Early Morning

The early morning offers protection, a shield from others. Cloaked in darkness and quietness and with the knowledge that most people are a sleep offers to hide what you do.

So slip off into the woods, say a prayer, speak out loud to the God above. Knowing it’s just you, and God. Read your Bible, make a cup of tea, or a pot of Joe to accompany yourself.

The early morning is the one time of day when most everyone is sleeping. The night owls have drunk themselves to sleep, or exhausted have passed out on their beds. 

But now, the world is offered a new start. Another chance to do good, make right what was wrong. To do the best to your ability. 

But who will take God up on this offer? Who will sacrifice a few hours of sleep to be one of the first to experience the morning. One of the first to see the light of day creep across the horizon. Will you take this opportunity to be alone and experience God?

This, my friend, is the early morning. The early morning is a quiet, thoughtful time of meditation and prayer. A time to recoup and clear your head. A time to plan the day ahead. To get a ‘head start’ to your day. A time to enjoy the sound of birdsong and the breeze whisper through the trees. To see the doe at the edge of the forest and the shadows creep back into their nooks and crannies.
A time to enjoy the creation and God without distraction and busyness of the day time. Without the noise and clamor. A quiet time filled with peace and tranquility. 

So when you hear me say “I’m a morning person” this is what I’m really saying. This is what I really mean.

English Vintner

Starbucks

I sat down at the table at Starbucks, plugged in my computer and listened to music as I read a couple of paragraphs of The Unsettling of America. A couple came to the table and asked if they could plug in their computer and sit down. I happily complied as I’m always looking for ways to interact and talk with people. I’m not always that good with starting, but if someone else initiates, I’m all in. 

She sat down and asked me a few questions, I said I was up here working at the Boardwalk Chapel. We told stuff about ourselves. They go to a more charismatic church in between Lancaster and Philadelphia. We got to talking about churches a little bit, and that went into adoption and missions. Several of her grandchildren are adopted and we talked about that for a while, I told her my parents were looking at adopting. I told her about my possible mission internship to Uganda and that I was going to Honduras in November. We had connections all over the place, people we knew going to Honduras, and just had that cool connection that Christians have when they interact. We talked for a good 15-20 minutes. I told her where I was in life, not really interested in school, more into agriculture and missions. At the end she asked me about the book I was reading and we talked about Monsanto and all the stuff about it. We agreed on how evil we believe Monsanto to be and how Godless they treat their customers. 

She let me get back to reading, which I complied to, but obviously was happy to talk with her. After she had checked stuff on her computer she gave me a hug and $20 and said how good it was to meet me. How Christians are everywhere and how encouraging it was to meet me and talk with me. She said she had a good feeling about me, and how God’s hand was upon me when she sat down. 

It was so cool to see God’s hand at work. I love interacting with people, meeting random people, especially Christians, and just talking about life and Jesus, and what he’s doing in our lives. It was definitely a great experience and I am overjoyed with how God put that in my life!

English Vintner

The Finish Line

Doug Clark was an amazing man. I didn’t have the privilege to get to know him very well, I just saw his interaction with others, and listened in on conversations. I still am having a hard time believing I won’t see his grinning face when I go back to my church. He ministered so well to many of the families in our church that were going through very hard times. It was so cool to see an elder with views so similar to my families on so many levels. He knew his doctrine, but he loved people. He loved people. You could see it in his face, in the way he interacted with everyone. One of those very comforting people to be around, a great laugh. He had three children who were all going to his church, all of them married, and with quite a few grandchildren running around. He could see leadership in someone and put people in places to make them grow. He was the elder who would often read the hard things that had come upon the congregation and also was moderator for many circumstances. He was so good at dealing with hard situations that would come up. 

He will be missed. There are many tears being shed for him around the world of people who know him. His family will miss him, his wife will miss him. But he’s found ultimate joy, peace, satisfaction. He’s already finished the race, we still have yet to run, but he’s been taken home. His medal of honor has been awarded to him. One day we to will fellowship again with him. For we live in a world without hope, except for that of Christ Jesus. When we put our trust and hope in Jesus we have a life worth living, and death is our reward. There is no fear in death, for Jesus will hold your hand, and hug you on the other side. So, weep, weep tears of grief, allow the sorrow to be, but know that on the third day, Jesus rose again from the dead. After the darkness there is light. Weep now, but remember that joy comes in the morning. It is right to cry, to be sad, but do not stay there forever. We serve a God who lives, and His love never fails. Christ is Risen! 

English Vintner

He will be missed

When the reality hits you so hard you don’t know what to do

it’s gut wrenching; it’s hard to do anything, let alone breathe,

breathe, it’s hard to do that

hot, wet tears flow down my cheeks as I write,

stumbling, trying my best to capture my emotions in the words,

I’m not sure how to think, or what to think

There’s a purpose, but why? for What?

There’s hope, but there was no good bye

These words ringing through my ears over and over:

Higher than the mountains that I face

Stronger than the power of the grave

Constant through the trial and the change

One thing remains

One thing remains

Your love never fails it never gives up it never runs out on me 

On and on and on and on it goes

It overwhelms and satisfies my soul

And I never ever have to be afraid

One thing remains

In death and in life I'm confident and covered by the power of your great love

My debt is paid there's nothing that can separate my heart from your great love

“I will not say do not weep; for not all tears are an evil” 

And it’s true, through your tears you show your love for someone,

“Jesus wept.”

English Vintner