Monday Morning...

Thinking of you sitting there at your computer, trying to get at what it is that grubbykupp is all about. Thinking about how we're just trying to be a people who wait, listen, hear, and obey...

There are people in our group who are praying on weekdays at the house, and this morning there was a word from Psalm 81

"...my people did not listen to my voice;

Israel would not submit to me.

So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,

to follow their own counsels.

O that my people would listen to me,

that Israel would walk in my ways!"

We're in a place of repenting from years of trying to live the life in Christ by our best ideas...by our "own counsels".

In Isaiah 50:10-11, There is a scary condemnation of people who light their own fires to guide themselves through the adversity of darkness, contrasted with those who walk by trust and reliance in the dark, the whole way through.

We're in a place of repenting from years, even generations of Christianity lived by the light of fires like these... So little of the work of the Gospel in our country is founded in trust and reliance--Listening... Mostly it's based in Thinking!

Mostly it's been based in thinking up our best ideas and calling them the call. So we're stopping and sitting down and listening and quieting our souls before Him to hear what He wants.

there has been a lot of little friction that has been showing us how we need to really work with God toward unity and peace among us. Seriously, it seems like we can't go ten steps without someone really getting torn by each other... We are full to the brim, it seems to me, with selfishness and fear.

Some time ago, I got undone on us trying to transport some office equipment. I got my nickers in a twist because of it and I've been having to learn to repent and get free of the world's values in me... You should have seen me. You would have been mad at me.

Our Sunday Night Meetings are really becoming sacred time and sacred space in our lives... Mr. Weiss brought a teaching on THE FEAR OF GOD last night. I can see that we all need to soak in this, more. It's the cure for selfishness and folly.

Today is SETH ROSS'S BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!

He's three and we're all going to Chuck E. Cheese's for the party, this afternoon. Tom and a whole bunch from GK will laugh it up with him and AAron and all of us, there.

You know, this is one of the things I'm loving the most. Our people are in our house, yes, but they're also becoming family with us. Last night, Tom stayed over and got waked up by people praying in the big room at 6am...

Last Friday, we had a Bible study at 7am in our downstairs kitchen.

Someone donated a much-needed stove!

Another family has given me a desk, and donated a loveseat and two chairs to the meeting space...

There are many needs, here. We know that the Lord will bring everything together in His time.

Pray for me to be patient. It's hard for me to see so far ahead and then have a broken bannister... Want a view into my mind? I have this broken bannister and about 20 other small carpentry jobs... I could do them--POORLY and SLOWLY... But i'm busy trying to stay in the Word and Prayer, so I look at them each day and they look back at me and Satan gives them voice to call me the names I heard in gradeschool, over and over, all day...

I need this bannister so I can conquer foes I fled in the past.

I know that God will send the shelving and repairs, and all that in his time... In the meantime, I find these times mean. I mean that they bring to surface the miserly and mean spirit of my heart, shooing me into grace. They mean that I have need of discipline... Pray that I learn.

We got new tires on the Toyota, JP's escort, and the REPAIR VAN. Do you know why we call it the repair van? All of you who have given so we could get it back on the road know why. Please pray. It's transmission (it's 2nd) seems a bit out of whack lately...

But new tires are really great! I don't know thelast time I got them. But they rule. I mean, I don't slide around and the bumps aren't as sharp... Thanks Andre and Co.

Tonight, Andre is coming over to work on cars and share a meal and play guitar... Andre is a guy who is a mechanic and loves to help folks...

Peace to you from Lew on behalf of the Grubby kupp crew.