Hi, this is Sarah, Jim’s daughter. I’m updating for him by special request.
He’s currently in the Dominican Republic and says everything is going great. The weather is beautiful right now. They are running a VBS program for the children in the area and he said it’s so amazing how the children just seem to flock to them when they go around to invite them to the program.
That’s all for now except if you want to check out some pictures from the trip.
In the midst of great sadness for those in London, and others around the world who similarly suffer from the pains of the fallen place in which we live , I am praying and determining that more than ever, I will stand in this world wherever I can, and “Testify to Love”. Not some vague 60′s “flower power” (yes, I WAS there!) love, but the “Love that will not let me go”; the love that sent God’s Son to experience our struggles and pain firsthand; the love that CHOSE to experience pain , humiliation and an agonizing death, to buy me back into God’s perfect kingdom. I pray also for God to sweep through those who seem so far from Him, being consumed by anger so blind, that they justify the murder of innocents for whatever their “higher cause”.I was watching an interview with Billy Graham the other day, and he was asked to give his opinion on the death of American young men in Iraq.His response was to the point…”Everyone dies…the question is whether one has accepted God’s gift of Jesus Christ ..”(approximate quotation)….May every one of us find ourselves in His grace; every day, and when we meet Him face-to-face, whether that be tomorrow or 100 years from now. God’s Love…Jim
Well! Now that the holiday’s over ( I know, I know…it’s WEDNESDAY , already!), I can get to the semi – hectic task of preparing for this coming week’s mission trip to the Dominican Republic. To be honest, I suspect that in the back of my mind, I thought that I could “coast” somewhat with this because I know so many Spanish hymns by heart, that there wouldn’t be as much preparation needed to learn things. Surprise! God found a way to stretch me ….someone is putting their own hymns and translations down for us….and I don’t think I know all of them. I’m also fighting an attack of the blues.Now when I say I’m fighting that, that is exactly what I mean. I’m finally learning to take the focus off the blues(and myself), and praise God when those inevitable lulls hit me. Praise music is so wonderful for this, and God, in His inerrant timing, had someone give me a copy of a fantastic praise and worship CD I’d never heard before, unexpectedly. Ended up praising God with tears running down my face. Praying that the God of Comfort be close to you all today…Jim
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL O beautiful for spacious skies, |
Morning, everybody! Kind of a beautiful, slow morning to start the 4th of July weekend. Blue skies with “Care Bear clouds”and lots of sun. One of the nicest blessings about the hospital I work in is ………windows! Lots and lots of light, and you just don’t feel as boxed in when you can stop a second or two every now and then, give a sigh, and look out at the trees, sky….and take a mental mini-refresher. Thank you Lord, for windows and your “wonderful world”.Wishing you all a great day, Jim
Thank You Sarah!!! My middle daughter, Sarah, found the glitch(which I created), and fixed it!
Life is so hectic lately! One daughter going away to college(three kids already there, in various stages),one car in a shop about 1100 miles away, being repaired after a miracle accident( a miracle in that a minivan spinning out of control @ 80 miles an hour and hitting a curb a) did NOT flip or roll, b) did NOT result in any injuries to my daughter or her two college friends who were on a camping trip, and c)resulted in repairable damage to my van!), various trips including one in a week to the Dominican Republic with a church mission group……I love having just a LITTLE too much to do. I seem to be at my worst when things are slow….I really believe God means us to be active, useful, functioning (not in a frenetic way ) and ENJOYING the ability to make use of the tools He’s given us .Remember when you were little, and got such a thrill out of any new task you learned to DO? It’s a shame we let life bear down on us in such a way that we lose the sheer joy of being useful.I think we miss out on a huge part of how we give glory to God..that is, to show what He has created being used in the way He intended. Which reminds me…I’ve got things to DO!….God Bless….Jim
God is so cool! Had all kinds of thoughts about what to share with you, when another’s comments (onevoice1) got me thinking about the inevitable times when things seem uncertain, and fears ( usually for my kids or grandkids, but sometimes also regarding my own human failings) get in the way of my relationship with Jesus.
It always comes down to remembering that my life is in God’s hands, and that I can trust Him completely. Praise music (worshipful), praising God (even when I don’t feel like it), and reading scripture (especially Psalms), all really help get me on the road back to peace with what God is allowing in my life. It’s great to know that this is how God, bit by bit, builds our “perseverence…so that (we) may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”(Jas 1:4), in a way shared by everyone earnestly following the Lord. I an so reassured when others share not only their trials, which gives me an opportunity to intercede for them, and share in what they are going through, but also their successes, which are a source of shared rejoicing, as well as a source of hope for me when I’m down.
Hope in Christ!…Jim
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