“Vacation 2009”
“Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.”
Psalm 128:1-2
Before I share with you about our vacation this year I want to thank all of you who made it possible. Sandy took care of our house, garden and animals - as well as doing her regular work here at the church. The worship team did a great job of leading. Tim and Rob did an outstanding job of preaching for me. I heard some rave reviews. Lisa did the Power Point and Bulletins. All of you who were praying for us – thank you. We need your love and your support so much. Some of you snuck in and did stuff around the church. It is much appreciated – and if no one noticed - God did – and you will not lose your reward.
Above that, my family was so gracious to us. Dave Grossman flew us there and back. My sister, Wendy, chauffeured us around and let us stay with her a few days. We spent a few days with my mom and she treated us like royalty. My brothers were great. I got to spend some quality time with each one of them and we stayed in my older brother’s cabin for a few days up at Sure Game Resort. The pastor of the Nazarene church loaned us his car for the week. Everyone was so good to us. Thank you. I helped with the music at the Nazarene Church last Sunday, but that’s about all I contributed.
It has become my habit to begin each day with prayer and Scripture reading. As I read God’s Word, He speaks to me and directs me for the day. He teaches me a little more about Himself from His Word – not every day – but often. God’s Word is our strength. David said,
“I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11)
There is power in the Word of God; Power to protect; Power to defeat the enemy; power to change lives. The Scripture has the power of life itself. Jesus said in Matthew 4:4,
“"It is written: ’People do not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ [ Deut. 8:3]
Our spiritual life is connected to the word of God. I have learned that it is like the manna the Israelite ate in the wilderness. Remember that? It provided life for them. It provided nourishment and strength. But it was only good for one day. Our daily bread, God’s Word, is like that. We need its strength and power each day. You may not notice much of a weakening if you miss a day or two, but if the absence from God Word becomes days or weeks, you will be depleted of spiritual strength to resist the temptation that comes your way. You will be susceptible to spiritual error and easily lead astray by your flesh. Your mind will not be set on spiritual things – but earthly things. At least this has been my experience.
As I began each day of my vacation I got into God’s Word for my strength and wisdom, but along with the Word needs to come prayer. There is power in prayer. Power we desperately need. Prayer moves the hand of God. One morning I was praying out on the dock at the Sure Game Wilderness Resort. I had read my Scripture and was burdened for some financial needs back home. I was pleading for God’s blessing and in kind of a childish way I prayed, “God if you hear me, let me know with a loon’s call. I guess that was kind of loony to do. I hadn’t heard a loon all morning. But I love a loon’s call. It is so ‘home’ to me. Suddenly one popped up not 30 feet in front of me. It came right out of the water and in it’s wailing, warbling cry I knew God was there. Then another one came sailing in from the left. In a couple of seconds a third loon came in and, to top it off, a bald eagle flew right in front of me and landed on the other side of the lake. I said, “Thank you, Lord. I will expect great blessings.”
A part of my prayer time always includes the giving of myself to God. I ask that He use my hands, my heart, my voice to minister through. I find when I do that – some opportunity comes along where God can use me.
The first day of our vacation we stayed with my sister in her beautiful large home in the suburbs of Minneapolis, in Ham Lake. Her house keeper was going through a rough time and for some reason she felt comfortable enough to unload all her problems on me. After Julie, Wendy and I listened for 15 or 20 minutes. I felt compelled to say to her, “It sounds like you need a hug.” When I hugged her she started to cry and then we had a wonderful time of prayer. I don’t remember her name and we never saw her again – but it was a special moment in our vacation.
We need to be ready for those ‘divine appointments’ don’t we? If we are filled up with business or focused only on our personal goals – we may miss them. If we aren’t ‘prayed up’ we may not have the spiritual sensitivity to sense the Lord’s leading. Every day is an adventure when you are a Christian. You never know what God may bring into your life next.
At our family get-togethers we have the normal food and fellowship stuff going on – but something that is a little different is the guns. We always have a couple of shooting competitions. One is a long range pistol shoot and the other is a combat scenario. I didn’t do too badly at the long range shoot – but I was terrible at the combat shoot. One of the local deputies brought in a mechanical target that moved from side to side – and I wasn’t so good. I could make excuses about not having my own gun and stuff like that – but hey! It’s no shame to get beat by another Grossman – especially if one just came back from five tours in Iraq and the other was on the army pistol team at one time. I guess my job there was to ‘esteem them more highly than myself.’ Now they are going to have to work on the temptation of pride.
This year we didn’t have the annual canoe run on the Big Fork River. I understand some of the guys went – but I felt I needed to spend those days with my Mom and brothers. One of my brothers was going through a spiritual battle and enslaved again by sin. I had a wonderful opportunity to spend some time with him and when I left, I left a copy of my sermon you may have heard me preach at the Day in the Son festival. It was on how God sets us free. The power is there to free us from all our addictions. A couple of days later my Mom said he rededicated his life to the Lord.
I really needed to spend time with Mom, though. My step day was dying and she needed my support and love. It’s been a long ordeal and Mom was so faithful to spent as much time as she could with him. The day we left to come back home he died.
I was glad that the night before I had spent two hours with Roy in the rest home, trying to comfort him. I read to him for an hour and then quoted Scripture and went over again on how to be saved. There were moments when he seemed to be listening and responding. Ultimately we have to entrust our loved ones to the Lord. We just don’t know what is going on in their subconscious mind. Only eternity will reveal it. And you never know what someone hears or responds to. My mom said the next day the guy in the next bed said he appreciated that guy who was reading to Roy. He said it comforted and blessed him. Sometimes even when it seems like nothing is happening – something IS happening.
I think one of the biggest blessings this year was the kids. My little cousin, Tannin, went on the canoe trip with us a couple of years ago and on that trip, just to have something to do, I made a bow and arrows and a tomahawk for him. He loved it. He mom said he slept with it. He carried it around for weeks – then the dog chewed up the tomahawk and a few days later the bow broke. Guess what the first thing he asked of me when I saw him – yup! Another tomahawk and bow and arrow! This year his sister and another cousin wanted one, too.
We had a good time looking for just the right rock for the tomahawk and looking in the woods for the right size handle and the stuff for the bow and arrows.
This year, while Julie was looking for something at the dollar store, I bought some rocks and stuff for an Indian necklace. When the kids were all going home I had them all sit in the grass and I told them the story of Puma, of the Bigman tribe, white heart clan. Grossman means “big man” in German. It goes like this:
Puma, of the Big Man Tribe, White Heart Clan
A fierce warrior of the Big Man tribe known as Puma, had a black heart. He had no regard for man and no thought of the Great Spirit Creator. He lived in anger, with rage just beneath the surface. He was known as Puma because he was strong and quick as a cat and with his rage no man was a match for him. Those stronger than he were overwhelmed with his quickness. Those quicker were overcome with his power. The wise walked softly around him. The foolish paid the penalty with their blood.
This kind of life left Puma unhappy and empty. He despaired of life. To him life was very painful and lonely. Sometimes he wished life was over for him. It seemed to have no purpose, no plan – just pain.
Although Puma felt alone and abandoned, the Great Spirit had not forgotten him. He sent a kind, gentle, elder woman to him. She was known as “Wise Woman.” “Why are you so downcast, my Son?” she said.
“It is because life has no meaning. It is but pain to me. There is no reason; no purpose to life.” Said the young warrior.
“Ah, but there IS a purpose to your life. The Great Creator has created you for a reason. Search for that purpose and you will find it.” counseled the wise old one.
The brave took her words to heart and began a search for truth. He discovered that the Creator could clearly be seen in the night sky and the mountains and the blue lake and those things He had created. If he opened his heart, Puma discovered the Great Pure Spirit would speak to Him if He truly sought the truth.
Puma realized his heart was black with sin. His heart was filled with hate and anger and he did many things he knew was wrong. He hung his head in shame. His heart was black. What could he do?
As Puma thought on these sad things, Wise woman came to him and spoke to him. She picked up a piece of obsidian, a rock as black as night. She said, “Your heart is black like this rock. And the penalty for a black heart is death. But I have Good News for you, Puma. God came in the form of a man in a land far, far away, and died on a cross for you. Although this Godman had no sin, He was killed in our place for our sin. “By His blood, we are saved from the penalty for our sin”, Wise Woman said. She continued, “This Red stone will remind you of His blood.”
“His blood washes the blackness from our heart and makes it white as snow.” She continued. From her leather pouch, she pulled out a bright white bear tooth and placed it in Puma’s hand. Your heart can be white as this fang, Wise woman said.
“I want my heart to be white”, pled Puma.
“You have but to tell that to the Great Creator. Confess your wicked deeds to Him and He will forgive you and cleanse you.” Wise Woman said.
Puma did as he was instructed - and instantly felt free from his bondage. The sky seemed bluer. The grass seemed greener. He felt light as a feather. He knew his heart was white.
“What now must I do, Wise woman?” He asked.
This is just the beginning, Puma. You are very strong and have many gifts. You once used them only for yourself. Now you must use them to serve others. God has made you a warrior, but you must be a “White Hearted Warrior”. God has not removed your fangs. He wants you to fight the good fight. His desire is that your warrior skills would be used to fight evil.”
Wise woman picked up a green piece of jasper, as green as the grass and said, “Empty yourself of yourself – and live to do the Creator’s will. He will send His Spirit to lead you. Grow and become spiritually strong. That is your purpose in life.”
Wise woman continued, “This green stone will remind you to continue to grow as long as you live.”
Wise woman pulled another stone from her pouch. It was shiny as a gold nugget. She handed it to Puma, and said, “Puma, the Chief Warrior will return one day and give you a crown of glory for what you have done. Let this gold stone remind you that your Good and Great Chief, Chief over all chiefs, will one day take you to be with Him. There the Sun shines golden - day and night. There the paths are covered with transparent gold. You will live in honor and joy and eternal peace for ever and ever. Never more will you be sad. Never more will you be separated from those you love. Whenever you look at this golden stone – remember those blessings to come.”
Puma took up his stones, the black one that reminded him of how his heart once was. The red one that reminded him of the blood that took the blackness away. The two white fangs that reminded him of his pure heart and that he was a warrior that fought for the right. The green stone reminded him to keep growing and becoming more and more like the Creator Chief and the golden stone reminded him of his glorious future.
Puma made a necklace of them to always remember these things.
Wise woman placed the necklace around his neck and said, “Puma, you of the Bigman tribe, I now welcome you into the clan of the white heart. Will you give the rest of your life fighting evil and living for good? If so, answer Hoooyah!
The forest rang with Puma’s happy answer.
Do you think they will forget what those four stones represent? Some of you will recognize the colors from the “Wordless Book” that has been around for ages. But it tells the process of salvation. They now know the process of salvation and they can share it with others.
We need to do that, too. Our job in life is to become Christ-like. That’s our mission. But we need to bring others to Christ, too. Let’s work on that.
Well, I can tell you I had a wonderful vacation. I’m so glad I went. But it’s so good to be home. Dorothy was right! There is no place like home. It’s good to be back with you guys. I’m looking forward to going on an exciting adventure with you guys this year. May God bless us and make us fruitful.
May our best days still be ahead of us.
Song
