I was reading in the book of second kings about the Jewish prophet Elisha and I noticed something. Elisha was brought 20 loaves of bread and he told those who brought it to feed the 100 prophets that were with him. Of course the people who brought the bread new that the bread could not feed that many but at the prophet's encouragement went ahead and started serving. To their supprise there was food left over. Now for my thought. In the gospels Jesus Christ is brought 5 loaves of bread and two fish, a boys lunch. He then has the group of 5k men (and their wives and children) sit down. He blesses the food and starts breaking it into peices to be served. When he is done breaking the food into pieces all 5k men + are full and their are twelve baskets left over. Jesus did a repeat of a "great miricle". But he didn't just copy it so those around would say this man is as great as Elisha. He blew it out of the water. 100:20 vs 5K:7 is a huge difference. He was telling all of the witnesses there, especially anyone who had read the histories that not only was he as great as Elisha, but that He was so far above him that He was in a class all by himself. I just thought this was a neat parrallel. What do you think?

Looking back to Obama's Election

This is something I wrote soon after Obama was elected and it still hit me the second time so I thought It might be worth sharing:

Hope, Obama and Change

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 7:04pm

I watched a man try to exude joy, while mourning his grandma. I watched a man give a centrist message of cooperation, while being about as liberal as a man can be. I watched a family that is making history and heard the crowds rejoice.

As I listentened to Obama's speach, my mind went back to what I have been hearing the children say. It won't matter who is elected.... McCain will croak and Obama will get shot. I found myself praying, for this man that I disagree with and for a family I don't know. I did not pray for his success. I prayed for his safety, and his family, and that the secret service would be better this next four years than they have ever been.

American Culture does need to change. But as a preacher said one time... It won't change because I don't like it.... It won't change because I yell at it. The only way it will change is for each of us to introduce someone to Jesus.
You say your a baptist.... Great! How many souls have you intoduced to him lately?
A Pentecostal Wow! How many souls?
A Methodist Cool! How many souls?
You wear ties at your church. Ok. How many souls?
No ties? How many?

The point is it's not the label on the door, or the style of worship, or the idicincracy of your particular churches doctrine that the unchurched care about.
Is Jesus there? Can you be the love they need and want and are crying out for?
I took this lesson to heart recently. So If I seem a little harsh, I'm still preaching at myself.

I do want change in America.... I want an end to babies being murdered. I want a goverment with a balanced budget. I want leaders that have integrity and honesty.

but most of all... I want my friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, and everyone in my world to know that Jesus is real and able to be that friend in time of need. And that they need him more than anything else in this world.

I will continue to pray for Barrack Obama. For his safety and his soul. And do my part in introducing people to the knowledge of Jesus Christ and pray that the Holy Spirit will convict of sin and bring them into a relationship with God that will change not only their life, but the lives of all they touch also.

DW

A Pentacostal Experience

I've been raised pretty much in the Assembly of God Church, so hearing people speak in other languages that they don't actually know themselves is not really unusual for me. I pray in other languages daily and it's simply part of my life. I have heard over the years of people having a person speak into their life via another language (one the hearer knew and the speaker didn't). Members of my own family have had it happen. I've heard snippets of things that I thought I recognized, but never before have I experienced being let in on a conversation with God that I was not part of before. A minister has been visiting our church for the past week and I honestly don't know him personally. I do know English is the only language that he understands. He was praying in toungues next to me at the alter tonight and started repeating the same line over and over and over. It caught my attention. After the line had my attention I realized it was spanish, you know that really fast native spanish that we second language learners have trouble with. After about the third time I was starting to get the gist and after the twenty something time I finally understood. As soon as I 'got it' the person praying went on in another language. It was interesting to me that with my limited spanish vocabulary, God still took the time to have someone repeat a phrase again and again and again, until I understood. It wasn't an earth shattering revelation. It was simply that 'We all of us have a voice, don't let ours be average and lost in the crowd. Let our voices glorify the Lord'. A simple message really, but exactly what I needed. I needed to hear to speak out, don't just fit in, but to allow God to use me to glorify him. And God in a unique way, one of His ways, allowed me not only to hear it, but in a way that I can not doubt, and through someone who has no idea that God used them to speak to me. I don't know if I will ever see this person again. But If I do, I hope that before then I will be given opportunity to Speak up, not let my voice be lost in the crowd, but use it to Glorify the Lord.

Vacation & Timeshares

This past couple weeks has been a blast. It's summer time and like many families we went on vacation. First we drove over to Springfield, Mo., for James River A/G church's annual fireworks show. For those who don't know, this church puts on a day of events and fireworks that rival a small cities. This event, that draws upwards of 120,000 people, will always have a special place in my heart. My youngest walked down to the front last year with a multitude of others to ask Jesus to live in his heart. It was to use the venacular, way cool.
We left Springfield and headed south to the most patriotic town in America. Branson, Mo., is great for shows and food, but they also have about 30 different timeshare resorts. We stayed at the Wyndam Meadows (3 1/2 stars) and had a great time. The boys went swimming, we had a kitchen to cook in so food was not expensive. All in all a great time. Of course they wanted to sell us a timeshare for 20 to 60k, and this is what I wanted to blog about. While we were in Branson, we took in two timeshare and two travel club presentations. While we enjoyed the 150 dollars and free meal and show, we decided that 20, 10, 3, and 1 thousand dollars were not low enough entry fees join their programs. And yes some of those prices were from the same places as we kept saying no.
One of the things we learned is that the maintenence fees on a timeshare are unavoidable. They will come after you for them if you don't pay. (They won't take back the timeshare.) Also, because they are deedable, you get to sadle your kids with the same incrementally increasing fees. Now, if you and your decendents want to stay in condos and vacation yearly, this is not necessarily a bad thing. The ability to stay in a 3-5 star resort for the same cost of a super 8 for a week and spread the payments out over a year is a decent deal. If you do want to have a timeshare, just remember that there are many people who don't want theirs anymore. Ebay is a great modern tool for the consumer. 400 - 800 dollars will get you that same timeshare the salesman wants you to buy for 20 to 60k. If you do want to travel, but not necessarily to condos and you plan on vacationing each year a travel club may be for you. 1000k up front (keep saying no until the price goes from 10k to 1k), and 170/year fee and you can book 10,000 vacations for 2,000. I don't book 10,000 vacations, ok let's be honest, I don't book 500 dollar vacations. I would like to someday........... someday..........someday. So, anyway, We had a ball and I learned a little about vacations. Have a great summer! Only 22 more days of freedom and then back to work. If any school kids are reading this, school starts in 29 days. That's less than a month away! Later.

End of the Year

Cue music "It's the end of the school as we know it". and cut. No more work for five weeks. Unless I get one of my thrice yearly freelance calls. I found myself singing under my breath today. It was a song from my fair lady with a twist. Instead of singing 'I've grown accostomed to her face.' I was subvocalizing 'I've grown accustomed to this place. Like breathing out and breathing in.' Anyway a good day was had by all and we won't see them for six weeks. Did I mention that it will be five weeks until we have to go back? yeah, relax, enjoy, and then back to work. Just one of the perks..... 11 to 15 weeks of vacation each year. Until I write again. Later.

Summer School

When I was growing up I remember that only the students in jepardy of failing went to summer school. Anymore, that is no longer the case. There are still recomended or strongly recomended classes offered for Math and Reading, however there is also a buffet of choices for the acedemically non-challenged. Study dogs and cats and what it means to be a pet owner. Study the history of chocolate and explore it's many varieties. Study lifetime sports or ewey gooy science. The list goes on for a page. The other unique part of the district where I live is that the summer school program is part of the child hunger feeding program. Any child (wether they are enrolled or not) and their parent can join us for breakfast and lunch at no charge, and because of this grant all students and staff are provided with free meals as well. While part of me cringes at the thought of government waste, my heart melted this morning when I was monitoring the bus line. I asked a student, "are you hungry?" The student responded, "yes, I didn't eat last night." and skipped with joy to the breakfast line. Maybe it's a shotgun approach when all that is needed is a small pistol, but in this one instance, it worked. For eighteen more days, these students will be garunteed two meals a day and so will I.

School Days

One of the benefits of being an educational interpreter is getting to look forward to the end of the year. Tonight I will take my boys camping. We will pitch a tent, light a fire, and fish in the lake. On Monday they won't have to wake up until their eyes open. For me, summer school calls. But it is a change of pace and a welcome month of work. I will admit that some freelance interpreters or VRS interpreters have a more diverse job, however I trade a little routine for summers and holidays and time with my family. Have yourself a great day and don't forget to stop and smell the roses. With twenty rose bushes in my yard that's an easy thing to do if I just remember to slow down. Until next time. DW