Shanna and baby Sawyer

      I was thinking about what we gain and lose in this world as we pack up today to leave Minot.  In Minot reside our daughter, son in-law and two grandsons.  Now we knew this day would come but that does not make it easy.  Tears have been flowing.  What makes me think of Paul and his claim to gain was that he would rather lose all his worldly treasures because of the true treasure he found in Christ!  His claim to gain was His unwavering faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ over anything else.  

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.   

                                                                                                              -Philippians 3:7  NASB

Caravaggio’s “The Conversion of St. Paul”

     Paul gave up his worldly goods and suffered many hardships, including beatings and imprisonment for the sake of preaching the gospel! Now, I would hate to lose any children or grandchildren, but I do take comfort in the fact that Jesus Christ is with me forever.  As we parted from loved ones my thoughts were filled with a powerful gratitude for having them in the first place.  Gods gifts are so good and instead of moaning about losing anything I think I’ll just be grateful for what He has given.  Jesus is the bonus on top of the blessings!  Jesus laid down His life for us in the end and that was His purpose, to fulfill God’s salvation plan.  Paul gave his life to preach the gospel.  My purpose?  To continue to follow what God wants for me and that involves obedience to Him through study and worship so I’ll know Him when He calls.  

     Paul loved those new, frail and immature believers and often wrote that he would visit them again.  And so it is with us.  We love those children and grandchildren and will be back to see them and love on them.  In the meantime, onward and upward and thank you God for them all and for Your Son and His blood on the cross.

Joe holding his new son

Brothers Sawyer and Brecken