Gathering with Friends in Estes Park

Eleven couples. Two leaders passionate about seeing marriages thrive. One crisp, but sunny, overnight in Estes Park, CO.

Steve and Linda Nuss gathered us together like a rooster and mother hen guarding their chicks last weekend. Some of us were from their current marriage home group (format includes Jimmy and Karen Evans’ DVD, “Building Emotional Intimacy”), which will end in a couple of weeks. (Chet and I participate in that one.) Some of us were from the group they hosted last fall. Others were from GriefShare: Recovering from the Losses in Life that Steve and Linda started  in our church. At one point they oversaw about eight small GriefShare groups within the larger circle. Who knows where the other couples came from???

Between 3 pm and 5 pm Friday afternoon, we gathered on site at the Estes Park YMCA, which has a lot of construction popping up all over the 800-plus acres with new buildings, lodges and cabins mushrooming. We stayed in one of the nicer lodges, Wind River Lodge,  and the atmosphere around the weekend was casual and loose. It included lots of fellowship with family-style dinner together at three tables in the Dining Hall (buffet) Friday night and breakfast on Saturday morning. 

In the dark on Friday night, about eight vehicles caravaned around the property trying to find our fire ring  – backtracking a few times. We finally found the spot and settled on benches and our lawn chairs in front of a roaring fire stoked by three of the guys. Chuck Greenfield plunked beautiful worship songs on his guitar as some cuddled up in blankets. I led the charge on roasting marshmallows for our S’mores. Interestingly, it was the guys who did most of the talking, or led out on songs. I guess the women folk had used up their 50,000 words already with the excitement of meetin’, greetin’ and eatin’!

After breakfast the next morning, we packed up our stuff, checked out and headed for Meeting Room C, around several tables pushed together like a board meeting, where Steve and Linda passed out a handout and Ed Smith delivered a teaching via tape  relevant to developing intimacy in marriage.

The sun beat down on a gorgeous spring day and I did not want to leave Estes Park right away. Chet and I serendipidously met up with some of the gang and met at “Kind” coffee – found the perfect table with a full picture window view of the creek and path out the back. We casually sipped our lattes and smoothies and attempted a few games of Mexican Train Dominoes (though without the Mexican nor the train, because we couldn’t figure that part out).

Our little group (the Greenfields, Ketters, Chet and I) enjoyed a wonderfully relaxing afternoon before heading back down to Denver again.

It was a great way for me to spend my birthday.

Thank you, Steve and Linda, for all your hard work and for organizing an awesome marriage building get-away!!!

Christ Child in our Midst

Here’s a true story of something that happened last week. It is a perfect example of how Jesus can give answers – even to a child. 

 

I had volunteered to help out at our church’s 2nd annual “Walk Through Bethlehem.” We set up a huge white heated tent – it looks like a tunnel – and re-create the town of Bethlehem inside.

Selling her wares in Bethlehem during the census

Guests are invited to come and participate as them member of a family – such as the Weavers, Carpenters, Tanners, Bakers, Potters

Potter

or the Smiths – coming back to be counted for the census during the time Jesus was born.

 

 

 

Visitors walk amidst costumed characters and animals, such as camels and goats, and can talk to the people as though it is during that time.

An inventor shows his latest genius contraption

 

As you round a corner inside the town, a couple of people who work at an Inn shout out angrily to anyone who tries to enter, “There’s no room at the Inn! There’s no room here!”

Every few moments, an angel appears proclaiming, “Behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which will be to all people! For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” 

Before taking my post passing out programs near the hot chocolate table, I took a quick detour into the east side of the church, near the tent.  A couple of very anxious little girls ran past me up and down the halls crying out for two brothers. They wanted a couple of us grown-ups to make an announcement to help them reconnect, but we didn’t have access to the intercom. They had been looking for the brothers for quite a while.
 
Without giving it a second thought and seeing their great distress, as we stood out in the cold in front of the church I put my arm around them and said, “Do you believe Jesus can tell you where your brothers are?” They nodded. We held hands in a circle and the two girls, a 3rd grader and a 4th grader (Chet and I teach 4th & 5th grade), took my hands, bowed their head in faith and squeezed their eyes real tight while I prayed.
 
“Lord Jesus, you know where the brothers are. Could you give my two little sisters your peace and speak to their hearts. Where are they?”
 
The smallest girl with curly long blonde hair opened her eyes. “C’mon!” She beckoned to her friend. “I think they might be down there!” She pointed to the double doors and the stairs going down. “Let’s go!” Then she paused and looked at me. “Will you stay here and wait for us?”
 
I nodded and watched them barrel through the doors and down the stairs. Within two minutes, they came flying out the doors again screeching,”They were there! They were there!” A 10-year-old dark haired boy with a small boy, about 2, on his hip walked briskly after them.
 
“I knew right where to go!” the little girl said gleefully. “Jesus told me!”
 
The five of us walked to “Bethlehem” together, to see this Christ Child who answers our simplest cries for help.
 
 And that’s the way it has been for me on this journey of faith through the murky waters of the trials our family is facing now. Again and again I cry out to Jesus, “Help!!!! What do we do next?” And He has been very faithful to answer that cry each time.
 
And the same Jesus who loves me and answers my cries is eager to do the same for you…if you will have the faith of a child and take that first step.

 

Mary, Joseph and Jesus in the stable

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”- Luke 2:6-7