Care

When God Mixes

A while back I read a story of a visiting pastor who attended a men’s breakfast in the middle of a rural area of the country.

The group had asked an older farmer, decked out in bib overalls, to say grace for the morning breakfast.

“Lord, I hate buttermilk”, the farmer began.

The visiting pastor opened one eye to glance at the farmer and wonder where this was going.

The farmer loudly proclaimed, “Lord, I hate lard.”

Now the pastor was growing concerned.

Without missing a beat, the farmer continues, “And Lord, you know I don’t much care for raw white flour.”

The pastor once again opened an eye to glanced around the room and saw that he wasn’t  the only one beginning to feel uncomfortable.

Then the farmer added, “But Lord, when you mix them all together and bake them, I do love warm fresh biscuits. So Lord, when things come up that we don’t like, when life gets hard, when we don’t understand what you’re saying to us, help us to just relax and wait until you are done mixing. It will probably be even better than biscuits. AMEN.”

Aging & Disability Resource Center

Call or share with someone you know! The ARDC of Central Wisconsin is hosting another Powerful Tools for Caregivers class virtually in January. This is a six-week class to help family caregivers take care of themselves. In this weekly interactive class, caregivers will learn to reduce stress, improve confidence, improve communication, and locate resources. Individual technology is required as this is a virtual offering. The cost is free, though donations donations for the “Caregiver Helpbook” are welcome. Call Scott Seeger for more info: 715-261-6066.

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Random Thoughts

by Mike Zahn
January 2020    

North Central District Lay Leader

“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but they that keepeth the law, happy are they.” Proverbs 28:19

The Wisconsin UMC is divided into five districts, and I have been asked by our District Superintendent, Rev. Tsuker Yang, to be the District Lay Leader for the UMC’s North Central District, which comprises 19 counties from La Crosse to Vilas (including Marathon County) and I have accepted the challenge.

Do you know what the North Central District’s vision for our region is? (Did you even know there is a North Central District?) It is Rev. Yang’s passion to make sure the vision becomes known, and implemented within our district. The vision is to work together on a regional basis to strengthen our churches.

Strengthen our churches to help current members grow and mature as disciples of Jesus Christ. Strengthen our churches to reach out to new people through our minis-tries. Strengthen the pastors of our churches to equip, train and lead the people in their congregations. Strength- en our churches by providing growth opportunities through Lay Servant Ministries Classes and other means. God is depending on us to do His work. I will be trying to do my part by participating in the work of our district, and by encouraging you to learn new ways to know God and make God truly known in our communities. May God’s spirit lead us all!

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