To Everything a Time

She Wore a Christmas Princess Dancing Dress

2012-01-23T10:05:00.000-07:00

I played hooky today.
It's my day - for relaxing, house cleaning, and praying. But I'm feeling rather blue.
I've been meaning to write this since Christmas Eve. And here it is, January 23.
The picture I just posted is Tziporah. Age - 3 years. My little princess of a grand-daughter.
We took her and her little brother Ethan to church on Christmas Eve. When we picked her up she was wearing this red dress, lacy socks and black maryjanes. She was very excited about her dress. We called it her Christmas Princess Dancing Dress and I told her that we were going to Church to celebrate the birthday of King Jesus and maybe she could dance for him.
It was a nice service, at Christ Church, and the little ones, Ethan in his vest and tie, "Pora" in her princess dress, behaved pretty well, for two little kids at 5:30pm who knew there were cookies and other treats to have after the service was over. At the close of the service, as the congregation was processing out, the pianist played "Joy to the World" and Tziporah got to dance. She ran up to the front of the church, which was empty except for the pianist, and she danced and danced and danced. A few people stopped to watch her. Pure joy! Spinning and skipping and dancing. It was Christmas Eve, but she wasn't thinking of Santa, or presents, or even the goodies that were waiting in the fellowship area. She was dancing. A princess dancing for the King.

All my grandchildren - Christmas Day - 2011 - Praise the LORD!

She Wore A Christmas Princess Dancing Dress

2012-01-23T09:53:00.002-07:00

The Yellow Crayon

2011-07-25T10:55:00.002-07:00

If you are new to this thread, you should read the next one first - "I Am Not White"
Also...the blog is automatically linking to sights (the word pink) that I do not support or suggest. please do not click on any links in the text of my posts.
And so...
The first time I was in the position to "teach" Navajo children was Children's Church at the Mission. Word got out that the Mission Church had a new pastor, and since his wife was experienced in children's ministry, the bus started rolling again, picking up kids from the "REZ". This made me nervous, because the bus driver just stopped and opened his doors and kids piled in. I don't think the parents had any idea where their kids were for the 2 hours we had them.
The kids sat quietly during worship time, not disrupting, not participating, and before the sermon they were dismissed to the fellowship hall for snacks and a Bible lesson. My initial impression of theses beautiful little people, ranging in age from 4 to 14, was that they were fine examples of the "Stoic Indian." Names and gender posed a problem. I knew better than to judge their gender by the length of their hair. That cute little 4 year old with the long braids and turquoise earrings could easily be a boy or girl. And when asked their names they answered so quietly, I could never make it out. They weren't the names I expected...you know...things like "Sitting Bear" or "Laughing Fawn". There was a Percyanna, Jolisa, Floyd and Floydina.
My first lesson was on prayer...talking to God. Probably not the best place to start. I had a few coloring pages to illustrate the main points of the story, and gave the kids a choice of which one to color after the story. I had a picture of Jesus praying in the garden, a family praying around a table, people praying in church and a little girl kneeling beside her bed with her hands folded and head bowed. What surprised me about this activity is that every little girl, about 7 of them, choose the little girl kneeling at her bed, and every little girl colored the little girl's hair with a yellow crayon. I was coloring too, the same picture. I used the black crayon for the hair and colored the skin a light shade of brown. But as I looked around the table, I noticed, all the skin was pink and all the eyes were blue, except for the four year old - who turned out to be a boy, and who favored the green and purple crayons. I later mentioned my observation to the missionary, who had warned me that they would never really like me, because I was white...and he said they did it to please me. But I had brown hair (it's grey now). I had a challenge in front of me. Not only to get them to see me as person and not a color, but to help them see themselves as beautiful children of God, made in His image and Likeness.
Hey you guys, don't you realize that Jesus looked more like the Native Americans than the Europeans? Jesus had black hair and dark shin. And Adam was made from the red soil of Edan. I've seen black dirt and brown dirt, and red dirt. I've never seen white dirt, at least not in a healthy abundant garden. In the Song of Solomon, the "princess" says she is black (dark skinned) and lovely.
Epilogue to this essay: I teach Reading and English in a public school on the Rez now. My students usually know I'm a Christian, though of course I don't share me faith at school. A few years back one of my mid-school boys was rapping as he walked into my room, and the lyrics he was singing included the phrase "black Jesus". He stopped short when he saw me, and said "Sorry, Mrs. Brokop...I mean "white Jesus."
"Jesus wasn't white" I answered...and the shocked look on his face spoke volumes.

I Am Not White

2011-07-20T16:25:00.000-07:00

Being a child of the 60's (who is rapidly approaching the age 60), I've always considered myself sensitive to racial issues and civil rights. I grew up in a lower middle class neighborhood, was educated in parochial schools, and never thought about the fact that I was white. The first time I realized that someone was thinking of me as white was on an Indian Reservation somewhere in Montana. A friend and I were sitting at a snack-bar in a chapter house and the other people at the counter were staring at us. I saw the question, "what are you doing here" in their dark eyes and I had this strong urge to say..."But I'm 1/16th Indian." (Isn't everybody?) That was in the 70's. Twenty odd years later I found myself in Farmington, New Mexico - getting ready to "work with the Indians." I was very excited and extremely curious. I knew a lot about the northeastern tribes, but very little about the Navajo. Driving through the reservation, the largest in the USA, fascinated me. My husband and I were called to work on an Indian Mission. A relic of a place, with a tiny church and long history. This was an nonsalaried position, so I would have to find a job teaching. That was 14 years ago. I am about to start another school year, teaching reading on the "REZ". I don't claim to be an expert on "Educating the Indian," but I've learned a lot.
I hate the fact that my students see me as white. I am not white. I am not a color.
They may say I'm a "biligana (sp). That's what Navajo call us non-natives. The word is understood as meaning "white" but in fact, it is the Navajo word for "enemy". I don't much care for that, I am not their enemy. But to be fair, most my students don't know the origin of that word.
Another common term in Anglo. But that insinuates English, and I am Dutch, Italian, Jew, and 1/16th Creek - no English there. Can't I just be, Mrs. Brokop - teacher?
When Art and I first moved here, a well meaning missionary who had been here for over 25 years, told us that we would always been seen as white, and not to trust "them." I am not white. That is all I'm going to say right now. It's just that Art and I have been doing a lot of reading this summer. And not being involved in ministry this summer, we've had a lot of time to talk and think. And I think we have something to say...something important. Art is focusing on Ministry, I am focusing on Education. And this afternoon, I felt that I needed to say this. I am not white.

Goodbye Spring, Welcome Summer

2011-06-21T06:11:00.000-07:00

Actually, summer vacation began for me nearly a month ago. I'm been fluctuating between relaxed and bored, sleeping in 'til 9:00 or so and spending a lot of time just sitting on the front porch.
Today I decided to greet the dawn. According to the movement of the sun and the moon, summer officially begins this afternoon, so this was the last sunrise of spring. I was still in bed when the first bird chirped, but I was on my porch with my first cup of coffee before 5:00am. Here are the notes I scribbled down...

Tuesday...as spring gives way to summer...I wasn't outside for the first bird's first chirp, but its still dark and the stars are just beginning to fade. I can still see the north star. Wish I had a clearer view of the horizons. The air is still - very still. I wonder if birds greet the dawn in the winter? Because of clocks, I'm half way to work by now in the winter.
I just heard a dove join the chorus of birds. Doves must sleep in.
Do birds greet the dawn in the desert?
Late night people in cars are replaced by early morning people, but still the air is very still. I can feel cool air on my body, but there is no breeze. The deep blue changes to light blue, but in the east the sky looks more grey than blue. I can still see one star, and the birds are still chirping but I have to strain to hear them. More of a chatter, or chorus, no more solos.

I see a nice patch of the northern sky from my porch. The North Star has faded of course, but I know where it is. I cannot see the east or west horizon. I hear more of man's noises now...but, hello there, a soloist near by, and now a sort of call and response. The east sky is white, but I cannot see the Day Star. I can barely see the lines on my paper. A dog is barking, 2, I think people are probably walking by their yards, but I haven't seen any people yet. I really need to experience the sunrise on the desert. Ah...two humans walking a dog, and a crow caws in the distance. A very slight breeze, the leaves on the trees are moving some. The moon is gone...I often see moon sets on the way to work. The stars are gone. There is a slight pink glow in the east. The rest of the sky is more grey than blue. I'm on my third cup of coffee and it's not yet 6:00am. I should hear the church bells soon. The baby across the street is crying. I wonder if my babies (Ethan and Tziporah) are awake. Shouldn't everyone be awake by now? It's daylight now. I can make out individual bird songs, but can't identify what birds they are from. I know the Robin, Dove, and Crow. I had a friend, Mike Carlson, who was an expert on birds. I bet he'd know what bird was singing what part of the chorus. I see some birds flying by. There is a tall tree across the street. It is half dead. Birds are perching in its branches. I can't tell if they are facing east. the sky to the east is a pale yellow now. Two "Indians" are walking by and the church bells are ringing. 6:00am on the last day of spring. It will be summer by 2:00pm. Sun rise on spring. Sun set on Summer. The longest day of the year. Now that I can see I'll read Psalm 8. The sun is shining on the tops of the trees, they are glowing...Ah...there it is, through the trees, I can see the sun..."Here comes the sun..." didn't the Beatles sing that song..."Good morning Starshine"...isn't that from Hair. This is my 60th summer. It is the first summer in ages that I haven't been involved in Ministry. No VBS, no Tent Meetings, no Mission Teams. Last year we did the Wild Horse event, VBS, Back to School event, plus EV conference. We were looking to an active fall and winter of church growth. But that didn't turn out the way we expected. And I am still dealing with a sense of guilt over the failure of The Mission, and a root of bitterness concerning the EV church, Repenting. Summer is upon us, and I am looking forward to August and the start of a new school year. And that is all I wrote!

Psalm 1 - Trees

2011-06-03T05:40:00.000-07:00

They are like trees, planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season and their leaves do no wither.

Psalm 1

2011-06-03T05:35:00.000-07:00

I remember my first grade classes at New Covenant Christian School memorizing this Psalm...1989 - 1994. Most versions begin with the word "Blessed" which in the Hebrew does mean Happy - such a weak word. Happy! How about overjoyed? Ecstatic! Strong's says the word originally means to be level - steady. The Navajo talk about walking in beauty...being balanced...steady...level.
So, the key to happiness...to walking in beauty...is to do the do's and don't do the don'ts in Psalm 1.
I always had fun teaching this Psalm. There are motions you can do with it...walk, stand, sit...and a nice cut and paste craft of a tree beside a stream of water...a fruit tree which "yields its fruit in season". Ah, Trees, more than 3 columns of Tree or Trees references in Strong's. We could do a study on trees. The Bible starts and ends with the "Tree of Life". Sometimes, when I pray for my list of people, or when someone asks me for personal prayer...I think of Psalm 1 - God Bless You, God make you like a tree!
The NRSV says we are blessed when we do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers, but instead we meditate day and night on the Law of the LORD, on the Torah, we are to delight in His law. I think the don'ts are easier for most of us than the do's. If we delight in the WORD of God, we will be happy? It's nice to know that the LORD, YHWH watches over the way of the righteous, except when we're not feeling especially righteous. Of course, we can "let ourselves off the hook" but quoting the verse "none is righteous, no not one." and cling to the righteousness of our Savior as our own. But that doesn't mean its ok for us to follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers. Not if we want to be "happy". I took Tziporah and Ethan for a walk the other day. Tziporah was hugging light posts - silly girl - I told her to hug trees instead. I've always loved trees...God make you like a tree today! God Bless You!

Seven Summer Psalms

2011-06-03T04:30:00.000-07:00

Psalm 1, Psalm 8, Psalm 18, Psalm 19, Psalm 22, Psalm 23, and Psalm 36
The Bible I'm using is the NRSV, even though it isn't my preferred version - I've been partial to the NASB since my years at Roberts Wesleyan. My NRSV is "The Wesley Study Bible" which is part of the reason why I've chosen to use it for my summer devotions. And I like the feel of it. And the cover is forest green. Another thing in its favor. I'm also using Abingdon's Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. It is 5:27 AM and the sparrows have just started to chirp. Good morning world...God morning LORD!

Here are Two Poems:

2011-05-14T11:22:00.000-07:00

Here are two poems that I've written. Often, when I think about where I am, and why I'm here, I remember these poems and what inspired me to write them.

2/07/04 - Green Sleeves in Shiprock

What child is this all dressed in black
With long dark hair and eyes so bright
Who thinks her future is just as dark
As the clothes she hides behind?

He looks so angry this bright eyed son
The world he lives in is so unkind
But should he smile at a hint of joy
His face can light up the shadows

Jesus, Oh Lord I cry
Release an army of warriors
Fight, Fight the demons here
So the children can see the light.

What child is this without a dream
Dressed in black and shadows
Who cannot hear a word of hope
For the din of the angry clatter

Jesus, Oh Lord I pray
Release an army of angels
Drive away the deafening throng
So they can hear your whisper
Open your hearts while the way is clear
See the truth around you
The Joy and Promise of the Living Light
The truth of the stories you’ve heard.

Friday, October 24, 2008

For Michael

I see you
You are not invisible to me.
I see you all
Walking with your head down,
Dragging you feet, wearing out your souls.
I see you
Vacant men walking past Vacant houses
Men of the Land, who don’t seem to care anymore
about the Land around them
Dry, like the Land you are born to
I see you
Making your way into town
For a drink, for a job, for a change
And making your way home again
To the old mother who still cares
To the old grandmother who still prays for you
To be greeted by a long sad sigh and an open door
I want to say, “hold your head up high”
I want to say, “be the brave you were born to be”
I want to say, “I am sorry.”
I want to cook for you, and sing you songs, and tell you stories
Great Stories, Living Stories
I want to give you a hot cup of coffee on a cold night,
With lots of sugar and a dash of hope.
I want to drive you home
To the son that needs you
To the woman that loves you
And I want to say…
Look past the stars, Look past the moon
Look past the tent meetings and revivals
Seek God!
He is there waiting
He sees you.
Learn to sing His songs
He is calling you.
Believe His stories
He has a plan for you!
All of you. Each of You.
Walking this Land for a Divine purpose.
He is not the White Man’s God
He is every man’s God
He is not the missionary’s God
He is the People’s God
He formed you, He knows you, He sees you.
You are not invisible to Him.

Thy Will Be Done

2011-05-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

I often thought that if only the LORD would stop by for a cup of coffee, and lay out for us exactly what He wanted us to do and how He wanted us to proceed, we would have no problem at all doing His will. The problem these days is that we know exactly what we are supposed to be doing, but there seems to be no way to get it done. We've had a lot of false starts. We've had a lot of rugs pulled out from under us. And we've learned a lot from all the trials, delays, and failures. Refiner's fire or Chastisement from our Heavenly Father. We know what we should be doing, and the frustration lies in the apparent "fact" that we have no way of doing it.
We look around, we drive along, and our hearts break for the people we see. The Dine' - the men broken and lost, the youth angry and confused, families that need to be restored...people who desperately need a Savior. To restore their identity and dignity as a people, through Christ. To bring the true LIGHT into the darkness in which they are stumbling. To bring the LIVING WATER to those wandering in this dry and desolate land. We hear the beat of the drum, we see the Son rising on a people who are learning to dance their prayers to the Creator again - in the name of Father, Son, and Great Spirit. And we want to be part of it. To help this movement be birthed. But we are not Native by blood. And not many people we have shared with understand what we are trying to say. We thought we could do it through Farmington Free Methodist Mission, or through Kirtland Hope Evangelical Church. But just when it was seeming to be a possibility, it was crushed. The "Indians" don't need missionaries. They don't need white people to come to the Rez to paint houses or run Vacation Bible Schools. They don't need donations of old clothes. They don't need hot dogs or cupcakes. They need to be told that they don't have to stop being "Indian" in order to be a follower of Yahshua. They need to be taught the whole story of their Creator, of His true nature, and that He created them in His image and set them here to worship Him with the rhythm He placed in their hearts. And that He sent His only begotten, who walked this earth, a brown man not a white man, to teach, and to do warfare for them in the spiritual realm, who died for them and rose for them, just as they are. We hear men like Richard Twis and Casey Church - you can find them on our facebook page...and we say Yes and AMEN and can we please be part of this. Art is invited to worship Yahweh around the drum with Native brothers and he feels as if he is home. I watch children dance prayers to their Creator in full regalia and my heart dances with them. But we are just spectators, occasional guests and we long to be more. And we know we are supposed to be in the business of teaching and encouraging and restoring and making disciples. We are supposed to be involved with the encouragement of contextual worship among the First Nations. But at this point we can only watch, sigh, and pray. Today, Saturday, May 14, Our Daily Bread was about Patience. "God who is timeless, requires of us a mature faith that may involve delays that seem like trials. Patience is one sign of that maturity, a quality that can develop only through the passing of time. ...keep hoping, keep believing, keep anticipating. Ok, for now I say Ok...but hear me sigh.

psalms

2011-05-04T05:11:00.000-07:00

I had really gotten lazy about prayer and devotion. I was so disillusioned by the last "failure" in ministry last fall, and the root of bitterness, the spirit of offense, ate away at my soul like a cancer. I didn't want to go to church, I didn't want to pray...what good did it do anyway? Oh, it was still in my nature to praise HIM. To see HIS glory in the heavens. Even to say, "I love you LORD" a dozen times a day. But I didn't really want to talk to HIM. In March I picked up one of those "Our Daily Bread" devotionals. I needed something to get me started back in the habit of morning prayer and devotion. I especially like it. It's really not enough, and nothing is connected. It seems so random and mundane. But I've stuck to it. Some mornings its all I did. Some mornings I used the verses on the bottom of the pages of my prayer journal. There is a verse in the Psalms that I've recently discovered, Psalm 27:8, "Come, my heart says, seek His face". In one translation it says, "My heart has heard You say, come talk with me." Isn't that beautiful?
The LORD says, "come talk with me".
I am thinking, if we actually prayed through the Psalms, and studied them, they would lead us to most of the rest of the Bible. Psalm 1 would lead us to the Beatitudes. Psalm 23 would lead us to Ezekiel 34 and John 10. Many of the Psalms lead us back to Exodus, or ahead to the Cross. I've read through the Psalms, one a day and when I got to 119, one section a day. I read them aloud in the little sanctuary of our Mission...the one that the denomination "sold"...The one that sits deserted and over grown with weeds and makes my heart ache. See, there are those seeds of bitterness...and the thought - what difference did it make? Still, my little copy of "Our Daily Bread" is finished in a few days...so is this school year...maybe the Psalms will be my Summer Project. I will read through them from start to finish, seeing where else in the WORD they lead me. But now it is time to get dressed. My ride will be here soon. God bless who ever is reading these entries. My hit clicker seems to go up daily. God bless us, everyone!

A Royal Wedding

2011-05-01T12:09:00.000-07:00

Matthew 24:38 As in the days of Noah - they were marrying and given in marriage.
But, Yes - I watched the Royal Wedding...not all of it, but enough. OK, so it was full of pomp and who really cares...actually millions upon millions cared. And was that so bad? In this day, when so much violence, catastrophe, turmoil is in the news, it was nice to see something beautiful and romantic. And, OK - the Church of England may not be a typical evangelical Christian's cup of tea...but the prayers were prayed in the Name of Jesus, and the union was blessed in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And millions heard it. And the whole thing brought tears to my eyes...I always cry at weddings. And soon, very soon we might be present at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb. I already have my invitation to that one...do you?

i'm too old for this...

2011-04-25T12:38:00.001-07:00

needing another financial miracle, again and always money matters eat my brain...Art needs a job...looking to no avail...we're trying to sell some sound equipment. Today LORD, please, it would solve the immediate crisis. Sigh! Prayer! TV! Maybe if our last name was Richman instead of Broke-up we would be doing better.

so, there is a chance that we may be able to move into a teacherage - like a pasonage but for teachers on the Rez. About 1/2 the rent we are paying now, no utilities, no commute, still - far from RD and Miah, and ugly...no yard, no trees, and I so love our beautiful but too expensive home in farmington. it makes me sad...

LORD - give me grace and wisdom and give us this day our daily bread!

Christ Has Risen!

2011-04-24T13:06:00.001-07:00

We celebrated the resurrection of our LORD and Savior with Christ Church Saturday evening. It was an exciting service! Starting with the lighting of the Pascal Fire, complete with a mother and daughter being baptized and the decorating of the Cross. We announced the Resurrection with the blowing of the Shofar (blown by Art) and the ringing of bells. I wish my family had been there with me. But all things considered it was a blessed Holiday season. Passover with my sons and two of my grandchildren. 2 Easter egg hunts with the grandkids, the service last night and a restful Sunday. I even have one more day off from school for Navajo Nation Sovereignty Day. April Showers, fresh flowers, the song of birds and church bells on the wind. Peace overcoming stress. The goodness of God overcoming the idiocy of mankind. Here are some images of Father Carl and Barbie, and the cross.

A mother's broken heart...

2011-04-23T06:06:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder,
and then I realize, no - this will never end.
Not until our LORD returns.
There is an unforgivable sin - not unforgivable by the One who bore all our sins on the cross...but man, even the Church will not forgive. A sinner who can never be redeemed, a leper who can never be made clean.
That is the way the world, even the church sees him.
Not the way Jesus sees him.
I wonder, how much more rejection he can bare.
And there is a physical pain in my heart and tears in my eyes and I want to lash out.
God! I hate this so much!

Passover

2011-04-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

I took a personal day today. Praying that the LORD will bless Mr. Buck, my sub. He is a godly gentleman. And the students don't like him because he is "mean". He is a grandfather/elder who demands their respect.
I slept in, and it is time now to get about the business of the day...some thoughts from my morning devotion, as Art sings his beautiful songs that no one will ever hear...
Jesus - Yahshua - our Passover Lamb - our High Priest that understands our weaknesses - and His cross that shows for all time, once and for all, how serious sin is to Yahweh. He has restored us though the Potters nailed scared hands, He has inscribed us on the palms of His Hands. Someone once asked what they thought was a very deep and philosophical question. Can man (humankind) hurt the Almighty God? Can a child hurt their parent? Does our disobedience hurt our Creator? Just look at the cross. Can we see how deeply and literally our rebellion, our selfishness, our stubbornness and greed, our perversion, our violence against each other hurts our God?
Our LORD is trying to get our attention. It doesn't seem anyone is listening. A few crazies with sandwich boards proclaiming the end is near perhaps. Some Tele-evangelists who are still offering one way tickets to paradise for a faith offering, might be using scare tactics to increase their income. But, as in the days of Noah, life goes on.
And I have chores to do...
Here is one of my favorite, all time pictures. A flash from my past. The most intense experience of my life. So grateful for having had the experience. Have a blessed Holy Week!

Palm Sunday

2011-04-17T08:47:00.000-07:00

Stupid secular calendar. I'm taking Tuesday off for Passover and cooking a pseudo Sader for the boys to be served at sundown, but it should be tomorrow at sundown which is when Passover for the year 5771 begins. Our prayer will be the Sabbath prayer from Fiddler on the Roof. We can't quite get Tziporah to say the questions...we'll settle for "Why?" Why indeed. But I guess the questions I'm asking most are "Why nots and Why didn'ts" This morning I was up early, with my coffee and my Bible and praying through Psalms 22, 27, and 37. Last night we went to Christ Church - we celebrated Palm Sunday. I think we will be going there for a while. Fr. Carl is really the only one that has consistently sought us out and been our friend through everything. I am hoping that Jeremiah, Stacy, Elijah, Amadaya, Tziporah and Ethan will come to the Easter Saturday Vigil next week. I think I will go to Passion Play on Wednesday - maybe Friday. Being part of Passion Play got us through some hard times in years past. But we've been slighted, offended the past couple of years. I guess I was hoping we would be missed, and perhaps contacted to see if we were ok. We aren't really. But now I feel as if the absence of the Brokops this year was met with more of a "good riddance" if anyone missed us at all. This should be an easy week for me at work. Tuesday off, Wednesday half day for students, no school Friday...Good Friday. And its a four day weekend for us because Monday is Navajo Nation Sovereignty day. Which gives me yet another 4 day week. School is rapidly coming to another end. Drama club is working on "A Midsummer Night's Dream"
If anyone really reads these ramblings...anyone besides Bobbie, Hi Bobbie...and probably my sister Jo...maybe Bethany? Anyway...whoever might take time...oh yeah Von too...who else? I never know...anyway, if you, whoever you are would pray for us...pray that Art gets on the Sub list at Central Consolidated and is able to put in at least 10 days before the end of the school year...he's been trying for months and there is a snag in the system somewhere. We really doubt we'll have another opportunity to minister full time like before. Too many failures, too much frustration. Art needs a job. We can't afford to live in this lovely house much longer. A prayer that the LORD will help us find a new, affordable home, perhaps closer to Shiprock would also be appreciated.
Today I'll be watching the grandkids for a while, and I have to do my taxes, and grade papers, and do a little of house work, except I will be do some major cleaning on Tuesday. So that is all I have to say right now.
May the LORD have mercy on fools like me...And may He bless us, everyone.

2011-04-17T08:17:00.001-07:00

Sunday

2011-04-03T11:03:00.000-07:00

Spring Time in the Four Corners - Wind howling, church bells ringing in the distance. Throwing my thoughts to the wind, throwing my thoughts to the world wide web! How close are we to the end? How ready are we for his arrival?
Fear?
Not at all.
Urgency?
No more than usual.
We are going to a birthday party today! Fry Bread and Laughter. Glory be to the LORD of the Wind!

Sunday

2011-03-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

Didn't go to church today. Art is sick. I didn't feel much like going anyway. The United Methodist Church we've been walking to is going through a divorce of sorts. Staff parish committee and Pastor conflict and pastor is moving on. I had a good day yesterday with the kiddos and school starts up again tomorrow. State Testing begins Tuesday. I still have some homework to do. Ms Procrastinator. Soon to take my place at the coffee table, coffee, TV and piles of papers. I really thank God for my job. And I pray that my students do as well as I know they can on those stupid tests, because it is by those tests and those tests alone that many judge my worth as a teacher. Here are some spring photos etc. Seeing them makes me smile!

1 Peter

2011-03-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

I read First Peter today. Watched Religion and Ethics. Thinking how American Christians seem to feel entitled to a blessed life without sacrifice. Comment was made on R&E that the Japanese, in light of tragedy do not often ask the question "why me?" It's spring break and I am being very lazy. I have some homework and house work to do. But it's only Tuesday. Maybe Golden Corral for the early bird special. See Tziporah? See Tziporah swing!

three months in hiding

2011-03-21T14:22:00.000-07:00

has it really been 3 months since I have blogged. i haven't written much anywhere for that matter. i haven't prayed much either. praise comes easy. sunrises, starry nights, laughing grandchildren...these things solicit praise from me. Glory be to Yahweh! but i have a hard time supplicating, which i guess is a good thing. i mean the Father doesn't want to hear a lot of "gimme gimme's"
what father does?
i've been teaching. i've been sleeping. i've been watching television.
i've been wondering about dead birds and dead fish. is it significant that birds and fish were created on the same day?
i've been thinking about the earthquakes that have affected the tilt of our planet and the unrest in the middle east. will i really live to see the second coming?
by the way, i do not believe in rapture as most evangelicals teach, but i am not in physical shape to survive tribulation. i think about that too.
i am missing doing ministry. doing "church" has been a big part of who art and i are together. not having a ministry, or a church family has created a void in our relationship. we aren't doing passion play either. can't say i am missing that specifically. after some frustration in the past couple of years, i think doing it would have made matters worse, not better.
we probably shouldn't just sit around licking our wounds of offense. but we are not really ready to step out of the boat again. we are tired of sinking over and over again. and this is all i have to say right now.
its windy, the sky is dirty, and i'm tired. maybe i'll write again tomorrow. i am on spring break after all.

Pictures that make me smile...

2010-12-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

and if you haven't checked out the O Holy Night link on our facebook profile, be sure to do so...

December 2010

2010-12-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

So much I want to say...some words of anger - some words of resentment - some words of frustration. And I want to brag, about the Christmas Play I wrote for my drama club at school - a Navajo version of A Christmas Carol - and about the Holiday Party I put together for the staff at my school. And I want to show off the pictures I took at Tziporah's 2nd birthday party.

We're not going to church...not any church. We hardly missed any Sundays in the 31 years that we've been married. But since we had Kirtland Hope pulled out from under us in September, we've only been to church a couple of times.

We bought a DVD for my sister and brother-in-law in Florida- Drums of Thunder (One Night for God) with Jonathan Maracle. We previewed it, and Art said he cried through the whole thing...Art is like that...When I saw it, at the first beat of the drum, my eyes teared up as well. I can not explain the love, the burden we feel for these people, the Dine', the First Nations. The forgotten minority. The Holy Spirit is moving and although we are not technically Native ourselves, we feel ourselves being moved along in this direction. We feel it is so important.

It's not about the drum. Although it is funny how offensive some people find the drum. Like 25 years ago when we "fought" to get a guitar in Grace United Methodist Church. Most churches have electric guitars, drum sets, even African congas, but "heaven forbid" there is a pow-wow drum in the sanctuary.

It's about Acts 17, and Deuteronomy 32, and Genesis 11. It's about 95% of the Native American population of the North American Continent that still see Jesus as the "White Man's God" It's about finding one's identity in Jesus, and worshiping Him in Spirit and in Truth, with the song and rhythm that the Creator has put in one's heart.

And it's about the Torah, the FULL Gospel, from Genesis to Revelation. It's about dancing and ceremony - worshiping Creator with one's whole body, mind, and soul...with one's whole strength.
Church is not supposed to be a spectator's sport.

Right now I am so down on denominations. The FM mission that was "sold" last year sits abandoned and over grown with weeds, with a ForSale sign in front of it. Theologically we are "methodist" but the UM was too liberal, and the FM and EV don't want us, or get us,
and we never wanted to go independent, non-denominational, because we knew we needed a covering, authority to which to submit. I feel guilty for the failed ministries. If we had prayed harder. If we had tried harder. And if God had really been behind them, would they have failed? I rarely drive by the old FM mission, and when I do, I cry tears of regret and beg for forgiveness. When I drive down highway 6480 on the way to work, and pass KH, I just feel resentment. But then I feel guilty for having such negative feelings.

And then there is the condition of the world. Hey folks, are you watching? Do you see the hand of judgment on this land? on this planet. Is the second Advent, the time before the second coming, is it drawing to an end? Rapture? I wish. Tribulation? I wouldn't be surprised.
Faith and Trust and Peace where there is no peace. What difference does anything else make?

So, I'll simply publish this, and then post some pictures of my grandkids, because there in is the joy i am feeling this season. Grandkids and remembering that Jesus IS...

If you read this and if you are my friend, than please lift me and mine up in prayer. Art and I are using this time off to pray and consider if we should take a step of faith as far as ministry is concerned, or just sit back and watch and wait. Thanks for your time and your prayers...maryellen brokop 301 E. Hopi 87401 NM

Harvest Time

2010-11-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year! Crisp mornings - The morning star shining brilliantly in the east - Pumpkins and Squash and "Indian Corn". We're going to Denver this Thanksgiving - look out Colorado Brokops, you'll have "real Indians" at your feast this year! Last year, at this time, we were dealing with the news that they were closing the Farmington Free Methodist Mission, after 58 years. It had been sold, yet still it stands, overgrown with weeds and abandoned. We were planning on our annual Thanksgiving Feast - open to the friends and family of our ministry, to the families who counted on our food pantry for weekly help with their groceries, to the families who played with us at our back to school event, to our partners in ministry - we had over 80 last year - in our newly remodeled Fellowship hall. Yet this year the roof is off the building, and the windows are dark.

We had hoped we could continue to minister under the covering of the Evangelical Church - but that lasted less than 6 months - before rug was pulled out from under us...again. And yes, this harvest season sees Art and I feeling resentful and discouraged. Still, I love this time of year. I love teaching reading on the Reservation, I love doing drama club with my students, I love my new little grandson, all my grandchildren. I have friends and family and moderately good health. I miss the "ministry" part of our lives. And we haven't found a church to worship in...I guess we aren't really looking. Taking a break of sorts. Art is writing and studying. I sleep in on Sundays, read scripture some, pray a lot. I'm posting pictures. We had Ethan's baby shower on Halloween. The kids have been playing in the leaves, raking some, mostly playing. Drama club sponsered a Halloween dance, and the club members were Zombies to MJ's song thriller. I am making up for that godless activity by having them putting on an original play - a Navajo version of the classic The Christmas Carol. Ebenezer Yazzie. Bah Humbug! Well, thats all for now. Blessings on all who read this rambling! Read Art's too. Desert Voices...as always - God bless us every one!

Signs in the Heavens?

2010-10-19T05:03:00.000-07:00

Art and I were sitting on the front porch, discussing our past failures and future possibilities, and we noticed this "Jesus fish" in the sky. Dear LORD, I do believe, please help my unbelief.

Monday Morning but who cares?

2010-10-18T04:09:00.000-07:00

By some standards, it is still "the middle of the night." I woke up at 3:30 and finished a play I've been working on. A Navajo version of "The Christmas Carol" for our drama club to put on. I'm gonna give it to our school counselor to read to see if it would be appropriate for the kids to do for the school.

I deleted our ministry blogs. Both the Free Methodist one and the Kirtland Hope one. For the past few weeks I have been fighting anger, disappointment, hard feelings. We've been trying this ministry thing for years, my hubby and I. Every time it seemed like we were getting somewhere, things got plowed under.

This was not our idea. We shared our concerns. We shared our vision with the powers that were. Lack of communication, a conflict of interest, clashing personalities???? All of a sudden, another ministry that was just beginning to grow was "shut down". At least where we were concerned. Thanks, but your service is no longer required. Take your toys and go home. Good Luck! God Bless! We're sure God has something for you somewhere.

Only we're not so sure.

We have a new grandson. Ethan Paul. That makes 4. I revised my poem "Greet the Dawn" to include him. I posted it on Art's blog.

There is some comfort there. In my precious grandchildren. But heartache too. Family just hasn't turned out to be all I hoped it would be.

I love my job. Even though many of the students have an "I don't care" attitude. AYP and SBA add stress to my job. But I still love what I do, and I'm enjoying leading drama club too.

Finances suck. Not that Art was getting paid for pastoring Kirland Hope. But now he feels useless, and is looking for some sort of "paying job". But there isn't much this oversized, over-the-hill mountain man can do.

I hate driving through Kirtland every morning, past the "church". It's been one year since we were informed they sold the Free Methodist Mission, and the property sits there abandoned, over grown with weeds, the roofs ripped off two of the buildings, so very sad. I hate to drive past there as well. At least I can avoid that.

I'm rambling. I've been up an hour and a half and the alarm just rang. Haven't even had my first cup of coffee yet.

I'm tired, and I'm feeling like a failure, who is married to a failure. At least where ministry is concerned. Don't give me platitudes. I find words of encouragement very discouraging.

Let me look at the picture of my grandchildren. Let me sigh and say, Life goes one. Let me sit on my front porch with a cup of coffee. Thank God for caffeine. It's Monday - again - Life goes on.

Pictures and Reflections

2010-08-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

School is about to start. A summer of ministry comes to an end. Feeding the lambs at VBS, Fathers helping their kids pick out school supplies, Sharing first fruit with the homeless.

Soon I will meet my 140 new students, 6th, 7th and 8th graders who need some reading intervention in order to succeed academically. They will know from day one that I am a Christian, a pastor's wife. So I hope that HIS light will shine forth from me in all I do and say.

I have to write objectives on the board everyday. Because I have 3 grade levels, in order to get everything that needs to be on the board there, I actually have to kneel on the floor to write at the bottom of the board.

I have to kneel everyday. I think that's cool. No way I will forget to pray this year, no matter how busy I get.

Tomorrow is Sunday. It's my oldest son's 30th birthday. I let out a deep sigh. He is such a wonderful human being. Again I sigh. It wasn't supposed to be like this...

So I say, I love you LORD! Thank you for staying with us through fire and rain, even when we have brought that fire and rain down upon ourselves. I love you LORD. And I love these people, the ones in our little church, the ones who came to VBS and the Back to School Carnival. I love the people I met this summer. I love the woman I prayed with last Tuesday. I love those students I have not yet met, and the ones from last year who came in to see me last week, afraid to start High School, they hugged me and I wished them well.

Time to do church bulletins and update the Kirtland Hope Web Site. Then I'll frost ARDY's birthday cake and watch some dumb TV. God Bless Us - God Bless Us Everyone!

Images from Evangelical Church Conference Trip

2010-07-05T18:50:00.000-07:00

my morning walk, and some other flowers

2010-07-05T18:41:00.000-07:00

Check out this web-site

2010-06-12T05:25:00.003-07:00

http://sites.google.com/site/kirtlandhope/home - go to links and click on Kirtland Hope

Some Old and Signifigant Images...

2010-06-12T05:24:00.000-07:00

How God says "she's with me"

2010-06-08T07:51:00.002-07:00

This is the image Sylvia's children saw as they were saying their last goodbys.

Which One is Me?

2010-06-08T07:31:00.000-07:00

Pictures of me in Florida last week. Will write more about the the adventure later. Spending time with my siblings was such a wonderful, bitter sweet blessing. Praising the LORD and sending blessings Johanna's way for hearing His voice and saying yes!

Happy Birthday Elijah

2010-05-30T03:21:00.001-07:00

My grandson in 8. Eight years ago yesterday I got to witness his arrival into this world. Eight years ago, his life began and my heart broke in two. Eight years ago yesterday...pride and joy, shame and sorrow. If it hadn't been for my precious Elijah, I don't think I would have survived those dark days. Never mind all that. My first summer project will be to print off a hard copy of the mission blog and close it out. Maybe I will start one for Kirtland Hope. It's 4:00am Sunday, birds haven't started their chorus yet. Gotta work on the church bulletin. Ardy and Erica play typo bingo during Art's sermon. Maybe if I didn't do them at 4:00 in the morning there wouldn't be so many typos for them to find. Better get a cup of coffee. My mind seems boggled this morning.

National Day of Prayer

2010-05-06T19:22:00.000-07:00

The National Day of Prayer?

Was our country really founded on Christian Principles? Back in the day, if you were a white European, you most likely considered yourself a Christian. Many of our founding fathers were deists – they believed in some god – but not necessarily the God of the Bible. It is true that all the early documents on which our nation was founded, from the Mayflower Compact on thru the Constitution and Bill of Rights, mentioned God, and faith in God as an important factor. But again, some god, and I wonder really, what god? It is true that public schools were established in our nation because the leaders believed that educated individuals made good citizens, and part of that education was the ability to read the Bible for themselves. But the Bible, although honored by many, was being interpreted through (on the most part) European, Protestant – mainly Lutheran and Calvinistic – lenses. The idea of Manifest Destiny, that God ordained the European – White – expansion across the North American continent, gave them the right and responsibility to clear the way of the “savages” who were here first.

What does it mean to a Native American today, when we claim that the United States of America was founded on Christian/Biblical principles? Do you realize that most “Indians”, even those who name the name of Christ and follow the Jesus way, believe that Jesus is the white man’s God? Those public schools I mentioned, and even so called Christian Schools run by missionaries, worked very hard in the 1800s and first half of the 1900’s to teach the “Indian out of the Indian.” If our armies couldn’t kill them all, we could at least rob them of their culture and dignity. Basically, if they didn’t want to burn in hell, they were told, they had to give up everything that made them a unique and noble people. They had to become “white” in order to be saved.

Today there is a debate going on over the National Day of Prayer. Our country is trying to be tolerant and unbiased in the matter of religion, so when a Christian says that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light, and the only way to the Kingdom of God – their freedom of speech disappears into a haze of political correctness. I think that is wrong. But to argue the matter claiming that this country is and always has been a Christian nation is also wrong. We did not deal with the First Nations in a Christ-like manner. We did not deal with the slave issue in a Christ-like manner. How long did it take for the Civil Rights movement to bring about change in this Christian nation of ours? Our founding fathers said “all men were created equal” yet denied the humanity of non-whites and even women. We are a nation where Christian teaching is beginning to be called hate-speech. We are a nation where the ultimate form of child-abuse is protected as a right which even outweighs the parents’ right of notification. We are a nation that justified mass killing of women and children in the name of Manifest Destiny. We are a nation with innocent blood on our hands. This National Day of Prayer, should be a National Day of Repentance. We dare to claim to be a nation called by “His” name. Our leaders dared to sing “God Bless America” from the steps of a federal building when we were attacked. What god’s blessing were they calling for? We dare not name the name of Jesus – since that is not politically correct. Are our leaders praying to Allah? Buddha? Krishna? Isis? There was a public reading of the Bible in Washington DC this week. Nehemiah, Chapter 8 records a similar event, and the people listening were weeping...because they realized that they had not been following His word?

Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, "This day is sacred to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep." For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.

Let this day be sacred to the LORD our God, and let our prayers be sincere and Christ centered. I will be praying for my dear Navajo students, many of whom are lost in the darkness of self-doubt and intense identity crisis’. I will be praying for my friends on the largest Indian reservation in the country, trying to keep their rich culture alive, some living in the center of the United States without adequate electricity, heating or plumbing. I will pray that the 95% of Native Americans who are not “saved” will discover the truth of the Jesus of the Bible, who looked and lived a lot more like them and their ancestors, then those of the European’s who claimed they were founding this new nation on godly, Biblical, Christian principles.

Yahweh, Creator God, Living God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit God, bless this Land and its people. Protect the innocent; strengthen the Christian leaders and guide all our leaders. Bless Your people with wisdom, provision, and Shalom – peace that passes understanding - and make us strong in our walk with You. Shed Your light on those lost in the darkness, from sea to shining sea! Forgive us for not taking a stand for truth and justice, while singing our patriotic songs and arguing politics. Forgive us for what we have done and what we have failed to do. For Yours is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever. Amen!

Kingdom Planning

2010-04-29T17:55:00.002-07:00

Planning

Genesis 1:14 - And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky...for signs and for seasons and for days and for years...

Psalm 90: - ...teach us to count our days, that we may gain a wise heart.

Two weeks ago, Kirtland Hope Evangelical Church had a planning meeting. One of the people who had been going to church at the Free Methodist Mission recalled that 4 days after our strategic planning meeting there, we were informed that the mission had been sold and the ministry was being shut down. I don’t think we have to worry about that this time. Right now our average attendance is 20 with about 1/3 of those Native American . We have about 10 kids but they are not all there every week. Easter Sunday we had 33 people, two were visitors from another state, and 2 were visitors who are very active in another church. With the combined congregations, I’d say we have about 25 regular attendees.

We are not a mission, although we are currently worshiping on the Evangelical Church’s mission site. Our focus is the Native American, in particular the Navajo, people, although many of us are white or mixed race/Hispanic. Our worship style is a mix of contemporary and traditional Christian and contextual /Native American - our worship focus is Yahweh – Creator God, Father Son Holy Spirit. Our teaching (Pastor Art is much more a teacher than a preacher) is Bible Based (Diyin God Bizaad). Our goal is to grow, by bringing people into a vital saving relationship with Jesus and providing the unchurched with a healthy church family.

We’ve planned a few outreach events and are trusting the LORD to provide the needed funds to pull them off. We have the “Horse Whisperer” coming in July. I’ll post more details on that when I get them. Right now all we really know are the dates, July 13, 14, 15. We are hoping to follow that up with a western/horsey themed VBS July 19,20,21,22. We will have a Back-to-School carnival either August 8 or 15th. We will host a Pastor’s Seminar for some of our neighboring churches on the reservation in September and we will be doing some sort of outreach during Shiprock Fair.

Some of the men that Pastor Art is counseling through the Brethren in Christ (BIC) overcomers program are expressing interest in coming to our church at the end of their session. A few of the people who we bonded with thru the Passion Play of the Navajo Nation have also said they would pay us a visit. We are also hoping to bring home some of the “family” who had been attending the Free Methodist Church on the mission before it closed or Kirtland Hope before it moved. Some relationships need to be mended and trust needs to be rebuilt.

Since we are small, and many of our people are on limited incomes, our weekly income is sparse. Our model for giving is 2 Corinthians 9: 7-8. I’d ask you to consider those verses as well, as we could use some saints willing to contribute to our ministry. And as always we can use prayers – for wisdom, provision, and healthy growth. Prayer is the key, the first step in anything we do, the glue that holds any ministry together. The Evangelical Church can arrange mission trips out here. We even have a place for teams to stay. It’s a good way to visit a third world country without needing a passport or shots. It’s a great service experience, rich in culture, eye opening, life changing. Pastor Art and I love showing people life on the Rez.

Art (Brokop) is on face book and I use his page/wall to keep in touch with our “friends”. Our e-mail has been the same for the past 12 years – artandme@juno.com. Our snail mail address is 301 E. Hopi, Farmington NM 87401. You can leave a message on this blog, if you don’t have a google account - just check anonymous. We’d love to hear from you. May God bless us all and we go about Kingdom Building. Soon and very soon (?) we are going to see the King. Sincerely in His service...Maryellen

Back Stage at the Phil Thomas Performaning Art Complex

2010-04-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

The Lord's Supper

2010-04-26T08:23:00.002-07:00

Jesus before Pilot

2010-04-26T08:22:00.000-07:00

Poetry by Maryellenbernadetteiachettageniipuffbrokop

2010-04-22T09:18:00.002-07:00

March 12, 2009

Greet the dawn,
You who are loved by God
You with the golden hair
Greet the dawn – a new day for you to learn
Be it cloudy, or sunny – like your many moods
It is a new day – and you are loved by the God who made it
Greet the dawn

Greet the dawn
You who’s God is the LORD
You with the sky blue eyes
Greet the dawn – young warrior with laughing eyes
Be angry at unfairness – fight your enemies
It is a new day – and your God, the LORD is with you
Greet the dawn

Greet the dawn
Little bird, with your sweet laughter
You who are new to this world
Greet the dawn as your ancestors have
Begin this day with a song of joy – little bird
It is a new day, and you have the love of many nations in your heart.
Greet the dawn, and the God who loves you, the LORD who is your God

Greet the dawn children of a new generation
Greet the dawn.

Green Sleeves in Shiprock

12/07/04

What child is this all dressed in black
With long dark hair and eyes so bright
Who thinks her future is just as dark
As the clothes she hides behind?

He looks so angry this bright eyed son
The world he lives in is so unkind
But should he smile at a hint of joy
His face can light up the shadows

Jesus, Oh Lord I cry
Release an army of warriors
Fight, Fight the demons here
So the children can see the light.

What child is this without a dream
Dressed in black and shadows
Who cannot hear a word of hope
For the din of the angry clatter

Jesus, Oh Lord I pray
Release an army of angels
Drive away the deafening throng
So they can hear your whisper
Open your hearts while the way is clear
See the truth around you
The Joy and Promise of the Living Light
The truth of the stories you’ve heard.

Friday, October 24, 2008

For Michael

cameras. mirrors, and memories

2010-04-22T08:58:00.001-07:00

I am discovering the joy of Facebook...connecting with friends, searching for shadows of my past, chatting with my sisters. And I am becoming more and more aware of my face. When did I get so old? When did I start looking so much like my mother. Some of the friends I found, some of the shadows, look really good. I'm just a frumpy, grandma type school marm. The mirror over my sink doesn't mock me as much as that nasty camera when it turns on me. I think, if I try, I can remember being young and thin. But in all honesty, I wasn't very happy back then. Lost you might say. I'd like to be healthier, which would mean that I would have to drop a considerable number of pounds. I think being a better steward of the body which the LORD has given me, would enable me to serve Him more effectively. I'm trapped in an exhausting cycle of being to tired to get in shape, and being tired because I am not in shape. Does that make sense? Actually right now I am killing time - I need to get busy before I waste the day. Tonight Pastor Art and I are going to Albuquerque to worship and share fellowship with some friends at Thunderbird Ministries. Tomorrow night is the first performance of the Passion Play of the Navajo Nation. I have a 3 day weekend coming up because Monday is Navajo Nation Sovereignty Day. Maybe I will borrow Tziporah and her stroller and take a nice long walk.

Passion Play of the Navajo Nation - Rehearsal

2010-04-07T05:02:00.000-07:00

He's Alive!

2010-04-07T04:58:00.002-07:00

And yes, this was a glorious Easter Season. Actually it's not over yet. Not until April 23/24, when the Passion Play of the Navajo Nation is presented in Shiprock, New Mexico. Pastor Art will be playing Peter in that production. I am helping with the crowd scenes. We've been involved with Passion Play for 12 years, and this season has been exceptionally exciting. We were part of the first Spanish Speaking production in Farmington, and then in the English Speaking version. Counting dress rehearsals we did 10 presentations in 10 days. Now we have 3 more weeks of rehearsals with the Navajo Cast. This has been quite a multi-cultual, multi-generational experience, and we've made a lot of new friends.
Three weeks ago we were asked to take over the pastoring of Kirtland Hope Evangelical Church. Our little congregation had been joining their little congregation in worship for a few weeks prior. Their congregation is primarily Navajo. The two groups seem to be binding together well. We had a wonderful Easter Sunday. There was a Sonrise Service around the drum. A yummy Easter Breakfast and a slightly more "traditional" or should I say, conventional worship service at the regular time - 10:00am. Altogether we had 33 people worshiping the risen Christ!
The Evangelical Church owns a house and double wide trailer, which houses visiting mission teams and serves as a ministry center. There are 2 "missionary" couples assigned to this area who are part of our Church. Currently our worship services are in the trailer. We are planning on having a planning meeting soon. Resources are sparse but potential and hope abounds. And we serve a great God! I'm posting pictures of the Easter Egg hunt we had for the church kids at our house, and of the Easter Sunday SonRise Service. Please continue to pray for our ministry. And May God Bless Us Everyone!

Easter Egg Hunt

2010-04-07T04:57:00.000-07:00

Easter Breakfast

2010-04-07T04:54:00.000-07:00

Sonrise Drum Circle

2010-04-07T04:53:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T07:56:00.004-07:00

Tziporah's first birthday - with brother Elijah
2 of Jeremiah's kids - 12/19/09

All Things Work...

2009-11-07T07:32:00.002-07:00

This blog site used to be a place of debate, and personal reflection on theology and faith. For the past 2 1/2 years my "free time" has been spent in ministry, planting seeds, and waiting for harvest. And most of my blogging has been reporting the slow and steady progress of The Farmington Free Methodist mission. It seems that that chapter is coming to its end. And I won't be blogging much anymore.

But I need to post the following paragraphs because I don't want them to be wasted. Just before I found out that "The Mission" was being sold and "The Ministry" was being shut down, I put together 3 special news letters. The pictures and annoucements would be the same, but the scripture reference and focus paragraph would be different. One would be sent out to the many families that participate in our events, get help from our food and clothing distribution, but do not come to church on Sunday. Another would be for the small churches on the Rez, and the area ministries that have partnered with us. The third would be for our donors, and potential doners.

Hebrews 10:24,25

What is church and why is it important? Ask 10 people and you’d probably get 10 different answers. Here at the Mission on the Bisti, church is a tiny, 50 year old chapel. It is a group of people, multi-generational and multi-cultural. It is singing songs to the creator – contemporary Christian songs, old time hymns in Navajo and English, and songs to the beat of the drum or the haunting melody of a cedar flute. It is Sunday Morning at 10:30. Studying the Bible with Pastor Art and having refreshments afterwards. It is children participating in worship and making crafts or playing Bible Bingo during the sermon. It is important because the Bible says so. It is important because the Great I Am commanded it. If you are looking for a church, where you and your family can grow in the wisdom and knowledge of the LORD, where you can learn and serve as well... we invite you – we welcome you – come to our “church” at the Mission on the Bisti – Be blessed.

1 Corinthians 12:14-20

Partnership? That’s what we are hoping for here at the Free Methodist Mission on the Bisti. We don’t have much in the way of resources, but what we have, we want to share with our Navajo neighbors and we want to reach out a hand of friendship to the other “little” churches in the area. We don’t want to “steal your sheep” but rather we want to work with you to reach the “lost sheep” that are wandering around in the darkness of sin and hopelessness. Some of our plans include a special luncheon for area pastors and ministry partners on December 12, a Saturday Seminar on Spiritual Gifts in January, and an Open House – Children’s Ministry Workshop – what is Free Methodism? event in February. You might want to tell your congregation that we have a clothing and food distribution every Tuesday from 4:30 to 5:30pm. Why not give Pastor Art a call, just to say Ya’aateh. He’d love to hear from old friends or get to know new ones!

2 Corinthians 8:1-6

Here at the Mission on the Bisti, we are all about restoration. Restoring families, restoring hope to wanderers lost in the dark, restoring relationships with reservation churches, and restoring a 7 ½ acre site that was desolate and in ill repair for many years. We are about planting seeds. Handing out treat bags and sacks of potatoes at the Shiprock Fair parade (and upcoming Holiday Parade in Farmington), distributing canned goods and warm coats on Tuesday afternoons, inviting our Navajo neighbors to eat with us, play with us, and worship with us. Our needs? Of course we need cash donations. Walmart cards come in handy too! We need tangibles such as: personal size toiletries – lotion, chap-stick, handi-wipes (no mouthwash) socks, gloves, and hats (it does get really cold here during the winter months), hard candy, little toys (brown skinned dolls are especially appreciated), kids’ books and blankets or quilts for the elderly. Mostly, really, we need your prayers! May God continue to bless us, everyone!

Well, that's that. I still can't believe this is over. After the Healthy Church Growth Seminar we went to last month, and the strategic planning meeting we had last Sunday, and the prayer vigil pastor and I were having...I really thought it was time to begin harvesting, not time to plow it all under, well - to everything there is a time...turn turn turn

Life is a great adventure...

2009-07-08T19:16:00.002-07:00

one of our young men observed that life is an adventure, you get started and there's no turning back, you just have to keep on living...
one of the joys of my life is being a grandmother...and here is a picture of our littlest one, playing drums with grandpa art...

Eli

2009-06-25T19:19:00.002-07:00

Blessed are those who mourn – for they shall be comforted.
To everything there is a time, and a season for everything under heaven.
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
Friends of mine just lost an infant grandson. Since my own little nephew passed into Jesus’ arms over 25 years ago, I’ve often reflected that the death of a child has to be the most faith shaking experience of all. Whether the baby lived only a few hours like little Eli, or a few years like little Nicky, it has to be one of the hardest things a person, especially a mother, has to endure.
I was thinking about that during my devotions yesterday, and thinking of the babies I know of personally, whose mortal lives were so very short.
When Nicky was nearly the end of his battle against Leukemia, I remember lamenting to our God, who clearly said “Ask and you shall receive…what so ever you ask in My Name…” but He will miss so much, and hearing the LORD say to my heart, “but he will be spared so much” and I remember praying, “LORD, he will be scared when it happens, will you hold him for a while, ‘til he gets used to this new place?” Then I thought how stupid that prayer was. How many babies die at any given moment? How could God have time to rock each one? And the LORD said to my heart, “Maryellen, never limit Me to your understanding of time, I will rock Nicky as long as he wants.” It occurs to me now that in some way our Heavenly Father might still be rocking him. And Eli, and little Emily. Little Emily was my best friend’s grand-daughter. She was born with a multitude of problems, and everyone knew she wouldn’t last very long. I got to hold her days before she passed on. I whispered in her little ear “give Jesus a big hug for me when you see Him.” It was a strangely peaceful experience, knowing that this little angel, sleeping in my arms, was soon going to be in the presences of God, in His heavenly kingdom. I suppose the question often comes up in such circumstances, when surely the parents and grandparents and friends of the families, especially in all these cases when the babies were born into families that were “Believers”, prayed for a miracle – why didn’t God say yes? Why didn’t He heal? Surely death wasn’t part of His original plan. Surely He is able to heal the sick, even raise the dead. It is hard, nearly impossible for some, to simply sigh and say “Thy will be done.” I just don’t know. I do know that God is Love, and death is not the end of things, and Heaven is a wonderful place. I know that life is hard. I know that 7 minutes or 70 years of life, its so short compared to eternity. I think of little Eli, fearfully and wonderfully formed within his mother’s womb, a few breaths of our air and heaven bound. No reasons, no excuses, no what-ifs will make a bit of difference. So I mourn with those who mourn, and I trust the LORD who counts our tears, and I know blessings will come and peace that passes understanding. I saw a thunderstorm in the mountains today – The God of glory thunders, and I saw a rainbow – God keeps His promises. And I said a prayer for my friends…and I think of little children dancing in Heaven and I smile.

Renaissance on the Rez

2009-06-05T10:30:00.005-07:00

School's out. I'm already looking forward to August 15 when I get to start all over again. I love my job! Here are some highlights of the last week of school. Our classroom Renaissance Fair, our end of the year dance, and my favorite - the promotion ceremony when all my students are so nicely dressed and refined. Bless their hearts.

Ladies Retreat

2009-05-01T16:58:00.003-07:00

I'll be talking about this some on the ministry site. I took 5 ladies from our church to Prescott Arizona for Ladies Retreat last week-end. It was fun! It was inspirational! Two of our ladies sort of "hid-out" since it was a bit too "churchy" for them. But how could anyone see the awesome beauty of the world God created, or stand in worship and not get at least a little touch of the spirit. Open their eyes LORD they need to see you Jesus! Reach down and touch them and say that you LOVE them. Open their ears LORD and help them to hear you, Call our their names LORD, they need to know Jesus!

Pictures

2009-04-20T17:42:00.003-07:00

Monday Rambling

2009-04-20T17:40:00.002-07:00

Reflections?
Writer’s Block…
Another season has ended - the Easter Season - the Passion Play season
There are only 6 weeks of school left and finally the month of the bitter wind seems to have blown itself out.

Leviticus 19:23-25 (New Living Translation)
“When you enter the land and plant fruit trees, leave the fruit unharvested for the first three years and consider it forbidden. Do not eat it. In the fourth year the entire crop must be consecrated to the Lord as a celebration of praise. Finally, in the fifth year you may eat the fruit. If you follow this pattern, your harvest will increase. I am the Lord your God.

We will soon be entering our third year of ministry at the Mission on the Bisti. I need to remember that is took 9 years for God to fulfill His promise to restore us to this ministry - I tend to be very impatient. My son Jeremiah, the one interested in horticulture, pointed out these verses from Leviticus. He indicated that we shouldn’t expect a great harvest until the 4th or 5th year.
I know I am learning as we go along. Last year’s Back to School event wasn’t very well attended. But that was ok because we had not gotten as many donations of school supplies as I had expected. The Christmas Vacation Bible School was a good idea, but we got snowed out. Which was probably a good thing - because I saw some flaws in the plan. Last week we had an Easter Egg Coloring Party - it was fun and messy but only the church kids came in spite of the advertising and personal invitations. We just aren’t growing. Our outreach efforts don’t seem to be producing fruit. And I get discouraged.

But I need to remember the theme of this blog of mine. “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven” And I need to remember my own sermon - don’t fret - wait patiently for the LORD, do good and trust the LORD. Ok, yeah…time for dinner. Maybe the piece I write for the ministry site will be of more significance than this rambling. But the pictures are good - our Church Kids at Passion Play, Pastor Art playing Peter, and the Easter Egg Coloring party.

March 22, 2009

2009-03-22T13:26:00.002-07:00

I usually get to preach 3 times a year, for my birthday in February, on Mothers'day and during Men's retreat. This week, Pastor Art was sick, so I took the Mothers' day sermon I've sort of been working on, and delivered part of it today. We just finished working through the "Truth Project" so that we can use it as a follow up to Passion Play, so rather than the typical "mother's day" sermon, I thought I'd do something like this. There weren't too any in Church this week, and since Mother's day isn't for a couple of months, it won't hurt if I "preach it" twice...any way, to preserve it I am posting it here now. Your comments or suggestions would be appreciated. God bless you, God bless us everyone!

Truth

“…your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made Himself nothing taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8

Why?
Why did Yashua, (Jesus - the second person of the Blessed Trinity) come to this world He, Himself, created (John 1:3) and humble Himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross?
Why?
To teach us what God is really like, and really expects? To glorify God? To die for our sins?
Why?
Why did the LORD of lords and Prince of Peace - the Living Son of the Living God - choose to become the sacrificial Lamb of God?
To save us? To redeem us? To take away the sins of the world?
Actually, Jesus Himself gives us the answer to that question.

“…In fact, for this reason I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:37) Jesus’ words to Pilot - just hours before His bloody death on a cross of shame. And Pilots response… “What is truth?”

What is truth? In our day and age many people declare that Truth is relative. Everyone has their own “truths.” Even in “Christian” circles it seems that truth varies - no real absolutes. It seems that everything from methods of baptism to the clothes we wear, from the music we worship with to the definition of sin is “relative.” And one can find some “church” somewhere that teaches what we want taught and makes us feel good. A “gospel” that gives our itching ears what they want to hear. It’s ok. Your ok. We’re ok.

But we’ve been warned:
“The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the TRUTH and turn aside to myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4

Jesus testified to the TRUTH by coming to earth as one of us and by dying on the cross.
And His Resurrection from the dead proved that what He taught was in fact TRUE. He’s Alive!”

If you were to look up how many times Jesus mentioned the Truth - or began a teaching with “Verily, Verily” which means Truly, Truly…you’d begin to realize just how important the Truth is to Him.
So what is truth? Is the Bible true? All of it?

2 Timothy 3:16 -17 “All scripture is God-Breathed, and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

A serious pastor, minister of the Gospel, takes to heart the message of 2 Timothy 4:2-4 “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the TRUTH…”

Truth is important. Vitally, eternally important! But the question “what is truth” can not be answered in one sermon, on one Sunday morning. Pastors are compelled to teach the Truth - you - we - the people also have our instructions: be like the Bereans in Act 17.

“Now the Bereans were of …noble character for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was TRUE.”

A long time ago, I came up with the little saying, “Truth is not a concept, it’s a person - Jesus Christ” That’s not scripture. But this is, “Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

Pilot asked, “what is truth?” And he was looking Him straight in the eyes.

In conclusion, I want to look at four more scriptures, with very little commentary on my part. Let the living Word of God speak to your hearts.

John 5:46
If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.

Matthew 5:18
18 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

Deuteronomy 30:10-15 (the Law of Moses)
10 … obey the LORD your God and keep his commands and decrees that are written in this Book of the Law and turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
11 Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, "Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, "Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?" No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it. See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.

And finally, on how to be saved ?

Romans 10:8-10 (New International Version)
But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart, that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

And now back where we began:

Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:5-11

Come, Now is the time to worship…
And once you have believed in your heart and declared with your lips that Jesus Christ is LORD - may you continue to grow in knowledge of the TRUTH.

Baby's First Laugh

2009-03-11T20:07:00.005-07:00

In the book "Peter Pan" the little boy who would never grow up explained that when the first baby laughed for the first time, that laugh shattered into a million pieces and that's where fairies came from. The only Biblical allusion I could find was the story of Isaac - which means Laughter - his mother Sarah said, about her miracle son, "God has brought me laughter and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." Last Sunday we celebrated Tziporah's first laugh. It's a Navajo tradition. The person who makes the baby laugh for the first time has to throw a party. The laughter is a sign that the baby has "decided to join the human family." With the help of the person who hosts the party - in this case Stacy's best friend from third grade - the baby hands out treat bags - sweets and treats - to all who come. This is to ensure that the baby will grow up to be a generous human being. We had the party in our fellowship hall, and it was another chance for the two families to get together. Grandpa Art got to say the blessing over Tziporah, the families and the food (yum!).
Here are some pictures taken at the party. Tziporah, Daddy, the guests, the cake, and her little cousin/brother. The Navajo word for a boy cousin is the same as the word for brother. I'm working on an update of the ministry blog, so check it out. May your world be full of joy and laughter, and the peace that passes understanding.

Please Visit

2009-02-16T08:39:00.001-07:00

Thank you for visiting my site...please visit our ministry site by clicking on "The Mission" on the right hand side of this page.

February 10, 2009

2009-02-10T13:15:00.004-07:00

Isn't she a doll? Bless her heart!
Anyway, today was a snow day...and Art is in Phoenix at a pastor's meeting. A nice chance for me to catch up on my blogging (and do some chores, correct papers, we have our food and clothing distribution today - wait a minute, let me look at little Tziporah one more time - ahhh...ok Maryellen, back to work).
When we were part of Open Bible Standard Churches, the first Sunday in February was "Women's Sunday" and since my birthday was right around then, Art would honor me by letting me pick out the songs and deliver the message. The tradition continues, and last Sunday I preached in our little chapel. For those of you who couldn't make it (LOL) here's the transcript of my 2009 Sermon, entitled - Don't Fret!

I was planning to preach on the end times. “The End of the World - RU Ready?” In Children’s Church we’ve been working with a song based on Revelation Chapter 4, and Revelation is such an interesting book. It reads like a supernatural disaster movie, which is most likely why the “Left Behind” books and movies did so well. But I am not doing a series, like Pastor Art, I only have one morning, and I decided that was too big a bite to chew. If anyone is really interested, or maybe even worried about that topic, we could make it our Bible Study on Wednesday evenings. This morning I’m going to preach out of Psalm 37 and I’ve entitled this message, “Don’t Fret.”
The book of Psalms is like a treasure chest. So many of our songs come from the Psalms. In Ephesians 5:19, Paul tells us to speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, to sing and make music in our hearts to the LORD. It’s no surprise that the book of Psalms is in the very heart of the Bible. If you take your Bibles and open to the middle, you will be in the Psalms, depending on how many pages of introduction, or maps, glossary, etc the publisher has added; you will at least be very close. (Lets open to Psalm 37 - page 553 in the pew Bibles - which by the way were donated to us by the Kirtland AFB - God bless Derreck, Kyle, and all the other service men and women from our country, fighting for - working toward freedom and peace.)
The first words you see are, “Do not fret…” What does “fret” mean? (worry? fear? anxiety?). Don’t Worry - Don’t Worry - Be Happy? Wasn’t there a song like that a few years back. If I remember correctly, it wasn’t the kind of song you’d hear in Church. And of course, we shouldn’t take scripture out of context. So lets continue reading…Ah verse 4. Now that’s a great verse! A verse you’d see on a calendar, greeting card, little daily devotional. “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.” I think that is one of those dangerous verses. One of the reasons you hear some people say…”oh I was Christian once” or “I tried the Jesus way, but it just didn’t work for me”
Pastor Art is preaching a series from Matthew - Jesus’s sermon on the mount which you can read in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. In Matthew 7 verse 7 is another on those “dangerous” verses - “Ask and it will be given to you”. There are a lot of verses like those - promise verses - that if taken out of context sound like God is some kind of Genii in a lamp - rub the Bible real hard and make a wish. Those verses are dangerous if we don’t continue to read…back to Psalm 37. Commit, Trust, Wait Patiently, Do Not Fret…Jesus echoed that in His sermon (He is after all, the real author of the Psalms, the whole of the Word of God) Matthew 6:25 Do Not Worry, verse 28 And why do you worry? Verse 34, Therefore, Do Not Worry!”
So if we aren’t supposed to worry about stuff, how are we supposed to deal with all our problems - relationships, annoying co-workers, demanding bosses, bills, broken cars - don’t get mad, don’t worry, but rather trust, wait, do good, be just, delight in the word of the LORD. When I look at Psalm 37 I pull out promises, instructions, and warnings. That verse 4 is really nice. I can memorize that one. Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Some versions of the Bible even say that He will give you all your heart desires (umm, 50 people in church every Sunday - new buildings, roses and tulips and trees - a nice new bus, recording equipment, salvation for all those names on my ’hit list’, a yellow mustang and a cruise to Alaska). But wait a minute…what does “Delight yourself in the LORD means?” Are you delighted to be a Christian? Does it delight you to read the Bible every day? And what about all those instructions? Trust - Do Good - Commit - Wait Patiently - Refrain from Anger - Be Righteous, and not wicked. (You can read for yourselves what it says about what’s going to happen to the wicked). But lets look at verse 16. Seems to be saying we shouldn’t expect to be rich…rather we should be content with what we have, 'cause the wicked rich are doomed. And then verse 39...He is their stonghold in time of trouble…trouble? Yes, we will have troubles. Jesus never promised us a life free of troubles. His promise was Peace in the times of trouble. When we feel weak and broken, He promises to be our strength. When we fail, He will not give up on us. When we wander away, He is there to welcome us home with open arms, He will pick us up clean us off and set us on the right path again and again and again. Do not fret. Do not worry…Trust, Wait Patiently, Do Good. Let’s finish by going to Matthew, listen to what Jesus has to say…Matthew 6:25ff (page 960 in pew Bible).
And now, let’s declare our faith before taking communion…and ask yourselves… Do You Believe, Can you Trust? Or would you rather go on fretting.

From Generation to Generation

2009-01-09T13:38:00.002-07:00

To Everything A Time

2009-01-09T13:10:00.002-07:00

I started reading the Psalms again January First - a Psalm a day - I am on Nine. So far so good. I am in the habit of writing little notes in my Bibles as I do my devotions and the last time I read through the book of Psalms in my "Message" version of the Holy Scriptures was in the fall of 2005. A very dark time of my life. Often my notes were cries of desperation and hopelessness. At this season in my life I feel blessed and praise God for His grace and mercy. I'm not quite as healthy as I would like to be and our little church is not growing as quickly as I think it should be - but all in all, life is good! I have a beautiful new grand daughter who promises to bring together two families from two different cultures and I pray that the Truth and Light will prevail. My other two grandchildren were allowed to attend our Christmas Vacation Bible School although their mother (as Elijah puts it) doesn't believe in Jesus anyomre. We had 51 people at our Pre-Thanksgiving Feast and 30 people at our Christmas Service. And I'm a year younger than I thought I was. I made the comment that I would be 58 on my next birthday and Ardy said, "no mom, you'll only be 57 - do the math" He was right. Today I played hookey from school. With a broken vehicle and a bad cough, I decided I needed an extra day of rest. I've been working on the mailing of newsletters and gathering email addresses. I'm gonna post another update on the mission blog and on Art's blog too. I keep checking the hit counters on the sites, but the numbers don't up very much. I know I need to actually set up a real Web Site for the ministry. It has been observed that the only people who "blog" are people who want to argue...from past posts on this site, one can see that that rings true. But doing ministry is more important than arguing theology. And much more fun too! Well, dear friends, sisters and brothers (only I doubt very many of my brothers check this site)beloved family with whom I communicate much too infrequently - May our LORD Jesus shine in your darkness, calm your storms, comfort you when you are in mourning - and at the times when Life is Good, don't forget Him from whom all good things come! God is good, even though we might not agree with His sense of timing...God is good! And whether you are listening to the words of King Solomon, or the Birds - To everything there is a time - Turn Turn Turn

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T10:32:00.002-07:00

One of the best things about being a teacher is Christmas Vacation. Two weeks of "freedom". It's hard to keep track of what day it is. Friday? Oh NO! I still have about 200 papers to grade. Not to panic...at least my first day back on the job - January 5, is not the student's first day back. I will be glad to get back to work. It is such a blessing to love one's job. And January also brings the start of the Passion Play rehersals. I'll be doing children's ministries for PP this year. I doubt I'd get another chance to play Mary. That was a once in a life-time blessing. I've actually directed the Children's Block 7 times in the past. This year, Art and I are helping plan the Navajo Presentation of Passion Play as well. I know it's a little soon to be thinking of Easter and at least it isn't as early this year as it was last year. But the older I get (I'll be 58 next month), the faster time flies, and although there is still snow on the ground, spring is right around the corner. I'm reading a Psalm a day, if I break 119 into 22 parts, it will take me until mid-june to get through the book. Psalm 1 reminds me of the Children's church lesson I've taught a few times, that when we say "God Bless You" we are saying "Be like a tree". Psalm 2 is rather political in nature. I am anxious to see just how things will unfold in this country and globally once Obamma becomes president. And I'm glad that the psalm ends with a promise of blessing on those who trust in the LORD. As a ministry, we are looking to build up our prayer partner and doner base. I have news letters and flyers to get ready for mailing. I just found out that Pastor Art will be gone most of next week. Helping a friend. This may give me more computer time. I'm working with Tziporah's other grandmother on a baby shower. Navajo tradition has the "shower" after the baby arrives. We're having it in the fellowship hall, and it will be a good chance to build relationships and encourage the "family" to come to church. Well enough rambling for now. Just wanted to post a New Year's greeting before I start grading mid-terms and Holiday Essays. "Do homage to the Son, lest He become anry and you perish...For His wrath may soon be kindled...but How blessed are all who take refuge in Him! Psalm 2:12

Tzipporah Dempsey Brokop

2008-12-20T13:58:00.002-07:00

Born 4:07 am 12/19/08 I got to wittness her arrival! 6 lbs 10 oz. Glory!

10 Days 'til Christmas

2008-12-15T04:39:00.002-07:00

Have I Mentioned that I love Christmas. I always have. From the lights to the silly, romantic, predictable Christmas movies. I love Christmas trees, Christmas villages, and especially Nativity Scenes (I have about 50). This is my third Christmas here on the Mission. The first was 10 years ago. I remember carolling on the Rez, and handing out treat bags - an orange, some nuts and some candy. Keshmish Hozoh! This is our second Christmas since the LORD called us back to ministry here. There are treat bags under the Christmas Tree in the fellowship hall. We decorated the tree in Children's Church last week, with a lesson on the Truth each ornament symbolizes. 20 of my 50 Nativities are hanging on that lovely tree - and a candy cane and crocheted cross for every member of our little congregation. The fellowship hall looks so beautiful. The hard work done by the team from Michigan makes such a difference. It's still a little chilly, but not fridgid or damp like last year. I have part of my Christmas village set up in there. And I have the rest of it set up in the restroom. We have lights up in the courtyard and so far, no one has bothered the large plastic nativity scene in the front.
So far this Christmas season 10 of us were in the Farmington Christmas Parade, handing out 1000 candy treats attatched to invitations to our Christmas Vacation Bible School, we've delivered two Christmas boxes to families on the Rez. through Angel Tree Ministries (and have 4 more ready to go next week). We sponsered a Christmas Luncheon for people with whom we partner with in Ministry - 7 plus the "family" were there. 16 voices singing "Joy to the World" in English and Navajo.
Yep, I love Christmas. But there is a saddness that seems to accompany this joyous season. In all this beauty and majesty, a heaviness. Did Mary know? Even though the LIGHT is shining in the darkness, and the PEACE that passes all understanding is in fact ours when we accept it, storms rage all around us. Christmas stories don't always have sappy sweet endings. I have a new grand-daughter that is due to arrive anyday now. But the daughter-in-law of one of our women just miscarried. One of the missionionaries our conference supports died in a car wreck in Africa, leaving behind a wife and three young daughters. There was an accident in Shiprock last week that left one of the students in my school critically injured and fatherless. How sad Christmas will be for them. Wars and rumors of war. Does anyone remember Simon and Garfunkle's version of Silent Night and the 7 o'clock news? Yes, Jesus came - silently and humbly to the world He created, to and for the people He loves. Yes, He is here, in our midst, where two or more gather together, with a promise to never leave or forsake us. And Yes, He is coming again in glory. Yes, I love Christmas - with the colored lights that remind me that God keeps His promises. With the smiles of wonder on the faces of the little ones who haven't figured out yet that this is a dark and depraved world. And how I pray for the little ones who have to face tragidy this year instead of joy. Lord have mercy. And Lord, help me to share Your Light and your Truth with the people who pass by, with the people I touch throughout the day, with the people you send our way. That there is Joy and everlasting love, Peace in every storm, there is God - Father,Son,Holy Spirit - And God is Good!

Thanks for Giving School Dance

2008-11-27T09:01:00.004-07:00

TseBit'Ai Middle School - Shiprock New Mexico

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T08:13:00.004-07:00

Thursday morning - freezing rain falling from the not so often grey New Mexican sky.
It's Thanksgiving, and I have so much to be thankful for. We've been here, at the "Mission" for 16 months and still I am amazed that the LORD has given us this place and this opportunity to serve Him. And then there is my job. It is such a blessing to have a job you love. It's not an easy job. Middle school students are challenges where ever they live. As they grow up, as they live through this crisis or that, as they fall in and out of love, learning about adjectives and adverbs is not a top priority. We just finished our unit on poetry though,and when free to express their ideas without having to worry about sentence structure or punctuation, what they come up with is incredible. My school is 97% Native American, 90% Navajo - but I think in many aspects they are just regular teenagers. At least it seemed that way at the Thanksgiving dance I chaperoned last week. It was called the "Thanks for Giving Dance" because it was tied in with a canned food drive. My "homeroom" won the pizza party for bringing in 157 food items that would be donated to the Shiprock home for battered women and other needy families on the Navajo Rez. And, as much as I love my job - I am thankful that we get a five day break for Thanksgiving. Today is a day to lay back. We had our feast on Wednesday - 52 people, mostly Indians - in our beautiful cozy fellowship hall. I always wanted a big family. Tomorrow I'll take down the autumn decorations and put up Christmas. This is my favorite time of year. And it is all to honor the King of Kings! Let's not forget that. He is the Source, the Reason, the Author of our lives. Those simple steps of obedience lead us through dark times and hard times, through frustrating times and exhausting times and always there is the Peace that Passes understanding and the Joy that carries through times when it is hard to be happy...Joy and Peace - what I am most thankful for and what I pray for those who I know and love and miss and care about. Not a happy thanksgiving - but a Joyful one.

God Bless Them All!

2008-11-12T11:21:00.000-07:00

Matthew, Malachi, and Merilu
I have a lot of time to pray as I drive to and from work every morning. It’s a 30 mile commute across some awesome, if somewhat barren land. The rising sun behind me casts beautiful shadows on the rocks, mesas and distant mountains. I pray mostly for my students, past and present. And this week the LORD has brought to mind 3 particular individuals whose stories I love to tell.
Matthew – one of my first Navajo students, nearly 10 years ago. A beautiful child with a long, thick braid down his back. Not very many boys still wear their hair long. It’s usually a sign of just how traditional his family is, and Matthew was the eldest son of a very traditional family. One day Matthew came up to me and complained that his ear was hurting. I sent him to the nurse, who suspected an ear infection and told him to tell his mom to take him to the doctor. The next day, a Friday as I recall, he was back in school but I could tell the pain was much worse. I called him to my desk and asked if he had told his mom what the nurse had said. “Oh, yes Mrs. Brokop, but don’t worry, tomorrow she is taking me to a medicine man.” When I first told that story to some of my friends back east they asked if he didn’t have enough money for a “real” doctor. Actually – through the BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs) all registered Native Americans get free medical. And there is a very good hospital in Shiprock. Medicine men cost quite a bit. But to some – many, that is the first and preferred form of healing. Just over a year ago I saw Matthew again. He was working in a local restaurant , having just graduated from High School. He still had that lovely long hair, and enthusiastic smile. What a wonderful blessing when he told me that he was saving up money so he could go to Bible College and learn to teach his people about Jesus.
Malachi – from one of the many children’s ministries I’ve been involved in over the past several years. This is actually his mother’s story but I think it says a lot about the identity crisis that so many Native Americans have. It is one of the reasons our ministry strives to encourage individuals to find their identity in Christ without losing their self-worth as Navajo – Dine’. When Malachi was barely 4 his family lived in Albuquerque. He was attending a rather multi-cultural Head Start program. One evening he was watching an old-time western with his parents and commented that he wished he were an Indian. That statement took his parents – both full blooded Navajo – by surprise. And they proceeded to explain to their little son that he was in fact an Indian. A revelation that seemed to thrill him. The next day he ran excitedly up to his mother after a morning at Head Start, declaring that he had just found out that his best friend Billy was white. Wasn’t that amazing???? It is a good thing, that left on their own, without the influence of adult prejudice, most children are color blind. And Malachi’s realization did not affect the fact that Billy was his friend. His parents have since moved back to the Reservation, partially so that Malachi, and his little siblings will have a better chance of realizing the proud heritage from which they come.
Merilu – a very typical, somewhat melodramatic middle school student. A beautiful young woman, who runs into the rising sun each morning with her brother, uses corn pollen to bless her day, and listens to tunes on her iPod. A simple interaction with Merilu reminded me, yet again, what an unusual situation in which I find myself. Truly unique. One day she came to school extremely depressed and distracted. I asked what was wrong – and with tears in her eyes she told me that Grandma was going to butcher her sheep. Now, Merilu knew full well that that was the ultimate destiny of all the sheep in grandma’s flock. They would provide wool for rugs and blankets, and eventually end up roasted or stewed. But this was Merilu’s own favorite sheep. Sooooo Sad! The next day, in skips Merilu, all smiles and giggles, with her cell phone in hand. We don’t allow cell phones in class, and Merilu knew it. But she just had to show me the pictures of Grandma butchering the sheep. I bet not many other middle school teachers in the USA have had that particular experience.

On Top of the World

2008-10-26T11:36:00.005-07:00

It was a beautiful day and a trecherous road up the mesa known as "Turning Rock". The absolute center of Dine'Tah, the high place where traditional Navajos believe first man and first woman emerged after a great flood. We were a mixed bunch of worshipers, the youngest being 6 months old, the elder over 60. Men and women, Navajo and Biliganna, hot coffee and the sound of drums. Pearlene read from Isaiah 51 "Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, who seek the LORD, Look to the Rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug..."
This was not "our" event and we were honored to be included. The sky was an incredible blue...Isaiah 51:6a "Lift up your eyes to the sky, then look to the Earth below." The view was incredible. Awesome. I wonder how many people, who have not been blessed to experience such a view, can actually comprehend the meaning of the word "Awesome". The Lord has put such a burden in our hearts for this land and its people, such a love in our hearts for our Navajo brothers and sisters. It was a beautiful day, a day of prayer and a day of blessings...Glory to God!
and so...I continue to ask for your prayers...check out the Mission Site and Pastor Art's current site, which you can link on from this site. Have a blessed week - pray protection and peace especially on Friday - Halloween - posted by Maryellen

TGIF

2008-10-24T19:28:00.002-07:00

Yep, thank God it's Friday!
I've been experimenting - setting up two new blogs on this account. One focusing on the Ministry, one focusing on Pastor Art, some of his lyrics and sermon notes and articles. And this one. This pink page of mine started out years ago, as a sort of journal, a Bible study, responses to other blogs, other "theologies" - some personal ragings at a time when I was struggling with faith and truth and life in general.
The poem I just posted I wrote quite a while ago. At a time when I wasn't sure we'd have a chance to minister again. Last Saturday we had our first coffee house and besides the 15 regular church attenders and their guests, two of those "invisible" people stopped by and one of our regular wanderer's - Michael. We feed him and pray for him a few times a month. LORD, give us wisdom in ministry - protect those who are lost in the dark, be their Light and Hope and Salvation.

For Michael

2008-10-24T19:26:00.001-07:00

One little, Two Little, Three Little...

2008-10-08T20:53:00.001-07:00

Three of our Children's Church Children...

Worship in Santa Fe

2008-10-08T20:47:00.004-07:00

Pastor Art was part of a drum circle at a interdenominational, multi-cultural prayer and praise service in the Square in Sante Fe.

Raining a Rainbow

2008-10-08T20:43:00.003-07:00

The color splotch in the sky over this home in Shiprock, was formed as early morning rain fell in the mountians to the north.

Home on the Rez

2008-10-08T20:41:00.002-07:00

Some of my eighth graders live in homes that do not have electricity or indoor plumbing.

September 21

2008-09-21T15:33:00.006-07:00

The seasons are changing in the New Mexican high desert. Along the Bisti Highway and up and down the roads of Shiprock. There are signs of a good harvest... It's "kneel down bread" time and things are gearing up for Shiprock Fair. Ministry continues at the Farmington Free Methodist Mission at a pace too slow for me. I keep revisiting Psalm 37...wait and trust! It was a good summer! We traveled cross country in June to share the vision and the song of the land. We visited several church groups and made contacts with some other Native American Ministries as well as some very dear friends. In July, a very hard working team from Jackson Free Methodist Church in Michigan came out to work on the buildings, the grounds, and to lead a vacation Bible School outreach. The little church was filled with joyful praise and many seeds were planted. In this season of harvest, we look forward to seeing the fruit of their labor grow. A series of tent meetings encouraged worship of the Creator with the songs and rhythms that the Living and True God has placed in the hearts of the people. Pastor Casey Church of the Potawannamee People used his regalia to teach about the full armor of God and blessed the land with a traditional dance offered to Yahweh - Father Son and Holy Spirit. By the way Mike, thanks for donating the tent to the mission. We will make good use of it in coming years! In fact we used it for our Back to School event. Instead of just lining the kids up and handing out bags of supplies, we set up games under the "big top" where they could earn tickets to be traded in for the supplies they needed. While the kids were playing games like "Sight Word Bingo" and "Spelling Bee" the parents were able to take advantage of our clothes ministry. Special thanks go to our sister churches in the Arizona conference for their donations of clothes and school supplies. So what is in store for the mission in the months to come? There is still some work needed to be done in the buildings and around the grounds. We are hoping to buy a couple of pallet stoves. The winters here can get pretty chilly. Pallets stoves are efficient and more affordable than central heating. Once the windows are finished and the cook stove installed, our fellowship hall will be ready for our community Thanksgiving Feast and the Christmas party we are hoping to have for some of the Reservation pastors and their wives - A way to cement relationships and create partnerships. We're also planning on having a Christmas Vacation Bible School, Dec. 22, 23, 24. Meanwhile we continue to have our Tuesday afternoon food pantry and clothes distribution, Worship services Sunday - 10:30am and 6:45pm with nutritious refreshments served after each service. I'm not sure how involved we'll be in the Shiprock Fair. We're hoping to at least put together some treat bags - last year we handed out 900 as part of our float in the parade, and we'd like to do some sort of out reach, Lord willing. But we haven't been able to get the stuff we need to make that happen, and time's running out. We continue to covet you prayers... Prayers for wisdom, provision, and shalom...prayers that God will bring us People to rise up as leaders in ministry. We can always use Donations of clothes, especially hats, gloves, mittens and new socks- we also need children's books, small prize type toys for our many games of Bible Bingo, toiletries (travel size), blankets and quilts (the traditional Christmas gift for the elderlies), and financial gifts (tax deductible of course). Packages can be sent to 1275 Bisti Highway, Farmington NM 87401. Cash donations and inquiries should be sent to Farmington Free Methodist Mission PO Box 6132, Farmington, NM 87499. At the Arizona Conference Family Camp someone asked about the AIBM. Please note the AIBM is no longer affiliated with the Free Methodist Denomination and cash donations made to that ministry do not come to us. For more information about our ministry, contact Pastor Art at (505)325-4496 or email us at artandme@juno.com.

That last bit is straight from the News Letter I am getting ready to send out.

It's Sunday afternoon and I just got up from a nap. We have about an hour before the evening service starts. Just a few more comments before I close this and add some pictures. I am having a great time at work. It's such a blessing to have a job you truly love! 95+ great junior high students. The drive into school is beautiful - although gas prices are hurting, just a little. I've been on morning duty this week. I get to greet most of the students as they walk by, and I really enjoy the crisp autumn mornings... Praying and Praising the LORD. Art has begun Drug and Alcohol counseling on the Rez, in partnership with the Brethren in Christ mission. That is going pretty well. He gets to worship with the "guys" with drum songs, which he really enjoys. God is good, He keeps His promises, and we continue to trust, and take those simple steps of obedience.

God Bless You All!

August 2, 2008

2008-08-02T08:41:00.002-07:00

Summer does not want to admit it's nearly over. It was in the hundreds yesterday, and today promises to be a scorcher as well. Thank God, that among many other things, the team from Michigan was able to fix the swamp coolers in the Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall. But Summer vacation at least, is nearly over...school starts in just a couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to the "new year". It has been, as I predicted, a very quick, busy summer. I could use the break - getting back to the "old routine."
I've posted some pictures of the "Big Event" the week of July 20. I'd like to say that it was very well attended and we picked up several new families as a result. But in all honesty I can't. It was, however, a Big Success! July 20 was Pastor Art's birthday and the first day that the team from Michigan was with us. We shared a feast, and birthday cake after Sunday Morning worship and then drove out to the place on the Rez where VBS was supposed to be held. But due to some family related circumstances, that site fell through, and it was decided at the last minute that VBS would be held on our grounds. Mind you, there was no time to advertise. So I guess having an average attendance of 16 - with a total of 20 registered wasn't bad. On Monday work began, and boy did those folk work hard! They fixed a roof, and two swamp coolers, and did some great landscaping. They put up a tent, hauled rocks, handed out fliers, and put up insulation, drywall, and remodeled the kitchen in the fellowship hall and sorted out a ton of donated clothes. 5 days of heavy and joyful labor in the New Mexican heat! All to the glory of God. And in the evenings the God of Glory thundered. Under the purple tent - which by the way has now been donated to our ministry to keep - our Church family, the team from Michigan, and a handful of other guests were blessed by worship and teachings on worship. May God richly bless Nason, Casey, Duane, the drum team, Kenneth, Andrew, Julia, Michelle and the girls - who took the time to participate in our tent meetings - again, all to the glory of God.
So this week, Art painted the fellowship hall and I continued to pull weeds and water the plants the team planted. We're getting ready for our back to school event on August 9. The race continues, one simple step of obedience at a time. There is more to tell, but for now I will just let you enjoy some of the pictures. I would ask a favor of you though. You can leave a message after each post without having a blogger account. It's pretty easy. It would bless me if I know who was reading this thing. And if you scroll down, to the report on our cross country trip or even further, I'd like to know these types of reports aren't a waste of time. Just leave a short response. Also, continue please, to pray for our ministry and if you feel led, contribute to our work here. We'll send you a CD if you do...and if you want to receive our monthly newsletter, email us with your snail mail address. artandme@juno.com - The Farmington Free Methodist Mission - PO Box 6132 Farmington, NM 87499 - blessings and prayers - Maryellen

Evening Tent Meetings - Week of July 20

2008-08-02T08:35:00.004-07:00

Vacation Bible School

2008-08-02T08:32:00.003-07:00

The Team From Michigan

2008-08-02T08:25:00.003-07:00

What an incredible blessing...

True Fasting

2008-07-14T10:14:00.002-07:00

Or why we need housing units…
One of Pastor Art’s favorite sections of scripture to teach from is Isaiah 58 - the question of “true fasting” - the type of fast that YHWH finds acceptable (Isaiah 58:6-7), which parallels nicely Matthew 25: 35-36. We’ve been working on feeding the hungry, with our food pantry and nutritious refreshments after each service. And clothing the naked is taken care of with the abundance of donated clothes we have been receiving. So what about shelter for the homeless?
We need housing units.
We recently had a very nice visit from some folks from Phoenix who are the overseers of this ministry for the conference. By the end of this month we will have a newly remodeled fellowship hall, thanks to them and a team from Jackson Michigan that is coming down next week. And we’re getting new heating units for the Sanctuary building. Soon we will be able to convert the main building back into classrooms and offices. Praise the LORD! But the two existing housing units in the back, which are unusable at this time, are destined for the bull dozer. And they need to be replaced.
It was suggested that we ask for donations so that we can get some nice double-wides. But, I have never felt comfortable with asking for money. I kind of feel that that is the LORD’s business. Someone once coined the “cute” saying “The LORD’s will, the LORD’s bill”. I guess I think that if someone is supposed to give to our ministry, the Spirit will move them to do so, without my urging.
And we are trying to lease out some of our extra land, so that there is more money coming in. One of the problems with preaching good news to the poor - Isaiah 61:1 - is that there isn’t that much money in the offering basket.
I’ve been sending out monthly news letters (if you want to receive one, email me your snail mail address - artandme@juno.com) but I try not to exaggerate what we are doing, or specifically ask for funds. We invested in an online travel business, planning on using the commission we received to help support our ministry - but it turned out to be sort of a pyramid thing, probably not the wisest move - fortunately we invested in our name with our money, not the churches. If you want to check it out - http://www.ytbtravel.com/psalm1810 We also produced some C Ds. Which we though we might be able to offer for donations. But to be honest, they donations are not pouring in.
The real reason I am writing this post this morning is to express in words, for myself as well as for anyone who cares to read it, just why we need housing units. Is buying a few housing units really a wise use of the LORD’s resources?
Over the past year there have been at least three specific cases of us having to turn away people in need of temporary shelter. One was a woman whose son had been trying to find a job and housing in Phoenix. He was in the process of getting together enough to bring her there, but she had been evicted and was living in her car while she waited for him to send the funds. Another was a young man - an aids victim - who had a bus ticket to Albuquerque for treatment in a hospital there, but had no place to spend the night before the bus left. Praise God we had enough funds at that time to put him up in a small motel for the night. Most recently was a young man named Michael. When dealing with people in crisis, one needs to count on discernment. Pastor Art is pretty good at that, especially with his years of experience working at a homeless shelter in New York. It nice to be able to offer a safe and comfortable bed to those in need - after all, Hebrews 13:2 says not to neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
But there are other reasons we need housing units. In the past, housing was available for the pastor, the caretakers, visiting speakers, and visiting mission teams. When the team comes from Michigan next week, they will be staying in dorms at the United Methodist run Navajo Prep School, since we have no place to put up 30 guests. It would be great to have a Men’s and Women’s unit - two three bedroom double wides.
And one of our plans is to sponsor teaching seminars and retreats for the pastors and ministry teams of some of the small churches on the Rez. With the nice “new” fellowship hall, and the main building set up as classrooms again, all we would need is a place to house them.
And it would have saved our recent guests from Arizona, two groups who brought donations of clothes, toys, and school supplies, some money if we had a place for them to stay.
2Kings 4:8-11 and Matt 10:11-13 are the verses I found this morning about providing shelter for prophets and apostles. I always look for scriptures to support something that I think “would be nice.”
We are striving to be more than a church. This ministry was set up 56 years ago to be a mission to the Navajo - the Dine‘ . It may not be a mission in the traditional sense of the word, but we will be more than a place that 20 people come to worship and fellowship. We already are more. We will share what we have. We will grow up disciples. This place will be restored (Isaiah 61:4) all to the glory of God, and for His purpose!
If you do feel led, you can sent donations to The Free Methodist Church at Farmington, PO Box 6132, Farmington, NM 87499. We’ll send you one of our CD’s if you ask.
Well, I’ve got work to do, errands to run, prayers to pray. Thanks for taking the time to read these posts. May God bless You! May God bless us everyone!

Road Trip Summer 2008 - To God Be The Glory!

2008-07-05T08:31:00.001-07:00

Five Thousand Miles
For you will go out with joy and be led forth with peace, The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you…Isaiah 55:12
Yet, isn’t it annoying how the enemy can make us doubt, second guess, and fret even when we fully believe it’s a God thing. This journey was a God thing from start to finish. We were doing Kingdom business. And even now, when I am tempted to think “was it worth it?” He reminds me of Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart”
that’s from what I call the “Fret Not” psalm.
And then of course there is Proverbs 3 :5-6, the gist of it being - Trust, do not lean on your own understanding, acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.
All this to say, this was a delightful trip. The mountains and hills, rivers and trees, declared His glory! And we were blessed with many joyful encounters and peace filled moments.
It was not exactly what we had planned. When we found out that Julia wouldn’t be able to go with us, we decided to use the money we had budgeted for her part of the trip to produce a CD of “our” music. We felt it was important to take a sample of the sound of the land, this land, Dine’Tah, - ToTah. To bring a blessing with us to the Native American Prayer Gathering in Lancaster, NY. I used the first two songs on the CD to go with a power point slide show of images of the people and places that mean so much to our Ministry.
We thought maybe we could sell a few to help finance our work, but that was not the main reason for investing in it. This music, these new songs and dances, with native flutes and drums, sung in the Spirit and Tongue of the land, are an important part of the vision and promise of our Church. Liberty and a garland of joy and praise to a people who were denied the right to worship the Creator with the songs He put into their hearts. (we do have CD's for sale - $12 donation - make checks out to Farmington Free Methodist Church)
We were happy to share those songs and that vision with the team in Michigan who will be here this month to help remodel the fellowship hall and do some other work in the area. They are a wonderful, enthusiastic group and we are trusting the LORD for big things to happen when they are here. I wish we had a place to house them on the property and we are very grateful to the United Methodist ministry here that is going to put them up. From Michigan we headed for Lancaster and the Prayer gathering.
The event took place at the Tree of Life church, a beautiful church with some awesome art and a heart for Native style worship, all to the glory of God, Yahweh and His Son, Jesus Christ. God bless our new friend and brother, Carmen, who had the heart to call this gathering, the first of what will surely become a regular event. It began at Midnight, Friday June 20. For several hours, our slide show was running while a series of Native Worship CDs played. Our CD was one of them, and they were happy when we gave it to them. Not only did we get a chance to pray , but we also got to learn a lot about the uniqueness of the Seneca, Mohawk and the Iroquois Confederation, their stories, their culture, and the lives they live. There were not a whole lot of people in attendance, but they very pleased that we made an effort to be there.
We were hoping that we would have a chance to speak at several churches on the trip. Sort of like doing deposition - like real missionaries. But this trip wasn’t about collecting money or earning support. We did speak at Aldersgate, United Methodist Church - again sharing the pictures and sounds of the land. We had numerous chances to visit with small groups and old friends, proclaiming what God was doing here on the Bisti. We were planning to leave on June 25, after a few quick visits with my family and some very dear friends. But then the vehicle began to clunk and whine, and our stay was extended. Dealing with a small car dealership in New Mexico and a repair shop in New York was a very frustrating challenge. Waiting for the part, running out of money, missing another Sunday at our little church - fretting seemed unavoidable. But Carol and Chris opened their home to us and we had more precious time to share with them and their family. I had time to find out that my great aunt, who I hadn’t seen in over 20 years was alive and well at the Sister’s of Saint Joseph Mother House - at the wonderful age of 101 - she’ll be 102 in October, and we had a nice visit. We worshiped with friends at Bethel Full Gospel Church, walked on the beach of the great lake Ontario, and cooked marshmallows around a back yard campfire. I got to spend some more time with my mother. When the vehicle was finally fixed it was hard to say good by. But we were very glad to be on the road again, heading south west, with the LORD leading the way. The long, peaceful drive gave us time to reflect and pray. Here are some random things that we realized on our trip:
Three year olds are very interesting people. We met quite a few along the way…from almost three to not quite four (6 in all) and they were delightful.
Even when you are 102 years old and a bit forgetful, you can still pray fervently.
There is an incredible amount of beautiful things in this country of ours. Many of the cities we drove through seemed old and tired but between the cities there are miles and miles of mountains and hills, fields and valleys, and a lot of cows to remind us that our Father owns the cattle on a thousand hills.
Life on a Reservation back east is a lot different than live on the Navajo Nation. And the non-natives don’t know much about it. They don’t see many “Indians” and don’t often recognize them when they do see them. It’s all about cheap cigarettes and casinos. But as he is here in Dinetah - the Holy Spirit is moving and people of all tribes, tongues, and nations - even the “white” people, are beginning to realize at long last, that Jesus is not the WhiteMan’s God.
On Sunday, June 29 - the pastor of Bethel Church, a large and Spirit filled church, talked about walking the path and running the race. This sounded familiar as I wrote notes down in my prayer journal. As we talked about it on the way home, I remembered that our Bishop, Matt Thomas spoke on a similar theme at annual conference. I flipped back pages in my journal and found the notes I had taken during that talk. At the top of the page I had written the words “Remember Bethel” I don‘t even remember why, but it proves to me that God knows where we are, and where we will be when we trust in Him and don’t lean on our own understanding.
I am looking forward to worshiping in our little Church tomorrow. It too is a Spirit filled church. I am remembering what the Pastor in Rochester New York said about being church by living together. I am remembering what Bishop Thomas said, like running a marathon - growing a small church isn’t hard, its just painful, as you strain to put one foot in front of another.
And we are committed to continue the good race, one simple step of obedience after another. Thank you all for your prayers.

Blessings along the way...

2008-07-05T08:27:00.002-07:00

Where We Prayed - Tree of Life Church - Lancaster,NY

2008-07-05T08:22:00.002-07:00

The Genesee River - Rochester,NY

2008-07-05T08:20:00.000-07:00

Nature Reflects the Awesome Beauty of the Creator

2008-07-05T08:18:00.000-07:00

Psalm 149

2008-06-03T06:10:00.003-07:00

Praise the LORD, Praise Yahweh! Hallelujiah!

Sing to the LORD a new song! (Psalm 96 - sing all the Earth!) (Psalm 98 - for He has done wonderful things!)

I am so happy to be singing praises in Dine' Bizaad (the Navajo Language) again. I am so honored to stand with my beautiful sister, Julia, singing new songs unto our LORD. And I will be dancing with her soon. (Psalm 149:3 - Let them praise His name with dancing.)

I was looking up new songs and dance yesterday while Art was recording a piece for our CD. Psalm 149:5 brought back fond memories of when I was the Christian Education Director for a Salvation Army Camp in NY. I taught the kids that verse: Let the godly ones exult in glory, Let them sing for joy on their beds - much to the dismay of the camp counselors who had to deal with 5 nights of "Our God is an Awesome God" coming from the campers bunks. Just thought I'd share a couple pictures of Julia and Kimorah doing their dance at Rohoboth Christian Reformed Church in Gallup NM last weekend. All to the Glory of God.

It's June!

2008-06-02T07:10:00.003-07:00

School’s Out on the Rez!
And all over the Four Corner’s region as well.
It was a great school year for this teacher and it looks like it’s going to be a quick, hot summer! We are fast approaching our one year anniversary of ministry here on the Bisti, and I wish I had more successes to report. I am very grateful for the message Superintendent Joel gave at annual conference in April. Pastoring a small church is like running a race. Don’t stop running. Step by step, yes LORD, I remember - simple steps of obedience. Our annual average attendance holds at 14. Our food pantry only helps around 4 family units a month. We’ve had 2 salvations and will be having our second Baptism soon. We continue to minister with Julia Redhouse, representing the Free Methodist Church at Farmington where ever we go. We’ve joined her at the Memorial Day Celebration in Shiprock, and at Rehoboth Christian Reformed Church in Gallop, NM where Pastor Art gave a message on worship and culture. It was there Julia and her grand-daughter Kimora presented a “New Song and New Dance” which is the working title of the CD we are recording. We hope to have it ready to take with us on our cross country trip. We are also hoping to be able to speak at a few churches on the way. We will be presenting our ministry to the FM church in Jackson, Michigan (They are sending out a mission team in July). We will be in the Denver area on June 15 and the Upstate NY area on June 22, but we haven’t heard back from any of the churches we contacted. Although it is not the best year to take a road trip, we are going to represent the Free Methodist ministry at Farmington, and our Navajo brothers and sisters at a prayer gathering on the Seneca Reservation at Lancaster, NY. So we pray for traveling mercies and good gas mileage. We are planning a big event in July, when the team from Michigan is here. 4 days of worship and teaching on worship. We’ll be setting up a tent. The people out here just love a “Tent Revival”. There will be music and food (all free of course). The main message will be liberty to the captives, to lose who are still imprisoned by the concept that Jesus is the white man’s god. To bind up the hearts that were broken by the teaching that anything “Indian” is evil. To give them a garland of praise in place of the spirit of heaviness. We are lining up special speakers and worship teams and are planning a PowWow communion service. This will probably raise a few eyebrows and stir up a few “dust devils” but we know this is part of our Isaiah 61 mission statement and our Acts 17 teaching. May His will be done. Of course we need a lot of prayer covering for that week in July. We could also use some cash donations, for food, to rent a larger dumpster and a couple of “blue boxes” (No, dear Doctor Who fans - not a Tartis - an outhouse), and buy other miscellaneous items (plates, cups, napkins, fans). We also want to offer an honorarium to our guests but we do NOT want to take up an offering - you know how some people feel when Churches and Ministries are “always asking for money”. Well, I have yard work to do, errands to run, we need to be at the recording studio this evening. It is the first official day of summer vacation for me, but I don’t think I’ll have much time to relax for a while. That is good because it is all Kingdom business! To God be the glory!
If you want to receive our snail mail news letter, email me your address (artandme@juno.com), if you want to make a donation, make checks out to “Free Methodist Church” po box 6132, Farmington, NM 87499. God bless you! God bless us everyone!

The pictures show us in the recording studio, the color guard (ROTC) at TseBitAi Middle School promotion, and some of my students celebrating the last day of school!

Why the Cross?

2008-04-24T05:21:00.003-07:00

I haven't been thinking "theologically" for a while. More devotionaly, and ministorially (is that a word? if it is it isn't spelled right...anyway). I am happy to be a Free Methodist again. Art has had to take a course on Free Methodist History to be on track for ordination, so we've been reading some books and articles together, and of course I've been listening to his papers. Both of us got our bachelors degrees at a Free Methodist college in NY, this refreshment course has truly been refreshing. My son Ardy brought up an old friend the other day - a blogger friend of ours, and an old question. Why the Cross? Having had the honor of playing Mary, the mother of Jesus in this year's Passion Play, and having to go to the cross for four nights during Holy Week, the cross became more real to me than it has ever been. Pushing past the guards to reach Him, touching His bloody feet, looking into his sorrowful eyes, watching them pierce His side...33 years before, Simeon told Mary that a sword would pierce her own soul as well (Luke 2:35). When they take Him off the cross and lay Him on the stretcher, Mary rushes to His side. His body is still warm and sticky with blood and sweat. If anyone ever agonized over the question "why the cross" surely it was this women. In the rock musical "Jesus Christ Super Star" Judas asks the question "what about the cross, was that a mistake, or did you know your messy death would be a record breaker" (the man who wrote that play was a Jew). Once, when I was praying for my own dear son, in the midst of his crisis, I thought, how can I ask God to have mercy on my son when He allowed such a horrible thing to happen to His own son? But His still gentle voice reminded me of the Blessed Trinity, and how it was actually God Himself hanging on that tree of shame. He allowed Himself to suffer and die on the cross - "I lay down my life only to take it up again, no one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have the authority to lay it down and to take it up again...John 10:18 But why? The cross is the one main thing that separates Christianity from other world religions. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ split time and changed the world. Hundreds of years before Jesus' sacrifice, the Prophet Isaiah "saw" and wrote about the event. "He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon us, and by his wounds we are healed." (53:5) Doesn't that explain pretty clearly why? What does the cross show us? How ugly and disgusting our sins are to God. How deformed our selfish, sinful natures look to the Almighty, All Beautiful One. Not the way He intended when He lovingly formed our bodies from the red clay of the earth He designed to be our home. The cross shows us how much He loves us. He longs for us to understand that, and to choose to love Him back. The cross shows us that He, the Almighty, understands our pain, He chose to experience pain for our sake, that we would know how intimately He understands. Words are not enough. Words are never enough. Actions do indeed speak louder and more clearly then words. Jesus was a real, living breathing, human being - 100% Human (and 100% God). He wasn't someone's dream or fantasy. He didn't just speak this world into being, He walked on it. We can actually trace His steps. We know where He prayed, We know where He died. He came to the world He created at just the right moment in history. No other god or goddess, no other prophet or shaman, no science or logic can ... can what? can hold a light to Jesus and His Cross - what does that mean? How can I say it? Why the cross? Why do people ask that question? Why can't everyone see? Maybe, because if they accept the cross, and the peace it offers, they might have to give up their false gods and their favorite sins .Or maybe because there are so many people out there in this dark and depraved world who claim to be followers of the Lamb of God, who died to take away the sins of the world, but who are hateful and hurtful and foolish and prideful and petty. If the cross and its message are true, then people who follow Him who died and rose again should be out changing the world, not hiding in their churches holding on to their particular traditions and arguing among themselves. Tongues or no tongues, pretrib or post, guitars or organs, what kind of drums, what kind of dance, which translation is best???????LORD have mercy on us. Jesus died on the cross for me. His blood is on my hands. He died so that when I die I can be with Him eternally. He died because I was (and sadly continue to be) a sinner, in need of forgiveness. He died to save me from the punishment I deserve. He died because He loves me. He died and rose again to prove that all He has said through all the ages is True. He is the Truth! Why the cross? Because in His infinite wisdom He decided that that was the best way to act out what He wanted us to understand. I look at the cross, and I don't wonder why...I say Yes, and Thankyou, and Amen.

April 3, 2008

2008-04-03T05:43:00.000-07:00

The globe willows are in bloom as are many of the fruit trees in the area, but there is no apparent growth on our rose bushes. They still just look like sorry sticks poking out of the dry, hard ground. I know I'm just being impatient, but wasn't Jesus being a little impatient with the fig tree he cursed? I confess to being impatient with how slowly things seem to be going here on the mission complex too. We've said that Isaiah 61 is our mission statement, but the problem with "preaching good news to the poor", is that they can't put much cash in the offering plate, and restoration - even planting to display the LORD's splendor - costs money. My Bible almost automatically opens to Isaiah 61 but over the past few days I've been starting at Chapter 55 and reading to 62. There is a lot in these chapters about summoning the nations and gathering the nations, and people from all nations coming to the place of promise. Have I mentioned lately how living in the Four Corners is like living in the midst of a gathering of nations? Within 100 miles of Farmington there are 5 Native American reservations. As in the rest of the southwest, the Hispanic population is high, and of course the "Anglos" are still here trying to claim, in an area where they are often the minority, that they are still the dominate culture. So what are the Brokops? We are of course seen as white - Anglo, though Pastor Art is actually Spanish/Navajo/Russian - no Anglo (English) blood there. . .But I digress. I hear music when I read Isaiah 55. And a call to seek God. A call to the nations and a promise that they will come. Isaiah 56 talks about how no one will be excluded. It also warns against getting drunk. Alcohol has such a grip on the people we are called to rescue from the darkness. So many people are being held captive by the chains of drink and drugs, especially meth. So many spiritual - emotional prisoners. And how do we proclaim freedom to people who don't want to hear, or who are so full of hostility and despair that they can not hear…I began this essay at work, during my lunch break. Now it is early in the morning. A crescent moon and the morning star are shining. I grabbed one of my Bibles in the dark, it’s one I haven’t read from in a long time, The Message, not the most reliable translation to be sure. But it opened right up to Isaiah 55 where I had written these words in July 2003, “looks like we will need to buy the mission without money.” And in the margin between Isaiah 60 and 61, the words “the mission”. It’s still amazing to me that we are actually, physically here in this place. There it is again, dated October 29, 2003 “the mission vision” next to these verses in Isaiah 58 “You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew, rebuild the foundations from out of your past…restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again..”
But, as I write this, I am avoiding 58 and 59. Perhaps these chapters contain the reason why things seem to be moving so slowly. I remember “preaching” from Isaiah 59 at the other Free Methodist Church in Farmington (which is now closed) one year when the “men” were at men’s retreat. As a church, we had been praying that the Rocky Mountain Conference wouldn’t close us down, but we were doomed. I wonder which one of my Bibles has the notes from that “sermon”. Well, I’m going to bring this to a close. I need to go to work. The sun has nearly risen above the trees, a few little birds are yelling at our kitty in the courtyard. The courtyard doesn’t look too bad, we did the best we could over spring break, with the tools we had. And the place one of my sons works donated a sign yesterday. Like the one we wanted. All we need now are letters, light bulbs, and an extension cord. Blessings on you all. Yes, God bless u s everyone…Next snail mail news letter will be going out soon with pictures from Easter and the Passion Play. If you want to receive it, email me your snail mail address. My email is “artandme@juno.com.

Mary - Mother of Jesus

2008-03-23T14:06:00.004-07:00

Holy Week 2008

And I got to portray Mary in the Passion Play of the Four Corners. I have wanted to "play" Mary ever since second grade when Sr. Igneous was casting the St. Monica's School Christmas pageant. Only, there is no cute little baby lying in a manger in this production. Mary doesn't go to the stable in the light of the Christmas star, shining over Bethlehem, she goes to the cross as darkness shrouds Golgotha.

So, I've been thinking a lot about Mary these past few weeks. Mary, the virgin mother, Mary blessed among all women, Mary, with a mother's heart, broken as her son died on the cross of shame, the cross of sacrifice, the cross of salvation.

Mary, who bore the stigma of an unexplained pregnancy. Mary who carried the King of kings within her womb for nine months. Mary, who kissed his little hands and feet, fed him at her breast, cleaned up his messes...who kissed his sweet little baby feet.

I love baby feet.

As Mary, I begin the play by retelling the words of the Angel Gabriel: the holy child, born unto you, will be called the "Son of God". And then, 8 acts later, I go to the cross.

I push past the guards to get to my dying son. I can only reach his feet. His bloody feet. I need to let him know I am there, like I was when he was a baby, and needed to be fed or cleaned. Those feet...those precious feet...my son, my son!

The crucifixion is an event out of time. it was the moment of salvation for people in the past, present, and future. But at that moment in time, it meant something different than it does to most Christians today. For some people it was the solution to a problem - he wouldn't be causing trouble any more. For some people it was the hopeless end to a beautiful promise. They couldn't see Resurrecton Sunday like we can. and for Mary, although she knew He was the Messiah, at that moment it was only and tragically the death of her first born son.

As I prepared for that scene, I offered it up as a living sacrifice to the Prince of Peace who died a violent death for the sake of every mother and every mother's son. When I was at the cross, there was nothing in my mind except Jesus and His mother Mary. I didn't worry about audience, or costums, or lines. I'm so glad the story doesn't end at the cross. I got to go to the empty tomb. Another angel..."Why seek the living among the dead?" And as Mary, I get to run through the audience and onto the stage, into the upper room, declaring with Peter and the others, "He's Alive" as our play ends with Don Francsicos' song "He's Alive"

I was overjoyed to have had the chance to play this role. And humbled.

I pray that somehow, in some small way the LORD used me to make the passion of our Christ more real to some hurting mother or rejected child. This production is more than just entertainment, so much more. It is one of the most real things I have ever done. May God bless and prosper Passion Play Ministries International! Christ has died, Christ has risen (He is risen indeed) and Christ is coming again!

The pictures are Scene one, Palm Sunday - "Rabi" Art in the back ground. And Mary at the Cross.

Nearly 1/2 of our regular attenders were in the play. And our Easter was blessed as well. I'm on Spring Break - so perhaps I will have some real blogging time the next few days....love and prayers to you all.

Holy Week Update

2008-03-16T18:22:00.002-07:00

Our friend Beverly reminded me that is has been a long time since I have written any sort of update here. There are three reasons why.
1. Work - I’ve been transitioning from being a special education teacher to being a (praise the LORD) regular ed. English teacher. But I’ve been having to do both jobs for a while which is just a little stressful. And then there was the standardized testing for 2 weeks. Urrrg…
2. Passion Play - ever since we moved to the Four Corners, nearly 10 years ago, Passion Play Ministries has played a big part in our lives. This year our rehearsal season was much shorter than usual because Easter comes so early. There are 10 people from our church in the play this year. And I get to portray Mary, the Mother of Jesus. For anyone not familiar with the ministry (PPMI - Passion Play Ministries International), the play runs from March 17 to March 22 - I play Mary Wednesday and Friday. It is at the Farmington Civic Center and there are over 16 churches involved this year.
3. Ministry - things are going rather slowly, attendance has leveled out to an average of 14 (we had 16 today) and we are fighting discouragement.
We continue to pray for wisdom - how best can we use what we have to the glory of His name! And provision - we need a sign (I mean one of those electric signs where you can change the message - Sam’s Club sells them for $400), and a tractor (hoping to rent one over spring break) to properly take care of the weeds and prepare the soil to plant the community garden, our fellowship hall needs to be remodeled, a stove was donated but we need to rent a trailer to get it, and it would be nice to have a men’s and ladies room that wasn’t attached to our living quarters. Not that we’re complaining. We also pray for people…Sheep and Shepherds. Not many families have been coming to our Tuesday food pantry lately, which is sort of ok because we lost our distributor in Albuquerque and what we have comes from our church family and our friends at Christ Church in Farmington. Today we challenged the church to take one of the food boxes we have packed for our Tuesday food pantry and just go to a gas station or one of the dollar stores, pray for the LORD to show them a family in need and give it to them in His name. One of them came back for two more boxes because it was so fun blessing people.
Easter is Coming - Resurrection Sunday!
We’re having a Sonrise service and bonfire at 6:30am followed by breakfast. After our regular worship service at 10:30, we’re going to a nearby park for an Easter Egg Hunt. The Brokop family Easter Dinner will be in the fellowship hall and we’re inviting any one who wants to stay. We’ve put up posters in the Laundry-matts, printed up little cards to use to invite friends. I’m praying for 30.
Well it’s time for evening vespers. The two pictures are of our kids planting roses in front of the fellowship hall and part of our worship team. Thanks for your continued interest and prayer. If you want to receive our snail mail newsletter, email me your address, if your want to donate to the cause, make the checks out to Free Methodist Church of Farmington. Our snail mail address is PO Box 6132 Farmington, NM.
May God bless us, everyone. He is Risen! He is Risen in deed!

January 2008

2008-01-04T10:07:00.000-07:00

We've been invited to Glendale Free Methodist Church on January 6, and I will be giving a "short" testimony. So, I'm gonna write it out so I can read it and keep it short. The picture is of a poster on the door of an old church in Oak Springs Arizona. Our church is called the Church at Farmington, because the mission complex used to be a hub for serveral little churches on the Navajo Rez. There was the Church at Sanoste, the Church at TesNosPas, the Church at OakSprings, and of course the Church at Farmington. The Oak Springs Church has been inactive for quite some time, but the matriach of the family who used to lead it found out that we were back at the mission and asked us to come out and do a Christmas service. Dirt floor, wood burning stove, 17 people sharing a meal, singing carols, saying AMEN to Pastor Art's message about the Savior coming to the Nations, and the Nations coming to the Savior...But for me, the old poster on the door said it all...another confirmation of our Isaiah 61 mission. And it was such a blessing to be able to bless!

Here's my "testimony"

Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desire of your heart." That is somewhat of a dangerous verse when we take it out of context. Like "Ask and you SHALL receive" or "whatsoever you ask the Father..." It could lead a person to say..."I tried the Jesus way...it just doesn't work for me." Or worse yet, "I prayed and prayed, and He isn't answering my prayers...I guess I'm not one of the elect. I must be one of those born predestined for damnation." I've encountered and counseled several individuals who made such statements. Over the years, I've learned that when one claims one of the many promises in the Bible, she must first really understand it in context. And after reading the whole of Psalm 37, which tells us three times not to fret, and encourages us to trust, do good, be still and wait patiently, I've come to look at the promise a bit differently.
9 years ago, my family was living in a tiny apartment in front of a worn out building known as "the dorm" on the American Indian Bible Ministry complex. We had been called to pastor the Church at Farmington, a tiny, multicultural Free Methodist church on the grounds. And after 6 months we were told we had to leave, to give up that ministry which we had come to love, and find another place to live. I won't go into the complex reasons why, but I will say I was doing a lot of fretting. And my patience was really running thin as we searched unsuccessfully for a place to move. I remember one sunny February afternoon, sitting on our little front porch, tears dripping into my coffee, when one of my sons came home from school and asked what was wrong. After my lament he wisely observed, "Mom, you're asking God for cookies while He is preparing a feast." Oh but the Bible says, "Ask and you shall receive, Seek and you shall find...Delight in the LORD and He will give you the desire of your heart.
He will give you the desire of your heart. I think this means, not that He is going to grant your wishes, but that He is going to put into your heart that which He wants you to desire. Remember how, on Thanksgiving Day, you walk into the kitchen where the feast is being prepared and the wonderful smell makes you anxious to eat. Or how the fragrance of fresh baked bread makes you long for a piece. That is the kind of desire I'm talking about. For the 9 years between that afternoon on my porch and last summer, my hearts desire was to "minister on the mission". And Isaiah 61 was the fragrance that kept that desire burning.
It had been prayed over us when we left New York to go to Denver, and again when we left Denver to minister in Farmington. And once seeing the mission complex, walking the grounds, every time I heard someone preach from that chapter, at a tent meeting, on the Radio or Television, from Rochester NY to Rapid City SD, I'd think of the mission and the desire burned like longing for fresh baked bread. I could almost taste it. Sometimes I could actually see us there, Preaching to the Poor, Binding up the broken hearted, proclaiming freedom for the captives, release those bond in darkness, planting to deisplay His Splendor, Rebuilding, Restoring, Renewing...I could see fields and vineyards, and a people the Lord had blessed, righteous worship and praise springing up before all nations. I often asked the LORD to take this impossible dream away from me. My practical husband would tell me, "it ain't gonna happen" each time I would tell him I still thought we were meant to be ministring at the Mission on the Bisti through and with the Free Methodist denomination. On January 17, 2007, I wrote in my prayer journal that if I could have anything I wanted, I would want us to be ministering at "the mission". And on June 24 we were commissioned to do just that. I still fret. After years of poor stewardship and poor pastoring, we have quite a job ahead of us, and sometimes it doesn't seem to be happening fast enough. But we can not limit the LORD to our concept of time. When He begins a work, He is faithful to complete it. And when we delight in Him, He will give us the desire of our hearts. Last week we were invited to do a Christmas service at a little church on the reservation, one of the churches that used to be assosiated with the AIBM. It had been inactive for quite some time, but the ShiMa, the matriarch of the family found out we were back at the mission and wanted us to come out. The building has a dirt floor, a wood burning stove, and out houses in the back. It hadn't been used for quite some time, but on the door was a weather beaten poster of Isaiah 61: 1,2. "The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, He has sent me to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor..." Ah, the smell of fresh baked bread.

December 2007

2007-12-27T10:52:00.001-07:00

I have always loved the Christmas Season, and this year has been the best ever! I've just posted some pictures of some of the holiday events at The Free Methodist Church at Farmington. On the first Sunday of Advent the children made angel ornaments for the little tree in the foyer. They also decorated the tree in the Fellowship Hall as we discussed the Christian roots of familiar Christmas symbols. On December 8 we had a Christmas outreach. Pastor Art tried his hand at making fry bread, dressed up as "Bishop Nicholas", and drummed up business as the kids made crafts, and the parents picked out gifts in the "It's A Wonderful Life Gift Shop" (nothing cost more than ten cents). The advent wreath was a focal point of every service in December, St. Nick made another appearence at our December 23rd service - and oh yeah. We had a Christmas Eve wedding. We received many Christmas blessings from churches and ministries around the country. In turn we were able to bless many individuals and families through out the season. But always, Jesus was the center of the festivities. We had a birthday party for the King of Kings, cake and icecream and a moment to reflect on what we could give Him for His birthday. Some of us caroled at the local hospitol, we delivered gifts to an Angel Tree child of a prisoner. And we're not finished yet. Our Christmas will extend until Jan. 6th - traditionally "The Three Kings Day". And we are all looking forward to the new year. An Isaiah 61 year - the Year of the Lord's favor. And so, today, December 27 - the third day of Christmas, I pray for wisdom, provision, shalom, people to share our vision, people to come out of the darkness, and May God Bless Us, Everyone!

Christmas Images

2007-12-27T10:35:00.000-07:00

2007-12-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

This young lady is part of one of the families that we delievered groceries from our emergency food pantry to. I was very surprised (and blessed) to see that she was wearing a T-shirt from my home town - Rochester, NY. Just recently her cousin, mom, auntie, and grandma came in to the mission to help with our Christmas outreach. Yummy! Fry Bread and Navajo Tacos. And get a load of Pastor Art, drumming up business for our Christmas event, dressed like Ol' St. Nick.

A Monday Morning on the Bisti

2007-12-01T08:37:00.000-07:00

Praying in the morning,
Driving a winding road through a barren land
But the rising sun behind me
Be it a goldent sunrise,
Or rosey red
Paints the rocks, the mesas, and the distant mountians
in such shimmering shades and deep shadows...
This is the definition of awesome - the definition of vast
Glory be to God, Creator of Heaven and Earth
Look there! a flock of sheep
The Lord is my Shepherd
Look there! a herd of cattle
The Lord owns the cattle on a thousand hills
Look there! a formation of geese landing on the power plant's pond
and there! bright eyed children waiting for the yellow bus
and there! a noble man upon a noble beast - riding out to greet the dawn.
Glory to God, Creator of this all.
This land is not my birth place, but it is my home
And it is my joy and duty to be praying over it and through it
while driving down this winding road.

Update - December 1

2007-12-01T08:11:00.000-07:00

This has been an encouraging 2 weeks. On the Sunday before Thanksgiving we had 18 people in church: family, friends, and visitors. A nice intergenerational (from 3 weeks to 63) and multicultural mix. Surprisingly we only had one family come to our food pantry that Tuesday. On Wednesday we had an early Thanksgiving Feast for family and friends of the ministry. Sixteen Pilgrims and Indians, mostly Indians. Our younger son cooked dinner on Thursday and it was his birthday as well, so we put candles on the pumpkin pie. We had so much to be thanksful for this year. Last Sunday there were 17... Communion and Pot Luck. The kids made angels for the little Christmas tree in the foyer. This week they will decorate the tree in the fellowship hall while they learn the spiritual meanings behind familiar holiday symbols. This past Tuesday we put up Christmas lights - now our little mission shines brightly in the cold dark nights. And several families, one with 8 kids, came to the food pantry. The best part of it all is that a friend and brother, who was raised on this complex, but who has been having a crisis of faith for a long time, has started coming to church, and talking with Pastor Art. A lost sheep has found his way home. We have a big Christmas Outreach planned for next Saturday, December 8. And our Prayers for provision are increasing as the Holidays approach and heating costs rise, and more people need help. Yet we continue, with those simple steps of obedience, trusting God. After all, this is His ministry - and He is faithful. May God bless us - everyone.

Some Immediate and Long Term Needs

Dolls, Trucks, and Basket Balls - needed by December 7

Blankets for the Elderlies

I did have hats and mittens on the list, but by the time I sat down to type it up, we just got a large donation of nice winter sets - praise the LORD!

A small TV, VCR, DVD combo unit

I was just thinking, if that one family, with 8 kids, who came to the food pantry, decided to make our Church their Church, we'd need another kids' room. Our long range plan includes getting a modest double wide put on the property for pastor housing, so we can convert the apartment part of the main building back into classrooms. Right now we are using the fellowship hall for kids church, but could soon need a pre-school room, kids' klass, and youth room. Well - God knows and God will provide, all within his perfect timing. Thanks be to God!

for our new friends:

our contact information is

The Free Methodist Church at Farmington

PO Box 6132

1275 Bistin Highway (371)

Farmington, NM 87499

(505)325-4496

artandme@juno.com

She Put Them Under Her Pillow

2007-11-14T06:22:00.001-07:00

I struck up a conversation with one of the custodians at my school a few months back. She was anxious because her daughter, expecting her second baby, was over due. When she was out of work a few days, I surmised that the little one had finally arrived. And when I found out it was a little girl, I put together a gift bag of hand knit booties, a blanket and sweater and brought it to school. I hadn‘t done the knitting. Some blessed women, from another state sent a bunch of such cozy items to the mission. We still haven’t built up a very large congregation. Some people still believe the place to be abandoned. But I’m not going to just let those donations sit and collect dust. I told the grandma the gift was from our church. A few weeks later I was given a thank you card and small gift bag from the baby’s shower. Then she brought the little family in to meet me. Three generations. Proud Grandma, Stoic Mother, beautiful baby girl with thick black hair and bright eyes. And, hiding behind grandma was a cute little, barely three year old sister. So another gift box came. More donations to the Indian Mission. This time there were several pairs of children’s shoes, and some brand new socks. Sometimes new babies get all the attention, so I decided that a nice new pair of shoes and socks might be a nice gift for big sister.
I checked with grandma first. I didn’t want to offend them. Then I put together another gift bag, with the shoes, socks, and a little story book. Yesterday Grandma told me that the shoes were a little big, growing room, and that the little girl was so excited about them that she insisted upon sleeping with them under her pillow.
The 7th grade English teacher had the students write a journal entry about a gift they received that they didn’t like. Most of the class was pretty confused. A gift they didn’t like? How could there be such a thing? Give thanks with a grateful heart! Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving!

First Sunday of November

2007-11-04T17:31:00.001-07:00

Hard to believe we are starting our fifth month at 1275 Bisti Highway. It is slow going. We are dealing with years of poor stewardship and Ezekiel 34 shepherding. Our average attendance is 14. We have had our first Baptism. We are praying and singing and trusting.
Getting reading to send out a newsletter. Putting signs up in the Laundry Matts. Lighting the lights and opening the doors and trying to be faithful with the little so that God will give us the more. More sheep and more shepherds.
Yesterday was a wonderful day. It was clear and crisp, blue and gold. We haven’t had very many people coming to our Tuesday food distributions. So I asked a sweet Christian gentleman, who is a substitute teacher at my school, if he knew any families that needed some groceries. He gave us three names and we delivered food boxes Saturday morning.
The families lived on the reservation. It was a blessing to give.
One of the young ladies in one of the homes, where three generations lived, was wearing a tee shirt from my home town - Rochester, NY. She let me take her picture and I’ll post it when I get the film developed. One of the churches in Farmington, that we fellowship with, and worship with at their Saturday evening services, donated $300 to our Church. They also collected food for our food pantry. My granddaughter helped me put out hats and mittens for our distribution after church today.
I’ve recently realized something. We were at an event sponsored by Passion Play Ministries International (PPMI) which has its headquarters in Farmington. We’ve been part of the ministry for the 9 years that we have been in the area, and we were discussing its value and uniqueness. Passion Play gives a lot of people a chance to minister through drama. People who might not otherwise be offered the chance to minister. I think our little church will be like that. It already is. The people who stuffed our treat bags for the parade, and rode on the float, or walked beside it handing out candy and singing praises to the LORD aren’t the type of people found ministering in most churches. The family of women, deep in poverty, to whom we delivered a food basket, have volunteered to make fry bread for a fund raiser, Navajo Tacos (yum) probably will be part of our Christmas outreach. Our “poor” people bring food for the food pantry, and show up to serve when called upon. We have a small core group who want a chance to do something for the LORD. Widows, orphans, captives, prisoners, who will be called oaks of righteousness, who will help rebuild the ruins…Isaiah 61.
It is slow going, but we are not discouraged. We need prayer - we continue to pray for wisdom, provision, shalom, and people. God knows full well what people we need and where they are. We will pray that they will find their way to us, and trust enough to commit. God’s will be done. And so, tis almost time for our evening service. It is usually just Pastor Art and I praying. And that is ok. The lights are on and the doors are open. To God be the Glory!

Shiprock, October 6, 2007

2007-10-14T18:33:00.001-07:00

Many little hands working together to prepare treat bags and flowers for our float.

And they didin't even "sneak" any of the candy for themselves. Each treat bag had a drawing and the name of a familiar hymn in Navajo on the outside, and some candy and an invitation to church on the inside. Our goal was 1500, but we only finished 900. Next year we will start sooner.

This is the Tse Bit Ai Middle School band (where I teach) practicing for the parade.

by 6:00 am it was bumper to bumper traffic into Shiprock. Cars and trucks and half finished floats, moving at a snail's pace. Many families had staked their claims along the parade route, some acutally camping out on the side of the road.

Waiting, watching, floats and bands, 200 entries.

putting the finishing touches on our float.

There were 19 of us working on the float, setting up the sound system. We had hot chocolate, cookies, and a lot of fun.

This is it. One of many musical floats. Ready to go.

Three of our little ladies getting ready to hand out treat bags.

Some of us walked, handing out candy and singing along with the group. "Something about the Name of Jesus, Something 'bout His holy name"

Just a view of the crowd. Over 100,000 people. We ran out of treat bags real quick, but the music kept on for the full three miles.

Was it worth it? By the end of the parade we were cold and tired. But the name of the LORD was proclaimed and we had a lot of fun.