Renewal Ranch graduates first class | TheCabin.net

Renewal Ranch graduates first class | TheCabin.net

Renewal Ranch, the faith-based addiction recovery program for men, held a graduation ceremony for four students at Family Life Bible Church on Saturday. The graduates have all spent the last six months recovering from drug and alcohol addictions at a facility that offers spiritual approaches to recovery. Charles Washington, a member of the graduating class was displaced to the Conway area during Hurricane Katrina and had started drinking at the age of nine. He credits the program and his faith in God for the transformation he has been able to make in his life. “I always started something but I never finished any of it until today,” he said. “I finished the race but for the grace of God.” Pictured, from left, are executive director of the program, James Loy, Shepherd Palmer, Atlas Stavely, Michael Taylor and Washington. CANDIE BECK PHOTO

Here is just a small glimpse of four of our precious men who graduated on Saturday.  I will have more pictures later this week.

Charles (on the far right) surprised our family by attending church with us this morning.  He brought his beautiful fiance, Shannon.

Our hearts are full to overflowing.  Thank you, Lord!

Weekend Worship at Cathedral of St. Andrew

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he chose for his inheritance.

From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth—

No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.
A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.

But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

I lift up my eyes to you,

to you who sit enthroned in heaven.

Your statutes, LORD, stand firm;

holiness adorns your house

for endless days.

The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty;

the LORD is robed in majesty and armed with strength;

indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.

Your throne was established long ago;

you are from all eternity.

You are from all eternity!


a repost from past pages

duct tape or duster

Before I really get to the gist of what I want to write about today, I want to tell you about a little incident that I think is so funny.  But it won't be funny if I don't tell you this first--bear with me please--


My daughter-in-law, Dree, loves duct tape.  She is a duct tape freak.  She does everything with duct tape.  When she and my son were getting married, they were on a very low budget.  She is very innovative in her thinking and decided to give all of their groomsmen a roll of duct tape--what better cheap gift, huh?  Everybody sooner or later needs duct tape.  So not only were they able to do something meaningful, thoughtful and helpful for those close to them but they did it very frugally.

So hopefully you get the gist of how important duct tape is to her--only now, it is even more important to her because she has nostalgic memories of it--get the picture??

Okay on to this:

It was the year 2000. My fifth granddaughter's, Ashton's, birth was IMMINENT--and I am not joking--

Ashton's mom and dad (the couple described above) had gone to great lengths to make her birth memorable. They brought along special music to play that they had spent months choosing and recording. They had numerous scriptures taped all around the birthing room that they had so meticulously printed out by hand.

There were special blankets and toys and even her own "Lovey" with her name embroidered on it--If ever a room was prepared with love for a new birth, this was it.

 Everything seemed to be in order--the mother to be was there, the soon to be father (my son was there), the doctor, nurses, the mother of the mother and the mother of the father, (me).  We were all there and the baby was coming--

 I don't know why but right before the birth they started discussing whether they brought everything or not (mind you the birth was imminent, imminent I say--did I mention that the baby was just about to be born) and all of a sudden Dree cries out, "Honey, we forgot the duct tape."

My son immediately responded with, "Oh no, what if the baby falls apart."  We all had a good laugh which lessened the anxiety of the moment.

So I tell you all that to tell you this.

My husband and I went to dinner with my brother tonight.  He was telling us about a friend of his (a friend of over fifty years whose father had taken him--my brother--fishing one time long, long ago--didn't hardly know my brother--just wanted to do something nice for him).

The friend's father died last week--he was ninety five years old-- and my brother went to his funeral.  He said the parking lot was full, the building overflowing--something you don't often see at a ninety five year old's funeral--most of their peers have passed and usually attendees are few and far between.

But to get to the point of this story--The family had the old man's Bible laying out on a table and it was duct-taped together.

What a life!  What a testimony!

Do we need duct tape or dusters for our Bibles?

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15

broken and poured out

she walks hesitantly but with determination to the door and knocks

leper Simon opens the door

she does not turn and run from the disease

her disease was worse--spiritual leprosy

she enters the house, alabaster jar in hand--the best she had to give

she bows at His feet, tears streaming down

washes the feet of Jesus in rivulets of remorse

anoints his head with perfume poured from alabaster jar

simon refers to her as sinner, questions Jesus about her presence

disciples question wisdom of emptying alabaster jar of pure nard--could be sold, money given to the poor

Jesus explains that she is preparing Him for burial

Jesus is preparing her for burial

burial of a lifetime of sin and shame

He is preparing her for resurrection

resurrection of love that had died

love that will now love much

because it has been forgiven much

__________________________________________


she poured out herself in worship to Jesus

her community viewed it all

will we do any less?


a repost from past pages


thanks to Polly at www.bannerofblessings.blogspot.com for the beautiful photo

Sometimes I dream . . . .

I had a dream last night. I dreamt that once upon a time I was young and free, bouncy and spry. I dreamt about a time when as a young sapling, adolescent cowboys would use me as a bucking bronco, riding the air beneath me--feeling as though they had been thrust to the stars and back.

I dreamt that I grew and produced a small shade. The lady of the house came outside, stood, stared wistfully at me and dreamt of her grandchildren swinging from a stout branch one day.

I dreamt that I grew hardy and gave enough shade for young lovers to spread red checkered tablecloths beneath my branches, nibble on moon pies and swig RC colas without a care in the world.

I dreamt of girlie giggles, boy shyness and carved initials in my sides until I split with joy--
I dreamt of little boys drawing circles in the dirt beneath my shade, getting blisters on their thumbs from their opalescent marble shooters--

I dreamt of little girls playing house, using my leaves to shield them from the summer sun, and when the golden rays gave way to silver droplets, making mud pies to serve their doll families.

I dreamt that one day that same little girl who sat beneath my shade, who served mud pies, dined with young loves and carved initials in my sides would one day stand here and dream--dream that she could go back for just one day and listen as her mother's lilting voice calls her to dinner, dream that she could return for just one moment and feel her big brother's hand give her a "just right" shove from the back, dream that for just one hour she could sit with her grandfather as he told stories of riding that bucking young sapling--

Sometimes I dream, if only for a moment--sometimes those moments encompass a lifetime--