“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.” Micah 5:2

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel (Meaning “God with us”). Isaiah 7:14

Dear Friends and Family,

I bring you good greetings in the way and name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on this day we commemorate God became a man; And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

This day is not a day about giving or family. This day is not about a baby in a manger or of wise men and silent nights. This is a day about God becoming a man to save us from our sins. Yes, our sins. What will you do with this Savior? This is a day about the eternal gospel found in Revelations 14:6-7 And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment (deciding between) has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.” This is a day we say: ” Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips (sinner), And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” Isaiah 6:5 This is a day when we must consider the words of John the Baptist: The word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance (Change direction) for the forgiveness of sins; (Luke 3) And also: “Repent (Change direction), for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”Matthew 3:2 And: The next day he (John) saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 This is a day we consider the words of the apostle Paul; “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. Romans 3:23 And “For the wages (earned payment) of sin (Rebellion against God) is death (Wrath of God), but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus(Lamb of God) our Lord.

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11 What will you do with Jesus Christ Crucified, Resurrected and Glorified… today?

God Said:

“Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God has commanded me (Moses) to teach you… Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! ” You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6

… He (Jesus) took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming. And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were Moses and Elijah, who, appearing in glory, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem… a cloud formed and began to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him!” Luke 9:28ff

Jesus Said:

“THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SITTING IN DARKNESS SAW A GREAT LIGHT, AND THOSE WHO WERE SITTING IN THE LAND AND SHADOW OF DEATH, UPON THEM A LIGHT DAWNED.” From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 4:16-17

He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES.” Matthew 13:31-32

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. “So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 13:44-50

Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, `Look, here it is!’ or, `There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Jesus IS the Kingdom of God) Luke 17:20-21

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS. Matthew 16:24-27

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4

What would you give for the Kingdom of God?

As John the Baptist said: But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; Matt 3:7-8

With all love and sincerity,

Dennis & Ruth and Family

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From The McLean Household

Click on the link below and enjoy! Don’t forget to view the video of the moose!

http://www.allanne.com/hunting-2008-part-one

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Hunting, Come Take a Look

Once upon a time, there was a mighty King who had dominion over a vast estate. This King was most terrible and handsome and had little need for armor in battle, because of his great strength and strength of his purpose.

As time went by, he became lonely. He realized he needed a companion. The Great King reviewed all the creatures of his estate and while he tried out different creatures for a companion, none were found to be adequate. While he was in this miserable condition, the Emperor beyond the sea, beyond the mountains, beyond space and time, who made the Great King, saw the sadness of the great king and decided to make a companion of the truest metal that could be found. Not hammered from dirt and steel as he did with the King, but fashioned and shaped from precise ingredients. The Emperor caused the Great King to fall into a deep sleep. Once the king was asleep, the Emperor reached across space and time, mountain and seas, and pierced the great king’s solid breast and brought from it a single rib and attached to this singe rib, was soft tissue from the inside of the Great King’s steel breast. From this soft tissue, the Emperor fashioned a queen, a high queen. Beautiful in form, ingenious in functionality, endowed with intelligence equal to the Great King, but soft to the touch, to compliment the Great King’s strength and mass.

Time passed and the Great King awoke from his deep sleep. Lying on his back, he stared into the sky and felt his great loneliness; he also felt an ache in his side. He now knew the ache of loneliness. The Great King arose from his repose and went to his house. As he approached, all the creatures were lined before him, watching with knowing looks, and hidden smiles upon their faces. But because of the ache of loneliness of a true companion, the great king did not notice. As the great king entered his hall, the creatures crowded after him so that all could see as he entered his throne room. And there, to the right of his throne, stood a creature so fair, so beautiful of form, with a look of high intelligence in her eyes. She looked to be chiseled from stone, but no, this was no stone, this was much softer, and from the area in his great breast, where there was once the ache of loneliness, his heart gave a great leap. And from beyond time and space, from beyond the mountains and seas, came the voice of the Emperor to the Great King.

“I knew your loneliness, because I understand it. And from your breast I took a rib and fashioned for you a Queen. But as I tore the rib loose, with it came a piece of your heart. And because the Queen I made for you were made of softer stuff, that piece of heart grew. And because your Queen’s breast does not have the strength out of sinews, as yours does, her heart has grown large, and with it, she feels deeply and understands. She understands love, compassion, and care. She sees beyond the exterior and instinctly looks to your heart. My son, love her, understand her, protect her. Cherish her, hold her in high esteem, and seek her best. Although you are her king, she is not your servant. And although you are her king, she is your equal. I have already charged her to love you and obey you; to be dignified, quiet, and respectful. She has a full share in my kingdom beyond the sea, beyond the mountains, beyond time and space, for all eternity. And to this I will hold you account.”

And when the Emperor, the great king’s father, had left, the queen came before him and knelt with her face looking to his feet. The great king reached down with his battle-scarred hand, hands that had done great things, and within it, the power to do great things, he gently, lightly, touched the new Queen’s chin and gently lifted it until he could see into her eyes. He saw the love and adoration shining in her eyes and then she spoke aloud in a quiet, beautiful voice.

“My lord, my king, command me.” And with wonder and pride on his face, the Great King, before all the creatures, rose her up and said, “You are my Queen. Stand beside me.” And as they turned to face the creatures, he put his arm around her, and he realized the ache and the loneliness was gone. And because she stood beside him, he was now made whole and complete: And better than that, what was missing from him had grown more in his Queen than it could contain in his breast of steel. The creatures, for their part, were struck with awe. For their King, who before this was quite noble, now looked satisfied and complete; and if it were possible, even more noble.

And the Great King and his Queen went out, and ruled with steel and velvet and the Great King never tired of learning the complex nature and character of his Queen. For this he knew, his Queen was not a conquest to be won easily, but a companion to be won again and again.

By Dennis McLean, 2002

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Once Upon A Time

Ice cream does have a warm place in my heart. I don’t know. Is that possible? Sounds obscure.

I thought I’d share with you something my husband, Dennis, wrote for me when I turned 40. Since that was such a lonnnng time ago, and since it was only posted on my forum, not on my blog, I thought I’d share it with you here today.

A Paean to Honor Ruth on Her 40th Birthday

Proverbs 31:10a
An excellent wife, who can find?

I have! Her name is Ruth.

Proverbs 31:10b-12

For Ruth’s worth is far above jewels. My heart trusts in her, And I have no lack. She does me good and not evil All the days of her life.

1Timothy 2:9-10
Ruth adorns herself in proper clothing, modestly and discreetly. Her intimacies are reserved for me. While there are many women who stand around pretty naked, her fashion statement is to adorn herself with good works as all women of Godliness do; and with these, she is well covered.

Genesis 2:14-15, 3:6
My beloved has eschewed the way of Eve and has taken the path of righteousness founded by God. She hotly pursues His plans for her and her family so that she appears to the world and to the worldly as strange and different, even weird. Culture is rushing to destruction with its pleasures and entertainments, it’s acceptances and peer pressures, it’s self importance and self plans; with this she has no identification. In fact she has cast those aside as the used, objects of disgust they are! Her identification is with God and our Lord Jesus Christ! Her desire is pleasing Him. She serves her family and friends because she loves to please Jesus.

Titus 2:3-5
Today is Ruth’s 40th birthday. As she has matured she has become more beautiful because her outward beauty is a product of her inward radiant character. Many women have endeavored to perpetuate and prop up their fading youth… and it’s foolishness’. Ruth, far beyond her years, has abandoned the foolishness of youth and has embraced wisdom and righteousness and sanctified herself to God and has become the older woman to those who are senior to her in years. Daughters, I implore you, listen to her and learn from her. She will point you to the Savior. She will talk about and demonstrate what pleases Him. My testimony is true. I am a witness.

1Corinthians 7:3-5
My wife, my beloved, my Ruth, cares for all of my needs, with liberality. She don’t ask for nor does she hint at concessions. She does not act as a sacrifice or a noble Joan of Arch, rather, Ruth acts in selfless love because it is her pleasure to give me pleasure. I smile to myself when I hear the men at work complain about their wives… I have nothing to complain about, but I have much to brag about. (not unseemly topics, I just keep that wide grin private!)

Philippians 3:17
Be imitators of Ruth as she is of Christ! She wants nothing more than for Him to be glorified in her and in you. She glorifies Him in what pleases Him; obedience to His commands. When she gave up identification with the world and with the worldly she looked to, and still looks, to the Lord God for her value and for the things He values because the world does not understand what is truly valuable.

(They choose filth and say truth is relative!)

2Timothy 3:12, 1John 2:29-3:1
Ruth has taken up her cross to follow in His steps, so the world and the worldly despise her. What the world does not understand is what they despise in Ruth is Jesus. For her part, she loves and ministers to her enemies because Jesus loves her enemies. She encourages and strengthens the weak because Jesus loves the weak. She stands with and encourages the strong, because Jesus is the inspiration and strength of the strong. Truth is always on her lips, because Jesus is truth! AMEN!

A 40 year old woman, today in my bed I’ve found,
Wisdom and righteousness have been perpetually her crown.

Wisdom before youth is much to be preferred,
She is your example, you can, and should, all be as her.

As she ages her beauty becomes ever greater,
Even though her skin may shrivel, just like an old tomater.

Joking aside, men of the earth would be grateful,
If their wives were like her, if even just a cupful.

Sarah’s daughter is Ruth, Abraham and I are both wealthy,
Of this she’s been accused, charged and praise God, righteously guilty.

A Venus I have in Ruth, for she sets the pace,
When most the women ’round, haven’t even started the race!

Made for my side, She is my helpmeet,
The two become one, and now we are complete.

Proverbs 31:25-29
Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future. She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and bless her; and I Her husband also praise her, saying: “Many daughters have done nobly, But you, Ruth, excel them all.” Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

Song of Solomon 2:2
“Like a lily among the thorns, So is my Ruth among the maidens.”

Happy Birthday Ruth
Thank you for being a woman beyond all compare.
With all my Love,
Dennis

My favorite line is, “As she ages her beauty becomes ever greater, Even though her skin may shrivel, just like an old tomater.” Thanks for letting me share!

Have a great day as you serve your family!

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It’s My Party And I’ll Blog If I Want To

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Weekly Round Up In Photos

I slept in the middle of a slide that was half a mile wide 1200 ft long and 450 ft deep. It completely obliterated a town. They tunneled a path through it for the Crows Nest Hwy.  It happened at 4am. Nice way to wake up!  Have a good day. Love ya.

My reply?

WHAT? Where were you?

I worried all morning until he finally sends me the following:

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hmm… maybe I should of told you it happened in 1903. Crows nest pass. The town was called Frank. Its not there anymore.

~faint~

When I finally got over it, I emailed him back:

Don’t you know it’s not April 1st yet? I have been worrying about you all morning!!! You got me!

To which he replied:

Here I got you and I wasn’t even trying!! Good thing you pray for me ’cause maybe that slide wouldn’t have missed me by 103 years. I could have parked to sleep in crows nest gulch and woke up underneath Crows Nest pass! Whew! That was close!! Thanks honey!

~faints again~

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My Husband…tsk tsk

About ten years ago, we lived in Oregon, right down in the Willamette (Will am et -as in ‘set’) Valley and planted a large garden each year. In about March, we gathered seeds, trays, and soil to get a good “greenhouse” started for our beloved tomato plants. Dh was the head of the garden and always prepared these little seeds for the few months in the home before being transplanted. He lovingly set them on a table next to the window in the dining room and placed toothpicks in the soil and used plastic kitchen wrap as a covering.

Before leaving to go out of town for a few days, he exhorted us NOT to touch his precious seedlings, which varied between 1 and 4 inches in height, by that time. Kissing him good bye, we all assured him that all would be well.

Meanwhile, we were occasionally hearing a strange sound in the living room chimney. We all guessed there was a mouse up in there and thought it would eventually go away. The little noises were heard for several days, throughout the day.  We’d comment on them, but mostly ignore them.

One bright day, one of my boys, who would have been about six at the time, and his little sister, who was probably about four, were in the living room minding their own business. The rest of us were in varying parts of the house. I was in the dining room, doing some schoolwork with some of the children. All of a sudden this indescribable noise, accompanied by screams, came from the living room when a black bird of some kind came down the chimney and was floundering in the large fireplace. I ran into the room just at the moment the bird hit the screen, which fell over, freeing the feathered creature. The fowl hit the living room window and fell to the floor behind the couch, spreading soot and ash everywhere.

We guessed it was a crow or blackbird. I called for a son to, “quick! Go get Daddy’s fishing net out of the boat!” Peeking behind the couch, we discovered it was a small black, iridescent duck!

Presently, son ran back into the room with the long handled net. I tried to get a good grab at the duck, but it decided this was not a good situation and took flight in the living room and headed for the dining room, straight to the windows and, you guessed it, the trays of seedlings! I quickly ordered a child to open the back door, which was directly next to the windows. Floundering sufficiently in the trays, and with much prodding, the duck finally made its way out the back door and the house became still. Whew!

We looked at each other, looked at Dad’s starts, and said, “he’ll NEVER believe THIS!”

To this day, he still pokes and prods us about that. When something isn’t quite right, or there’s a hammer missing, he’ll say, “I bet that duck did it.”

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Duck!!!

Too much excitement before 5am

My alarm didn’t go off at 3:50 like it was supposed to in order for me to take my oldest son, Ben, to work. I did awake to Ben knocking on my door at 4:10.  I hurriedly jumped out of bed and got dressed.  We left as soon as I got my coat and shoes on.

Thankfully, he started the pickup for us an hour earlier, which didn’t do a whole lot of good because the draft in the pick up is so bad, we shivered the whole time.  It was somewhere around 15°.

I got him to work fine, but when I came up our driveway, there was a huge snow drift that I got caught up in and lost it. I was stuck in the snow.

I went into the house. It was 5 am by this time and I was supposed to wake Dennis, anyway. I told him about it. I tapped on the boys’ bedroom door to wake up Joe and Eric.  Nephew Steven woke up, as well and between the three of them, they shoveled me out.

Dennis was up by this time and went out to check on things. He moved the [unstuck] pickup, then found that the door had froze open.  He couldn’t get it to loosen, so he headed over to the other pickup (the one with little to no brakes) and began to get it started.  Meanwhile, Joe took a screw driver to it and got it releasing fine. Dennis came back to mess with it and found that we had no tail lights or dash lights.  Evidently, we blew a fuse.  At the time, he thought it was wiring.

His car is in another city, the van’s battery is dead, the other pickup has no brakes, David’s van is at the motel with his folks. What was he to do?  Dennis starts to unthaw the older Chevy pick up, which has no brakes.  We couldn’t find the window scraper, remembered the flashlight is in David’s van…at the motel.  The good news is, though, that this pick up has 4 wheel drive, so off we went.

Our driveway goes down hill with a drop off on both sides, then heads back up with a curve in it, so Dennis, not wanting to get stuck, gooses it. I gasped, as I hadn’t gotten my seatbelt latched.  The three boys are in the back seat.  My nephew begins sweating.  Dennis stops! He backs up the driveway in the dark, then goes for it again.  He tells me he was carving a way through that snow drift for when I come home.  Okay… good…we need a path to get home.

We get to where Dennis’ truck is parked.  He set my brake. We all went into the little store because Dennis forgot his coffee and the boys and I went in to find a scraper. We go back out, said our good bye’s and pull out onto the street.  I almost immediately turn right and proceed onto the on ramp of the freeway when suddenly, this overwhelming cloud overcomes us all. Steven rolls down his window right fast and I pull over on the on ramp.  I tell the boys to (in the dark) run as fast as they can back up to the truck stop and catch Daddy… but don’t get hit! Remember? It’s about 15°. Nephew, Steven, is wearing only a sweatshirt. It’s black.  Joe is in his jammie pants and his hunting snow outfit, which keeps him warm and is hunter orange, so we thought surely Dennis would see them his headlights even shone on the boys, but HE DIDN’T SEE THEM!  They were waving at him and he drove on by.

Fortunately, before I left, I saw my mil’s cell phone sitting by our phone and took it with me, “just in case.” So, seeing the boys’ plight, I called my brother-in-law, who was snoozing peacefully at our house and woke him up. I told him what was going on. I didn’t know whether to move forward or what.  I didn’t want to burn something up! He finally told me to move a little while he was on the phone with me.  I did and it was fine!

We came on home.  No problem… until the driveway.  I did the turn and gassed it.  I aimed for one of the tracks Dennis made for me but instead, I must have caught part of the drift and it sucked me in. I gassed it more and made it up, up, up… then it died.  It wouldn’t start again, but we were home and all thankful!

There’s really more to the story. It has turned into a bit of an ongoing saga. Let’s just say, as it stands now… It’s a week later and the van is still dead, with one battery removed (diesels have two batteries), the pick up with no brakes is sitting up on our road, broken (probably a fuel filter), the yellow pick up has been pretty good…after we dug it out of a snow drift and in spite of it’s draft, and God is good to take care of us.

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Too Much Excitement Before 5am