Blog and Other Stuff
From June 9th:
The examiner arrived at the airport at 4:00 pm, and left at 9:00. Once we had met and gone over the initial things like the hours I had flown and the score I had gotten on the written exam, he began to ask me questions. We went over all of it - maintenance logs, FAA requirements, weight and balance of the plane, weather, how the instruments work, and when they need inspected. He was trying to see just how deep my knowledge in these things were - air traffic control, flight checklists, holding patterns, flight planning, and of course…..charts!
"Nate, tell me what this symbol means……"
"That little flag with the "X" means that there is a minimum crossing altitude at that intersection"
"Okay, good. What about this little one here?"
"That is the symbol for a mileage breakdown"
"Correct, and what exactly does that mean?"
I smile…. "Now that I am not so sure about!" He smiled too, thankfully!
The examiners have a way of finding the weak points, and seeing just how deep they go! The Holy Spirit has a way of pointing them out too, He goes right to the places of weakness and brings them to the light…."Are you going to let Me correct this?"
Will you pass the test?
From May 10th
Last night while flying with my instructor under the hood, I thought I was doing a rather fine job, when it was pointed out to me that I had read my altitude instrument wrong. I was 1,000 feet below where I was supposed to be, according to the minimum safe altitude listed on the charts! In actual bad weather conditions that could have been deadly! I knew where I was supposed to be by looking at the chart, but had not taken care enough to insure that I was there. A lesson I won't soon forget!
Many people know what God wants them do, but refuse to for a variety of reasons. What they don't realize is that those choices could become "deadly" as well. We all have a date set with our Maker, in which He will judge us by the "chart" of His Word. Are you living by it? Have you chosen to follow your own rules or His? Why not take some time to double check that you are walking by the light of His Word, and not your own ways. That would be a mistake that you can't afford to make.
From November 3rd
Yesterday 
was an amazing day in NW Arkansas. I took some time in the morning to get a few things done and then took off for the Ozarks. I was able to locate a canoe rental place up on the White River. The sun was shining, there is a slight breeze, and the fall leaves are in complete spectacularism (new word?). I was surrounded by fisherman as I shoved my kayak into the clear cold water below the dam and watched as the rainbow trout darted away from my boat. Overall the trip was nothing less than peaceful. I saw some of the usual wildlife as I floated through the hills, fish, birds, and the occasional family of Sasquatch, all with a backdrop of amazing colors and crystal clear water.
It was nice to be able to take a moment or two outside of the daily routines to let my mind clear, and talk to the Lord. My question that I asked Him as I sat back in my little boat and let the oars rest for a few minutes was “What is that You want me to do? What is the next thing for me?” In my heart I hear the Word speak back “Continue in this path of seeking Me and walking in My will. Keep doing the same things, but with ever more fervency and devotion”.
Have you take a few moments lately to concentrate on the path that God want you to walk? Are you walking in the light of the truth He has directed you too?
I noticed that times my kayak scraped bottom, others I was over stones that the bottom looked to be 8 feet below me. Sometime the current was all it took to keep moving, others I slowly drifted in circles in the barely moving water. But I know where I am going I look forward to seeing the goal reached. Here are a few pictures I took on the trip.
From November 14th
“I don’t want to go to Hell”. The look on my friends face the other day told that he wasn’t lying. He stood straight and tense like a statue, tears brimming in his eyes as his gaze did not move from mine. I had shared a simple gospel with him, and when the truth began to set in that he would someday face judgment, it the Holy Spirit began to let the truth find it’s place in conviction. I asked him what he would do to avoid hell...”I’ll stop sinning, start doing what is right” Again I told with him that there is nothing that can be done to bring him into God’s good grace, the Law had already been broken. Instead the punishment had to be carried out, but that thankfully it had already been inflicted on the Son of God!
Why is it that so few know of the truth Gospel, even here in America? 2 billion have never even heard of God, or His Son. Never heard that there will be a judgement day! But friends, I have heard, and it has changed my life. I have believed, and it has made all the difference. If your life has truly been changed that it will spur you into action. The words written by Keith Green have been running in my mind now for a few weeks. You cannot look around at your lost friends and keep living as if there is no eternity for them, knowing that so many are without hope. Here are the words, read them and be convicted with me....
Do you see, do you see
All the people sinking down?
Don't you care, don't you care
Are you gonna let them drown?
How can you be so numb
Not to care if they come?
You close your eyes
And pretend the job's done
"Oh bless me Lord, bless me Lord"
You know it's all I ever hear
No one aches, no one hurts
No one even sheds one tear
But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds
And He cares for your needs
And you just lay back
And keep soaking it in,
Oh, can't you see it's such a sin?
Cause He brings people to you door,
And you turn them away
As you smile and say,
"God bless you, be at peace"
And all heaven just weeps
Cause Jesus came to your door
You've left him out on the streets
Open up open up
And give yourself away
You see the need, you hear the cries
So how can you delay
God's calling and you're the one
But like Jonah you run
He's told you to speak
But you keep holding it in,
Oh can't you see it's such a sin?
The world is sleeping in the dark
That the church just can't fight
Cause it's asleep in the light
How can you be so dead
When you've been so well fed
Jesus rose from the grave
And you, you can't even get out of bed
Oh, Jesus rose from the dead
Come on, get out of your bed
Don't close your eyes
Don't pretend the jobs done
Come away, come away, come away with Me my love,
Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, my love.
-
-Words by Keith Green
www.livingwaters.com is one of the best places to go to help equip you for personal evangelism.
From December 21st
Has Christmas changed your life? Has it transformed you? In in the song “The Servant King” by Graham Kendrik, there is a phrase that has played over and ever in my mind this season.
“Come see His hands and His feet,
the scars that speak of sacrifice,
Hands that flung stars into space,
to cruel nails surrendered.”
Think of that. Hands that flung stars into space coming to earth. What would it have been like to hold those little hands as He lay in the manger? I have meditated on this thought this year. What a shocking truth that I will never get over! Maybe this is why I love Christmas. I reflect at Christmas. I hope that you do too.
May God bless you and change your life this Christmas. Thanks for all your prayers and cards
