It has been a busy 3 weeks. I passed through 12 states and put 3,000 miles on my car. The poor thing is tired.
Thank you, Alberta Thorpe, the Jan Moses Mission group, and Emmanuel Baptist Church, all in Carlinville, Illinois, for your many years of prayer support and remembering the Tribe of Moses. What a delightful church family you are. Equal thanks to Vicki Cobb, the Betty Faith Mission group, and Gray Baptist Church, in Gray, Georgia, for your generous hospitality and encouragement. Martha and I especially enjoyed listening to your stories about Jan when she was a Fish and Wildlife Ranger and a member of your church family back in the early 1980’s. You have journeyed with us for many years.
After helping Martha clean out her dorm room, we spent the night with my father-in-law, Bill Joness, and step-mother, Judy, who recently moved out of the home where Jan was born and raised, and now live in a very nice home on a hill that looks south into the Roanoke Valley. While passing through Atlanta, I met with the sons of evangelist, Dr. Gene Williams, who are actively ministering in the Philippines. Back in Texas, I had the privilege to speak to and fellowship with a group of 30 retired IMB missionaries.
Now all 5 of my birdies are in the nest for the next couple of months, until Hannah and Martha fly back to school in Virginia in August, and me to the Philippines in September. We have a host of things to do this summer, but the most important is enjoying our time together as a family.
Somewhere while traveling westward through Alabama, Martha and I talked about her time in college this past year. “Dad”, she said, “it is rare to find friends whose hearts are really focused on eternal things. Most girls are wrapped up in their relationships, talking about boyfriends, or about movies and such. And it seems even worse with the boys. Nearly everyone seems upset or angry about this and that.”
I asked Martha how she kept her focus straight, made excellent grades, tutored other students, stayed involved in ministry activities, and kept her joyful smile. “Dad, there is no way I could keep my focus on the Lord if I lived like most other students. It’s the time I spend with the Lord that makes Him my strength.” She then shared from memory a passage from Isaiah that included, “And He shall be the stability of your times, a wealth of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is his treasure” (33:6).
As I have said previously, there is much to be disheartened about our world today. But in the midst of sadness and uncertainty, it’s a source of strength and joy to have One who “shall be the stability of your times”. But He cannot be our stability until we first fear Him, then seek to know Him, and finally discover in Him a wisdom, a fulfillment, and a joy that nothing in this world can provide.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Leaving a Legacy
His 90th birthday is in June. He never learned to read or write. But what he lacked in education, he made up for with strong hands and a never-give-up work ethic, still rising with the son each morning, checking on his cattle, tinkering with his farm equipment, refusing to let age be an excuse for quitting. My uncle, Son, and his wife of 60+ years, Doris Jean, raised 4 kids on a 300 acre farm a few miles west of Sterling, Oklahoma.
Sara, Hannah, and I sat with them in their living room chatting about Doris Jean’s recent back surgery. The door flew open and in walked my cousin, Chub, who reached for Son’s cap and said, “Son, get your cane and come out to the barn. There’s something you gotta see!”
Providing an arm to hold, I led Son to the barn, where a thundering noise grew louder as we approached. Exhaust fumes filled the air as we entered the wide doors and stood in front of a giant John Deere combine that was belching out smoke.
“First time she’s been running in 5 years,” hollered Chub. Up beside the combine’s cab stood Son’s oldest son, Dennis, and his son, Heath (lots of sons in this story!). Grinning widely, they had just figured out which wires to reconnect to get this monstrous machine moving again.
A few hours earlier, we had visited my 84 year old aunt, Beulah, now confined to a nursing home. She’s been a widow for about 25 years. When I was a little child, Beulah and her husband, Elmo, took me in at a time when my parents were struggling with financial and medical problems. It was during the many months I lived with them in rural Oklahoma, then and in subsequent years, that I learned what it meant to be a Christian.
Their 2 bedroom farm house was old. Their water was fetched from the well each morning. The out-house was beside the barn. They didn’t have much because they gave away so much, helping family, neighbors, and friends, who were even harder up than they were. During the evenings, the family Bible came out and was read from. Both taught Sunday School classes in the local Baptist church. Laughter was never absent as uncle Elmo found humor in just about every circumstance of life.
This is part of the heritage I have been blessed with. My mother was the youngest of 9, and through this family I learned the meaning of virtue, responsibility, determination, contentment, endurance, loyalty, and even joy. This past Sunday at First Baptist Church of Dallas, I was blessed to hear family psychologist, Dr. James Dobson, speak about leaving a legacy. What will my children remember about me? What values will I impart? As our world declines deeper into moral depravity, the time has never been more urgent for parents to leave behind a godly heritage that the next generation can carry with them as an anchor in troubled waters.
Sara, Hannah, and I sat with them in their living room chatting about Doris Jean’s recent back surgery. The door flew open and in walked my cousin, Chub, who reached for Son’s cap and said, “Son, get your cane and come out to the barn. There’s something you gotta see!”
Providing an arm to hold, I led Son to the barn, where a thundering noise grew louder as we approached. Exhaust fumes filled the air as we entered the wide doors and stood in front of a giant John Deere combine that was belching out smoke.
“First time she’s been running in 5 years,” hollered Chub. Up beside the combine’s cab stood Son’s oldest son, Dennis, and his son, Heath (lots of sons in this story!). Grinning widely, they had just figured out which wires to reconnect to get this monstrous machine moving again.
A few hours earlier, we had visited my 84 year old aunt, Beulah, now confined to a nursing home. She’s been a widow for about 25 years. When I was a little child, Beulah and her husband, Elmo, took me in at a time when my parents were struggling with financial and medical problems. It was during the many months I lived with them in rural Oklahoma, then and in subsequent years, that I learned what it meant to be a Christian.
Their 2 bedroom farm house was old. Their water was fetched from the well each morning. The out-house was beside the barn. They didn’t have much because they gave away so much, helping family, neighbors, and friends, who were even harder up than they were. During the evenings, the family Bible came out and was read from. Both taught Sunday School classes in the local Baptist church. Laughter was never absent as uncle Elmo found humor in just about every circumstance of life.
This is part of the heritage I have been blessed with. My mother was the youngest of 9, and through this family I learned the meaning of virtue, responsibility, determination, contentment, endurance, loyalty, and even joy. This past Sunday at First Baptist Church of Dallas, I was blessed to hear family psychologist, Dr. James Dobson, speak about leaving a legacy. What will my children remember about me? What values will I impart? As our world declines deeper into moral depravity, the time has never been more urgent for parents to leave behind a godly heritage that the next generation can carry with them as an anchor in troubled waters.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Big Bend and the Battlefield
On Easter Sunday morning, David, Hannah, and I gathered with other believers to enjoy a sunrise worship service on the desert floor of the Chihuahuan Desert in far southwest Texas, near the Rio Grande River, with the Chisos Mountain range in the background. Growing up in Texas, I had never been to Big Bend National Park, where Texas meets Mexico, so the three of us took advantage of the long weekend and drove 9 hours to this dry and arid marvel of nature.
On Friday, we hiked 8 hours to the upper rim of the Chisos Mountains where we looked out upon the vast desert thousands of feet below us. Behind us, aided by the high elevation and a natural basin that trapped occasional rain water, a forest of sorts was home to various species of trees, plants, and wildlife that thrived in this high mountain oasis.
On Saturday, we hiked into the majestic Santa Elena Canyon, a 1,500 foot deep channel cut by the Rio Grande River into the Sierra Ponce cliffs. Outside of the canyon, temperatures were hot and the land was barren. But inside the canyon, next to the river, we rested on a cool sandy beach with greenery all around us. We were silent as we listened to the water lapping against rock and the birds nesting in the cliffs, with the sound of each echoing off the vertical canyon walls.
Back in Dallas, each of us remains involved in various aspects of our church’s ministries. Hannah co-teaches the high school class, Sara helps out with the children’s ministry, Jonathan participates in the youth department, David is active in his Sunday school class, and I have occasional opportunities to speak to groups.
But let me tell you about Martha. For over a year now, she has been involved in ministering to families in a government housing project near the campus of Liberty University. By volunteering to clean apartments, she has had opportunities to share the gospel with needy people. She has seen one particular family, whom she has worked with for over a year, change as a result of the gospel’s impact on their lives. Martha does this in addition to her busy school and work schedule. For her, it is the highlight of her week.
Our arch enemy, the Prince of Darkness, has His forces deployed all around us. The Lord needs ALL members of His army on active duty. The Lord is generous to allow us opportunities to rest from the battle, but I hope each of you have taken a position in the war between good and evil. That’s what we are here for.
On Friday, we hiked 8 hours to the upper rim of the Chisos Mountains where we looked out upon the vast desert thousands of feet below us. Behind us, aided by the high elevation and a natural basin that trapped occasional rain water, a forest of sorts was home to various species of trees, plants, and wildlife that thrived in this high mountain oasis.
On Saturday, we hiked into the majestic Santa Elena Canyon, a 1,500 foot deep channel cut by the Rio Grande River into the Sierra Ponce cliffs. Outside of the canyon, temperatures were hot and the land was barren. But inside the canyon, next to the river, we rested on a cool sandy beach with greenery all around us. We were silent as we listened to the water lapping against rock and the birds nesting in the cliffs, with the sound of each echoing off the vertical canyon walls.
Back in Dallas, each of us remains involved in various aspects of our church’s ministries. Hannah co-teaches the high school class, Sara helps out with the children’s ministry, Jonathan participates in the youth department, David is active in his Sunday school class, and I have occasional opportunities to speak to groups.
But let me tell you about Martha. For over a year now, she has been involved in ministering to families in a government housing project near the campus of Liberty University. By volunteering to clean apartments, she has had opportunities to share the gospel with needy people. She has seen one particular family, whom she has worked with for over a year, change as a result of the gospel’s impact on their lives. Martha does this in addition to her busy school and work schedule. For her, it is the highlight of her week.
Our arch enemy, the Prince of Darkness, has His forces deployed all around us. The Lord needs ALL members of His army on active duty. The Lord is generous to allow us opportunities to rest from the battle, but I hope each of you have taken a position in the war between good and evil. That’s what we are here for.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Indiana University
Hannah and I had been driving for 14 hours. We were tired. At 3 a.m., we passed the city limit sign of Bloomington, Indiana, found a remote spot in a Wal-Mart parking lot, and slept. (I suppose if we were a better class of people, we would have slept in the Sears parking lot.)
After sunrise, we downed a Subway egg and sausage foot long, then headed to the sprawling campus of Indiana University. It was huge. Massive buildings made of light gray Indiana limestone accommodated more than 40,000 students. Large groves of hardwood trees allowed the school to recently claim the most Green Campus Award.
Hannah has been accepted into the Indiana University Graduate School of History, one of the nation’s top 20 history graduate schools. They were the top university on Hannah’s wish list that offered the degree program she wanted – a Master’s in U.S. History with a concentration in Public History, a degree that emphasizes making history relevant to the visitors of public places such as museums, national parks, and other historical venues. The degree leaves the door open for Hannah to pursue a doctorate in the future if she chooses to do so.
We spent Saturday and Sunday touring the town, looking for an apartment to rent. On Sunday, we attended a Southern Baptist church that met in a theater, having an active evangelism outreach to university students. On Monday, Hannah met with several professors in the graduate history department, and interviewed for a possible graduate assistant job at the school’s Visitor Center. Please pray with us that Hannah will get this job. Not only would it help much with expenses, but it would give her an avenue to be a Christian witness.
The others are all doing well: Martha at Liberty University, David and Sara, as well as Hannah, in their jobs, and Jonathan finishing up his last year of high school. In May, Jonathan will return to the same summer job he had last year at the Baptist Association Camp. In keeping with my goal of making memories with my kids this year, Hannah, David, and I will be traveling to Big Bend National Park next week for a couple of days of hiking and adventure.
September will find me before long, so I continue to enjoy my time with my kids while I can.
After sunrise, we downed a Subway egg and sausage foot long, then headed to the sprawling campus of Indiana University. It was huge. Massive buildings made of light gray Indiana limestone accommodated more than 40,000 students. Large groves of hardwood trees allowed the school to recently claim the most Green Campus Award.
Hannah has been accepted into the Indiana University Graduate School of History, one of the nation’s top 20 history graduate schools. They were the top university on Hannah’s wish list that offered the degree program she wanted – a Master’s in U.S. History with a concentration in Public History, a degree that emphasizes making history relevant to the visitors of public places such as museums, national parks, and other historical venues. The degree leaves the door open for Hannah to pursue a doctorate in the future if she chooses to do so.
We spent Saturday and Sunday touring the town, looking for an apartment to rent. On Sunday, we attended a Southern Baptist church that met in a theater, having an active evangelism outreach to university students. On Monday, Hannah met with several professors in the graduate history department, and interviewed for a possible graduate assistant job at the school’s Visitor Center. Please pray with us that Hannah will get this job. Not only would it help much with expenses, but it would give her an avenue to be a Christian witness.
The others are all doing well: Martha at Liberty University, David and Sara, as well as Hannah, in their jobs, and Jonathan finishing up his last year of high school. In May, Jonathan will return to the same summer job he had last year at the Baptist Association Camp. In keeping with my goal of making memories with my kids this year, Hannah, David, and I will be traveling to Big Bend National Park next week for a couple of days of hiking and adventure.
September will find me before long, so I continue to enjoy my time with my kids while I can.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Pine Forests and Skeet Shooting
This month, I had the privilege of participating in 2 Global Impact Conferences. The first was in the East Texas Baptist Association centered in Nacogdoches. About 18 missionaries from the International Mission Board, the North American Mission Board, and various Texas state agencies, gathered on the first day for a Mission Fair, where we displayed native products and shared with hundreds of east Texas folks who came to learn more about missions.
The rest of the week, we spoke in area churches, reporting about how God was at work in our various ministries. During my free time, I explored east Texas. Although I grew up in Ft. Worth, I had never been to this area of Texas. I couldn’t believe the massive number of trees. I had to keep reminding myself that I was in Texas. Pine forests were everywhere.
I especially enjoyed a 3 hour hike in the Big Thicket National Recreation Area, north of Beaumont. Sections of the hike even had swampy Cyprus trees. Someone told me that Texas actually has the largest acreage of timber of any state outside Alaska and Georgia.
Last week I enjoyed the fellowship of Highland Terrace Baptist Church in Greenville, Texas, about an hour northeast of Dallas. Another group of about a dozen missionaries participated in a Missions Fair, and then we spoke in home gatherings during the week.
During the weekend, they treated the men to a skeet-shoot, where several shotguns blasted clay discs tossed toward the sky. The WWII hero, Audie Murphy, is from this area, which may explain their fondness for rifles. For those who follow Christian music, the group Mercy Me is from this church and I met some of their family members.
During these events, we missionaries are given special treatment and honor. But I always think of my Filipino friends who serve faithfully year after year, and never receive such recognition. I wish I could transport them to these places and let them receive all the special treatment and honor. They deserve it so much more than I do.
Well, maybe God will make up to them in heaven someday.
The rest of the week, we spoke in area churches, reporting about how God was at work in our various ministries. During my free time, I explored east Texas. Although I grew up in Ft. Worth, I had never been to this area of Texas. I couldn’t believe the massive number of trees. I had to keep reminding myself that I was in Texas. Pine forests were everywhere.
I especially enjoyed a 3 hour hike in the Big Thicket National Recreation Area, north of Beaumont. Sections of the hike even had swampy Cyprus trees. Someone told me that Texas actually has the largest acreage of timber of any state outside Alaska and Georgia.
Last week I enjoyed the fellowship of Highland Terrace Baptist Church in Greenville, Texas, about an hour northeast of Dallas. Another group of about a dozen missionaries participated in a Missions Fair, and then we spoke in home gatherings during the week.
During the weekend, they treated the men to a skeet-shoot, where several shotguns blasted clay discs tossed toward the sky. The WWII hero, Audie Murphy, is from this area, which may explain their fondness for rifles. For those who follow Christian music, the group Mercy Me is from this church and I met some of their family members.
During these events, we missionaries are given special treatment and honor. But I always think of my Filipino friends who serve faithfully year after year, and never receive such recognition. I wish I could transport them to these places and let them receive all the special treatment and honor. They deserve it so much more than I do.
Well, maybe God will make up to them in heaven someday.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
www.EmbassyInstitute.org
I am blessed. Neither I nor my kids have any financial hardships. Following the Biblical principle of “owe nothing to anyone” (Romans 13:8) keeps us out of trouble. Lord, “don’t make me too poor or too rich; give me just what I need. If I have too much, I might forget you; if I have too little, I might steal and disgrace Your Name” (Proverbs 30: 8-9).
My kids have found jobs when they looked. Two weeks ago, the Lord answered our prayer (and your prayers) for Hannah when she was hired as a secretary/receptionist at the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention office. Not only does she have a job, but we know her work is contributing to the overall efforts of conservative Texas churches in reaching the world for Christ.
I am blessed because I have good kids. Of course, my ultimate goal for each of them is to be holy. We are still working on this. (Really, only God is good – Romans 3: 10-12). People like good kids, but holy kids help change the world and bring God glory. Nevertheless, my kids love their family, they don’t drink or do drugs, they have preserved their physical and moral purity, and they are all active in God’s church.
In our day, I think parents really have to work hard to counter the culture we live in. One of the best things Jan and I did for our family was training them in the lessons we learned through The Institute in Basic Life Principles. Topics covered include Tracing Surface Problems to Root Causes, Overcoming Feelings of Inferiority, Conquering Anger and Bitterness, Overcoming Damaging Habits, Discovering Purpose in Life, Gaining Financial Freedom, Building Godly Relationships, and many more.
Fortunately, this Basic Seminar is now available online for only $10 a month at www.EmbassyInstitute.org. All my kids have attended the training. Still, this past year, we as a family have been going through it again, reminding ourselves of the timeless truths we have learned and seeking to apply them even more. We set aside one evening each week to gather around the computer screen as we listen to the lesson, fill out our workbooks, then discuss the principle afterwards.
In my experience, this is the most practical tool out there to train your sons and daughters to become mighty in Spirit. It can also be used in a church setting or Bible study group. Copy the above link and watch The Basic Seminar - Session 1. It’s free. Then sign up and share it with your family. Be blessed!
My kids have found jobs when they looked. Two weeks ago, the Lord answered our prayer (and your prayers) for Hannah when she was hired as a secretary/receptionist at the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention office. Not only does she have a job, but we know her work is contributing to the overall efforts of conservative Texas churches in reaching the world for Christ.
I am blessed because I have good kids. Of course, my ultimate goal for each of them is to be holy. We are still working on this. (Really, only God is good – Romans 3: 10-12). People like good kids, but holy kids help change the world and bring God glory. Nevertheless, my kids love their family, they don’t drink or do drugs, they have preserved their physical and moral purity, and they are all active in God’s church.
In our day, I think parents really have to work hard to counter the culture we live in. One of the best things Jan and I did for our family was training them in the lessons we learned through The Institute in Basic Life Principles. Topics covered include Tracing Surface Problems to Root Causes, Overcoming Feelings of Inferiority, Conquering Anger and Bitterness, Overcoming Damaging Habits, Discovering Purpose in Life, Gaining Financial Freedom, Building Godly Relationships, and many more.
Fortunately, this Basic Seminar is now available online for only $10 a month at www.EmbassyInstitute.org. All my kids have attended the training. Still, this past year, we as a family have been going through it again, reminding ourselves of the timeless truths we have learned and seeking to apply them even more. We set aside one evening each week to gather around the computer screen as we listen to the lesson, fill out our workbooks, then discuss the principle afterwards.
In my experience, this is the most practical tool out there to train your sons and daughters to become mighty in Spirit. It can also be used in a church setting or Bible study group. Copy the above link and watch The Basic Seminar - Session 1. It’s free. Then sign up and share it with your family. Be blessed!
Saturday, January 19, 2013
January News
This will be short. Not much happening deep in the heart of Texas. Martha finished the first week of her new college semester. We talked to her last night. Hannah is still looking for a temporary job and waiting for responses from the graduate schools she has applied to. Jonathan is enjoying an easy school load for his last semester of high school. Sara continues to touch up photos for the Neiman Marcus catalogue.
For a few days this week, David dinned (but not wined) in the fanciest hotels in the metroplex. He was put in charge of finding the best hotel to host a regional conference of 250+ college administrators. The hotels were out to impress David in order to book the conference. David said he felt very much out of place, but decided to enjoy it while it lasted.
And I have been doing a lot of reading. One of my desires this year was to read up on health issues. I wanted to be sure I was doing what I could to keep my immune system up to par. Plus I wanted to keep finding ways to help Sara and Jonathan with their insulin resistance.
So I’ve been reading about toxic metals, the effects of free radicals, the dangers of fluoride, the destructive effects of food additives, the hidden forms of MSG, the importance of phytonutrients and glyconutrients, the obesity epidemic, and the harmful effects of high-carbohydrate foods. I guess all this means that the M&M’s have to go!
But I still miss my work in the Philippines. Next week I will be talking about missions to students at our New Orleans seminary. In February I will participate in a missions conference in east Texas. But I would much rather be doing missions than talking about it. Well, September won’t be long in coming.
For a few days this week, David dinned (but not wined) in the fanciest hotels in the metroplex. He was put in charge of finding the best hotel to host a regional conference of 250+ college administrators. The hotels were out to impress David in order to book the conference. David said he felt very much out of place, but decided to enjoy it while it lasted.
And I have been doing a lot of reading. One of my desires this year was to read up on health issues. I wanted to be sure I was doing what I could to keep my immune system up to par. Plus I wanted to keep finding ways to help Sara and Jonathan with their insulin resistance.
So I’ve been reading about toxic metals, the effects of free radicals, the dangers of fluoride, the destructive effects of food additives, the hidden forms of MSG, the importance of phytonutrients and glyconutrients, the obesity epidemic, and the harmful effects of high-carbohydrate foods. I guess all this means that the M&M’s have to go!
But I still miss my work in the Philippines. Next week I will be talking about missions to students at our New Orleans seminary. In February I will participate in a missions conference in east Texas. But I would much rather be doing missions than talking about it. Well, September won’t be long in coming.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)