Choice = Consequence

None of us wakes up one day and says, “Gosh, I think this would be a great day to kill someone.”  Or, “Golly gee, it would be great to go to jail!”  Or, “I really would like to get into a massive car accident on my way home tonight.”  Well, not unless something is really wrong with you and your life anyway!

And, Bob, not his real name but one of my boys from a decade ago – never woke up one morning and said, “Oh yeah, I want to be framed for a crime I did not commit so I could have a prison ministry…..”

Yeah, Bob is a Christian, a young man with a massive heart for the Lord, a youth pastor want-a-be and willing to put himself at risk to reach the more unreachable portions of our society – kids in really poor areas.  But, those darn choices got in the way, as you will see.

Bob was in my very first Sunday School class here at the English church.  At roughly 6’7”, he towered over my 6’3”, something I am not used to, something I am not comfortable with.  We became fast friends, as much as someone older than his father could be to a teenager anyways.

Now the local Christian community had a rock band and one of the members was a very charismatic type and a drummer.  He and Bob struck up an odd friendship, odd because they really had nothing in common, Bob was fascinated by him and his massively tattooed body.  Bob went on to learn how to tattoo and did a great deal of self enhancement…  Actually not bad stuff, but still I am a little uncomfortable with the practice.

When he first came up with the idea, I pointed out that this really was something not accepted even in the early Church and by identifying yourself with radical portions of society – you will alienate everyone else.

Of course, I am old, I am wrong.  Such is the problems of growing aged.

He struggled through college and seminary, no one would take him serious.  Jobs were hard to come by because his appearance is appalling to all not of the pagan culture which underlies Europe’s dark side.  Friendships, yeah, not many.  And he began to identify less and less with what he used to hold to as “normal”.  Then he disappeared.

I found out yesterday that he has been in jail for the past year for beating a guy senseless.  Huh?  Bob, violent?  Well, actually no.  His friend did all of the beating, he did all of the watching and was found guilty on three criminal counts for his inactions.  So, it will be a while longer until he is out.

His family now agrees that were he not so large, covered in tattoos and piercings, the judge would definitely have dropped all felony charges against him.  As it is, he gets to pay for his appearance.

Keep him in your prayers and for God to use him mightily while jailed.  As I said, he has a massive heart for the Lord.

People To Find

You know they say there is something wrong with people whom search the internet for their name.  Hmmm.  At my company we used to look in the new issue of the phone directory in order to get a heads-up as to whether or not we were going to be laid off.  Of course, whom uses a phone directory any more?

So maybe you looked your name up and voila!, you find you are listed here.  If so, drop me an email, I would love to hear from you and catch up:

Mary Albertson – last seen 1974 in Aurora

Nicky Bowen – last seen 1974 in Aurora

Karen Carroll – last seen 1974 in Aurora

Kim Carroll – last seen 1974 in Aurora

Diane Cash – last seen 1965 in Portland

Ruth Cleek – last seen 1970 at Hillcrest

Daniel/Danny /Dan Ersig – last seen 1965 in Portland

Dennis/Denny Ersig – last seen 1965 in Portland

Pamela/Pam Derrick – last seen 1970 at Hillcrest

Debbie Feather – last seen 1974 in Aurora

Donna Feather – last seen 1974 in Aurora

Connie Gates – last seen 1970 at Hillcrest

Clarence Gunn – last seen 1970 in South Carolina
Chuck/Jill/Scotty Lundy - last seen 1975 in Portland

Diane Pender – last seen 1965 in Madras

Tom Pender – last seen 1965 in Madras

Carolyne/Carolyn/Carol Plummer – last seen 1967 in Landstuhl

Ruth Rouse – last seen 1976 in Aurora

Randy Ruark – last seen 1977 in Aurora

Dean Spencer – last seen 1963 in Portland

Thomas/Tom/Tommy Warren – last seen 1965 in Portland

Robert Warmath – last seen 1974 in Aurora

Stan Zeidell – last seen 1967 at Ramstein AFB

Of course some I never knew their last name or perhaps how to spell it!

Cathy/Kathy W ? – last seen 1973 in Aurora (went to Utah?)

Dodi Gibson/Gipson – last seen 1972 Aurora

Laura from Hillcrest High moved to North Carolina 1970

Father’s Humor

Latest printable humor from my father…..

A new young monk arrives at the monastery.  He is assigned to help the other monks in copying the old canons and laws of the church by hand.  He notices, however, that all of the monks are copying from copies, not from the original manuscript.

So, the new monk goes to the head abbot to question this, pointing out that if someone made even a small error in the first copy, it would never be picked up. In fact, that error would be continued in all of the subsequent copies.

The head monk, says, “We have been copying from the copies for centuries, but you make a good point, my son.”

So, he goes down into the dark caves underneath the monastery where the original manuscript is held as archives in a locked vault that hasn’t been opened for hundreds of years.

Hours go by and nobody sees the old abbot.  So, the young monk gets worried and goes downstairs to look for him.

He sees him banging his head against the wall, and wailing, “We forgot the ‘R’.  We forgot the ‘R’ !” His forehead is bloody and bruised while he cryies uncontrollably.

The young monk asks the old abbot, “What’s wrong, father?”

With a choking voice, the old abbot replies, “The word should be celebRate!!”

God’s Promise

Genesis 15:12 – 16

Thinking through God’s promise and how it played out in history.  What can we learn about God and how He will work in our lives?

God’s Plan is:

            God’s Plan – not ours!

            For God’s glory, not our comfort!

            Going to occur in God’s timing – not ours!

Sometimes all God gives His people is:

            The revelation of Himself.

            His promises (Spirit, Salvation, Needs), not health, wealth or happiness!

God promises you:

            Himself forever!

            That He is worth more than all the treasures of this world.

Psalm 141

Verses 1-2

I will turn to God first.

Before to do,

As I do,

And after I have done.

Verses 3-4

I will ask God to post a guard (especially as a man!):

Over my mouth,

Over my heart,

Over my actions.

Verse 5

I will welcome criticism.

(Consider Proverbs 9:8, 15:31, 17:10, 27:6)

Verse 6-7

I will let God judge my enemies.

One day “they” will get “theirs”!

Prayer is to be our only weapon.

Verse 8-10

I will keep my eyes on God.

Thinking On Kim

I mentioned in a previous posting that it is my policy not to endorse any particular church nor institution.  Through the years of the Blogs, I have pointed out my support for Trans World Radio as being worthy and J. Vernon McGee’s translation projects.  The combination of the two, providing a solid rendering of the Gospel to the world.

Kim Stampelia, linkhttp://www.weneedrealhope.blogspot.com/ , has been on my mind quite a bit lately.  Her work in Africa, qualifications, openness and “heart” are worthy of comment.  Supporting her next project in Sudan being the utmost on my mind this morning.

There may not be much I can do to support her, however, I can present the opportunity to Blog-land and if you are so lead, you might be able to do more than I to help with bringing the Gospel back to Africa.

Information about her organization is here.  http://www.whm.org/

This her bio I hunted down http://www.whm.org/give/missionary?ID=51649.  Note that her account to donate to is 51649 if you would like to use the mail instead.

Address

World Harvest Mission
101 West Ave Ste 305
Jenkintown PA 19046-2039

Phone: 

215.885.1811

FAX:

(215) 885-4762

So, this is what I can do and with God’s blessing, we will see if she gets funded for her trip to Sudan…..

Sunday School

It is interesting being back to teaching after a year away.  As expected my 40 kids have scattered, so I will have to be on the phone this week and see who can be encouraged to come back to class.

I have Middle Daughter as the only female in the class with nine guys.  A ratio I know she is most comfortable with!  Interestingly, I have two young adult males coming because they do not like the young adults class.  I am a little wary of this but since KJ is one of them, I am not worried about the other one attempting to prey upon her!

I used the video on the Invisible Children of Uganda and discussed missions, why we do it and what is the prize and price.  (See earlier posting, if you are interested in knowing more.)

You want to talk about an uncomfortable group of youth?  It had an immediate and uncomfortable reaction with them!  One young man (pastor’s youngest) asked about a dozen questions – the rest were all ears.  But they were so uncomfortable!

It is good when you can catch the rascals off guard and get through to them.  Their discomfort is exactly the seed God can and will use in the future to either reach them for Him or deploy them in the field.  More “Missionaries in a foreign field…”  (If you remember an earlier post and wondered about the reference…)

Angels

I only know the names of two angels. Hark and Harold.
--Gregory, Age 5

Everybody's got it all wrong. Angels don't wear halos anymore. I forget why, but scientists are working on it.
--Olive, Age 9

It's not easy to become an angel! First, you die. Then you go to heaven, and then there's still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes.
--Matthew, Age 9

Angels work for God and watch over kids when God has to go do something else.
--Mitchell, Age 9

My guardian angel helps me with math, but he's not much good for science.

--Henry, Age 8

Angels don't eat, but they drink milk from Holy Cows.
--Jack, Age 6

Angels talk all the way while they're flying you up to heaven.  The main subject is where you went wrong before you got dead.
--Daniel, Age 9

When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. And when he lets out his breath, somewhere there's a tornado.
--Reagan, Age 10

Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go north for the winter.
--Sara, 6

Angels live in cloud houses made by God and his son, who's a very good carpenter.
--Jared, 8

All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses and boys didn't go for it.
--Antonio, 9

My angel is my grandma who died last year. She got a big head start on helping me while she was still down here on earth.
--Katelynn, 9

Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if they don't make the animals get better, they help the child get over it
--Vicki, 8

What I don't get about angels is why, when someone is in love, they shoot arrows at them.

--Sarah, 7

Kids Are Quick

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TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America .

MARIA: Here it is.

TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America ?

CLASS: Maria.

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TEACHER: John, why are you doing your math multiplication on the floor?

JOHN: You told me to do it without using tables.

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TEACHER: Glenn, how do you spell 'crocodile?'

GLENN: K-R-O-K-O-D-I-A-L'

TEACHER: No, that's wrong

GLENN: Maybe it is wrong, but you asked me how I spell it.

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TEACHER: Donald, what is the chemical formula for water?

DONALD: H I J K L M N O.

TEACHER: What are you talking about?

DONALD: Yesterday you said it's H to O.

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TEACHER: Winnie, name one important thing we have today that we didn't have ten years ago.

WINNIE: Me!

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TEACHER: Glen, why do you always get so dirty?

GLEN: Well, I'm a lot closer to the ground than you are.

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TEACHER: Millie, give me a sentence starting with 'I.'

MILLIE: I is..

TEACHER: No, Millie..... Always say, 'I am.'

MILLIE: All right... 'I am the ninth letter of the alphabet.'

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TEACHER: George Washington not only chopped down his father's cherry tree, but also admitted it.  Now, Louie, do you know why his father didn't punish him?

LOUIS: Because George still had the axe in his hand.

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TEACHER: Now, Simon, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?

SIMON: No sir, I don't have to, my Mom is a good cook.

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TEACHER: Clyde , your composition on 'My Dog' is exactly the same as your brother's. Did you copy his?

CLYDE: No, sir.  It's the same dog.

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TEACHER: Harold, what do you call a person who keeps on talking when people are no longer interested?

HAROLD: A teacher

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