Good day dear friends.
My thanks for your prayers for this weekend. Nellie and I had the privilege of worshiping with dear friends, Rev. Dr. Steven Sweet and his lovely wife, Rochelle in their church in Manchaca, Texas. While preaching there I saw old friends from San Marcos, a young lady who had been active all her life at El Mesias in Mission, now married and doing movies in Austin, presently shooting one for Lifetime, and a young lady active with my campus ministry when her dad was my district superintendent here in the Valley. It was a great time also seeing and spending some time with daughters and sons-in-law, and especially our grandbaby who now talks a lot in understandable words! While shopping, she saw some sandals wrapped in plastic and handed them to grandma and said, "Nice schwees! (her word for shoes)"
After we left the Austin area late, we traveled to Houston to check on my dad. Our prayers are still needed for that poor area. The traffic was heavy heading back into Houston. One indication it would be was our stop at Buccees, a very popular, always crowded gas station/super convenience store. Sunday it was packed with cars waiting to find a parking spot. The good thing we discovered as we exited to take Beltway 8, a toll road, was that tolls were not needed. The trip down that road showed many buildings whose windows were blown out and many neighborhoods with significant damage.
My dad is still without electricity, but having natural gas for hot water he has that and an ice chest filled with food and drinking water. He has a flashlight and a battery operated lamp for his bedroom. Huge power company trucks made their way down his street as we visited and we hope that's a sign that soon my dad will have his electricity restored. His home, thanks to the loving attention of my sister, brother, and brother-in-law has made his home look like it's been untouched. The neighbors are not so lucky. Their storage sheds look like crumpled paper and their trees are packed with limbs and otehr debris. Prayers for God to comfort and be with all who are still reeling from Hurricane Ike.
We left Houston at about 7 p.m. and drove straight home. We praise and thank God for a safe drive, although about 40 miles from home in that lonely stretch of land between Riviera and Raymondville we're in the left lane, cruise control set at 65, when out of nowhere we see a white calf in our lane! I step on the brakes enough to swerve out of the way, I'm able to correct it without flipping over and on we travel. The conversation got livelier especially as Nellie remembered her dad's tales about a mysterious white calf in these areas. The one thing he stressed to his nephews who lived on ranches, "Never follow a white calf at night." Great! We didn't turn back. We were too sleepy! Thank You, Lord for safe travel! We got home at about 12:30 and by 1:30 we were asleep.
My sermon in Manchaca was on Paul's dilemma as found in Philippians 1:21-20:
21 For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which I prefer. 23 I am hard pressed between the two: my desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better; 24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for you. 25 Since I am convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith, 26 so that I may share abundantly in your boasting in Christ Jesus when I come to you again. 27 Only, live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel, 28 and are in no way intimidated by your opponents. For them this is evidence of their destruction, but of your salvation. And this is God's doing. 29 For he has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for him as well— 30 since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.
I stressed that all of us should be so blessed: Having a great postive, faith-based outlook on life AND death. Paul knew Christ to be real so that made both his life and death things he didn't fear and in fact looked forward to. Living meant more opportunities to share Christ. Death would mean a reunion with Jesus. What's the problem he seems to ask?
We're the problem when we fear one or the other more than we should. Life is wonderful when lived in Christ (remember John 10:10: "I have come that they (that's you and me) might have life and that in abundance." I shared with them some intro thoughts on George Dawson's "Life is So Good" book that I recently started reading; he faced some of life's most awful challenges including not being able to read or write until he was 98 years old. Yes, ninety-eight, not a typo! And at 103 he, with the help of a newspaper reporter wrote the book. What's our atttitude having learned to read in first grade?
Death is a part of God's plan and a life lived in Christ never ends. Jesus' many promises about Heaven and life after life are found in John, look at chapter 11 and chapter 14; great teachings and promises about that great unknown that scares so many of us. Christ's desire is to have us with him thus His going to "prepare a place." What better thing to help us live life do we need?
PRAYER: God of the always new, make new my faith in You and in life and in that which comes after life. May each day bring me an opportunity to share You and when the days of opportunity end, and I find myself face to face with You, embrace me and welcome me. Life is so good and I want to live it in abundance. I pray all this in Jesus' Name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
e.v.
