As I've been reflecting on the sufferings that Jesus went through for us, I have received more and more peace about my journey. As it says in Romans 8:32, "He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"
Why should I complain? I haven't given up anything in this life. I mean, sure, the little things. Yet God gave his one and only Son that we might have life.
"For from him and through him and to him are all things." Romans 11:36
Why should we not live our lives for Him?
The Maxfields
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Monday, April 14, 2014
FAQs
First of all, we would really like to thank everyone for their interest, encouragement and support. We are so thankful for all of your prayers. In other words - we feel your love.
We've gotten a few questions several times and are realizing we probably haven't communicated as well as we could have. We thought a FAQ post might be helpful.
1. Q. When are you going to the Reservation?
A. The goal is to move to the Reservation in January or February 2015.
2. Q. Should we start giving now or wait until 2015?
A. Please start now. To be able to move to the Reservation we need to have two year's worth of cash in our account at SRM plus pledges for future gifts. For example: Let's say John Calvin wanted to partner with us financially. He was going to give $100 per month. If he started giving in April 2014, by the end of the year he would have given $900 ($100 x 9) towards the Maxfields account at Sacred Road plus the pledge for the $1,200 towards 2015 ($100 x 12). This would count as $2,100 towards the two year's worth of cash and pledges.
3. Q. What are you doing before you go to the Reservation?
A. We are very busy finding prayer and financial partners. We can't move until we raise 2 years worth of cash and pledges (see FAQ #2). In addition, I am transitioning clients, trying to find my replacement at my firm and trying to make sure my firm is not harmed by me leaving.
4. Q. Will you sell your house?
A. The plan is to sell our house in Bothell and buy a house on the Reservation. The Yakama Indian Reservation allows non-tribal member ownership of land.
We've gotten a few questions several times and are realizing we probably haven't communicated as well as we could have. We thought a FAQ post might be helpful.
1. Q. When are you going to the Reservation?
A. The goal is to move to the Reservation in January or February 2015.
2. Q. Should we start giving now or wait until 2015?
A. Please start now. To be able to move to the Reservation we need to have two year's worth of cash in our account at SRM plus pledges for future gifts. For example: Let's say John Calvin wanted to partner with us financially. He was going to give $100 per month. If he started giving in April 2014, by the end of the year he would have given $900 ($100 x 9) towards the Maxfields account at Sacred Road plus the pledge for the $1,200 towards 2015 ($100 x 12). This would count as $2,100 towards the two year's worth of cash and pledges.
3. Q. What are you doing before you go to the Reservation?
A. We are very busy finding prayer and financial partners. We can't move until we raise 2 years worth of cash and pledges (see FAQ #2). In addition, I am transitioning clients, trying to find my replacement at my firm and trying to make sure my firm is not harmed by me leaving.
4. Q. Will you sell your house?
A. The plan is to sell our house in Bothell and buy a house on the Reservation. The Yakama Indian Reservation allows non-tribal member ownership of land.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
A Lesson in Expensive Perfume
Last week I studied Matthew 26 when Mary (the sister of Martha and Lazarus) spent her money to buy the most fragrant and expensive perfume to pour on Jesus' head and feet. The perfume was a year's worth of wages. Our BSF teacher asked, "would you spend a years wages on Jesus?" I was so challenged as I saw Mary giving everything she had to Jesus. During the lecture, I wrote down this quote, "Extravagance is not too much when it has to do with giving it to Jesus."
I love the discussions in my BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) group as well. As we discussed Mary pouring this perfume on Jesus, one lady in my group reminded us, "We don't always see things as Jesus does." Jesus said Mary had done a beautiful thing. But even the disciples were concerned this money could have been better spent. Some might wonder if our family could spend our time and effort in a different way rather than going to the Reservation. But Jesus sees things differently.
I feel Him leading us. He is pulling me away from this world I am in. It's a strange feeling, but peaceful at the same time. This morning Emily and I chatted about it on the way to school. She said it feels like one foot is on the Reservation and one foot is in our world here. I look around and I know the time is nearing for us to leave. I can feel it. I want to be there. I want to use the gifts He has given us. He has been preparing us for a long time - even though we didn't know it. I want to pull out the old Awana songs and figure out which ones I might be able to teach. I want to hug a child who hasn't been loved. I want to look into their eyes and love them as Christ loved me. They are dirty just as I was. I want to be like Mary and pour out the aroma of Christ on the Reservation.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
The Curse of the Pilots
A couple things on my mind lately. The first is the Lord's sense of humor and the second is how He is slowly preparing us for life in White Swan.
As many of you might know, I'm a big Mariner's fan. The last several years I've often felt like Mariners' fans are going extinct and I'm one of the last ones that is holding out hope that we will make a comeback. It has something to do with the curse that seems to hover over baseball in this town - the curse of the Pilots (an inside joke that I'll explain some other day.) So in an effort to save some money as we look to join the staff at Sacred Road we decided to not purchase our 16 game pack of tickets this year.
So anyway, we've been going to games for years and I've seen them lose more times that I'd like to remember. Giving up tickets this year wasn't really all that hard. I thought they were going to be terrible. Once again.
Here's where the Lord's sense of humor comes in - it is very possible they might actually be good this year. And I don't have tickets.
Most likely this will be the last year I will have to endure what we in the industry refer to as "tax season." Those two words symbolize much: seventy hour work weeks, trying to meet non-stop client demands and requests - valid and otherwise, high stress, spending more time with colleagues at work than you spend with your family at home, and in a weird, sick way actually kind of liking the entire experience while hating it at the same time. After 20 years of doing this it has just become part of life.
Here's the funny part. This tax season has been the least stressful, best staffed, lowest amount of drama and fewest hours that I've ever worked. Largely because of the efforts of the last 2-3 years. And by all appearances things would continue this way into the future - if I was staying.
At the same time the Lord is telling me:
"You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." Luke 12:40
"Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more." Luke 12:48
"Jesus said to her, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?'" John 11:40
"And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong: and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." Isaiah 58: 11
". . . but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14
Now, just nine more days of this tax season. I hope the M's win at least 4 of 7 during that time.
As many of you might know, I'm a big Mariner's fan. The last several years I've often felt like Mariners' fans are going extinct and I'm one of the last ones that is holding out hope that we will make a comeback. It has something to do with the curse that seems to hover over baseball in this town - the curse of the Pilots (an inside joke that I'll explain some other day.) So in an effort to save some money as we look to join the staff at Sacred Road we decided to not purchase our 16 game pack of tickets this year.
So anyway, we've been going to games for years and I've seen them lose more times that I'd like to remember. Giving up tickets this year wasn't really all that hard. I thought they were going to be terrible. Once again.
Here's where the Lord's sense of humor comes in - it is very possible they might actually be good this year. And I don't have tickets.
Most likely this will be the last year I will have to endure what we in the industry refer to as "tax season." Those two words symbolize much: seventy hour work weeks, trying to meet non-stop client demands and requests - valid and otherwise, high stress, spending more time with colleagues at work than you spend with your family at home, and in a weird, sick way actually kind of liking the entire experience while hating it at the same time. After 20 years of doing this it has just become part of life.
Here's the funny part. This tax season has been the least stressful, best staffed, lowest amount of drama and fewest hours that I've ever worked. Largely because of the efforts of the last 2-3 years. And by all appearances things would continue this way into the future - if I was staying.
At the same time the Lord is telling me:
"You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect." Luke 12:40
"Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more." Luke 12:48
"Jesus said to her, 'Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?'" John 11:40
"And the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong: and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail." Isaiah 58: 11
". . . but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14
Now, just nine more days of this tax season. I hope the M's win at least 4 of 7 during that time.
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