Why Go To Church, Anyway?

There are more and more professing Christian people these days who do not attend worship services regularly and do not support a Church or spend much time with other Christians. We wonder why. Perhaps it is because they do not see the need for it. Maybe it is because they are upset with someone at the Church. We hear lots of reasons and lots of excuses, but it makes us sad. 

We would like to talk to you about that, but first please read this important teaching from I Corinthians 12, which tells us that the human body is a picture (or an analogy) to show us the importance of being together with other Christians in the Church:

Beginning in verse 25, it says, "The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don't, the parts we see and the parts we don't. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance. You are Christ's body -- that's who you are! You must never forget this. (From THE MESSAGE).

What does that say to you? It tells me that the body cannot function right if the foot is in the livingroom, the hand is out in the yard, and the head is downtown. All the parts need to be working together. And every part is necessary. Christians NEED each other! 

Recently some people have said some things that I would like to share with you: one lady said, "staying away from Church because it is full of hypocrites is like staying away from AA because it is full of alcoholics. That's the whole point!"  I think she had a great way of saying that nobody is perfect. We all need God and His grace because we are all sinners who need His help and salvation. And, of course, we need each other. 

Another person said that if God has taken you to a place where the Church has a lot of problems, maybe it is because that Church needs you. Maybe they need you to encourage them, pray for them, and help them to grow "in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." 

Grampie said we have to listen to what the Bible says and we have to decide whether or not we are going to be obedient to the Lord. He did say that we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Some do that, but we should not. 

From time to time in our lives, Grampie and I have had our tough times of discouragement, sorrow, illness, and disappointment. We have always been encouraged by God and from His Word. But we have also been blessed by friends who come along and say things like, "I am praying for you." Or they give us a hug or send a note just letting us know they care. 

By placing us in the Church -- the community of believers -- God has blessed us with a spiritual family to share our happy times and our grief. We know that we never walk alone. Jesus is always there and so are His people. 

We want to encourage you to find a Church where you can worship the Lord with others. There isn't a perfect Church here on earth, but someday God will purify us. Then the nagging of our old, sinful nature and the temptations from the flesh and the devil will be gone forever. We will be free at last! And so will all the other people down here who are not perfect yet. 

The world NEEDS Jesus and He is our best friend. We can tell them about Him individually, and as a Church. Let's get busy with the job He gave us to do! 

Each For The Other

On August 27, 2013 we reached another milestone in our life together. It was the fiftieth anniversary

of our wedding. It is hard for us to even imagine that it has been a half-century since we pledged our love and commitment before God, "each for the other, and both for the Lord." The very thought of it is very precious to us. Why? One of the reasons is the fact that we are both totally convinced that it was GOD who brought us together for His own purposes -- and, family, all of you were included in His plans. One by one, He sent you our way -- and each one of you is a greater blessing to us than you can begin to imagine.

We have had a lot of joy over these fifty years and we have also experienced some sorrow. Those are among the elements of life. We have known that this life together has been winding down all along, but at this point in our lives we are more keenly aware of that fact than ever before. As I have put it, we are "ripening for the great harvest". One of these days -- maybe very soon or maybe a decade or more -- our stay on this earth will be over. People often say, "they've gone to a better place." Sometimes that is very meaningful and sometimes it just seems like the right thing to say just to comfort ourselves when a loved one or a friend dies.

More than anything in this life, Gramp and I want you to know that life will never be "over" for us. We have a gift of God, which is amazing. We have eternal life, not in these bodies but in the spirits that live in our bodies. Once our spirits were dead, but NOW by the grace of God through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus we are alive forever more. We know that when we go HOME to God, those of you that are still here will have sorrow. But the Christian does not sorrow the way others do, who have NO hope of life beyond what we know right now. The Christian has joy, even in sorrow, knowing that we will meet again and be together forever. What a wonderful, amazing, and secure knowledge that is!

Our most fervent prayer is that our circle will not be broken and that each and every one of YOU will live together with our Lord and with us in Heaven. Read these words carefully from the Bible. If you are a believer, rejoice in them! If you are not, I pray the eyes of your spirit will be open to see what God has done for you.

"For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."  From Romans 3

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

^"He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:11-13

 ". . . if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."    Romans 10:9-10

 ". . . by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Ephesians 2:8-10

   

A Hug From Nearly 50 Years Ago

October, 2013
This past week I was up to Grammie Ruth's at Cary Lake in Littleton. One day I was doing some things with her bookshelves and her files and I came across a square, flat box. This reminded me of the boxes that used to hold lovely, lace-bound handkerchiefs for ladies. And sure enough! Inside, wrapped in tissue, were three lovely ones. They were the fashionable kind that women carried to Church or other dress-up occasions. Also in the box was a delightful Christmas card addressed to my mother. It was signed, "Dallas".

Here I held in my hand a Christmas card and gift from my mother-in-law to my mother that was probably given and received in 1963 -- the year that Gramp and I were married. The thing that took my breath was a simple message on the back of the card, "thank you for giving me a wonderful daughter." I cannot even begin to tell you how much that sentiment meant to me. It was a difficult wait for Gramp to come in from hunting. I could hardly wait to show him the long-forgotten treasure.

Now let me say that our parents grew up in the times of the Great Depression. Therefore, they wasted nothing and they didn't start using anything "new" until the old was no longer useful. I remember my Mom using clear nail polish to stop the runs on her nylon stockings. And she STILL washes out plastic sandwich bags to be used over and over. Those are just two examples of her frugality.

So often her children have opened a new package of towels or a new set of drinking glasses or some other gift just to be sure she used them. But she still keeps some of her new treasures in their boxes or puts them on a shelf where they wait to be used and enjoyed. It is a habit from childhood poverty and the 1930s that has never totally gone away.

But in contrast to my consternation in the past, this time I was happy to find the unused gift in the security of a collection of old photos and composition books. I was thrilled to receive this high compliment from my mother-in-law, a lady who also grew up with ideas like, "don't praise them too much or they will be 'stuck up'". Of course, I knew she loved me -- she said she did. But I am so glad she thought I was "wonderful" -- and more than that, she thought of me as a daughter. She only had three sons. Her one daughter did not survive to be born. I am SO glad God gave me the opportunity to help fill one corner of the void that she felt forever from the time she learned she had lost a little girl.

This find touched Gramp's heart, too -- it was like a little visit from her. It was like a hug and kiss.


PS: I took the box into the room where my Mom was sitting and I told her I had found something I would like to have if it was ok with her. And, of course, it was!

A Half Century Together

Someone has said that God performed the first marriage ceremony.

After God created Adam, He said that it was not good for man to be alone and so He created a woman. The Bible says in Genesis chapter two, "Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.  And Adam said: 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.' Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."

Someone said recently, "one plus one equals one".  That is God's view. And that is why many traditional wedding ceremonies quote from the Bible, "what God has joined together, let not man put asunder." We believe marriage is to be between one man and one woman for life. That is why we promised to love, honor, and cherish each other until we are separated by death. We also believe that God brought us together -- and He has kept us together by His own power and love. We are very thankful for that.

Grandchildren, even after fifty years it was a good thing to stop and think about the promises we made to each other on August 27, 1963. It was a blessing to repeat those vows in front of our children and as many grandchildren and other family members as could make it. What an amazing time it was for us at Stephen's and Jeannie's to have Charles Fore lead us in reciting our marriage vows just as he did fifty years ago.

Right now we have grandchildren from the age of nearly two to twenty-three. Some of you are married already and we pray for you. We pray for the rest of you that you will make wise choices within the will of God for your lives. We pray that you will follow Jesus in your lives and in your marriages. And that you will decide from the very start to keep God at the very center of your family. Whether you are married or not, pray every day for your spouse (the one God has given you or the one He will give you in the future).

Remember that love is more than a feeling. Love is a choice. You can choose to love each other even at times of conflict or disappointment. When you are hurt, angry, or disappointed it is time to go to the mirror of God's Word and take a close look at yourself. I Corinthians thirteen tells us how love behaves.

We pray that when you are married it will be to a Christian who dearly shares your love. We pray it will be an enduring relationship, filled with love and blessing. We pray it will be a life of harmony and growing together in Christ. We know that can happen and that it does.

There is another side, though. It is possible that you can be blinded by wit and charm. It is possible that you can make a decision outside of God's will and be joined to someone who only lives for self. If that happens, you can be an example to your unsaved mate. God can reach that one, redeem him or her, help you ride out the hard times, and transform your home into a peaceful and godly home. That would be our prayer.

Now, here is a hard topic. We live in a difficult time. Sometimes "men are lovers of self" rather than being devoted to God and their family. As painful as the thought is, we must not neglect to say is that we believe God does not expect anyone to stay in an abusive and dangerous situation. We pray nothing like that will ever happen to any of you. Yet, we find it needful to tell you NOT to put your life or health (or that of your children) in danger by staying with someone who jeopardizes your well being. Don't ever think you are "stuck". God will take care of you.

Philippians 4:19 says that God will meet ALL of our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. He has done that for us for a long time now. It hasn't always been a straight, smooth road on this journey. There have been bumps in the road and we have taken some wrong turns. But when we do, we are able to repent and be forgiven. He sets our feet on the right path and points us in the right direction. But more than that, He walks with us. He holds our hands. We know for sure that we are "weak, but HE is strong." 

YES! Jesus loves us. YES! Jesus loves YOU. "Jesus loves me" -- He always has and He always will.

They Prayed For You

Grandpa and Grandma Buza and Their Three Sons

Here is a picture of Grampie Wayne, his Mom and Dad, and his two brothers -- Uncle Carlin and Uncle Joel. I wonder if you can tell by looking at this picture which one of these boys became your grandfather. I will give you a hint: he was the middle son.

Grandpa Buza (Grampie's dad) was a pastor. He pastored churches in New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and was pastor at the Lake Road Church where Grammie Brenda went to church and Sunday school as a child and teenager. They were also missionaries in Guatemala City for a short time when Grampie Wayne was a young boy. Besides preaching and teaching in the Churches, they also loved to teach children. They held Awana clubs and even when Grandma was an old lady she still had Good News clubs at her home in Illinois.

One of the most important things they did in their lives was to pray. They prayed for the Churches, they prayed for the people in Guatemala, and they prayed for their family and their friends. They had a very strong desire in their hearts for all of their children and grandchildren down through the generations to know Jesus and to love Him and trust in Him as their Savior -- and that includes all of you.

Grandma Buza and Heidi at the Nursing Home

Probably none of you remember Grandpa, but I wish you did. He was a lot of fun and he could make friends immediately. God gave him a special gift for being hospitable and kind. Some of you remember Grandma because you visited her at the nursing home in Illinois. A lot of people are unhappy when they are unable to live alone and have to go to a nursing home. Not Grandma! She loved it there. She loved it because it was a place for her to be a missionary again. She told the other residents and the nurses and visitors about Jesus. I have the cord that she wore around her neck with her locker keys on it. Every day people could see the cord that said, "Jesus Loves You" on it! Many visitors coming into the nursing home to visit their family members would stop and talk to Grandma because she was their pastor's wife. They were happy to see her and she was happy to see them. Like Grandpa, she had a lot of friends. She especially loved it when little children went to the nursing home to visit her. She gave some of you little stuffed animals and other trinkets that she won in the Bingo games at the nursing home.

On August 8, 2013, Grampie and I will be thinking of birthdays in the family. It will be Grandma's 102nd birthday and it will be Timothy's 19th. It will also be Devin Harsh's 12th birthday -- Devin is Uncle Carlin's grandson. Grandma was SO proud to think that great grandsons were born on HER birthday. That was very, very special to her.

When you think of her birthday this coming week, be thankful that she and Grandpa are in Heaven. Both of them had at least one parent and some siblings who did not believe in Jesus. They were very sorrowful about that. So are we.

Now that they are with Jesus, we took over part of their ministry. Now WE pray for you. It is our deep desire that each member of this family will believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and trust in Him as your Lord and Savior. And we pray that you will honor the Lord all of your lives and teach your children what it means to be a Christian.

 There is an old song, "May the circle be unbroken -- Bye and bye, Lord, bye and bye -- There's a better home a-waiting --  In the sky, Lord, in the sky." That is just a way of saying we want all of our loved ones to be with us in Heaven some day. Our prayer is that Jesus will draw you to Himself and give you FAITH to believe in Him. The Bible says, "that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." (Read Romans 10:9-13)

Nobody can ever give you a greater gift than to pray for you!



Skill Building At Camp

 Kyle has been homeschooled for the past year and we want to show from this entry that he has done some significant work to qualify him for credit in "Industrial Arts" for his portfolio.

One of the first things he learned was how to assemble staging, level it, and use it safely. The staging was in use during the installation of vinyl siding. on the camp.

Uncle Jonathan has been involved for a few years with installing siding for lead abatement projects and for routine use. We thought that his uncle's expertise helped Kyle understand the process quite well. We noticed that he observed his uncle and then put his new knowledge to work.

This project led to Kyle using several carpentry tools and observing the use of others. He also learned the importance of starting on the best side of the building to keep the siding looking smooth to the eye. (I found that interesting).

Here Kyle is with Grampie and Timothy working on the east end of the camp. As far as I am concerned, those guys did a great job.

We are just beginning to work on the inside, but the outside is almost completely done! After sleeping in the camp at near-freezing temper atures, the guys must look forward to HEAT!

 Grampie explained electrical wiring to Kyle and let him have some safe, hands-on experience. I liked hearing the explanation of an electrical circuit. Here they are installing a box for a light switch in the bathroom. This involved Kyle using an electric drill, a wire stripper, and wire nuts.

The switch works and we have a ceiling light and a couple of receptacles. Everyone can hardly wait for the bathroom to be completed so we don't have to go to Grammie's for showers and toilet!


After the electrical wiring was done, it was time for the ceiling to go up. Here, Kyle learned how to put in insulation, cut sheet rock, and screw the sheetrock to the studs. He also learned about   measuring and cutting to fit sheetrock around electrical boxes, the window, and the washer - dryer hookup.

I am sure Grampie feels sorry for Kyle that he didn't have the privilege of patching and sanding the sheetrock. But most of that is done now and the ceiling is painted. I told your grandfather that he could always tell everyone about that ceiling, "a woman did that." It is always nice to have someone to blame, don't you think? I am glad to be the scape goat!

A LIFE LESSON: It is my opinion that nothing is ever wasted. The experiences we have, the skills we develop, and the lessons we learn will be useful to us in some way during our lives.

Maybe the value of all this is that Kyle's hands-on experience has convinced him (at least for now) that he never wants to build his own house!

As I said to him, whenever he goes into the camp bathroom he can always look at one part of the ceiling and say, "that was so annoying!"

Showing Appreciation

                                                                                 

Aunt Valerie Watches As Uncle Stephen Helps Bait Hooks!

Today some of us were chatting. We were sharing some great memories of time spent together -- and how much those times mean to us even now. Some of the very simple things that we have done have made some great memories for all of us.

Just take the fishing the kids did in Stephen's and Jeannie's pond last summer -- catch and release! I think EVERYBODY caught at least one fish. It was a borrowed pond, borrowed poles, and best of all it was the shared company.

You know, GOD has blessed us so much in this family. He has given us the very parents, children, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents that He wanted us to have. Let's not take that for granted -- and even worse, let's not despise what God has done for us.

Aunt Michele Has Some Great-Looking Corn on The Grill

While we were talking today, we decided that we probably take each other too much for granted! We don't thank each other for how much things have meant to us. Today Emily thanked Aunt Marcia for the fun times like going to the zoo and making homemade play dough (using jello to color it)! No matter what we are doing, it really isn't so much WHAT we are doing as WHO we are doing it with! And we decided it doesn't matter how much something costs. We just have fun being together for cookouts, swimming, playing games, sharing stories, taking road trips, watching candles flicker when the power is out, singing, baking cookies, even cleaning house together or taking a hike!

What Fun At The Pool And Playground in Millinocket

Sometimes I hear some of the kids say they are bored. And they know Grammie doesn't like that. There is always a book to read, a project to do, a hug to give, a call to make, someone to help. We aren't bored. There is just nothing around that we are willing to do. Do me a favor and learn the value of just being alone for a bit and thanking God for his many, many blessings.

If you are reading this, YOU are among those who are a blessing to us and all of the family. We want to thank you for every moment that you have spent with us. They are all precious. Our advice to you is to make happy memories. Cherish each other and treasure the moments you have with our loved ones. 

Aunt Beth, Hope, and Uncle Kevin at Emily's Wedding

                                                                                 My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.

    -- From I John 3 in The Message