Intermountain Christian Fellowship

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Mystery Blooms

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Photo of mystery blooms
What are these mystery blooms?

A couple of days ago while taking a morning walk around Karen’s gardens, I was reminded of something Lindsey Dolan told me at Anthony and Jennifer (Hendricks) Skinner’s wedding reception this past Saturday. Lindsey and some of our other Christian friends recently completed the grueling 232-miles of Montana’s Headwaters Relay.

After reminding Lindsey that she and the rest of the team are all crazy, I asked her about the difficulties of mountain-running in hot weather, and she shared with me one focus that helped carry her through. As she pressed forward to do her part for their eight-member relay team, Lindsey kept taking happy note of the panoramas around her and celebrating in her thoughts Romans 1:21:

“…since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made….”

As the beauty of Karen’s sunlit plants and flowers enriched my soul during that morning stroll, I reflected on Lindsey’s Romans verse and found myself singing Albert S. Williams’ country song from the 1950s: “How Can You Say There Is No God?” Here are the first three lines:

“Each little flower within my garden,
Each little sparrow that’s playing there
Proclaims the love of my matchless Savior….”

From a plant one might not expect to generate such pretty blooms, have sprung in Karen’s garden beds the delicate little flowers shown above. How they captured my admiring attention, and how they did proclaim to me the “love of my matchless Savior”!

Just as we see the Lord often take loving control of common people around us and transform their lives into unexpected beauty, so the “mystery blooms” you see in my photo have been created by God through budding a stem I might once have thought incapable of such a delicate floral display. And even for this once barefoot, run-of-the-mill Aussie boy, there is a message of joy from those little blossoms as they blend in my grateful thoughts with lines from another song:

“Something beautiful, something good;
All my confusion He understood.
All I had to offer Him
Was brokenness and strife,
But He made something beautiful of my life.” 1

Two questions:

1. What are a couple of unexpected ways in which you have seen our Lord transform you or someone you know?

2. Can you identify the common name of the plant genus that produced the “mystery blooms” in the photo above? ICF will award a little prize to the first person who responds correctly in the comments section below!

Update: this small contest is now closed. Thank you for your entries and comments, and congratulations to our winner, Monte Pocock!

June 13th Memory

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Photo of Carl Campbell Nicolson, December 26th, 1908 – June 14th, 1965
Carl Campbell Nicolson, December 26th, 1908 – June 14th, 1965

On Sunday, June 13th, 1965 (June 14th in Sydney), I was preparing to teach Vacation Bible School in Loma, Montana, when my friend Dave Dixon drove in from Big Sandy to tell me there was an emergency phone call for me from Australia.

After the overseas operator connected me, my brother Brian broke the news that our dad, Carl C. Nicolson, had suffered a cerebral hemorrhage and was with the Lord.

This 21-year-old college-student Aussie was not exactly flush with cash, so attending Dad’s memorial service in Sydney was sadly out of the question. However, comfort and hope from God, family, and friends saw me through those days; and ever since, I have rejoiced in and drawn from our mother and father’s heritage of faithfulness.

For example, I constantly draw inspiration from a poem Dad wrote to me in 1963 shortly before I sailed from home to North America:

Go, then, my son.
And may God give you to taste deeply
Of His matchless love and grace.
And in that glorious work
On Calvary’s cross begun,
May you for Him secure an honored place.

It may not always be the garden of the LORD,
Not every tree a glorious fruit will bear.
But just remember, ‘neath the barren soil
There are the roots
Which, by the power of prayer,
Will spring to life and glorify our God.

— Carl C. Nicolson, 1908 – 1965

What about you? As we look to Father’s Day celebrations this month here in the USA, how are you thankful for your dad? Share with us in the comments if you like.

“For Da Clock.”

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Photo of Grahame Nicolson at Camp Sambica in 2010
A 2010 thumbs-up for my young Muckleshoot friend of long ago.

Our summer camp season is presently cranking up, and I find myself in eager anticipation and also in calling to mind camp-related memories. Here’s one of the reflections…

In 2010 while in Seattle, I made a pilgrimage out to Camp Sambica on the shores of Lake Sammamish; hence the photo above.

In 1965 when my friend Alan Woodley and I worked at Sambica, the building you see behind me in the photo above was used as a cabin where I tended some of my little flocks of energetic boys. A specific week of that summer and one young chap in particular are poignantly inscribed on my heart.

My cabin group was handful heavy with mischievous fifth and sixth graders. I believe it was on the Tuesday of that week that I had to step out of the cabin for a mere few minutes to attend to some matter or other. By the time I arrived back inside, “chaos” in the form of scattered pillows and other thrown items ruled the room. My little electric clock, so necessary for keeping things on schedule, lay broken on the floor. The young blokes couldn’t have known, but apart from pocket change and maybe a few dollars in my wallet, I was next to penniless.

Well, I didn’t yell at the group, but suggested that the one who hashed my clock should ‘fess up. Everyone had “Who, me?” written on his face, so I just tabled the matter with insistence the place be tidied up right away and with an ominous comment that “the Lord knows who broke the clock.”

The boys and I had a great time for the remainder of the week, and I never mentioned the Tuesday incident again; however, I did leave the clock’s shattered remains on its shelf for all to notice.

Come Saturday morning break-up time, the boys all received in cash any balances left in their snack shop bank accounts. We were all happily shouting good-byes back and forth when I noticed beside me one handsome native boy who, characteristic of his Muckleshoot heritage, never had spoken much throughout the week. Soon under cover of the din around us, he silently pressed two crumpled dollar bills into my hand and then whispered just three words:

“For da clock.”

To my shame, I failed to record that precious, young man’s name, but I have never forgotten him. And I can still hear those quiet, native-accented words, “For da clock.” He would be around 60 years of age now, and I often wonder what God ultimately accomplished through my young Muckleshoot friend’s life and conscientious heart.

What about you? What memories do you have of summer camp? Why not share them with us in the comments?

3 Reasons We Love Living in Montana

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Forest scene in Montana, USA
One of many scenes that come to mind when we think of why we love living in Montana, USA.

As you can read on our Bios page, Karen and I are not native Montanans. However, in many ways, we think of Montana as home, and are thankful to live in this beautiful place. Here are three reasons why:

1. The Landscape
The Apostle Paul in Romans 1:20 teaches that “creation reveals God’s invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, to the extent that those who try to deny the truth about Him are ‘without excuse.’”  And Oh how spectacularly the 147,000 square miles (236,000 square kilometers) of this Big Sky Country around us reveal the wonders of our Creator and Lord!

2. The People
In his poem “The Bells,” Edgar Allan Poe includes this line: “And the people, ah, the people, they that dwell up in the steeple!”  Well, we don’t know anyone who dwells in a steeple, but when we consider elements of our love for Montana, “…the people, ah, the people…!” constantly enter the discussion.

For example, we have now married several young people whose parents’ wedding services we conducted.  As we lead these second-generation Christian men and women in pre-marital counseling, Karen and I give thanks to the Lord for the “family relationships” He has given us with so many wonderful Montanans whom we love and who love us right back.

3. The Character
We love living in this state because of its cultural character. Montana as an environment and as a society tends to perpetuate traditions of hard work, clean living, educational values, and respect for God, for fellow citizens, and for Country. What a place to raise, spiritually nurture, and school our sons Carl, Christopher, and Cameron!

What about you? Do you live in Montana, or have you been fortunate to spend time here? Tell us what you love about Big Sky Country in the comments.

Springtime in Alaska

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Springtime in Alaska brought me some unique childhood adventures!

During this time of the year, my memories go back to my childhood in a remote and beautiful wilderness area beside the largest inland body of water in Alaska: Lake Iliamna.

When we weren’t driving our dog sled (pictured here), our family had an old Jeep that we used to drive around our village and over the high mountains between Pile Bay and Cook Inlet on the Gulf of Alaska. Sometimes in deep winter when the ice was strong, we would drive across the icy surface of the lake to check our trap lines or to go ice fishing.

One spring, there was an early warm spell after an especially cold winter. The lake ice was still very thick, but there was a layer of water on top, and then after a cool night, another thin layer of ice on top of that water. My dad was feeling adventurous, so to have some excitement, he took my younger sister and me along with a couple other young guys, and we spun “brodies” out on the lake!

We were having great fun until after one spinning session, the Jeep’s wheels caught on the top layer of thin ice, causing the vehicle to tip over! Luckily, no one was injured, just a bit shaken up and wet. We were able to tip the Jeep back up on its wheels with everyone’s help and drive back home. Naturally, my little sister was frightened and upset, but I was hungry for more thrills so I begged, “Let’s do that again, Daddy!”

Another springtime memory is of floating around on big ice floes when the lake ice would finally break up. My sister and I had fun poling around the shore on small bergs that had broken off the ice mass as though we were riding on little rafts. I shudder to think of what could have happened had we fallen off and into the icy cold water, but by the grace of God, we survived that and many other Springtime adventures in Alaska!

What about you? What memories of Springtime or childhood adventures do you have? Please share them with us in the comments.

Food for the Body and the Soul

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What a gift I've been given that I get to share!
What a gift I’ve been given that I get to share!
It can be hard to concentrate when you have an empty tummy, can’t it?

One of my favorite parts of serving people is to prepare delicious food for their physical enrichment. Here’s a glimpse at two regular opportunities I have to serve some dear people here in Montana, USA.

On Saturday mornings once a month, Grahame and I host what we call an MLA (Men’s Leadership Association) class at a church in Great Falls. I cook a hearty breakfast for around thirty hungry guys who have driven in from outlying communities as far away as 90 miles (145 kilometers). After breakfast, Grahame leads the guys in a worship time, teaches some aspect of spiritual leadership, after which the fellows participate in discussion and prayer time. The men who take part always go away well-fed both physically and spiritually!

On a couple of Sunday afternoons each month during the school year, I am also pleased to prepare and serve food for our YLG (Youth Leadership Groups) that meet in the communities of Fort Benton and Conrad. Young people from the surrounding areas gather after their morning services to enjoy lunch and class time with Grahame and me.

Our teaching at YLG meetings is focused on growing closer to Jesus Christ in our individual lives through worship and study of God’s Word. As a result, leadership skills are developed that enable the teens to more effectively share Christ in their daily lives as well as to aid the students in discerning the path of life for which God is preparing them.

I am grateful for the opportunity to share my God-given gift to prepare meals for people, and to facilitate our meaningful learning times together. I often think of a quote by Woodrow Wilson that says: “In the Lord’s Prayer, the first petition is for daily bread. No one can worship God or love his neighbor on an empty stomach.”

It’s really satisfying for me to know that people would have a hard time leaving one of my meals feeling hungry!

What gifts have you been given that bring joy as you share them with others? Please tell us about them in the comments.

7 Secrets to a Happy Marriage

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What is the secret to our happy marriage?
What is the secret to our happy marriage?
While riding an airport shuttle recently, Karen and I sat next to a lady who represents Microsoft.  After we had chatted with her for a while, the lady asked us suddenly: “What is the secret to your marriage?”

We gave her a good answer, but since then I have been thinking more about the question:

“What is the secret to our years and years of marriage?”

An outline has emerged from my reflections and I have already developed it for a couple of speaking engagements! Here it is, for your own reflection:

1. Sanctifying Christ as Lord in our Hearts
From 1 Peter 3:15 “…always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence.” Karen and I seek to exalt and “set apart” Jesus Christ as Lord of our hearts and our home. Here’s a poem that often comes to mind:

“Happy the home where Jesus’ Name is sweet to every ear;
Where children early speak His fame, and parents hold Him dear.

Lord, let us in our homes agree this blessèd peace to gain;
Unite our hearts in love to Thee, and love to all will reign.” 1

2. Seeing the Funny Side of Ourselves
Proverbs 17:22 tells us that: “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” Karen and I always enjoy having a good laugh at ourselves!

3. Sharing the Love of Christ with Others
Philippians 1:3-5 says: “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now.” Teaming together day-by-day in seeking to fulfill the Matthew 28:18-20 “Great Commission” keeps Karen and me close and accountable through days of joy and days of tough challenge. 

4. Singing Together!
Ephesians 5:19 calls us to be: “…speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord…” Ever since our 1966 summer of courtship while commercial fishing in Alaska, we have sung together. One of Karen’s former boyfriends had given her a guitar that hung in a gear room. Happily, I ended up using that same guitar to accompany Karen’s and my first duet: “The Mercies of God.”  We don’t know who wrote that hymn, but whoever did sure’ provided us with some great lines for the benefits of singing together! Here are the words:

“The Mercies of God”:
The mercies of God! What a theme for my song!
Oh! I never could number them o’er.
They’re more than the stars in the heavenly dome,
Or the sands of the wave-beaten shore.

Chorus:
For mercies so great,
What return can I make,
For mercies so constant and sure?
I’ll love Him, I’ll serve Him, with all that I have
As long as my life shall endure.

They greet me at morn when I waken from sleep,
And they gladden my heart at the noon.
They follow me on into shades of the night
When the day with its labor is done.

His goodness and mercy will follow me still,
Even on to the end of my way.
I have His sure promise and that cannot fail:
That His mercy endureth for aye.

5. Scheduling Times for Fun Together
Proverbs 5:18: “… 2 rejoice with the wife of your youth.” Regularly going out on dates together continues to be our practice, and the Lord has always enriched our relationship through those special times of just-you-and-me togetherness.

6. Showing Grace to Each Other
Ephesians 4:32 instructs us to: “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” Karen and I both wish we could say that we always express to each other the healing, forgiving, tender-hearted, kindness and compassion of Christ, but when we do draw near to Him, recognize His Calvary Love, and ask Him to fill us with His own character for the benefit of our mate, what joy fills our marriage!

7. Serving Each Other
Galatians 5:13 says: “…by love serve one another.”
Try making a private list of what you know your partner needs and wants from you, and regularly calling on the power of the Holy Spirit, do all those things. From our own experience, we often give this piece of advice to newlyweds: Figure out what the other person wants and needs, and just do it, it won’t kill you!

Here’s a favorite hymn of ours that contains a wonderful set of marriage-healing, marriage-building lines:

“Will You Let Me Be Your Servant?”: 3
Will you let me be your servant,
Let me be as Christ to you?
Pray that I might have the grace
to let you be my servant, too.

We are pilgrims on a journey,
We are trav’lers on the road.
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load.
I will hold the Christ-light for you
In the night time of your fear.

I will hold my hand out to you,
speak the peace you long to hear.
I will weep when you are weeping,
when you laugh I’ll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we’ve seen this journey through.

When we sing to God in heaven,
We shall find such harmony,
Born of all we’ve known together
Of Christ’s love and agony.
Will you let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you?

Pray that I might have the grace
To let you be my servant, too.

What about you? What secrets have you learned about your relationship with your loved one? Please share them with us in the comments.