Ready to get out of the box?  I mean literally ... it's time to consider a move from your present location!  Whether it's to another town, community, etc. you must ... you "need" to pull up your roots and consider changes! 

When I left active duty in the U.S. Air Force, the very first place I wanted to go when I got out was to the ranch!  That's right!  Our family had a 675 acre ranch out in West Texas where I grew up.  The one thing that I missed the most was being out there in the country, listening to the cows, watching the sun go down, and thinking peaceful thoughts. 

When I approached my Dad (while still in California) before I left, all of my plans suddenly changed!  My Dad had rented the ranch house out to my cousin, Russell.  Now of all of my cousins, Russell and I are the most similar in the fact that we both love the country, and we both love cowboy'in ... 

So, my plans for the ranch were cancelled.  I didn't have the heart to try and bump Russell out of what I'd be doing already if I hadn't been in the Air Force.  But life had changed. 

I remember later, in a conversation to GOD about the many things that had "changed" since I got back home, and He told me something I'll never forget! 

"Rich, " He said, "LIFE is about change."  He reminded me of the streams that ran through our ranch, and how my brothers and I used to dam up the streams to make the water rise!  Trouble is, we'd get distracted and take off to do something and leave the dam in place. 

The next time we were there, I noticed that the waters were growing "mucky"!  They had all sorts of ... well, for lack of a better phrase ... all sorts of "stuff" growing in them!  Before we had dammed up these streams the water was crystal clear and good to drink!  Now, there was no way you could get me to drink from them! 

I learned, once we cleared the dam, that the water as it ran through would again become clear, after a time.  It was then that "wisdom" came to me.  I realized what GOD was talking about!  It was the constantly changing waters that ran through the stream that we loved the very most!  Once we stopped the waters from flowing, we stopped the "change" ... the fresh waters that would continually replenish the stream.  The waters began to grow stagnant and mucky! 

But when we would remove the dam, the waters would again run, and "change" would again be at work in keeping the streams clear and delicious! 

So, the next time you go to GOD and complain about how things are constantly changing, remember ...

"LIFE ... is about change." 



Make me proud! 
-pastor rich-


*NOTE:  Word Church is not currently meeting in regular meetings, and is considering a move from Austin.  More on this as things develop.