Prayer First

Step one: seek prayer to discern His will. 

I spoke last time about the trip opportunities available.  I am richly blessed in that time is not a problem.  The one or two week trips are easily do-able.  Funds are another discussion and are needed. 

After many starts I finally got my email prayer warrior request off.  Bathed in prayer is as essential as the “going”.  “Which”, “Any” or “All”, is in God’s hands and as Joshua stood on the edge of the Jordan River and received the instruction to be strong and courageous,  (Joshua), I know the when, where and how are all worked out.  I’ve all ready received response from a very good friend telling that determination is often a matter of where is the greatest need:  If you are trying to pick up a heavy log and you’ve ten men on one end and one man on the other where to go is well determined.   Each of the trips need workers on both ends of the log. 

Karen and I had the pleasure of worship today with our daughter family and extended family at Covenant Life Church.  Pastor spoke well on Matthew 3:13 through 4:11.  Praise God for victory!  He finished with exhortation from Philippians 1:3-4.  My prayer is that with every thought of you I would turn it to a prayer to Him for your safe keeping!

Thank you for praying.

Mission Trips

I have four trips to be placed before our Lord:  June trip to Belize, with Gene Tibbs and Scott McGregor, to engage in evangelism supported by a beans, rice and flour distribution ministry starting in two different and diverse congregations.  The second trip is a two week medical clinic ministry lead by my good friend, mentor and team leader, Dr Doreen Marr, to Peru in support of a regional church plant, The Rockwell.  The third team is also a Medical effort being lead by my friend Marcie Hefner to Acapulco, first week of November.  Karen and I will be on this team.  Wellness checks to a local orphanage,  Casa de Hogar Orphanage   as well as clinics in support of host church plants in rural areas.  The fourth team is again going to Belize both for evangelism and to assist at Unity School in January of 2013,  Unity School .

There is an opportunity for you on each of these trips.  Does not matter your experience level or specialty.  If God has blessed you this is a perfect opportunity for you to give back.  The medical trips, (Peru, Acapulco), are in special need of licensed folk to step to the plate, (Drs, paramedic, Rn, Lpn, PT, OT, etc)

"Proper" worship music

Does anyone have any thoughts about what constitutes "acceptable" worship music? As I was walking Tip this early AM and listening to "Smile FM" I mused about how some folk seemed to harbor disdain for anything other than the "standard" hymns as acceptable within that guarded Sunday hour. I wonder the view held by the contemporaries of the original composers of our older hymns, (Crosby, Wesley, et al)? Were not these composers writing from their heart felt stirrings? Are those stirrings any different then those of the modern composers?

Struggling with inefficiency of "rule by committee". Involved in a long, long meeting last nite that was totally unproductive for lack of direction from the "committee" that governs this committee primarily because that committee shoveled the problem to a sub-committee to evaluate and recommend..... ugh!

Great worship day yesterday. We have a missionary friend serving in SE africa. He and family over the course of the two weeks were exposed to H1N1. What ensued was a very scary time for he, wife and 4 kids. Out of 13 tested his 4 checked + for the virus. The host nation health department wanted to quarntine the kids in the local hospital. Not desirable! God in His own way got the Minister of Health to change the rule in order to allow minor children to be quarntined in their own home.

We have been talking regularly via SKYPE. Thought it would be "cool" to have him piped into the speaker system in the Sanctuary. Long story short after much nail biting our Missionary friend became the live application for Pastor's sermon. Pastor finished his sermon with ".....and we have one of our own who has experienced ....." "Missionary are you there?" Missionary answered clear as a bell and was able to share his experience live from his home in Africa. Wasn't a dry eye in the place! WOW! Great way to finish!!

Good news I don't need the vaccination for Japanese Encephalitis. That saves $$ and inconvenience.

Received word that friends working with Wycliffe in Tanzania have been exposed to H1N1. 4 members of the family are sick. They need our prayers. They are meeting with in country health officials today for evaluation/confirmation and possible course of treatment - tamiflu.

Shots

Successful visit with the travel nurse yesterday. I am pretty much set for the trip to Bangladesh. Just needed a tetanus booster and schedule the Japanese Encephalitis series - two or three shots in a series costing around $300.00. Here comes the first of expenses. I worry about that, but then criticize myself for doing so when I know that this to is under HIS purview and will be met in His time.

Mean while it was the morning in the courthouse examining title and the afternoon here at Postal Connections packing and shipping.

I've really been enjoying the Exiled Preacher's blog: http://exiledpreacher.blogspot.com/
Suggest you give it a read. Check out his recent posts for a short hx on John Calvin.