Trust and the County Fair

Last week marked the 100th annual San Juan County Fair. I think for many people in Friday Harbor it is one of the highlights of the summer. I always enjoy meeting people at the fair, reconnecting and sharing in the joy of being there amongst all the excitement.

I really think you can taste the flavor of any region of the country by going to a County Fair. The flavor I tasted here is one of community, creativity, stewardship, and fun! At the 4H exhibits of animals and projects, I got the sense of responsibility being nutured in young people by caring adults. Hmmm! So many good flavors to taste this past week; I wish I could include them all.


In watching the carnival rides and the men working to fix them I sensed a need to TRUST. Honestly, some of those rides looked like they could come apart with a few good shakes, spins,
twists and turns. Whoa! Yet, children and parents trusted in the rusty machines, loose bolts and all, to give the thrill ride anticipated and return everyone to a safe stop. Whoa! Now that is TRUST!

How is it that we can TRUST old carnival machines with aging hydrolics and rusty nuts and bolts with our lives, not to mention our childrens lives, and not TRUST God with our lives? This is a mystery to me. Why can't we TRUST the Creator of the universe with our day to day lives? What is it about me, about us? Could it be true that our natural bent is rebellion towards God? The more I see the more I know that this is true. Your thoughts?

Camping in the Creation

In early August the Woodward family found rest, peace and comfort in the Lord's creation and amongst fellowship with our family. We were blessed to be able to retreat, unplug our lives from computers and cell phones. I recommend this for everyone once or twice a year.

Actually, this is recommended by God more often than just once or twice per year. He wants us to do it weekly. Set aside a day, the Sabbath; to rest in Him, honor Him, reflect on His graciousness, give thanks and truly let Him have our burdens. He says this with authority and command in the book of Exodus.

Exodus 20:8-11

"Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days a week are set apart for your daily duties and regular work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any kind of work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; then he rested on the seventh day. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.

As I look around me I don't see much observance of this commandment, one of the ten commandments by the way. I too get caught up in the wave of busyness that seems to swell over my head at times. We have the created order of life all backwards.

If you notice from the Genesis record of God's creating; he was hard at work for six days and on the sixth day he created man and woman. Right after this work He rested, the seventh day. So... man and woman's first day in existence after being created was a day of rest.

It was from this full day of rest that they moved on to the work God had for them in the garden of Eden. The order then is from REST we WORK. Most of what I see in my life pattern and the pattern of others is WORK, WORK, WORK, WORK, and then maybe rest if there is time or if we have justified rest by doing enough work.

This pattern or order was not in God's created plan. Whoa! He created us to WORK from REST. What do you need to do to make life adjustments in your weekly schedule to line up with God's plan for your life?