A lost Ring

This is a guest post from my good childhood friend Ben. Read and enjoy. If you want to fellow what other great things God is doing in Bens neck of the woods go to his blog thttp://neighborhoodministry.blogspot.com
Beans view for today is Bens....
Friday, January 8, 2010
A lost Ring

Tim Sutherland’s life has come full circle much like the ring that spent 5 years in his pocket. Tim grew up in Northwest Indiana and as a young boy grew very rebellious. His family was very involved in Hobart Assembly of God church. Five generations of Sutherland’s have worshiped and been involved at that church. Tim did not enjoy this life he longed for the “normal” life all his other friends had. They would steal beer from their parents, smoke, and cause juvenile trouble.

Tim’s rebellion lasted much longer than normal teenage angst. He become heavily involved in drugs but he did well living a double life. He would work and by all appearances seemed to be doing well. The problem was his addiction kept growing and he was having to feed this addiction. He was married and had two children. Tim was spending time with a rough crowd including some who were part of the outlaw’s biker gang. One day he was spending a day partying and a group of them were sitting in a living room on a couch. All was normal until a ring fell out of the couch cushions. There was a mad scramble for the ring, Tim eventually ended up with this treasure.

The ring was big, very big. It looked to be a high school ring of some sort. It had a ruby in the center. Tim’s plan was to pawn the ring and use the money to buy drugs. That day passed and he ended up not pawning it. Tim would spend the next five years in teen challenge rehabilitation centers. He would go and get out, relapse and go back. This happened numerous times. This would take him to Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Florida, and Alabama and ever state in between. He lost everything his family, job, car, house and everything else. The only constant material item he had was this ring. He thought many times of selling it but just never did.

Tim had forgotten about this ring when he packed his belongings to leave Muskegon Teen Challenge. He had spent the last couple of years there and it had been a great time of recovering. He was moving back to Indiana to live with his sister and spend Christmas with her family. Tim had two bags of clothes to his name. As he was unpacking at his new apartment in his sisters basement he remembered how he wanted to start wearing a cross that he had gotten from a Native American friend of his. He opened the box that held this cross and he saw this ring that had been with him for all these years and this journey he had been on. Seeing this ring may have reminded him of the time he was in Alabama trying to keep his son from going down the same path he had. He may have thought about the pride that had made him quit teen challenge only to fail and have to go back. That was in the past now. There was optimism this time though; he had left teen challenge on good terms. The staff was satisfied that Tim was ready to go back to the real world.

He picked up the ring and was admiring it when he began looking at it further. It was a high school wrestling championship ring. He put it away again not knowing what he would do with it. As he began preparing for a new life, he had asked different family members to write ten things about him that he needed to change. His father wrote some good things about Tim in pen and then some things that Tim needed to change in pencil. He wrote it in pencil so as God continued to work in Tim’s life he could erase them. On the top of this list: Tim needs to work on his capacity to love other people. As he prayed about how he could love people the ring came to mind. What if I found the person who this ring belongs to? He asked himself. He did some more research on the ring and found some initials on the ring. J.P. He looked at the ring and the year on the ring was 2001. It was from Portage High school. He did a google search and found the names to the wrestlers from that year. There was only one wrestler with the initials of J.P. The high schooler’s name was Justin Powell.

From all the information Tim could find Justin wrestled in the 275 pound weight class and had lost in the state finals. Now to find him, Tim had no idea if Justin still lived in the area. He did some research, asked many people to help and did social media queries. All to no avail no one seemed to know Justin or where he was. Tim was getting discouraged after 3 weeks of searching. Tim felt sure that God was going to use this ring for something great. Tim did not know how God was going to work, he was just certain God would work. One of the thoughts Tim had during this time was the word champion. He did quite a bit of research on the word and one of the meanings of the word champion is some one who goes between, an intermediaries.
Tim thought when I meet Justin I am going to share about the champion in my life: Jesus.

This Monday Tim’s brother in law inquired about the search. Tim was disheartened but his brother in law was not going to give up. He thought maybe some one else on the wrestling team still keeps in touch with him. Tim thought not a bad idea, but not a great idea either for that matter. They searched the web site and found one of the other wrestlers name. Tim did a google search on him and came up with a phone number. Tim was apprehensive at first, not knowing if he should call or not. Then the thought came you have nothing to lose. So Tim called and on the other end was an answering machine. Tim left a detailed message to the effects of “Hello my name is Tim Sutherland, I think you may have wrestled in high school with Justin Powell, I ended up with his ring and am looking to give it back.” That was that another dead end.

On Tuesday morning Tim was on the phone when a strange number tried calling. Tim didn’t think anything of it and ignored it. The person didn’t leave a message. Tim got off the phone and it rang again. Tim answered it and said hello. The other voice said "is this Tim Sutherland?" Tim knowing that many people in his past may be looking for him didn’t know what to say so he meekly mumbled yea. The voice on the other end said "this is Justin Powell, I heard you had my ring." Tim was in shock; this journey that lasted 5 years was coming to an end. Tim asked Justin to meet him at a pizza place that night.

Tim, his sister, Justin and his wife all got together. They met and Tim was excited, he was excited for what God had in store for this situation. Justin and his wife were both in their mid twenties. He was excited to see this ring that reminded him of the good high school days. Things had not been so good for Justin and his family since high school. There had been ups and downs since this wrestler had gotten this ring. There had been time spent in jail, there had been struggles in marriage, and there had been addictions. Tim asked Justin about how he lost the ring. Justin couldn’t remember in full detail but he thought maybe some friends had stolen it. Tim went on to explain his journey, he explained how Jesus had changed his life. Tim didn’t know what the outcome would be. Everyone at the table was crying as they all shared their stories.

Then Tim asked Justin about his spiritual journey. Justin and his wife looked at each other and said we were invited to Hobart Assembly of God and have been going for the past three weeks. This was the church Tim had grown up in. This was the church that had been such a support to the Sutherland family. This story like the ring came full circle. This lost ring represents in many ways the journey Tim was on. This is a God story because there was no possible way that this story could have happened any other way.

Tim is a part of Neighborhood Ministry

Merry Christmas!

Too busy to write See you after the new year..BEAN

Christmas Treats

We are in Full Christmas mode around these here parts.
Trees Up Check!
Stockings hung with care Check!
Gifts bought and wrapped Check! (well almost)
Christmas Pictures being taken today Check!
Christmas Treatsbeing bought or cooked Check!
Christmas Treats are  one of the most highly favored things about Christmas for most people. Cookies, Candy and Chex mixs oh My!

        Some of my fondness childhood memories is of Christmas treats. The things your Mother or Grandmother would never dare cook other then in the month of December.
In our family it was and still is Chexs mix homemade of course. Sugar Cookies from a Cookie press. Children licking their Red and Green food coloring stained fingers to get the sugar off when Mom was not looking. My famous flavored Oyster Crackers which I can't tell you the recipe but I would have to kill you..Jk.. Old fashion soft Candy cane pepermint sticks. Silver bells other wise known as Hersey Kisses at my GreatGrandmothers house on Christmas eve.
Leave me a comment with your email about your favotie Christmas treat and I will email you my Oyster Cracker recipe
Beans view is sweet today

Two reasons i'm glad I homeschool

Just two more reasons I am So Glad I homeschool my children


NJ Teacher Tells Girl to Put Away Bible During Quite Time
http://www.myfoxny.com/dpp/news/local_news/new_jersey/091215-nj-teacher-tells-girl-to-put-away-bible


An 8-year-old special needs student near Boston was suspended and told to undergo a psychological evaluation after creating a drawing of Jesus on the cross that was deemed too violent.
http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/dpgo-boy-suspended-for-jesus-drawing-lwf-200912151260929701567

Beans View is wondering what happen to one nation under God?

What is God's will for your life?

Life does not always go the way we plan.Good thing for us it works that way. I am so greatful God did not work out my plans in my life. Boy would my life be diffrent.

We were created by God, in His image, for a purpose.He has a specific purpose and a specific plan for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us something wondeful about Gods plans for us.

"For I know the plans I have for you,’ declared the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11).

How is it that we go about finding this Good will of God for our lives?

I know a few things I have learned in my 34 short years of life here on earth. I will gladly share them with you.

First God's will is that we have a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. Who died for our sins.The book of first Timothy 2:3-4 says "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."

Second is to follow him in word and deed daily, no matter the cost to us.
.Luke 9:23 If anyone would come to me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me

Third We also need to pray and ask God to fill us with his Holy Spirit for guidance.
John 16:13a when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth...”

The bottomline is to find Gods will for your life is to Obey him everyday.

Beans view for the greatful for time God did not give me my way..

Five Finger prayer

Here is a fun prayer tool and a challenge for you.. Try this for one week! See what happens and tell me.. I am joining you in this fun prayer tool this is also a great thing to teach kids how to pray.

Hold your hand out in front of you as you pray. Like a count down list.

1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a 'sweet duty.'

2. Your first finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.

3. Your middle finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.( and in a side note the people we most want to give the finger too sorry had to say it)

4. Your fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.

5. And lastly comes our little finger or 'pinkie' - the smallest finger of all which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, 'The least shall be the greatest among you.' Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.
Beans View for today is five easy ways to pray..

Praying for the Duggers

Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar welcomed baby 19 earlier than expected on Thursday, December 10, at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Daughter Josie Brooklyn was born at 6:27 p.m. weighing 1lb., 6 oz.
For more infor read the post below from Discovery Channal
http://blogs.discovery.com/tlc-michelle-duggar-blog/2009/12/earlier-than-expected-1.html

Pray for Health for Michelle for she is recovering from a gallstones,and a emergency c-section.

Pray for Jim Bob and the other children as they juggle life at home without Mom.

Pray for baby Josie Brooklyn for streagth and health!

Pray for Wisdom for her Mommy and Daddy as most little ones her size have many needs.

I know many do not share the same joy as I do watching and following this lovey large family but I love them! We could all use to learn a lesson from this family. Children are a blessing from God!

Beans View today is praying for this wonderful Familys new little one