The Neely Team

Several years ago, Dad and Mom got us the kid’s book called “If Everybody Did.” This bit of comic accurately illustrates the impact that even our little actions have on those around us, and what would happen if everybody did things just like us. For example, if one person drops their toy on the stairs, they don’t think about it at all. But if everybody did it, just imagine the broken, bruised, and battered body parts we would have from the many crashes down the stairs!! (If you ever want to see the picture that goes with that one, come see us! We’ll show you the book… ) So, next time you do something careless or something that isn’t-so-bad-but-really-isn’t-wise and think it doesn’t matter much, imagine what it would be like if everybody did it too!

We were enjoying a good giggle about that book a while back, when someone suggested that we come up with a list of spiritual things that work the same way.

- If one person determined to pass out just one tract a week… how many could come to Christ if everybody did??

- If one person meditated on one verse a day and, by God’s grace, applied it… how much more godly would our responses be overall if everybody did it??

- If one person strove to give a smile to 10 people he/she saw in the store… how many hearts could be cheered in a day if everybody did??

- If one person read one good book a month… how much more knowledgeable would our society be on important issues if everybody did??

- If one person commended a godly character trait they saw displayed in someone’s life… how many would be encouraged to keep doing right if everybody did??

- If one person went out of their way to be a blessing to one other person every day… how many would be blessed if everybody did??

- If one person invested 10 minutes of their time every day into someone younger than 10 years of age… how many fewer teenagers and adults would be on drugs, alcohol, and in prison if everybody did??

- If one person spent 30 minutes a week with someone at least 15 years older than him/her… how much wiser would our society be on a whole if everybody did??

- If one person exercised for 30 minutes every night instead of watching TV… how much more brain space would people have and how much healthier would people be if everybody did??

- If one person denied himself every week of one thing he wanted if he couldn’t pay for it in cash… how much less American debt would there be if everybody did??

Well, yes, the chances of getting everybody to do even one of these things are pretty slim… but BE ENCOURAGED!! It starts with you!! Just imagine if your entire family and only one other family did it… for us, depending on the size of the other family, that could be over 20 people! But even if your family is smaller, it STILL starts with you!!

Would you be willing to step out of your comfort zone and do just one of these things (or an idea you come up with) today???

And just remember what would happen… if everybody did!!

Last week Daddy and Mommy went on a date, and so us little kids played outside with Kitty. We played like we were from the old days. We had a covered wagon and a horse to pull it (and that was Victoria ). Kitty was the mom and all of us had funny names and were her children. My pretend name was Eliza Jane. We got water from the spring and drank it out of an old ice cream bucket with a dipper. Then we used other buckets and filled them with freezing cold water. Then we washed our faces and hands with real soap! Then we dried them with a towel. Later Kitty said that we could stand in the buckets and pretend to take baths. We got our clothes a little wet, except Titus, who got soaked! Later we got to eat cobbler in the grass with whipped cream! Yummy! We had lots of fun!

Back a couple years ago, we would go every Friday and cook lunch for the guys working at the plant. There was an abundance of work, and they were having to work overtime. It was definitely a season of bounty. We loved preparing the food for them. Quite often, we would make a family trip to do the grocery shopping on Thursday night, then come home and do as much of the prep work as we could. Then on Friday, we would load up the van and head to Andrews Truss, Inc. It was a fun family activity, and a unique ministry opportunity.

Well, since the turn of the economy, we haven’t been able to do it. We’ve certainly been blessed with some work, but its rare to have people working overtime.

That’s why it was so exciting to hear the news when Daddy came home one night a few weeks ago and told us we were going to cook! There were squeals of delight! A really neat factor, is that when we were in NY, we older ones had spent some time praying with our cousin, and one request mentioned was the need for more work. And what do you know, the very next week we were cooking because there was a need for the guys to work overtime. What a testimony of how God answers prayers! And what an encouragement to keep praying!

Recently, while in NY, we had the adventuresome opportunity to trim Christmas trees. There were hundreds to do, and several different areas of work, too. Some people trimmed trees with machetes, some used shears, and one got to use gas trimmers. There were also old stumps that had to be cut out and hauled to the big brush pile at the end of the field. After a few minutes of talking, everyone was assigned their jobs and excitedly went to work. My job was to mow between the rows of trees, so that the people trimming could see better where they were walking. And that is what got me thinking…

I enjoy mowing the grass. I love driving tractors. But there was something different about it this time. Oh yes, I still was having the time of my life, bouncing around on the tractor seat, being careful not to mow over a tree. However, this time, I wasn’t just cutting the grass because it was too long. Yes, it definitely was way too long. But it was my job to prepare the way that everyone else would walk.

I couldn’t help but think about how this applies to life. I’m blessed to be (at least) a fourth generation Christian. I’ve heard of how my grandparents and great-grandparents prayed for their children and have seen how their testimonies impacted everyone around them. These men and women carefully laid out the path for their descendants to follow.

Through the years stories have been told of God’s faithfulness. I can remember hearing of the ways God miraculously provided during difficult times. These stories have been told “… that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments…”(Psalm 78:6-7). My grandparents have laid a foundation for their future children. That includes my parents, me, and my children. It is as if they were running a relay race, and passed down the baton from one generation to the next.

Now comes the big question… What will I do with the baton? Everyday the choices that I make will affect not only me, but also everyone around me, and many will affect those who are yet to be born. Not only that, but decisions often build on previous decisions. In other words, how I make my decisions today, will also affect how I make my decisions tomorrow.

With this sobering thought in mind, what am I doing on a daily basis to prepare the way for the next generation? What choices am I making and how will the future be affected?

Many times in the path of life, we’ll hit “stumps” that will cause us to stumble, as it happened to me while I was mowing the Christmas tree field. There was one time I got stuck between two stumps, and I couldn’t go forward or backward. The path to which we have been called will not always be smooth, but one thing is for sure – God will always give us grace to continue on. At other times, we may feel that we can’t possibly go any farther. This happened to me when I found myself stuck in a huge mud hole (I later found out that there is a spring in the middle of the field). The tires were sunk halfway into the  mud, and there was no way I could possibly get out on my own. That is when “reinforcements” came and pushed me out of the mess and set me on the right track again, being careful to show me exactly where not to go.

During times like these, we must remember that God has a specific purpose for each of us, and He is bringing that to pass one day at a time. It is so exciting to see how He works out even what we consider “tiny” details into His plan. But, we have a responsibility to keep our focus on Him, maintain a clear conscience, and be ever ready to follow His leading.

So as you go about your day, remember that God is using you to unfold His plan. Remember that you are making decisions that will affect many others and the future. But also take into consideration the path that you are leaving for those who will follow you. Where will it take them?

On our way home from the fantastic NY trip, we were blessed to be able to stay with our dear friends, the Wilkes Team, during their final few days in Fairfax, VA! Several years ago, the Lord provided a 90-acre piece of property in Culpepper, VA, and gave them the vision of a huge ministry center barn out there. They have faithfully and very patiently waited for the Lord’s perfect timing, and now it is coming to pass! “The Barn”  is well under way, but not complete, so when their house in Fairfax sold, they realized they would have to find another dwelling for a few months! The Lord provided a beautiful “transition” house only five minutes from the building site. When we arrived, the Fairfax house was almost completely empty… but definitely not desolate!! (How could it be when filled with 23 joyful, energetic people??!) After being expertly divided up into six teams (thanks to the organizational skills of Jenny and Mr. Wilkes!), we spent a morning helping them with some deep cleaning, and then we all went out to Culpepper to see the barn and other house (the “Farm House” ). What a special time to see their vision being followed through!! We praise the Lord for all He has done!

Being with the Wilkes Team again was an indescribable blessing! A few highlights were: the edifying dinner-time topics of conversation, cleaning house, hearing the “8-hands-on-two-pianos” music (Joshua, Daniel, Amanda, and Jessica), eating dinner by the pool, and the morning times around the Word!

Thank you, Wilkes Team, for another wonderful visit… we love you all and are greatly looking forward to witnessing the Lord use you mightily as continually press on with the calling He has given!!

We made another journey north to visit family and to do some projects around Nana’s farm. It was a fabulous trip – lots of work was accomplished and numerous memories were made. The teamwork was incredible to watch, and the enthusiasm brought forth was inspiring! It was wonderful to observe as the whole family came together to work, determined to make the projects fun. We took over three hundred pictures – just enough to post on the blog!

Well… we won’t put all of them up…

just a few.

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A few months ago, Michael McCourry, a well-satisfied customer of Accurate Innovations, loaned us one of his specially developed “elephant” rifles to shoot. We enjoyed that immensly, and shot a video entitled “The Big Gun” which we then posted here. Shortly after that, Mr. McCourry decided to send us his largest caliber rifle – a .500 MDM Ultra – warning Daddy not to “let any of his daughters shoot this one!” So on a day when we had several friends and family members here, including Dad’s sister and two of her boys, we tried it out. Here are the results…

The Bigger Gun from Neely Team on Vimeo.