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Monday, September 17, 2012


Pierce family 9/16/12
The Pierce family with a creative announcement.

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"Knit Together"


"For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well" (Psalm 139:13,14).

When we walked into our church yesterday we greeted friends and visitors and then caught sight of little two year old Seth. He was wearing an interesting shirt bearing the statement, "I Am a Big Brother!" Initially Brooksyne thought the boys had reversed their shirts since Seth’s older brother, David, is actually the big brother, but we soon heard “the rest of the story”.

Ken and Nila used Seth’s T-shirt to make the exciting announcement that they are expecting their 3rd child. Indeed Seth is now a big brother although the child in Nila’s womb is not yet born. David and Seth’s brother (or sister) began to develop as a separate human being at the time of conception.

Each of us, at the time of our conception, began as a separate single cell. For nine months, while being knit together in our mother's womb, we received nothing more than oxygen and nutrition. In God’s miraculous plan our entire genetic makeup was contained in that single cell. We are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made!

Thankfully for each one reading our message, this process was not interrupted. After nine months of being knit together in your mother's womb you were born. You have never existed before and there will never be another you, contrary to what false religions might teach about reincarnation.

From my study I understand that the initial fertilized cell from whence we all developed only weighs around .0000000015 pounds. And yet by the time we are born this one single cell became two hundred million cells and at birth we weigh six billion times more than the fertilized egg.

If this rate of growth continued by our first birthday we would have weighed 72,000,000,000 pounds! That would have been an extremely "heavy" burden for our mothers. In addition I also consider if I’d continued to grow at this rate what would I look like. I don’t think there would be a mirror big enough for my reflection. Kind of makes me feel like I've done a good job after all in maintaining my weight! (Brooksyne’s edit: NOT!)

Although David had little knowledge of modern science he did have the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in declaring a statement modern science recognizes: "For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well" (Psalm 139:13,14).

Today, let us marvel at the wonder of life, our conception, development and birth. Let us marvel even more that our Lord Jesus Christ willingly condescended to humankind, taking on flesh which enabled Him to take on the sin of the world. What wondrous, incomprehensible love is that, even more incomprehensible than the supernatural process of our birth!


Be encouraged today,


Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Praying manDaily prayer: Father, we are amazed at Your creative process and marvel at the beauty of life. You knit us together in our mother's womb and provided everything we had need of before our birth and have done so as well all the years we have lived following our birth. You will do so until You call us home and there we will lack for nothing as we receive the inheritance that is waiting for us which can never perish, spoil or fade. Thank You for giving us life and providing for all our needs; physical, material, relational, and spiritual. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.



Richard & Pat Mayberry, Pat & Laverne Weber 9/14/12
Stephen's Note: This weekend we had a visit from my cousin, Richard and his wife Pat (left), who stopped by with their RV on the way back home to Florida. Friday evening my brother, Pat and his wife Laverne (right), joined us for dinner. Pat and Richard are the same age but I am 8 years younger and they tormented me mercilessly when I was a child. But now it's feels pretty good being the younger one!

Trail walk with Richard & Pat Mayberry 9/15/12
On Saturday morning we went for a long walk on our favorite trail which begins across from our house.

Donegal Springs Road one room schoolhouse
We went over to Donegal Springs and the Cameron Inn Estate with the Mayberrys. On the way we passed this one room schoolhouse about 1 mile west of our home which now is a meetinghouse for boy scouts.

Richard Mayberry with Mollie
Richard worked on getting Mollie to settle down using techniques he has seen on the dog whisperer program.  He is very patient and firm which is what Mollie needs!



On Friday we shared a message about the blessing of guardrails and referred to a railroad bridge in northern Pennsylvania that is now a rail to trail route for offroad vehicles. Margie, an alert reader and ATV enthusiast, who uses the trail sent me the following photos.

Approach to Snowshoe rail to trail bridge
Here's the approach to the Snowshoe rail to trail bridge. Notice you have to get on the bridge where there is not a guardrail although I can't tell how steep the drop-off is at that point. Yesterday I told Fred, a friend I mentioned in Friday's message, that I would like to go riding on that trail sometime but I think I would let someone else take the ATV over the bridge and I would walk across on the guardrail side!

View from on Snowshoe rail to trail bridge
View from Snowshoe rail to trail bridge.

View of I-80 from Snowshoe rail to trail bridge
View of I-80 from the Snowshoe rail to trail bridge with Moshannon Creek below. I recall seeing the old railroad bridge many times from the bridge on I-80 but this is the first time I have seen this view.

This railroad trestle (now rail to trail) is located here. (Google map)



We have had a very active weekend and will share more photos in the next couple of days.



Today's Suggested Music
and Supplemental Resources

Here's an interesting website dealing with the chronology of a new life.

While waiting as Brooksyne edited today's message I came across a more than usual assortment of related songs. If you have the time these songs will touch your heart!

"You Knit Me Together"
 Video  Steve Green  This video was used a in a baby dedication in a local church and was a favorite of ours when Ester was a young child.


"Just Another Birthday"  Video  Casting Crowns includes a testimony from Mark Hall who writes most of their songs.

"Life Inside You"  Video  Matthew West

"Personhood"  Audio download  Tony Funderburk

"The Miracle of Life"  Video

Matt Weaber is a friend of mine who has a wonderful testimony. Read it here.

Please note: I have noticed that YouTube increasingly uses ads that proceed the video. These ads have nothing to do with our ministry or viewpoint and as best as I can determine with the person that places the video up. I also was very disgusted the other day when I watched a meritorious video but afterwards a screen popped up with supposedly related videos, including some I would never direct our readers to. Again neither I nor the video poster has anything to do with this.


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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.

Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

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