9-13-2007
Dear
Friends,
Tis a
season of growth and change....
First, the
ranch status, then some family news, and finally some of my personal thoughts.
The
Ranch....
After another
funding door closed on us last month, we had to sit down and pray/think. And it
became clear that God just wasn't letting us go the non-profit fundraising
route to buy the ranch. So we discussed it, and we're going to try to go the
private route instead. That way, the ranch is in our own
name, and the organization will just lease the property from us.
This also gets me (Tim) away from needing a salary from the
organization, which the IRS and the BBB both frown on anyway.
But it also
means that we are desperately trying to raise the money ourselves to buy
this place, and logging just wasn't paying enough to even make our own ends
meet, let alone leave extra to buy this place with. To that end, I am filling out
professional job apps in various places, writing like crazy, and also setting
up a bunch of internet stuff. I've put up several new websites, and am
marketing them hard. To float us through until they begin to turn a profit, I
am doing odd-jobs around for people, and Karen is still working at the local
public elementary school as a special-ed aide for a very challenged youngster
(pray for her - it drains her).
Http://www.timsbooks.net now has my
recently published sci-fi novel available, along with some self published
how-to stuff, family-friendly wallpaper collections, music, and various
friends' books also for sale. It will be growing as I publish more (several
more of my books getting ready for real publication).
I also set
up http://www.handwritingselftest.com,
where people can analyze handwriting characteristics for themselves,
potential dates (if they're single), spouses, potential employees, or just
plain simply for fun. It too will be growing in the future as more clients
begin to use it in a regular basis to enhance their own
personal businesses. You can help us by mentioning us and/or these sites
in your personal blogs, conversations, etc.
OK, enough
marketing... Sorry... *gentle chuckle*
God is
taking care of us. It's been rough, but we're hanging in there.
Family
Notes and my thoughts....
Two
weekends ago, we took a family outing to visit the Bruneau Sand
Dunes, the highest sand dunes in North America, about 2.5 hours from here. I
wasn't expecting it, but it must have been at least 110 degrees F (it was over
a hundred in Boise, so the dunes out in the desert were prolly a good 10 to 20
degrees hotter than that). It was hot. And since there are also 2 spring fed
lakes next to them, we spent most of the day relaxing in the water. About mid
afternoon though, me and the two older girls (the two that just got back
from Australia) got a wild hair and decided to climb the highest dune
there (475ft), while the rest of the family sat and watched us from where they
relaxed in the water. Remember, it was 110+ degrees. I did fine, one of the
girls did fine, but my other daughter almost fainted with heat
exhaustion. It was sooooo hot! Towards the top, each girl took one of my hands
and I ended up pulling them along with me to help them make it. And by the time
we reached the top, the water in our canteens was too hot to even drink
anymore, painfully so. But we made it, we did something that pushed ourselves
near the limit, and we conquered. Then we ran back down the dune, got huge
drinks of water, and immediately plunged back into the refreshing
water of the lake where we stayed for the next several hours. I was
reminded of the Apostle Paul's words about beating our bodies into submission
*chuckle*. But I felt a sense of accomplishment in making the climb, and I
think the girls did too. It was kinda neat.
But it also
became a real picture of what our lives were to become over the following 2
weeks (and continuing). The owner's wife stated about the time we went to the
sand dunes that she wants us to move out so they can sell the ranch to
someone else. Trouble is, we have no money yet to either buy (so we can stay
here and build a prayer ranch), and no money to move. Hence my working on the
web stuff so much while I look for a job. So we are caught in this strange
uncomfortable limbo, waiting at any moment to get an official notice-to-vacate
from their lawyer, while I am trying to get our cash flow moving again to
either buy or move. The heat has been turned up, so to speak. This has added to
a general level of uncomfortable family stress. Some of us are doing ok with
it, and our prayer walks are deepening, while some of us are struggling. In the
midst of this, I have had to make a conscious effort to spend more time with
each family member, praying with them, encouraging them, spending quality time
with them, etc. In that respect, these last two weeks have actually been very
productive. Have we reached the top of our sand dune yet? I don't know. I am
just putting one foot in front of the other and moving upward. I am doing what
I know to do to try to make ends meet, while continuing to move us toward
the goal of owning this property to build a prayer ranch on it. And I am
pulling my family along with me as we climb. Am I tired? Sure. But I am doing
ok. I know who I serve, I know the dream and vision exists, and I know that God
will always catch me/us if I fall, since I have staked my life on following
Him. And hopefully, I can challenge those that are watching us into trying
something exciting for God themselves.
And then
last week, I got called out on a house fire (I am on the local volunteer fire
department). By the time we got there as backup to the Idaho City Fire
Department, the house was fully engulfed in flames, and it had started a small
forest fire (1.5 acres). The Incident Commander quickly stationed me and
another guy and our fire truck between the advancing fire and the next house
down the road (the fire made it to within 100yards of this house). Along with a
wildland fire crew from Idaho City, a helitack firefighting helicopter, prolly
40 firefighters from various departments, a bulldozer, and several fire
engines, we contained the fire and knocked it down, but the house on fire was a
total loss.
And as I
poked through the smoldering ashes of the house afterwards helping to douse
hotspots, I watched the home owner out the corner of my eye. He was in shell
shock. Imagine going to work in the morning, and getting home to smoldering
ashes, with firemen poking through it. He lost a home, and several pets in
the blaze, and even the smell will stick in my memory for a long
time. I couldn't help but think about the sum of a man's life, in ashes on
the ground. It gave me pause to consider lots of things, like where is my
own true home, here or heaven? Would I be devastated to lose everything
earthly? Could I cope? Are my material possessions idols to me? What am I doing
about the people around me now, whose own lives are in towering flames? Am
I just watching them burn, or am I trying to help them? Will I still
have left a legacy behind if everything material I owned was suddenly taken
away? Would I still be a rich man, or a pauper?
Ain't life
grand? *chuckle*
I'm glad I
know God....
Sincerely,
-Tim &
Karen and family
208-392-6723
timbenedict@peoplepc.com
http://www.bighouseministries.com
21 Yellowpine Lane, Boise, ID 83716