Living The Life That God Has For Us....

God's Plumbline Ministries is called to repair devastation in the lives of God's people allowing restoration both physically and spiritually. Providing creative solutions for employment, education and life skills allowing God to repair and restore hope.  Empowering each community to establish a secure foundation both inside and out, while keeping in tact God given talents and uniqueness, not focusing on man's ways but God's ways.  Developing working relationships within social and economic circles, working hand in hand with community leaders to bring the love and compassion of Jesus Christ. 

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Grace and Forgiveness


In the middle of all of the name calling and finger pointing going on these days, somehow we have found a way for grace and forgiveness to be offensive. 

But, I promise you this....

It will only be offensive until the day you need it extended to you.

May we never forget how fragile we are and our core desire for love.

May we find the strength to extend grace and forgiveness and never miss how profound these acts are for they posses the abitily to break down the walls we build.




Saturday, November 9, 2019

a man ahead of his time



Irvin Lee Slipher
October 4, 1918 -- June 21, 2019

He was a man ahead of his time.
What does it look like to be a man ahead of your time?

Here are some examples:

He built a “tiny house” before it was trendy and expensive.
You know the one on Big McGraw Road.

He kept “aviator” sunglasses on his dash before Rayban’s became the rage.

He carried a “red bandana” and wore a “trucker hat” before Hipsters existed.

He carried an insulated cup every day. It was called a Thermos, not a “Yeti”.

He helped create a “community” before it was a buzz word in the church.

He welcomed a “Refugee” with a tattooed number on her arm from a concentration camp where hate crimes were committed against humanity.
Her name was Olga.

He often said there were things he didn’t understand, but nevertheless, he saw no color or discrimination.
-       He befriended the only woman of color in his community.
Her name was Fergie.
-       The first mixed-race marriage was given kindness.
-       He served dinner to a homeless man who lived in a tent in the woods.
-       He befriended a gay couple with the belief that they too, needed Jesus.

He did “mission trips” as a “Mapper” before cell phones and apps existed. He literally laid out a large paper map and planned out each day's trip. Of course “Mapper” actually meant missions. He would go as a “builder” and build a parsonage or a church.  He once backed his trailer three blocks down the street in Los Angeles.

When my family moved to Wildwood Florida I was actually able to visit a pastors library he had built years before and talked to him about it.

He wore a blue jean “barn jacket” and “flannel” before Lands End published a catalog and make them cool.

He had a “Shed” before Chip and Joanna Gaines because he was the original “Fixer Upper”.

He was a “Picker” before American Pickers was a television show. Every auction had something he needs. The proof was all around is the shop for everyone to see.

He had a second breakfast Monday thru Friday before anyone had ever heard of doing a “coffee run” at Starbucks.

He had his own book club because no one could read as many books as he did.

He was a “trailblazer” before it was cool, he just happened to do it in a snowplow and grader for his community. He created a path for everyone to move freely.

He read his Dake’s bible from cover to cover every year before anyone printed the “One Year Bible”.

He considered “dumpster diving” to be “normal”. He just happened to literally do it at the dump. When I tossed out his toxic microwave, he went and got it back and told me it was just fine.

He was a “dreamer” long before John Lennon ever wrote a famous song about it. He often said his dreams were so real he didn’t know if it was real or a dream.
But, He believed the Lord spoke to him in his dreams.

 He redefined the “secret life of prayer” because you had to pray with one eye open while he prayed because he spoke so quietly you didn’t know when he was done praying. But, He prayed daily.

Pepper!
Can we just say this one word?
I literally grew up thinking that sneezing before every meal was “normal”.
Who knew?

He redefined “wicked funny” the way He would bust out laughing when something struck his funny bone slapping his knee as he laughed.

“Happy Camper” – He spent years working at “camp” carving out a time and a place for boys to put their lives back together. He always believed in second chances.

Lastly –
He married a woman who, in her own right, gave a new meaning to the words “cookie exchange”. I think cookies were actually her hidden superpower that God used to open doors with people who would have never been open to the gospel. She told me, he was always happy to drive her anywhere she wanted to go and never said no. Together they prayed with people on their deathbeds, asking Jesus in their hearts.





Wednesday, July 4, 2018

What If......






Lessons Learned From Harley Boy








1. It's OK to cry when your best friend gets to leave the yard to go on a walk and you have to stay at home

2. Drinking directly from those hose is way better than any bowl, bucket or toilet

3. Plastic garbage bags are as scary as hell

4. You can conquer your fear even if it's only getting on (or off) the trampoline

5. Everyone needs love and some even need to hold your hand

6. Really BIG dogs think they are lap dogs

7. Face it, food near the edge of any surface is fair game, period.

8. SBD has a new meaning and can clear a room instantly

9. Once the smell of food hits your nose, rain coats may be "proper" dinner attire for protection from the long slime that hangs off the jowls that take up half of your face once.

10. Smallish chocolate colored dogs can corrupt large dogs

11. Brindle is beautiful!

12. Don't kid yourself he is always walking you, you are never walking him - ever.  God help you when he wants to run after any -thing!

13. The slightest wrinkle of a food wrapper can wake a sleeping giant no matter what end of the house he may be found

14. Lastly, there simply is no greater love. Mastiff's love big always!

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Monday, March 14, 2016

"Little by Little" - Vadette's New House Update





Proverbs say so much. Painting pictures that help us understand life, often coming from a place we may have never experienced, yet we all can relate from a place of our common humanity. 
We have all seen a tiny bird making trips back and forth, back and forth, back and forth all day long. Busy, focused with tenacity.
Collecting all the resources needed to build his nest. 
Nests are homes. 
Places of rest, safety and family.
 
This proverb is perfect.

Little by little a bird builds its nest.

Piti piti zwazo fè nich li.

Here are a few pictures of the nest Vedette is building.
It is hers and it is awesome.








Tuesday, February 23, 2016

A promise made and kept



Our big day had finally come and we headed out beach road to a village called Canaan. You will find a huge new street market full of many stalls with people selling just about anything you can imagine. It was odd to see this huge new market in a place that has always been barren. But after the earthquake there have been many who started to build homes here, because the Haitian government gave away several hundred plots of land to single women. Little by little life is moving this way, yet many still prefer to be in Port Au Prince and not have to travel in each day for work.  

For Vadette, life will be different as well, but in a much better way. She will not only live outside of Port,  but once her house is finished she can work from home and only go to the workshop once a week to fill her sewing orders.




We made our quick thirty-minute drive out of Port to Canaan to see her land. A brand new well was being drilled that day and a new church was under construction. The whole village was standing around watching the red dirt fly hoping for the sign of water.

We pulled up to the corner lot just down from the church and the new well. Little by little the foundation has been put in place on her land. She was very proud to show me how hard she had worked to get this far. In a developing area like this you are always in fear of squatters taking possession of your land. All was well when we arrived.

I was bursting to tell her that she was going to be able to finish her whole house!  I had hopped to have a little video to share, but the well drilling and wind put an end to that idea. Sadly.

It is hard for me to find the words to describe what it was really like when the words “YOU GET TO BUILD YOUR HOUSE” burst out of my mouth.  I think she was a bit caught off guard actually, but yet, she had to have been hoping this was finally the day.




Her whole face light up like a child completely filled with JOY! Finally, after all my explaining about the Lord seeing all her hard work, Him loving her, me loving her and the love of people at CROSSFIELDS who heard her story, she put her hands to heaven and said, MESI JEZI.  Yes, thank you Jesus! Her smile, never left her face and is still in my head. It is a sweet memory indeed knowing all that this will mean for her and her daughter.

Her 18 ft. x 14ft. foundation will hold a small kitchen and bathroom in the back of the house, a living room in the front and a bedroom on the left and right. She will have a cute front porch and yes, a front door of her very own.  

Construction is scheduled to start 2/15/16!