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I have been looking for an outreach idea for next month. We are going to have an Outreach Weekend in April. The teens are going to wash the cars of their peers for free, in the church parking lot. The out part is the teens letting their friends know about it. I wanted to do something for those who have survived cancer. I soon learned that anyone who is alive with cancer is also called a survivor. I like that. I came across a Bible that Brett Farve's wife endorsed. She is a survivor and proceeds from the softcover Bible go to help underinsured or uninsured breast cancer survivors in MO and IL. The idea was to have the congregation raise up money to purchase the Bibles and then when a cancer fund raiser program relayed at our local high school football field, we would set up a table to pass out the Bibles to those who would like to receive them for free. We would also have a DVD to pass out of some of the folks in the congregation talking about how God has been there with them and some of the Scriptures that helped them through. I wrote to the organization and asked how many we would need to buy to be able to have enough. Short version is they will not allow us to pass out any Bibles and they would need to see the DVD before we can pass them out. I wrote that we would not be promoting our congregation, but that we just wanted to give to those who would like, a Bible and some testimonies about God's help.
Now they are going to have someone pray before the rally. They are going to ask God to heal people and give them the strength to walk and raise funds to end this disease. But to pass out the Word of God is too...what!
I am offended that in this country an "Un-reverend Wrong" can speak the words that he has spoken but God's Word can not be passed out to those who need a Savior. Has the United States of America become as anti God as China and Iran?
Do I have to hide the Bible under my sweat suit and sneak them into the hands of those who are in need to know the love of God...and risk being sent to jail for offending a organization that is about life?

Counting Blessings

Daughter number two just came back from a trip to Lansing, Michigan. Mrs. Scott, and daughter number one all went to visit Dr. Faust. His skills in straightening teeth are well known. Mrs. Scott worked for him for twelve years. As a result of her hard work, he has generously given our children free orthodontic work. All we need to do is get the children there to him. He did a great job for our daughter number one and is just starting with daughter number two. She is happy about the experience.
I am thankful because when this daughter was around three years old we had to have her front baby teeth all surgically removed due to her teeth becoming rotten. Soft enamel and too much apple juice did great harm. She saw a specialist for years and then was released when her adult teeth arrived. In many of her picture she has no front teeth. She was always asked about it and she just smiled on even without those front teeth.
For her to have teeth that all they need is straightening is to the glory of God. We are blessed that this little girl is now able to smile with braces on her new teeth.

Wow God

Let me praise the Lord today. Yesterday, during the second worship service, we had our youth worship band, and the children from last week's Vacation Bible School participate in and lead the congregation. The children sang a song and did the motions from a song they had learned. They did Great! Then the youth band led us to prais the Lord. The congregation was together and I was emotional because to see the Youth Band up there after they all went through their own VBS programs in the past and now they are the leaders is fantastic. I could not wait to get up there and deliver the Word, after I encouraged the parents and the youth in what they had just seen.
We had visitors, and regular attenders all together, for a great number of people, in the month of July, praising and falling in love with God all over again. Way to go God.

No More Phil or Tiger

I will cheer and pull for Zach Johnson from now on. He took on Tiger and beat him. Tiger's dirty mouth and anger issues have always been an issue of my cheer. He is like Bobby Knight. They are both talent filled but they do not honor God who is the giver of talent. I pray that Tony Dungy, and Zach Johnson's example will be the examples that our children will follow and Christians will cheer on. Here is an article of what Zach Johnson had to say for the glory of God.
Winning on Easter makes Masters more special for Johnson
April 8, 2007 AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) -- Zach Johnson will take a win at the Masters any day.
That he did it on Easter made it even more special
"I don't know if I was necessarily calm. I had some people looking after me today," Johnson said after he finished the 18th hole Sunday. "Being Easter, my faith is very important to me.
"I felt Jesus, I felt my grandfather, my family, everybody," he said, his voice shaking. "So it was awesome."
Johnson became one of the most unlikely Masters champions ever, holding off Tiger Woods to win the year's first major by two strokes. It was only his second victory on the PGA Tour.
Johnson is known as one of the more religious players on tour, and he makes no secret of his faith. When he climbed up on a riser behind the 18th green for an interview, he joked that he should "start preaching."
But he turned serious later, discussing a thought that was foremost in his mind the entire day.
"Regardless of what happened today, my responsibility was to glorify God," Johnson said. "Hopefully I did."
In my humble opinion Zach did just that. Praise the Lord.

Ice

Last night we were scheduled by nature to receive an ice storm. The forcasters were saying we could have quarter of an inch of ice plus blowing winds out of the east. I warned my parents who were coming from Michigan. They decided to come and that was great. It was scheduled to hit at 9:00p.m. I watched the radars and the storm was all around DeKalb county but we were dry. It did not finally attack our county home until after 11:00p.m. We went to bed around 11:30 not knowing if we would have power in the morning or not. When I woke at 5:00a.m. I heard the sound of the storm and I could see the wind blowing the tops of the trees but there were still lights, Praise the Lord. Showered, shaved, dressed pack up my laptop, and put on the overcoat and gloves and went outside hearing the sound of rain, so I thought. Went outside and it was warm and the front porch was wet but not icy. Walked the side walk and it was icy but not slippery because the top ice was crunchy and had some give to it. It was a lot warmer than I anticipated and it was not raining, the sound of rain was the ice melting off of the trees. I began to scrap the ice off the van and once I got through the top layer of ice the just fell apart. The warmth of the air saved many branches of trees from falling and power from failing. We had Sunday School as scheduled and worship service was great. I was able to finish a sermon series and then promote next weeks added new 8:00a.m. service. What a great day for the Lord and for our community. I hope that those in the storm's way were as blessed as well and that they can join us in praising our great God.

Back

It has been a while due to computer failure. So now I have a new lap top computer. With this new computer there are new things to mess with. Like, this computer does not have my Biblesoft programs on it nor will it let me use the one I installed on it. Not good. Nor is it com pliable with my lexmark 2003 printer and the downloads are not ready for this new computer yet. This weekend had plenty of drama with the computer not ready to use for a sermon until Saturday. God provides and I kept thinking "God this is your message please let me be able to get it to the congregation." He did and with all the struggles God allowed me to hear the praise of many who were blessed by God through the sermon. We had 222 people in worship when the last few weeks it has not been over 190. Praise the Lord!
This spot is short but I will be back in the blogging world soon.

Who should I give it to?

Today I went to our local superstore and was browsing around and found a poster of the World Champion Indianapolis Colts. I thought that it would look great in Andrew's room. This last summer I bought him something for his room that represented his someday love for the Detroit Tigers and the poster would just add to his future favorite team collection.
Here is my dilemma now. The kid could care less for the items that I have purchased for his future joy. The one item from the Tigers is not even hung up in his room and he has not cried because of it yet.
My daughter Krystal is a fan of the Colts right now. Her birthday is this month. She loves the Spartans, and I do not think she cares very much for the Tigers. I could take this poster and give it to her instead.
Is it wrong to go and purchase an item for one child and then change one's mind and give it to another. Seinfeld, Raymond and the Tool man Taylor have not counseled me in this so I need some help from those who care to advise me on this very important decision.
What say you?