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Labor Day became a day to clean calf pens. This was my doing when I was dairy farming. There were no days off or holidays from the cows, so it seemed like a good choice.
The cows are long gone, and I have been serving as pastor for more years than I been a dairy farmer, but the farmer came out in me once again today.
I weeded the garden, dug up onions, picked beans and picked apples while the temps climbed onto the 90's setting a record for Minnesota.
Jesus was criticized for doing miracles on the Sabbath. He told his critics that His Father is always at work and that He is doing His Father's work.
Labor Day is a good holiday to consider if we are working for our Father, whether we are blue-collar workers, white-collar workers, raising children, or retired.

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August, is a time of year in Minnesota, when wasps, hornets, and bees are busy. Their busyness means they show up in places where we are doing stuff.

One of the things I do each day is picking up apples that have fallen off our three apple trees. It is a big apple year, and the fallen apples almost fill a five-gallon pail. The apples are not ripe for us, but the bees enjoy them and are buzzing.
Usually, they are kind of intoxicated by the cider, so I am not too concerned until I got bit earlier this week! The bee was small, but the hurt was big! My finger throbbed until evening.

It made me think about hurts people get from small things. Rudeness, impoliteness, gossip. It starts small but the stinger gets in and really hurts.
Jesus is the only antidote. Let Him take the stinger out, so you can get back to enjoying life as is should be enjoyed.

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Simple question. What is in your hand? Perhaps a phone, a pencil, a tool, or a dirty diaper.
God was convinced that Moses was the person to lead Israel out of Egypt. Moses was not convinced. God asked Moses that simple question, "What is in your hand?". Moses, the sheep herder, had a staff. God had Moses throw it down and Moses ran away because his staff had become a snake. Apparently, Moses had the same affection I have for snakes.
God told Moses to pick the snake up by the tail. If I had to poick up a snake, it would NOT be by the tail where it could easily wrap around and bite me!
Moses picked up that snake and it turned back into his staff.
God's message for Moses, for you and I is that He can take whatever is in your hand and turn it into a demonstration of His power.
Check out Exodus 4:1-20.
Let me know what God has used in your hand to demonstrate His power.

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Our world is filled with concerns that range from a nation's engaged in military action against another nation to the closing of a business. There were similar concerns during Jesus' time on earth. Nations were at war, people had health needs, there was homelessness and hunger. Jesus spent time praying to the Father and only did what the Father called Him to do.
I believe one of His disciple's noticed a connection between Jesus praying and Jesus doing the Father’s will about concerns around Him.
Luke 11:1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When He finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”
As important as breathing is to your physical life, praying is to your spiritual life.
The effectiveness of your spiritual life is directly connected to your talking and listening to the LORD.
Take your concerns to the LORD in prayer.

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Relationships are wonderfully challenging. When a relationship is good, it is encouraging, fun and does not require high maintenance. If a relationship is sinking, it is miserable. Some are able to shrug off a sinking relationship while others of you are devastated.
Jesus calls us to do the "one anothers" in every relationship. Be kind to one another. Encourage one another. Forgive one another. Pray for one another.
Pick a "one another" to do today in one of your sinking relationships and let me know what happens.

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Have you ever thought that God would do something in a certain way, and He didn't?
I have.
A situation in a person's life that I am praying for God to move so they will be drawn into a relationship with Him; I think it is a "slam dunk". God is going to do something positively in their life.
And instead, health fails, relationships break, or finances crumble.
It is a tension for me of praying in faith, speaking out the truths and promises of God while knowing that I cannot tame God. He is the great I Am. There is a mystery about His will and His ways that I may never understand until we meet face to face.
Let me know how you walk this out in your life.

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There are a lot of little things in life that bring unrecognized satisfaction. During the winter months in Minnesota, kicking off a large blob of frozen slush that has accumulated in the wheel wells of your vehicle is satisfying. Pulling a sliver out of your hand with little discomfort is satisfying. Starting a campfire with one match is satisfying.
Each of us wants to have satisfying relationships, work that satisfies, and satisfaction in our homes.

Psalms 145:16 You open Your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

Next time you have that little happiness that comes from something simple or something grand, thank Father God for His open hand in your life.

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The fourth of July is America’s celebration of independence from England’s rule. Since 1776, we have defended our freedom and have also fought for the freedom of others. People in the United States of America have the freedom to worship, to communicate, access to education, to choose a career, to travel, to assemble and many others.
God gives people freedom.
Galatians 5:1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Jesus gives real freedom from shame, guilt, and the addictions sin brings.
Celebrate true freedom by standing firm in a life centered around Jesus Christ.

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Excited that the part for the broken washing machine came early, I began putting the part in late in the evening after a full day. Ninety minutes later I came upstairs and told Connie that it was ready to try washing a load. After a minute, she announced that water was leaking from somewhere inside the washer.

Taking the washer apart again, I discovered that I did not tighten a clamp, which caused the water to run out almost as quickly as it entered.

Jesus said, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much" Luke 16:10

At 11:15am a load of clothes was being washed without any leaks. Your life will leak as bad as our washing machine if you are not attentive to the little things. Jesus can repair the worse leaks with his gentle repairing of your life.

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Our washing machine was not working. It did not spin and left water in the drum. I tore into it on Friday and unplugged the filter after watching a video of possible causes.
I was expecting success the next day when my wife put a large blanket in the washer. My satisfaction turned to disappointment when the washer did not spin and either a hundred pounds or a hundred gallons of water remained in the blanket.
After another video view, I was taking the “fixed” washer apart again. The motor that gets the water out of the drum was damaged beyond repair from a bobby pin or some other little thing that made big damage.
James, the brother of Jesus, writes about a small part that causes big damage.
James 3:5
Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
Your tongue can be like that bobby pin that wrecks something that was working well.
The motor should arrive in two weeks, and we can turn dirty clothes clean again. The Holy Spirit is always present 24/7 to clean our comments and conversations.

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Cleaning Calf Pens

Stung by a Bee!

What is in Your Hand?

Concerns

Relationships

Mysterious God

Satisfaction

Independence Day

Little Things Matter

Washing Machine Does Not Work

Mark Radeke

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