Grandparents - gotta love 'em & those grandkids !!

For the grandparents!!!!

1. I was in the bathroom, putting on my makeup, under the watchful eyes of my young granddaughter, as I'd done many times before. After I applied my
lipstick and started to leave, the little one said, "But Gramma, you
forgot to kiss the toilet paper good-bye!" I will probably never put
lipstick on again without thinking about kissing the toilet paper
good-bye...

2. My young grandson called the other day to wish me Happy Birthday. He
asked me how old I was, and I told him, 62. My grandson was quiet for a
moment, and then he asked, "Did you start at 1?"

3. After putting her grandchildren to bed, a grandmother changed into old
slacks and a droopy blouse and proceeded to wash her hair. As she heard
the children getting more and more rambunctious, her patience grew thin.
Finally, she threw a towel around her head and stormed into their room,
putting them back to bed with stern warnings. As she left the room, she
heard the three-year-old say with a trembling voice, "Who was THAT?"



4. A grandmother was telling her little granddaughter what her own
childhood was like: "We used to skate outside on a pond. I had a swing
made from a tire, and it hung from a tree in our front yard. We rode our
pony. We picked wild raspberries in the woods." The little girl
was wide-eyed, taking this all in. At last she said, "I sure wish I'd
gotten to know you sooner!"

5. My grandson was visiting one day when he asked, "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?" I mentally polished my halo and I said,
"No, how are we alike?'' "You're both old," he replied.

6. A little girl was diligently pounding away on her grandfather's word
processor. She told him she was writing a story. "What's it about?" he
asked. "I don't know," she replied. "I can't read."

7. I didn't know if my granddaughter had learned her colors yet, so I
decided to test her. I would point out something and ask what color it
was. She would tell me, and was always correct. It was fun for me, so I
continued. At last, she headed for the door, saying, "Grandma, I think you
should try to figure out some of these, yourself!"

8. When my grandson Billy and I entered our vacation cabin, we kept the
lights off until we were inside to keep from attracting pesky insects.
Still, a few fireflies followed us in. Noticing them before I did, Billy
whispered, "It's no use Grandpa. Now the mosquitoes are coming after us
with flashlights."

9. When my grandson asked me how old I was, I teasingly replied, "I'm not
sure." "Look in your underwear, Grandpa," he advised, "mine says I'm 4 to
6."

10. A second grader came home from school and said to her grandmother,
"Grandma, guess what? We learned how to make babies today." The
grandmother, more than a little surprised, tried to keep her cool. "That's
interesting," she said, "how do you make babies?" "It's simple," replied
the girl. "You just change 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'."

11. Children's Logic: "Give me a sentence about a public servant," said a
teacher. The small boy wrote: "The fireman came down the ladder pregnant." The teacher took the lad aside to correct him. "Don't you know what pregnant means?" she asked. "Sure," said the young boy confidently. It means carrying a child."

12. A grandfather was delivering his grandchildren to their home one day
when a fire truck zoomed past. Sitting in the front seat of the fire truck
was a Dalmatian dog. The children started discussing the dog's duties.
"They use him to keep crowds back," said one child. "No," said another.
"He's just for good luck." A third child brought the argument to a close.
"They use the dogs," she said firmly, "to find the fire hydrants."

13. A 6-year-old was asked where his grandma lived. "Oh," he said, "she
lives at the airport, and when we want her, we just go get her. Then,
when we're done having her visit, we take her back to the airport."

14. My grandparents are funny. When they bend over, you hear gas leaks,
and they blame their dog.

Going back to Belize

I will finally be warm again...

I will get back to better eating habits...

the piles of cookies and treats will not be in front of me all the time...

(although I tried to make them disappear whenever I saw some!)

I will get back to my own schedule...

and pace....

I will be away from the TV...

(since we don't have one in Belize and I watched too much of it here!)

I will get back to work...

(although I have been coordinating things from here for classes coming up in the next couple of weeks in Belize!)

Things will be much quieter...back in the jungle...

Food will cost more but have far fewer choices.

Gas will cost much more but there are far fewer vehicles.

I will be happy to see friends there...

and miss friends from here...

My visit to the states went way too fast!

It seems strange to be saying, "Well, I will see you next December!"

But, at the same time, that is the reality of our calling.

A lot can change in one year.

Children grow seriously taller in one year.

They talk a lot more and about different things (about video games and movies, etc. etc. which they think I understand...I don't!)

Cultural shifts have happened here in the U.S. I noticed in the shopping magazine on the plane that 2 things stood out:

1) there were lots of personal solar chargers for the vast array of cell phones, iPods, gaming units, etc. etc.

Apparently, we need to keep powered up!

2) there were lots of "spy" products being advertised !

Apparently, there is a growing interest in watching, recording, every one, every thing, every where...and it is not just "Big Brother" that is in on the action now.

Living outside of the U.S. brings these things to my attention as I have not seen most of this since last year's visit to the states. It also brings to mind, that old saying which has been true in every generation,

"The times, they are a changing!"

It is comforting to know that we have one sure solid base to rely on, which does not change

and in that changelessness, brings hope and love and mercy and grace to all who will receive these great gifts. Thank You God, for being who You are to us!

Ray

A Blessed Christmas !

Wishing a Blessed Christmas to you all !

May you find Joy & Peace & Salvation

in the best Gift ever given!

Ray & Becki

Primal - Plan on reading this...!

I'm jealous.

I'm jealous of Mark Batterson.

Now, I should say that I don't know Mark, I've never even met him, yet I am jealous. I have attempted over the last couple of years to get people interested in The Greatest Commandment. I have preached about it, talked about it, tried to model it and especially, I have challenged some to an experiment. I have suggested that they put away their Bible for 30 days and simply read, and apply, each day, to whatever situations come up, the Greatest Commandment: "Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength."

I did offer that if that is not enough, they could add the second greatest commandment: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

I have had this thought that since Jesus said that ALL of the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments, then it ought to be enough. This ought to be the ultimate Reader's Digest condensed version of the Holy Scriptures: "Love God with all that is in you."

So here is where my jealousy comes in.

Where I have failed to get even one person to take me up on the 30 day challenge - Mark has written an entire book on it. And it is a really good book. You can find it here, just click the link: http://www.amazon.com/Primal-Quest-Lost-Soul-Christianity/dp/1601421311/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1261060406&sr=8-1

I do want to encourage you to check it out, buy it, borrow it, whatever...(...is legal!)

BUT - plan from the beginning to not make it your goal to read a good book.

That is a good goal, but would not do justice to the whole point of this book. PLAN on spending time wrestling with well written words, well researched facts and well formed ideas. This is not just another book to read and add to your impressive reading list. It is not just another book to add to your physical or virtual bookshelf (although it does look good). January would be a good time to put this into your plan.

I think when we are all honest enough to slow down and consider where our life is at - we realize that for far too many of us - our faith journey has taken us on a side trip. We may not be sure how, why, where, when, or what happened, but we do know that things now, at this point in our spiritual lives, are not the same as when we first fell in love with God.

Enter Primal.

This is a call to get back to what we once had. A resounding reminder that life is not just running this rat race, but there is a deeper calling.

Mark's challenge is to love to the fourth power. He does an excellent job sharing in each category both from things he has researched and learned as well as life experiences. Nothing here is out of reach. I think that is part of what makes it so compelling. Too many stories are so fantastic - and I mean that in the 'I could never reach, repeat, accomplish the unbelievable things this author is talking about' sense. Primal connects with multiplied examples that are fantastic, yes, but in a way that shows how simple obedience from average people can truly make changes that make start small but become fantastic!

I have been tempted to sprinkle this review with some of the many gems I discovered while reading Primal. I decided not to do that though, that would remove some of the joy of your own sense of wonderment. So, go get Primal and rediscover the Lost Soul of Christianity.

I will leave you with this as an appetizer:

The heart of Christianity is primal compassion.

The soul of Christianity is primal wonder.

The mind of Christianity is primal curiosity.

The strength of Christianity is primal energy.

I pray that Mark's book will be much much more successful than my meager efforts and that it will bear much fruit for the Kingdom!

Ray

Want $100.00 ?!

Charles suggested an interesting choice...

His question was, "Which would you take, $100.00 or a spiritual gift?"

His answer to his own question was, "If you ask that question to people here in Belize, they will take the $100.00 every time. They don't want the spiritual gift!"

 

I do not know about the scientific validity of his being able to prove his theory but I do believe that he is much closer to being right than he is to being wrong. It makes me think...what would people choose? Sort of makes me wish I had a stack of 100 dollar bills so that I could go out on the street and ask people this question.

I would expect to come away with a much, much smaller stack of 100 dollar bills. I suppose we would say that that is human nature. 

What intrigues me is the idea that some people might choose the spiritual gift...! I'd like to meet those people, get to know them and find out what makes them tick. I'd like to be friends with those people, go to church with those people, work along side those people and generally make those people the ones I would hang with.

I think those people could....would....change the world!

I would also like to be able to know absolutely for certain that when I asked the proposed question and they thoughtfully replied, "I choose the spiritual gift.", that I could pray right then and there and God would honor that prayer by the Spirit's immediate imparting of His chosen spiritual gift to each person. That is not such a strange thing after all. Paul says we should desire the spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:31 ) He also says in Romans 1 that he longs to see them so that he can impart some spiritual gift to them. (Romans 1:11)

I love that.    Real.    Spiritual.     Simple.     I love that.

Something about that just rings true in me. Does it in you?

Is there some longing to be able to offer to pray and impart some spiritual gift to others? 

Is there some longing to see others living in the fullness of what the Spirit would want to give to them?

Is there a longing to put the petal to the metal in this 'money vs spirit' test to see what the outcome would be?

Do you think it would be worth it to give away hundreds of hundred dollar bills...in order to find the few honestly spiritually hungry people out there? 

Fascinating idea. I am sure that by now, some of you are wondering when and where I might do this so that you could be in the area...perhaps to collect 100 dollars....but maybe, just maybe some of you would want to be in the area, in order to receive some spiritual gift.

If that is you, please write to me - I have something in mind...let's just say, it's a spiritual experiment!!    You game??!!

Stirring the pot...

Ray

Our Friend Stephen

Our Friend Stephen...what a really nice guy! Really, he was the first 'friend' that I made in the town of Dangriga. The first time I met him was outside the 'Price is Right' chinese grocery store. The store is next to the canal flowing out to the ocean. Parking for the store is right in front of the canal. This is where Stephen spent the majority of his day.

It's funny, I clearly remember him telling me his full name when we met, but all I could remember was the name Stephen. He said that it was his 'Christian' name and that his friends called him Stephen. So we were to call him Stephen. He considered us his friend.

I made a point of asking him what his beliefs were...did he believe in God. Oh yes, he believed in God. He was Catholic growing up, but now he considered himself 'Rasta'. I didn't know then and I barely know now exactly what that meant. We did agree that you needed to have God in your life; that knowing God was what was really important.

I saw him about once a week, sometimes more. I always took the time to chat with him about his work, his health, and how his spiritual life was...was he listening to God.

Once he asked for some medicine and a band-aid...he had a NASTY cut on the bottom of his foot that should have had a few stitches and he, for the most part, walked barefoot. I went right back in the store and bought him some neosporin cream and some bandaids. I told him to keep it clean as he could and every night he needed to wash it, put on the medicine and a bandaid.

It healed after a time .... I don't know how, really. God had to be in it.

Other times we would help him with bottles of water, money for rent, lunch or whatever. We had a friend in Stephen and we were willing to love on him and invest in him. The one time that he finally agreed to come to our church, which was very close to where he worked, he ditched us. I guess it just wasn't to be on that day. Next time I saw him I told him that it was okay, maybe another time.

For a few weeks in October, we weren't seeing Stephen. Our 1st thoughts were that he just wasn't working that day that we were in town. We didn't make it into town very many times for several weeks. Then I came back to Ohio, intending to be here for 3 weeks but staying for 7 1/2 weeks!!

Then the news came in an e-mail. Stephen had died. I was simply shattered... unbelievable...

As I read the e-mail I did learn that our friend, Darin knew Stephen also. But knew him as 'Sutherland', Stephens last name. He, too, had invited him to church once and he went!!! Yippee! And even better, found out that he was at the hospital during his brief illness and went to see him and PRAY WITH HIM! Even tho I cried for the loss of Stephen, I was comforted to know that Stephen had prayed to have Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

I will see Stephen or Rodwell Sutherland as he was known to his family, in Heaven. His teeth won't be horribly rotten, his liver will function perfectly and his hair, well, it may still be in dreadlocks pulled back in a pony tail... but he will be my friend.

Stephen was 29 years old. Please pray for his parents, brother Clive and his sisters as they will daily face the loss of their son and brother.

Blessings to you who are reading this...you too, are a friend! Becki

How Hard is it to Help?

You know, sometimes we take things for granted. Especially if we are "up front" people. If we are used to being in front of people, speaking, singing, or doing whatever it is that we do, we may forget that we cannot do what we do without others "behind the scenes" doing what they do.

Why is this on my mind? Because this week I switched roles. We had 2 visiting teachers come to Belize to train the pastors here. The first taught a class on worship, something I could not have done - and he did great. The second taught from many years of experience in 6 different come back churches - and he did great. I could not have done that either. And, on top of bringing their experience and expertise and willingness, they taught very intensive courses. Each finished an entire course in 2 very long days!

They were tired.
The pastor/students were tired.
And in the background, running around working on details, I was tired. I did not do intensely difficult work. I made sure things were ready on time. I helped with techie stuff, made copies, stapled, graded papers, developed spread sheets and took care of little items like missing pens and the rollbook.

Then why oh why, I am SO tired after only 4 days of that?!

I think 2 reasons stand out.

1) This is not what I normally do, so it was, in some ways, more stressful to me.
2) This also pointed out quite clearly to me that there is A LOT of work that goes on behind the scenes...!

On day one, I started early and finished late.
On day two, I started early and finished late.
On day three, I ....well, I think you get the idea.
By day four, I had trouble starting, but still had to be going very early.

This week has reminded me that all of us who do our "up front" thing
owe a huge debt to those who do the behind the scenes thing!

It is their gift of service that makes things work for us - and for all who benefit from their efforts.

The up front person is blessed, the hearers or audience or congregation is blessed. And I believe that when things go well, the behind the scenes person is blessed too because their special gift puts joy in their own hearts when they see everyone else accomplishing what they need to do or enjoying themselves.

So....let me say a very heartfelt "Thank you!" to all those who help make everyone else look good by their behind the scenes service.

And, if you all don't mind, let me be sure to express this, with you all as witnesses to my wife, Becki, my own behind the scenes worker. Honey I could not do a great deal of what I do without you doing all that you do.
"Thank you!" ( and I love you!)

Grateful

Ray