it's been a while since i spilled here...
We're in the new house. It's on Chase Ave. That's a cool spiritual reference/symbol. Psalm 27 says "seek my face". We're chasing it... God chasers and all that. That's the life we're in.
The kids are living with the changes...
Aaron is carving out the end of his fourth grade with the homeschooling thing. Seth is toddling through the hazards with angels busy...
Judy is placing exchange students, packing her old house into the new, caring for her mom, and wifing lew. prayers ascend for her...
Lew is installing a sink this morning, a shower yesterday. Actually, Lew is helping the REAL carpenter we hired. He's the brains and most of the brawn.
Judy's parents are in the house too. Mom is now in the hospice phase. She's fading to the earth, but her glow is just rising in the heavens.
The family is gathering around her this coming Wednesday. I hope you will check back here and at grubbykupp.blogspot.com to find out more.
This place will get more active in the days to come.
June is the month I'll fire up the ministry stuff again. Last night I was at a skatepark, late... The fields are ripe and the Spirit is speaking.
More soon,
Lew
Saturday, May 29, 2004
I'm loving the Comments. I would ask that you all leave me an email so I can get back to you directly.
So far the only way to respond to comments has been to drop a comment back. This worries that maybe you might not read the new comments and enjoy the conversation.
For the person who left an anonymous comment a couple blogs back, I'm sorry if I seemed to rant bitterly in the end of that entry. I know that must have seemed hypocritical to you, because your comment was barbed. So read my comments after that and let's talk like humans through email.
Lew
So far the only way to respond to comments has been to drop a comment back. This worries that maybe you might not read the new comments and enjoy the conversation.
For the person who left an anonymous comment a couple blogs back, I'm sorry if I seemed to rant bitterly in the end of that entry. I know that must have seemed hypocritical to you, because your comment was barbed. So read my comments after that and let's talk like humans through email.
Lew
It's about 730am. I'm up early waiting for a construction guy so we can finish Mom and Dad's Shower on the first floor.
Yesterday Mom came home from the hospital and the Hospice folks got us set up with a bunch of equipment. She is fading. It won't be long till her spirit leaves her body.
These are great days. I am honored and happy to be part of the passing of such saints. My Father-in-Law is a man of simple greatness. He went to a part of the world where the Gospel had never been heard and, starting around 50 years of age, (with no theological degree or certificate of "here, now you can do this") planted well over 15 churches there. Those churches were planted in the 80's and are still there, growing and harvesting more souls, today.
Mom has always been his support. He has been simple and hardy, stubborn as a rock. She is gentle and quiet, preferring to serve. She always served without complaint. And she served a lot. Her whole life was built on serving and supporting her family and the saints. She has a lot to look forward to.
And so, death will come to visit us here soon. And That's a good thing, because we're believers in Jesus. We have a hope that cuts through the fear of death. We Know the truth about what will happen after death. This is our anchor: Hope in the resurrection.
Today I read in Isaiah 8:11-13, "Do not think like everyone else does... Do not fear anything except the Lord Almighty. He alone is the Holy One. If you fear him, you need fear nothing else. He will Keep you safe..."
I look forward to joining Mom in glory soon. We all follow not so long after. Our lives span less than a century in a universe where time is just a temporary mechanism to give true love and justice a backdrop. Yesterday I told Mom that- that I'd be following soon enough after. It made sense. We are not as strong as we think we are.
Then last night I took Aaron to our local skatepark and I watched the young men trying desperately to grab glory with their toys. They all had a look of fear. They are digging so hard, trying to unearth their sky. People who know no hope, yet.
I know and love many of the people who are reading this blog. Thank you for checking it out. Much of what I write is limited in scope and perspective. I say things wrong, and I say wrong things. But the point I'm trying to get across with my life and the words I speak is simply that God really loves us and wants us to walk with Him. There is a judgment on the way and we need to get and keep it real with that as we finish our short courses on the planet.
Make every shot count!
Lew
Yesterday Mom came home from the hospital and the Hospice folks got us set up with a bunch of equipment. She is fading. It won't be long till her spirit leaves her body.
These are great days. I am honored and happy to be part of the passing of such saints. My Father-in-Law is a man of simple greatness. He went to a part of the world where the Gospel had never been heard and, starting around 50 years of age, (with no theological degree or certificate of "here, now you can do this") planted well over 15 churches there. Those churches were planted in the 80's and are still there, growing and harvesting more souls, today.
Mom has always been his support. He has been simple and hardy, stubborn as a rock. She is gentle and quiet, preferring to serve. She always served without complaint. And she served a lot. Her whole life was built on serving and supporting her family and the saints. She has a lot to look forward to.
And so, death will come to visit us here soon. And That's a good thing, because we're believers in Jesus. We have a hope that cuts through the fear of death. We Know the truth about what will happen after death. This is our anchor: Hope in the resurrection.
Today I read in Isaiah 8:11-13, "Do not think like everyone else does... Do not fear anything except the Lord Almighty. He alone is the Holy One. If you fear him, you need fear nothing else. He will Keep you safe..."
I look forward to joining Mom in glory soon. We all follow not so long after. Our lives span less than a century in a universe where time is just a temporary mechanism to give true love and justice a backdrop. Yesterday I told Mom that- that I'd be following soon enough after. It made sense. We are not as strong as we think we are.
Then last night I took Aaron to our local skatepark and I watched the young men trying desperately to grab glory with their toys. They all had a look of fear. They are digging so hard, trying to unearth their sky. People who know no hope, yet.
I know and love many of the people who are reading this blog. Thank you for checking it out. Much of what I write is limited in scope and perspective. I say things wrong, and I say wrong things. But the point I'm trying to get across with my life and the words I speak is simply that God really loves us and wants us to walk with Him. There is a judgment on the way and we need to get and keep it real with that as we finish our short courses on the planet.
Make every shot count!
Lew
It's about 730am. I'm up early waiting for a construction guy so we can finish Mom and Dad's Shower on the first floor.
Yesterday Mom came home from the hospital and the Hospice folks got us set up with a bunch of equipment. She is fading. It won't be long till her spirit leaves her body.
These are great days. I am honored and happy to be part of the passing of such saints. My Father-in-Law is a man of simple greatness. He went to a part of the world where the Gospel had never been heard and, starting around 50 years of age, (with no theological degree or certificate of "here, now you can do this") planted well over 15 churches there. Those churches were planted in the 80's and are still there, growing and harvesting more souls, today.
Mom has always been his support. He has been simple and hardy, stubborn as a rock. She is gentle and quiet, preferring to serve. She always served without complaint. And she served a lot. Her whole life was built on serving and supporting her family and the saints. She has a lot to look forward to.
And so, death will come to visit us here soon. And That's a good thing, because we're believers in Jesus. We have a hope that cuts through the fear of death. We Know the truth about what will happen after death. This is our anchor: Hope in the resurrection.
Today I read in Isaiah 8:11-13, "Do not think like everyone else does... Do not fear anything except the Lord Almighty. He alone is the Holy One. If you fear him, you need fear nothing else. He will Keep you safe..."
I look forward to joining Mom in glory soon. We all follow not so long after. Our lives span less than a century in a universe where time is just a temporary mechanism to give true love and justice a backdrop. Yesterday I told Mom that- that I'd be following soon enough after. It made sense. We are not as strong as we think we are.
Then last night I took Aaron to our local skatepark and I watched the young men trying desperately to grab glory with their toys. They all had a look of fear. They are digging so hard, trying to unearth their sky. People who know no hope, yet.
I know and love many of the people who are reading this blog. Thank you for checking it out. Much of what I write is limited in scope and perspective. I say things wrong, and I say wrong things. But the point I'm trying to get across with my life and the words I speak is simply that God really loves us and wants us to walk with Him. There is a judgment on the way and we need to get and keep it real with that as we finish our short courses on the planet.
Make every shot count!
Lew
Yesterday Mom came home from the hospital and the Hospice folks got us set up with a bunch of equipment. She is fading. It won't be long till her spirit leaves her body.
These are great days. I am honored and happy to be part of the passing of such saints. My Father-in-Law is a man of simple greatness. He went to a part of the world where the Gospel had never been heard and, starting around 50 years of age, (with no theological degree or certificate of "here, now you can do this") planted well over 15 churches there. Those churches were planted in the 80's and are still there, growing and harvesting more souls, today.
Mom has always been his support. He has been simple and hardy, stubborn as a rock. She is gentle and quiet, preferring to serve. She always served without complaint. And she served a lot. Her whole life was built on serving and supporting her family and the saints. She has a lot to look forward to.
And so, death will come to visit us here soon. And That's a good thing, because we're believers in Jesus. We have a hope that cuts through the fear of death. We Know the truth about what will happen after death. This is our anchor: Hope in the resurrection.
Today I read in Isaiah 8:11-13, "Do not think like everyone else does... Do not fear anything except the Lord Almighty. He alone is the Holy One. If you fear him, you need fear nothing else. He will Keep you safe..."
I look forward to joining Mom in glory soon. We all follow not so long after. Our lives span less than a century in a universe where time is just a temporary mechanism to give true love and justice a backdrop. Yesterday I told Mom that- that I'd be following soon enough after. It made sense. We are not as strong as we think we are.
Then last night I took Aaron to our local skatepark and I watched the young men trying desperately to grab glory with their toys. They all had a look of fear. They are digging so hard, trying to unearth their sky. People who know no hope, yet.
I know and love many of the people who are reading this blog. Thank you for checking it out. Much of what I write is limited in scope and perspective. I say things wrong, and I say wrong things. But the point I'm trying to get across with my life and the words I speak is simply that God really loves us and wants us to walk with Him. There is a judgment on the way and we need to get and keep it real with that as we finish our short courses on the planet.
Make every shot count!
Lew
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Quick entry!
The kids and I spent part of the late morning rounding up a tub of cicadas! Real fun for the Nine and Two-year olds... And the Thirty-one year olds...
We're in the house! The Big House in Northside. We live on the edge of the 'hood. There are all these dudes in Black and white gang colors hanging out on the street all the time. I love our neighborhood.
I've taken May off from most of my ministry schedule (skateparks, coffee shops, etc...) to get the house livable for the Weisses (Judy's parents). The Rosses hit the house on the twelfth with our 24-ft. moving truck. The Weisses on the 18th. John Parran (JP) comes to stay for a week in the beginning of June, then he's off to Mexico and Kenya for three months...
In August, we'll receive two exchange daughters to live in the Big Room. Gulzar and Piyanan, from Turkmenistan and Thailand. We are looking forward to sharing our home and life with them.
I know it's not too often that I write, but i'm really enjoying the ability to post our life here. I hope some of you contact us and come see our new home/ministry base here.
Lew
The kids and I spent part of the late morning rounding up a tub of cicadas! Real fun for the Nine and Two-year olds... And the Thirty-one year olds...
We're in the house! The Big House in Northside. We live on the edge of the 'hood. There are all these dudes in Black and white gang colors hanging out on the street all the time. I love our neighborhood.
I've taken May off from most of my ministry schedule (skateparks, coffee shops, etc...) to get the house livable for the Weisses (Judy's parents). The Rosses hit the house on the twelfth with our 24-ft. moving truck. The Weisses on the 18th. John Parran (JP) comes to stay for a week in the beginning of June, then he's off to Mexico and Kenya for three months...
In August, we'll receive two exchange daughters to live in the Big Room. Gulzar and Piyanan, from Turkmenistan and Thailand. We are looking forward to sharing our home and life with them.
I know it's not too often that I write, but i'm really enjoying the ability to post our life here. I hope some of you contact us and come see our new home/ministry base here.
Lew
Monday, May 3, 2004
It's been a long time since I've been able to write a BLOG entry. You see, I'm really nervous about putting things out here on the web. I already really question and disagree with myself on some points in past BLOG entries.
But my site meter came back today and last week with well over 60 hits! That means that a lot of people are coming here to see what's going on, so:
GK Family:
This week we closed on the Chase Mission House- a huge funeral home in Northside, Cincinnati. This place will house the Ross Clan (2nd floor), the Weisses (1st floor), John Parran and his ministry machine of hospitality (third floor), and two foreign exchange students (third floor).
We will base the house meeting for the Church in the Great Room on the first floor, and love our neighbors and live out the call to passionate disciplemaking, there.
Northside is kind of divided into three parts:
1. the nice, historical houses--beautiful!
2. the downtown part--cool shops and coffee nooks! bohemian.
3. the 'hood-- blatantly urban in culture
We're on the far side of the 'hood, deeply embedded where we are. We are excited about the tough love of Jesus! His love was so cool! We're committed to modeling our lives and ministry after Him, living in connection with the Father for dailys...
Ross Family:
Judy and Lew saw a funny movie the other day about a girl who was thirteen that wished herself into her thirtieth year. very funny to me. I don't like chick movies, except for Sleepless..., and you've got mail, and Notting Hill, and... uh... the list goes on much farther than I care to admit...
Aaron and Seth are hilarious and trying as we homeschool and place foreign exchange students, and found a ministry, all out of our living room.
Seth is two and Blond and cute (somebody show me how to put pics in this thing!) and Aaron is blond and 9 years old. Not so cute anymore, he's learning how to be a kid. I think he is the one who is the most frustrated of us all, lately, between his school load and trying to ALWAYS be outside playing. He is a real leader among his friends.
The Church:
Well, I've said it before and I'll keep saying it. When people ask me how "your church" is going, I'm quick to say something that will highlight that: WE DON'T HAVE A CHURCH. We simply host The Church of Jesus in our home. We are equipping leaders in their gifts, as the gifts of Jesus to His Church to get us all mobilised in serving HIM...
And the ministry of hosting and equipping the Church is very pleasing to us. People are becoming active ambassadors. People are being strengthened and sent and healed and equipped.
We are always on the lookout for who's next and where the next God-meeting will be. I spend a lot of time in the coffee shops and campus area, dropping my net. We are feeling a pull in our hearts to love those who are cast aside by American Cultural Christianity. This brings our hearts to have a lot of room in them for Muslim people. We love them.
We have recently met a young man from Bahrain, Sunell. He is a true Believer and disciple of Jesus, the son of a southern Indian missionary to Bahrain. He loves deeply and has a great grasp on the truth. He is shacked up with JP, and joining with us to equip the saints here.
I also recently met a guy who was cut from the team of a local "ministry to the city". He was pushing the limit, insisting on loving the poor and the lost with integrity to the Gospel, not in word only. He told me, "There are a lot of people who preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but don't preach the Gospel that Jesus Christ preached". That is, there is a lot of pinning the name of Jesus onto our religious ideas and trips, but not truly "teaching them to obey" Him.
This is what it's like out there, in American Cultural Religion Land. A gospel of Jesus in the Suburbs, driving his SUV out of his two-car garage, down to his church that serves starbucks... ouch. It's a gospel that affirms complacency and feeds our greed. It is so subtle. We are all so guilty. Daniel 7 has a great prayer for us all to pray. We're all inthis together! None of us is untouched by the sin of the Church in America.
Lew Ross grubbykupp@msn.com
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