Oasis in the Valley!

Libby Landing on the Little Red

We have decided to call this place Oasis in the Valley, what do you think? Our reasoning is pretty simple; the name of our Non-profit is Oasis Ministries in Arkansas and we are living in the Valley. (It makes me think that rocket science can't be all that hard! Or is it brain surgery?) It's a lot shorter than Oasis Ministries in Arkansas on the Little Red River in the Valley! I'm lost just writing that much down!

Preacher man is out with Dad getting a load of firewood. We are going to have a few days of crazy cold weather for Arkansas, like lows in the 7's! So I informed the birds they needed to eat up and that I would not forget to put out the black seeds that they love so much! The weather service said we might receive some snow. I loved reading this, "Temperatures are expected to drop quickly and be significantly colder than this area has experienced in several years." Oh yeah, yet again the Workman's bring dramatic weather wherever we go!

When we moved from Rogers to Sherwood, the church didn't have anywhere to store their lovely furniture, so we had to sell ours. Hence, we now have make shift furniture. The pillows you see to the right is the couch. We have lawn chairs we are also using and when we have friends over, the chairs give the place a "I still live in a frat house" feel!

Needless to say, we are making progress on the unpacking and settling in. I just have to stop doing it ever now and then or I'm going to give away everything that doesn't fit in a place!

There have been interviews and chalk tests, yet we still feel God calling us to ministry. Do we know what it looks like yet? No, not really, but we know who does! All we can really do is pray and walk through the doors that He opens. We know something special will be happening here at Oasis in the Valley and we look forward to that with great expectation!

Through all of this the one constant has been God with us! Emmanuel! It was the only way to get us out of the UMC so that we could be in real, true ministry. Truly, God called us out! We are at a place where our faith is growing and becoming deep. We are learning that good things do come to those who wait on God.

So if you need a place to go and BE, you are welcome here at Oasis in the Valley, aka Alex and Kim's place. We'll keep the fire going for you and feed you some homemade soup. 

Peace Out! 

Transition

Being in transitions is a bit like being lost. You know you have to just keep going, or turn around. If we just keep going, we either come across something that let's us know where we are or something that says, "YO, your going the wrong way, turn around!" My transitions seems to be about going forward right now, what it isn't about for me is going back.

Going back is a lot like going home, and you know what they say about that…"You can never go home!" I think you can go back home, you just can't stay there anymore, cuz it ain't your home no more!

We are aliens right now in this place. People who don't belong, outsiders, not local. I can't even tell you how many times we have been aliens in different places. It's something that we have become pretty good at, however, it is always hard. Or maybe the word is difficult. 

One of the things that seems to sooth my soul is setting up the bird feeders. I know it may sound crazy, but it brings me great joy when we are "found" by the winged ones!

This happened yesterday! They found us and have been signing and scratching and eating in great number! We have been found! It's a sign to me that God sees us and will continue to take care of our needs. 

One of the cool things we get to do out here in the valley, is burn stuff! I burned my first pile of leaves yesterday and it gave me a sense of letting go of what is dead and lifeless. I stood there and saw those leaves as being part of our life with the Arkansas Methodist Conference. It's dead to us now, as we are dead to it and in fact have always felt that way deep down inside. You have got to get those dead leaves out of the way so that the new growth can come in the spring! If you don't, nothing will grow there. (This house has stood empty for two years and it shows in the yard!) 

So we are in transition. We feel somewhat lost, as aliens always do. But God sent the birds to welcome us to this new place. God helped me see that old, dead lifeless stuff has got to get out of the way so He can spring forth with newness!

So we say with renewed hope, Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful!