Good Luck: I will pray for you!

The two phrases don't fit together: Good Luck and I will Pray for you! It is one or the other, but it can't be both.

To the Christian... who prays and seeks the direction of the Lord, there is no such thing as good luck. There are answered prayers, there is the hand of the Lord on them, but luck has nothing to do with good things happening to a person or a family.

Case in point: I saw it happen yesterday. Let me share Tracy's story. Tracy Waltz is our youth pastor's wife. 10 days ago, we had a wedding at the camp chapel, with the reception at the main lodge. Tracy and Joel were there helping and participating in the fun evening. On the drive to the camp, Tracy took off her wedding ring in order to put on some hand cream. As she left the car to walk into the lodge, she forgot that her ring was in her lap. It wasn't until later that she realized that she didn't make it home with her ring.

This was not just a off-the-shelf ring; the diamond was Joel's grandmother's set into a new ring. Not only was it valuable, there was alot of sentimental value to the diamond itself. Tracy was crushed; Joel was doubtful that it would ever be found.

Tracy returned to the camp yesterday with a metal detector. Since the wedding, we have received over 10 inches of snow, and plenty of ice. The circle drive in front of the main lodge had been walked over, driven over and the snow and ice pack was at least an inch thick; and their were fresh bobcat tracks where the maintenance man had just scraped off what snow and ice that he could. Tracy used the metal detector and heard a beep under the snow. Tracy tells her story, "I figured the camp picked up bottle caps and litter, so I was hopeful. I went into the lodge, got a bucket of hot water and began to pour it over the spot. Right before my eyes, a circle began to melt around my ring. I stood there and cried... knowing it was truly a miracle. My husband had wished me good luck before I left home, and I told him he should pray that I would find it. He did, I did, and so did others"




What a great reminder to me... expect God to intervene when we pray. We worry, we fret, we stew before we pray. Buried under the snow packed situations of our struggle on earth, He has already has the perfect answer ready for us when we pray.

Written by:
Earl Taylor, Director of Vision and Design
Hidden Acres Christian Center, Dayton, Iowa
earldtaylor@yahoo.com
... Hidden Acres is a youth camp and retreat center and is owned by the Evangelical Free Churches of Iowa, South Dakota, and Missouri.

Leaving Margins in Your Field

Boaz told his foremen, ”Leave some stalks of grain behind so that Ruth may come behind and glean in our fields. And don’t embarrass her in any way!” (from Ruth 2:15-16) Our staff recently returned from a national Christian camping conference where the speaker, Pastor Bryan Loritts from Memphis, Tennessee spoke from this passage; the hearts of the entire staff were stirred as he shared this principle: The principle of allowing margins in our lives: Boaz provided margins in his fields by telling his workers to leave some behind; “don’t pick up every sheaf… leave some for the needy… leave something for those who are willing to work for their bread… we have enough, we don’t need it all.”

This is a wonderful picture; I see it often from the farmer who wants to make sure the pheasants and deer have enough food to make it through an Iowa winter by leaving the last 4 rows of corn. I see it in some homes where boxes and boxes of food are packaged up and given to the hungry. I see it here at camp when families are struggling along, living pay check to paycheck, and we are able to say, “ No problem, Come on and come to camp. We have room and let’s not worry about the fees.”

We purposely have built in margins into Hidden Acres' finances. Even in the early years when we found ourselves short, we always attempted to show mercy and margins with our summer campers. Why? It is very simple, “The gospel can’t penetrate a heart of the young person if he isn’t at camp, but stays home loafing around the house!” Empty beds cannot be ministered to. I want kids to come to know Christ!”

I love that theme of building margins in our lives. I was young and stupid once; and went into debt for stuff and house. When I freed myself of debt, I felt a big burden slide off my back; I began to build in financial margins into my life; not building wealth, but opening up more opportunities to give.

Charles Wesley built in margins into his life: He determined that 29 pounds was an adequate sum to live on each year. When the royalty checks began to arrive, he still determined that 29 pounds was adequate to live on, and gave the rest away.

I do have to admit, I don’t build any margins in my life when it come to mercy, or gentleness, or kindness. My driver personality gets in my way at times and blocks out seasons of mercy and gentleness. “ Lord help me to let my margins along my fields to grow wider and heavier for the Lost!”

For us this Christmas time, we have built into our calendar a month of margins; it is our slowest month of the year and we use this time to reconnect with family, to plan for the upcoming year, and to renew our spiritual lives. Workers without margins in their life burn out and leave.

I won’t say it too loudly but I pray you have created some margins with your gift giving. I have been around for 54 Christmas’ and I honestly don’t remember a gift that was memorable; the gifts was nice stuff to have, but there has been nothing that I received that I still cherish and keep. Enuf said!

I trust we understand and know what our 29 pounds looks like, and have the self control to live on our 29 pounds each year and give back to those in need.

Wishing you and your family the very best!

....Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth; Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.....and Jacob the father of Joseph of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. Matthew 1:1-16

Written by:
Earl Taylor, Director of Vision and Design
Hidden Acres Christian Center, Dayton, Iowa
earldtaylor@yahoo.com
....Hidden Acres is the youth camp and retreat center owned by the Evangelical Free Churches of Iowa, South Dakota, and Missouri.

Joy to the World...THE LORD IS COME!!

Talk about getting me out of the mood for Christmas!! I turned on a local TV station this morning to catch an update on the upcoming storm, only to be greeted by a lively New York City choir singing a rendition of Joy to the World. Nice choir: energetic and engaged. But they got the song all wrong: they couldn't sing the song as written: Joy to the World, the Lord has come... that would be offensive to someone... instead they replaced the Lord has come with "let everyone sing". As if singing was going to bring lasting JOY to the world.

For those who know me, you know that I don't go for all the hype and glitter of Christmas. I was told when I had children I would change.... I didn't: I have four. I was told when I had grandchildren I would change... I didn't: I have six!

I do love the spirit of Christmas: the extra time with family, extra time to read and relax, extra time to reflect on the past year and anticipate the next year, and I even like a few football games. I don't need presents and decorations and parties to accomplish that. What I like best is the platform of the Christmas season to share my faith: it is a no brainer. When others complain about their busyness of the week, I can talk about the Christ child... born to be the Savior. Born into a world full of sin and strife, knowing that this "lamb of a child" would 33 years later be the final and perfect sacrifice.

Today is the 23rd, and I have yet to visit a store in town to purchase the "Joy giving gift" that many have labored over for weeks. My prayer over these next few days is that I would be sent a stranger with an empty spot in his heart, and that I might be the messenger of the Good News to all people and share about this Christ child born so many years ago... "Lord give me the courage and discernment when you send a joyless person into my life!"

Written by:
Earl Taylor, Design and Vision Director
Hidden Acres Christian Center Dayton,Iowa
...Hidden Acres is a Christian youth and summer camp along with an adult and family retreat center located in central Iowa. Hidden Acres is owned by the Evangelical Free Churches of Iowa, South Dakota, and Missouri.

Apples don't fall far from the Tree

My 4th grade friend Norman

My daughter arrived home from college a few Christmas's ago; she had called earlier in the day and said she was bringing a friend.

I was a little taken back when I stepped outside to greet my daughter; I could see her friend was struggling with her baggage. She walked with a limp, her knees were turned in and she wore thick glasses, with limited eye sight.

As we sat in the living room, tears came to my eyes because I was seeing the exact image in myself 37 years later.

We had moved to Coon Rapids, Iowa when I was going into the fourth grade. I was ready for the move. My dad had recently remarried after a 1961 divorce. We settled into the community, and I started school in Miss Sorenson’s class.

In 1964, there were not special education classes, only three levels of students: the smart, the average, and the slow. We had 3 slow students in my 4th grade class. Dave, Patty, and Norman. I was average to smart.

No one wore tennis shoes to school in 1964, but dress shoes. Norman didn’t wear either; he wore a heavy type above-the-ankle work boot that was sturdy, bulky, and enduring.

From his feet to his head, Norman dressed differently than the other kids. His coat and jeans were not stylish, but straight cut denims that a 30 year old farm hand would wear. He wouldn’t eat the 35 cent school lunches, instead he would carry his lunch of heavy dark bread sandwiches full of last night’s meat. I ate the Friday fish stick lunches and drank the 2 cent milk.

I wasn’t the biggest kid on the play ground, but I remember watching after Norman. I always made sure he was included in kick ball games at recess and would not allow the other boys to poke fun or mimic Norman. He was not overly gifted in running and throwing, but he was extra strong in arms and chest.

When Christmas came around in 1964, my dad was making around $3000 per year. I didn’t know we were the poor ones. I remember having our Sunday school Christmas program prior to Christmas school vacation. I remember the good hard candy and chocolates that were passed out to each child in the brown paper sack. I saved mine.

I took it to school on Monday morning, gift wrapped in a box and slipped it to Norman over lunch. He never said much. I never received a thank you, but I knew I had done the right thing that Christmas. I haven’t seen Norman since grade school. I moved away when we finished 8th grade.

I doubt my daughter’s friend got asked to visit somebody’s home often during her 4 years at Moody Bible. I am glad that apple’s don’t fall very far from the tree. I am glad that some things can be taught and others things are pure instinct.

And to you my old friend Norman, Merry Christmas to you again, 44 years later.

Written by
Earl Taylor, Director of Vision and Design
Hidden Acres Christian Center, Dayton, Iowa
...a children's and youth camp, a retreat center, and a family camp located in Central Iowa. Hidden Acres is owned by the Evangelical Free Churches of Iowa, South Dakota, and Missouri.