Happy Birthday Caden

Just a quick note today as we are celebrating Caden’s 2nd birthday.  As the growth spurts and teething continue, you are our special blessing.  Through your roller-coaster of emotions, may you always know how much we love you and will always be there for you.  From your gentle kisses to the cute way you say Jesus…we are very blessed to be your parents.  WE LOVE YOU!

This picture was taken two years ago, and two weeks after birth.  Our cute peanut, and my beautiful wife then, even more beautiful now!

With Love…

Ken

Upcoming Faith Story: Ken Ham

As I sit here and type it is nice to hear the sky talk with thunder and hearing the patter of rain on our deck.  I just wanted to check in and let you know the latest faith story will be posted on Friday. Our interview is with nationally known Ken Ham.  Ham is quite the man when it comes to his devotion to Christ and the Bible.  He is the founder of the creation musuem in Kentucky. He has been featured across the country on TV stations for his efforts to educate people on creation, not evolution.  This will be an interesting topic that we will be hitting on!   We look forward to you watching the story very soon! 

Here are some sound bites I want to share with you…a kinda behind the scenes look……

“I tell people that 21 years ago my wife and I came over as missionaries to America, to really call the church in America to come back to the foundation of the authority of the word of God.”

“I’m a shy person at heart.  I and my wife are shy people and here’s the funny thing, I get up and talk in front of a thousand people…”

“I also recognize from scripture we’re all dead in trespasses and sin, there’s nothing that we can to save ourselves. By grace we are saved through faith.  It is not of ourselves.  It is a gift of God.  It is God that opens our hearts to the truth but at the same time God uses the foolishness of preaching and provided I’ve done my study and I’ve learned the arguments the best I can and I can be like Paul and powerfully dispute and do the best I can to convince somebody.  I relax and know that it’s God then who opens their heart and if they still continue to mock at me and say nasty things I don’t really take that personally from the secular evolutionists.”

” I believe America is under judgment because God’s people haven’t stood on God’s word.”

“When you believe in millions of years and evolution, which you don’t get from the Bible, it’s man’s beliefs about the past and you reinterpret the creation of Adam and Eve or whatever it is, you are actually saying man is in authority over God’s word.”

“You can’t today, in America, try to get the 10 Commandments back in a culture that doesn’t believe in the book they come from.  You can’t try to get creation back into the schools which no longer are founded in the word of God.  We’ve got to do in America is re-establish that the Bible is the absolute authority of the word of God and that starts in the book of Genesis.” 

Ken

The Sweet Sound of Hearing Jesus’ Name at Age Two

As I write this, at this very moment, our 2 year old is saying, “Night, night Jesus.  All done Jesus,” as Daddy takes him to bed.

We sat for what seemed like an hour tonight (it was more like a half hour but for our very busy two year old to sit in my lap for that long it could have just as well been an hour).  Just Caden and Mommy watching an animated movie about bears.  We watched as the bears went through an array of emotions and Caden gleefully told me when they were sad, happy and scared.  Toward the end of the movie an eagle lit up the sky and in an awesome display of color, turned into a young man to which Caden exclaimed, “Jesus!”  Ken and I were amused by this and somewhat surprised.

I don’t want to draw any deep conclusions here or read into this moment but in his simple understanding, Caden saw something amazing and at the sight said “Jesus!” loudly and very matter-of-factly.  Ken and I laughed.  It was a sweet moment that gave us a little insight into how we’re raising our children.  Even at this tender age, he is beginning to “know” Jesus.  Albeit from a near-infant’s standpoint but isn’t it sweet to hear the name Jesus proclaimed in such an innocent and knowing manner.

Only God knows what’s in Caden’s heart but he is beginning to understand the world around him (a scary thought for this mother of two).  My prayer for him and his brother is that they will come to know, love, respect and honor our Lord Jesus Christ and through it all that they will be tools in bringing others to know and love Him, too.

Ah, the simplicity and sincerity of children.  May God bless yours and our precious Connor and Caden.

Blessings~

Betsy

A Prayer for Our Farmers…We Need to Plant Seeds Too!

Driving around the area as of late I am glad to see another season of farming is really in full swing. Germination is also underway!  We have been seeing farmers hitting the fields big time trying to catch up because of bad growing conditions.  It’s been a cool and damp spring, with some days here and there of full sunshine and warm weather (we finally hit 80 the other day).  Anyway, I took this picture to remind us to pray for our farmers.  May they be safe in the fields and may the harvest be plentiful. 

This picture also reminds me of planting seeds for Christ!  We can do this everyday with people we meet.  For those who are searching or have stepped away, we are called to do our own seeding for Him by spreading the word.  Once that seed is planted by us to others, spiritual germination can begin. I look at this picture and think of myself.  I’m that little plant, needing good soil for a solid foundation (the Bible), needing water (maybe knowledge or wisdom), sunshine (maybe His guidance), and fertilizer (maybe prayers).  Whatever forms you choose, I think you get the point.  Then with all this, you can continue to grow more and more.  I laughed at myself squatting down taking this picture.  If someone drove by, they might be thinking, boy he must be from the city, or he must be from out of town

I just wanted to share this with you, because we didn’t have time to share it today on the radio.

Ken     

 

 

Severe Weather Pictures as Promised

Here is a link to pictures from the distruction and fatal day in Iowa using a map feature. You can follow the tornado track picture by picture from west to east…

http://mesonet.agron.iastate.edu/cases/080525/iowa_helicopter_survey/map.phtml

Here are some links to the deadly day in Minnesota for more storm pictures and an interviews.  More investigations from NWS employees will continue Tuesday…

http://kstp.com/article/stories/S456385.shtml?cat=1

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=mpx&storyid=14883&source=0

http://www.kare11.com/

Please say a prayer for all these folks! Refer my last post for prayer and news links for updates… 

Ken 

Severe Weather…Not here Locally

Well a possible big event didn’t happen here in southeast Minnesota and for most of southwest Wisconsin.  Northeast Iowa did get nailed with large hail reports as well as distructive tornadoes close to Waterloo, IA and flash flooding.  Severe weather broke out on the extreme northern fringe of the intial tornado watch around the Twin Cities first (that was as close as it got) and to western WI.   The other tornado watch that was issued later for most of Iowa, covered the Waterloo action.  Sadly, one death has been reported so far.  Reports from these areas (MN, IA & WI) saw some hail from 1-3″ in diameter and NWS crews will be busy looking over damage to figure out what EF scale these tornadoes were.  So considering the size of the watch area, it was a no show around all of the KFSI listening area for severe weather, from Cannon Falls, Owatonna, Northwood, Cresco, Decorah, La Crescent, La Crosse, Alma, and Lake City.  

 

Local storm reports from NWS La Crosse

Local storm reports from NWS Chanhassen

Local storm reports from NWS Des Moines

Our prayers go out to those who are now homeless, those who have died or got injured.  We should all take a moment of silence Monday as we count our blessings being surrounded by friends and family on this Memorial Day and pray for these folks.  May God look over these folks who are surrounded by all the distruction.  May they know that You are with them for help and peace.  May Your hands lift them up from this result of severe weather.   Guide all of them with strength and again peace!

I will have a link to more pictures maybe Monday…

Ken

P.S.  I never went chasing.  I watched how things were panning out on radar, so I pulled the plug ASAP especially at $3.85 per gallon. 

Severe Weather Still in the Forecast Today

In a mad scramble to get to church this morning and organize things here (possible storm chasing), I promised an update to the threat for severe weather.  Things are starting to come together for a possible organized severe weather event.  The Storm Prediction Center has upgraded southeast Minnesota, northern Iowa and southwest Wisconsin, into a Moderate risk for severe weather. A tornado watch should be likely!  

In closing quickly, the threats are large hail, damaging winds, and the possibilty of a few tornadoes.  Keep an eye to the sky for rapidly changing weather conditions, especially after 3PM CDT.  Be prepared!

NWS LaCrosse, WI, NWS Chanhassen, MN & NWS Des Moines, IA

Ken

Severe Weather Risk Possible Sunday

I mentioned a ways back that if something weather-wise looks interesting, I would give a heads up, especially since most folks will be out and about this holiday weekend.  We haven’t seen any real severe weather pop up so far this season, especially here in southeast Minnesota, but it could be possible Sunday.  I mentioned this Thursday and Friday on KFSI, so here is the latest from the Storm Prediction Center as of Saturday 1:20pm.  The tri-state area (MN, IA & WI) are under a slight risk for severe weather Sunday.

We have a threat for large hail, damaging winds and maybe an isolated tornado for Sunday afternoon into evening.  The major players (frontal postions, sunshine vs. clouds, instability, etc.) will need to monitored tonight, especially into Sunday morning with new model runs.  

In closing, it looks like the first taste of summer weather will move in on a stormy note.  Temps could hit 80 also for the first time.  I will be monitoring model runs and NWS discussions for possible updates.  For those of you who maybe camping, don’t forget to bring your NOAA weather radio, and put it on alert mode!  Be safe over the holiday.

Ken

Something Beautifully Simple

Some women love roses and prefer a certain color.  Some women like daisies, tulips and/or lilies.  And while, all of these colorful creations of God’s are spectacular in their own ways I wanted to share with you what flower(s) I love this time of year.

As I write this, my favorite bouquet was thoughtfully placed in a coffee mug and put on my desk by my lovely husband.  They are a soft purple and each “flower” is made up of smaller buds.  They have a unique and subtle fragrance that lasts only a few weeks in the springtime.  I adore these few short weeks as I am able to see and smell the beauty of the lilacs.

God can move mountains, perform miracles and save us from the depths of despair.  But today, He is gently reminding me of His unending and undying love for just me.  Oh, He loves you the same way but today He is reminding me of His love ‘just’ for me by prompting Ken to place lilacs right where I needed to be reminded of something beautifully simple.

“Stop and smell the flowers” that’s the saying that tells us to slow down our lives enough to take in the beauty of simple pleasures.  I would say, “Stop, smell the flowers and thank our Lord and Savior for the simple miracles He sets before us each and every day.”

May you have a day filled with your own “lilacs”, wherever your path is leading you. 

Betsy

God’s Faithfulness

Do you have faith?  It’s a simple question that may or may not have a simple answer.  It’s not often, though that I think about God’s faithfulness in my life.

We attended church this morning where the message revolved around not our own faith in God, but on God’s faithfulness to us.  We were told a true story of a man who, before kissing his son good-bye for the morning, told him that no matter what, he would always be there for his son.  Later that day an incredible earthquake shook their town and the boy’s school was reduced to rubble.  The man ran to his son’s school and began digging through the debris to find his son.  He dug through the night throwing bricks, steel and concrete.  He continued into the next day.  Townspeople were stopping by the scene and dropping off flowers and memorials, shaking their heads at the man thinking he was not possibly going to find his son.  By later the next day he was still removing rubble from where he thought his son’s classroom had been.  He then heard a faint ’help’  and then heard it again and began to dig furiously to uncover his son.  He found him and before letting his dad pull him out of the wreckage he told his dad to help his fellow classmates make it to safety first.  When the last child was removed from that area of the rubble, the man lifted his son out and into his arms.  His boy looked at his dad and told him what he’d told the other students, “I told them I knew you’d always be there for me.”  Fourteen children were saved that day.

That true story was used as an analogy of God’s love for us and how He would do anything for us.  Can you imagine that man’s love for his son?  Imagine the love you have for your own children.  We can’t even comprehend how much God loves us and how He wants to save us and bring us to be with Him for eternity.  I still don’t completely understand His faithfulness but you can rest assured no matter where you’re at with your faith and/or your relationship with God He is faithfully waiting for you.

May His love shine abundantly on you and may His grace lift you out of whatever is covering you today.  Let Him rescue you.

Blessings,

Betsy