Daughter report

I have not had much time to write here this week. I ma in KC with my daughter Katherine. She contacted a nasty virus that created a lesion on her spinal cord. It robbed her of the use of her arms and leg. Treatment and therapy have restored some of her abilities. She  will get more PT at home for a few months.

Keep her in your prayers please.

Missing Opportunity ???

Sometimes we throw away opportunity because we fear failure more.  There is a little known tidbit about a blockbuster movie of the 1980s.  Early in 1982, a movie executive went to the M & M Company to make arrangements to use their little candies, M&Ms in an upcoming movie. The movie script included visitors from outer space who like candy. The M & M vice president said no, he did not want their product used that way.  So the film produce went to the company that makes Reece’s Pieces, and they accepted the offer. So in E.T., the little space child is lured out of hiding by a trail of Reece’s pieces instead of M & Ms. Reece’s stock went up—and the M & M vice president was looking for a job.

We can receive the blessings of opportunity is many forms—in health, or education, or citizenship.  We night enjoy athletic ability, beauty, or intelligence. We may be skillful with our hands, or able to travel or sing. Maybe we are talented in making money or creating art.

Things My Mother Taught Me

Many years ago when mom was starting to loose her memory I created and framed this poster for mom's room in the nursing home. My sister Jeannie brought it to the church for display at her Celebration of Life service. The photo was her Senior picture.

Things my Mother taught me:

First to love Jesus with all my heart all the time.

Second to love others more than my self.

Third to always do my best.

Fourth to keep learning all my life.

Inherited Token

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My mother inherited a token from her Uncle Frank Baum who owned a furniture store in Quincy and used these brass tokens for advertising in the 1930’s. I inherited it from her.

Veterans Day 2013

Once again it is Veterans Day and what used to be called Armistice Day. Today we honor all our vets and remember their sacrifice in serving our country.

As a Viet Nam veteran I served in the US Navy on the USS Kearsarge patrolling the coast of North Viet Nam in 1964. Others paid a bigger price than I did in that terrible war and I honor their lives lost in combat. Many of our vets lived to carry the scars of PTSD to this day.

We are still making wounded veterans and I pray that our government will take better care of them than it did of my fellow Viet Nam vets. It does not look like they will and congress haggles over dollars for the VA at a time of war creating a flood of wounded man and women returning and seeking help.

This is Veterans Day – fly your flag and remember.

Mother and Me in 1942

This picture of of my mother hold me in 1942 which was 71 years a go.  What a wonderful life we shared.

I have been thinking about the death of my mother in Texas. She had changed since her 90^th birthday last year. It is a very noticeable change and not for the better. Many mini strokes over the years had already robbed her of the ability to make new memories but she always knew who I was and was with the moment.

This past year she broke her hip and spent time in the hospital and has been in decline ever since. She looked very frail and was no longer in the moment or knew who I am. We just went with the flow of her conversation of what ever moment she was in and enjoy being with her. I am so thankful for the care my sister Jeannie gave her. What a blessing my Sister and brother Garland have been over the years.

My mother was always a rock of faith and love for me and my siblings. Because of her I am the man I am today able to live and be at peace with God. I know that her great faith is still with a part of me and even though she is no longer with us that she will be in the arms of God forever. I am at peace with that and honor her life as a woman of Proverbs 31.

I love my mom and thank God for the life she lived.

A Vision of Jesus

In 1999 three of my friends from the archeology dig, at Ashkelon, and I rented a car and drove up to Galilee. While visiting Capernaum we went up on the mountain where it is believed Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount. Standing there I looked out over the Sea of Galilee and thought of Jesus and His Disciples on that very place almost two thousand years ago. I thought about all the teachings and commands Jesus gave the twelve and others who followed him.

As I pondered these facts I also thought about the vision of the Christian Church Jesus started there and how it has grown. I thought about Jesus last command in Matthew 28:19, “Go, therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember that I am with you always.”

Eleven of the twelve disciples started the First Christian Church of Jerusalem on Pentecost and churches began to spread out from there. Though out Judea, Galilee, and up and down the coast new churches were started one after the other. The vision Jesus gave them was taking hold every where, and they were building the church.

Through the years many men and women have caught the vision from Jesus to go and build His Church. The vision of making Disciples and teaching them all that Jesus taught. One of the men who became a vision builder of churches early on was Paul. The First Christian Church of Corinth was one that Paul started. Paul wrote to them about his participation in the vision of Christ for the Church.

Capture in your mind and heart the total commitment that Paul and others had to proclaiming the Gospel and building churches. Paul started new congregations every where he went. It was his passion and his love. Will you make it your passion too?