended would agree that their cup was filled that evening and they walked out the door thirsty for more of the One who supplied the drink.

Like the plant that I forgot to water was refreshed, so it is with you and I when we drink of the Living Water that is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Drink deeply, my friend!

Erin Jacobsma, Office Administrator

When my kids were little, one of the things that they liked to do each day was watch Sesame Street.  It was an hour of learning fun with Big Bird, Elmo, Oscar the Grouch, Bert & Ernie and many other characters.  One of the games that the characters played was a comparison activity.  There were always four items displayed, but one was different.  Sometimes there were 3 pieces of fruit and 1 vegetable, or 3 squares and 1 circle, or 3 large shoes and 1 small shoe.  It had a catchy little song that accompanied it that went like this:  “One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just doesn’t belong.  Can you tell which thing is not like the other, before I finish this song?”  As an adult, it was very obvious which item was different, yet all the items had something in common and it was sometimes difficult for the characters on Sesame Street or my kids at home to decide on the correct answer.

Now, I haven’t watched Sesame Street in quite a few years, but I have been thinking this week about things that don’t seem to belong, and that silly song popped into my head again.  We all have places where we feel like we belong and also places where we don’t.  You’ve heard the phrase “I feel like a fish out of water” to describe someone who feels completely out of place or who doesn’t belong at all.  I myself feel like a fish out of water at a black tie event or a junior size clothing store.  Perhaps a pig farmer – fresh from the barn – would not feel like they fit in at The Bluestem, or a mechanic who just completed a days work would not belong on the living room couch.  I can only assume that a single person feels out of place in a room full of couples, or that a person bound to a wheelchair feels out of place in a world that caters to those who can walk.

So where do we belong?  I find that the places where I feel that I belong are where things are familiar and similar.  I feel like a fish at sea when I am in my home, or in my office; with my friends, or with my family.  It is there that I have things in common with others.  Recently, I was visiting with a dear friend before worship and they expressed their feelings that someone who joined us in worship didn’t belong there.  At the time, I didn’t know what to say, and I understood why they would think that, but it has been rehearsing in my mind all week.  As I sat in the sanctuary on Thursday evening, I wondered if I belonged there.  What makes me any different or better than someone who we would say doesn’t belong?  If Judas had showed up at Calvary, would the other disciples have told him that he didn’t belong there?  Would Jesus have spoken those words?

Honestly, none of us belong here.  One of these things is not like the other, and that would be Jesus Christ.  He is the perfect one who doesn’t fit; the only one who would have reason to say that he doesn’t belong with the rest of us.  And yet he loved us so much that he paid the ultimate price so that we could all belong.  Galatians 3:28 says  “There is now no distinction; neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, (rich nor poor, young nor old, intelligent nor simple); for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”  We are all sinners in need of a Savior.  The ground is level at the foot of the cross.  Praise God we all belong!

Erin

A man and his wife were having an argument about who should brew the coffee each morning.  The wife said, “You should do it, because you get up first, and then we don’t have to wait as long to get our coffee”.  The husband said, “You are in charge of the cooking around here and you should do it, because that is your job.”  Wife replies, “No you should do it, and besides it says in the Bible that the man should do the coffee.”  Husband replies, “I don’t believe that, show me.”  So she fetched the Bible, and opened the New Testament and shows him that it indeed says: “HEBREWS”.

Whether it’s your job to make the coffee at your house, I hope that brought a smile to your face.  We all have jobs to do.  Some are more enjoyable than others, but regardless there are things that have to be done.  My family used to enjoy watching a cable television show called “Dirty Jobs”.  The host of the show would be invited to a persons place of employment to participate in a ‘dirty job’.  Jobs like working in a sewer system, in a landfill, or a hog confinement.  Though the working conditions didn’t seem very pleasant to the average white-collared American, each person seemed to enjoy their job.

Several weeks ago at a staff meeting we were discussing our various jobs and schedules and Mike posed the question, “What brings you JOY in your area of ministry at ARC”.  Webster’s dictionary defines joy as a source of great happiness.  While there are many days of phone calls, visits, requests, and tasks that bring me great happiness and fulfillment, some days are not like that.  Some days begin with cranky voices and overflow with more grumbling than grace.  Some days abound with frustrations.  Some days are like those days your mother warned you about.  Now before the personnel committee starts panicking that I am writing my resignation letter, let me assure you that I love my job at ARC!  I thank God that he has led me to this position and I hope to be here for many years to come!  But quite honestly if my joy depended on being an employee at American Reformed Church, some days would not be very joyful!  The joy that I get from working in the church office doesn’t depend on my dealings with people, or the building in which I work, or the tasks that I perform, but purely from my relationship with God and service to Him.

So, what brings you joy?  Is your happiness anchored to a new boat, bundled up with a baby, deposited with a paycheck, or married to a perfect mate?  Do you live a joy-filled life even in the midst of dirty jobs and mundane tasks.  The writer of Hebrews tells us that for the JOY set before him, Jesus endured the cross (12:2).  Can you imagine a dirtier job than that?  The creator of the universe was now subject to his own creation.  Yet His connection to the Father was his source of joy.  In John 15:11 He says, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.”  The joy that we are to have as his disciples isn’t something that comes and goes, it is constant; it is meant to remain.  It isn’t dependent on circumstances or possessions, it is only because of Him.  So the next time you roll up your sleeves and are ready to dig in to whatever job is before you, don’t focus on the work that you are doing, but who you are working for.  Romans 15:13a  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.

The Joy of the Lord is my strength,  Erin

It all started with a tingle, or maybe it was more of an itch…  Regardless, what seemed to be a small inconvenience escalated into a full blown cold sore before the alarm rang the next morning.  My past experience with cold sores has been lengthy, and while some are more inconspicuous than others, this particular one decided to rear its ugly head right on the end of my nose.  My reflection in the mirror seemed a closer resemblance to Nanny McPhee or the Wicked Witch of the North and there was nothing I could do about it.

While I went about my daily activities, few people dared to comment on my new facial feature.  It wasn’t that they couldn’t see it or didn’t notice.  I observed many people making “contact” with my nose instead of my eyes.  And as uncomfortable as I was with my new look, it seemed to make the people I encountered even more uncomfortable.  Oh, there were a few people that voiced concern, some made jokes, while others gave a look of pity, but the vast majority chose to squirm and not say anything.  I began to wonder if it was any less awkward to remain silent or to say, “Hey, what’s up with your nose”.

Which leads me to consider other blemishes in our life…  Some imperfections are hidden quite well, but some are as plain as the nose on our face.  People are quick to share concern over normal afflictions like cancer or broken bones or surgeries.  But what about when someone loses a job because of their own misconduct, or a marriage is on the brink of divorce, or a cloud of depression hangs overhead, or someone’s name appears in the local newspaper, or a child chooses an unacceptable path.  Is it easier to be silent and look away, to make light of or speak condemnation, or to pick up the phone and say, “I heard of your struggles and I just want you to know that I am praying for you”?  As I update the Prayer Line each day with prayer requests for common hardships, I wonder how many people would covet the prayers of the people for their less accepted blights.

Colossians 3:12-14 commands us “As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience… Bear with each other and forgive each other… and over all these virtues put on love…”  Isn’t that what we all want—just to be covered in a garment of love; to be valued and know that someone cares.  Not to be condemned or made fun of or avoided, but to be embraced with kindness and compassion.

Although it has meant extra work on my desk, I am excited about the new Care Shepherd Ministry.  I am excited for those couples or individuals that God has called to care and love.  I am excited to hear their testimonies of how God has used them.  But, just because God has called 24 people that we have given a title as Care Shepherd doesn’t mean that the rest of us are off the hook or have dodged a bullet in the election process.  We are ALL called to share one anothers burdens and to love one another as He has loved us.

So, the next time you find yourself in an uncomfortable encounter, remember that the other person is probably just as uncomfortable as you are.  Instead of avoiding the matter, or passing judgment, or criticizing, try offering a morsel of concern or a word of encouragement; it might be just what they needed to hear.  But no matter what you say, do so in love, lest you be the one trying to cover up a blemish next week.

Erin