grace, and nothing more

Mother's Day 2012

2012-05-14T15:52:00.002-03:00

This post is a day late, but I wanted to get it up anyway. What follows are some nice videos of Denielle singing with the kiddos. They are blessed to have such a great, godly woman for a mother. Sometimes they just don't know it. If you have been looking for some indication as to the growth and development of our children, these might help wet the appetite. And, I must say in this forum a warm

The Good Life ... (Home Assignment Update, 008)

2012-04-25T17:22:00.000-03:00

Ten Days in Nebraska, in phrases and no particular order: Remembering the beauty of the Sandhills 7 cousins, most of them giggling Three beautiful buffs Fresh, homemade tacos from a taco stand being a part of a minority population forgetting the computer´s power cord at the last church (the first time that has happened) a panic as we figured out how we could show the slide

The Greatest of Days

2012-04-06T13:52:00.001-03:00

This is one of my all time favorite Resurrection Songs. It is by Andrew Peterson, entitled: "High Noon" High noon in the valley of the shadow When the deep of the valley was bright When the mouth of the tomb Shouted, "Glory, the Groom is alive" So long, you wages of sin Go on, don't you come back again I've been raised and redeemed You've lost all your sting To the victor of

Home Assignment 007, Hot Springs Edition

2012-03-31T16:26:00.000-03:00

This is my driving pose! In March we traveled almost 3800 miles, 3,200+ of those miles were furlough related. We visited in seven (7!) different churches, many, though not all, of those included a presentation of some sort. My wife is still married to me. Our children still come to us and love us. We are normal . . . kind of. . . not really. Happy Birthday Grandpa Scott!! More odd facts

Home Assignment 006

2012-03-06T23:38:00.000-03:00

So, I am not sure exactly which update number I should be using tonight, are we on 006 or 007? I guess a quick look would solve the problem. I am trying to get some online work up to date this evening as the next time I will be able to blog is probably a couple of weeks away. We just wrapped up a great month of February and we have a lot of things to be thankful for. See the previous post for a

Wisconsin Rural Bible Crusade

2012-02-17T07:00:00.000-02:00

We spent the last two and a half weeks with Denielle´s sister and brother-in-law smack in the heart of cheese country Wisconsin. We were only a few miles south of Colby, Wisconsin. We managed to visit a couple of cheese factories, though mostly their markets for selling their wares. A highlight: 12 year aged cheddar. The purpose for our stay was their Winter Retreat at Living Waters Bible Camp

Home Assignment Update 005

2012-02-15T16:59:00.000-02:00

12,000. I popped on blogger today to work on this post and noticed that we had reached this milestone number of page-views. OK, so it doesn´t really mean a lot, especially when you take into account the 5 (!!) years and 280 + posts of varying interest I/we have put into this blog. I´m not sure it is what I thought it would be when we started. But, I think it still serves as a useful tool, if to

2011 Rehash

2012-01-17T00:28:00.000-02:00

Back by popular demand, here is the much anticipated 2011 Rehash in quotes and notables. Ok, so no one demanded it. Or requested it but I´ll go ahead and give it to you anyway. Gratis. 2011 held many things, notable and mundane. Moments of victory and moments of failure. Hardships and bounty and of course way too many fleshly moments of self addiction. It was a notable year for us in that we

Home Assignment 004

2012-01-11T18:53:00.000-02:00

Some things are obvious, others are not so obvious. It is finally snowing in Minnesota. . . Nebraska and Kansas were as golden brown and dry as ever. God has given us wonderful role models in our family. Holidays with the family have been fantastic. We generally debated college football and theology, played games, watched football, and drank too much coffee. Mom Johnson and the brother

Worth a Second Look

2011-11-30T18:40:00.001-02:00

I first saw this video a couple of years ago. The Gospel is amazing!

Home Assignment 003

2011-10-24T13:12:00.001-02:00

The days are fast approaching now- though today we are in the lull before the storm, some packing things have to wait until the last day or two, everything else is just about packed up. We embark on a farewell tour this week- all of the invitations for meals and fellowship are very special. The visa status remains unchanged, except for the number of days where action can happen on that front-

Home Assignment Update 002- and a few pictures

2011-10-19T12:11:00.002-02:00

Hot off the presses (well it actully hasn´t gone to press yet but it is starting to make its rounds) the português version of our prayer card. Here are a few thoughts on our furlough plans as they now stand: The boxes are slowly starting to get filled and prepared for storage. Question- what product is the best to fight mold but not make everything stink? We´re thinking chalk- any ideas? We

OC: The Key to the Missionary Message

2011-10-15T13:53:00.000-03:00

So- it has been over ten years since I first read through Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest." This year I resolved to read it again. Like most devotionals of this stripe, you have to pick and choose and read around a few doctrines- especially the mysticism or what I like to call personal revelation that is experiential but not biblical- I digress. Every once in a while he has a real gem

Home Assignment Update- 001

2011-09-15T17:58:00.000-03:00

Colossians 3:12-13 reads: "Put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you." The implication is that we don't have to go to the mat over every issue and offense. We all sin in many ways and while often the loving thing to do is to confront, sometimes the

John 1:14

2011-08-26T16:28:00.000-03:00

J. C. Ryle pg. 28: "Let us leave the subject with feelings of deep gratitude and thankfulness. It is full of abounding consolation for all who know Christ by faith, and believe on Him. "Did the Word become flesh? Then He is One who can be touched with the feelings of His people's infirmities, because He has suffered Himself being tempted. He is almighty because He is God, and yet He can feel with

What exactly is Furlough?

2011-08-24T16:29:00.000-03:00

And can it really be our turn to experience it? Furlough- that once every couple of years phenomena that conjurs up spectaularly contradicting emotions and confilicting priorities. This event which will be on top of us before we can say pumpkin pie could not come with a greater paradox. In two short months we will board an airplane and temporarily say goodbye to the life we have known for the

July 16, 2011

2011-07-29T11:54:00.000-03:00

Indulgence

2011-05-18T15:54:00.000-03:00

A Blog About Blogging

2011-05-05T17:40:00.002-03:00

Hello? Hi there! Do you remember me? My name is Jon. I feel like I am returning home to an old friend . . . as we say in Português, faz tempo!! I am not exactly sure as to what is the reason for the absence except that it is true that we have been busier than we have at any point in the last two-plus years (uh . . . did anyone miss me? I didn´t think so.) We have truly had a remarkable

My Nutshell

2011-03-24T23:10:00.001-03:00

Spending a week with fellow missionaries...numberless blessings Laughing so hard I cried...ouch Finding both my twin, Carter's twin, and a new friendship...delightful Eating gluten free chocolate cake roll...delicious Relaxing at Ken and Lori's...perfect Making new friends at Light in Action...edifying Making every moment count with Todd and Julie...a balm to my soul Watching ElliAnna run, play

Because You Were Praying

2011-02-01T23:01:00.001-02:00

During the last three weeks we (our missionary team) have been preparing a group of seven people for baptism. Or should I say, we have been conducting a review of the Holy Spirit's work in preparing seven people for baptism. Lord willing we will be able to hold the baptism next Wednesday night around the pool in Vilmar's yard. Here are a few short stories that came from those people and one that

For Your Viewing Enjoyment, 17 Janeiro 2011

2011-01-22T15:02:00.000-02:00

ElliAnna Hope

2011-01-22T14:53:00.000-02:00

It was10 degrees above zero, a true heatwave for northern Minnesota in January. Light snow flakes falling in downtown Duluth, just a couple blocks from Lake Superior. It was a wonderful, memorable day. Our midwife was on vacation, we had known she would be traveling during that week but had prayed ElliAnna would wait until after the 21st to arrive. ElliAnna couldn't wait. Our backup plan was

2010 Rehash

2011-01-06T16:48:00.000-02:00

In the spirit of the season, I wanted to add a few of the good things that God taught me in 2010 and the quotes some of the quotes that that did it. Many of these quotes became blog posts, others showed up on Facebook. For some reason, most of these quotes don´t have citations. I´m not sure why and my apologies to those who said them. "Blessed is the man who´s strength is in You, whose heart

Eternity

2011-01-04T12:13:00.002-02:00