Don't just get mad, get fighting mad!

Are you tired of Nigerian Generals offering you millions of dollars, if you will just give them your bank numbers so they can transfer it INTO your account?

Well, don't get mad, get even! Forward all such mail to a special FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION SCAM REGISTRY at spam@uce.gov. The FTC uses the spam stored in this database to pursue law enforcement actions against people who send deceptive email.

So do everybody a favor and don't just get mad, get fighting mad and forward those emails to somebody who can do something about it!

The Twenty and the One

A well-worn one-dollar bill and a similarly distressed twenty-dollar bill arrived at a Federal Reserve Bank to be retired. As they moved along the conveyor belt to be burned, they struck up a conversation.

The twenty-dollar bill reminisced about its travels all over the country "I've had a pretty good life," the twenty proclaimed. "Why I've been to Las Vegas and Atlantic City, the finest restaurants in New York, performances on Broadway, and even a cruise to the Caribbean."

"Wow!" said the one-dollar bill. "You've really had an exciting life!"

"So tell me," says the twenty, "where have you been throughout your lifetime?"

The one dollar bill replies, "Oh, I've been to the Methodist Church, the Baptist Church, the Lutheran Church..."

The twenty-dollar bill interrupts, "What's a church?"

The World is Full of Surprises

I was teaching at the College Monday and got interrupted by another missionary. He said, “My child has a fever and my wife cannot chaperone the students on their semester outing. Could Tina take her place?”

I called Tina and she said, “Sure, Anything to help.” So I stayed home the next day and she got to go sailing on a catamaran off the north coast of Puerto Rico!

No one deserves a break more than her. She is always working so hard. So it was a good surprise she got a nice field trip out of doing another missionary a favor.

That is the great thing about putting God first, He always gets around to blessing us when we get around to doing it.

Getting a Heart Lift

Our workload and ministry is growing, but I am not getting any younger. I have thought a lot about making my time count and maintaining a good attitude through the process. After all, what good is more time if you make yourself and everyone miserable in the process?

I think we have found ways to work more efficiently. We also have found a few ways to relax and keep our attitudes upbeat. Tina and I both enjoy music. I play the guitar and wood flute. Tina plays the piano, clarinet and saxophone. When I bring Bible College kids to our home on the weekends, we all gather in the living room and sing together Saturday night. We do it to prepare for our Sunday morning service and to make sure we know the hymns. But after we finish , someone always has a favorite, and before you know it, we have spent another hour just singing for the fun of it. Making melody in our hearts is really better than any medicine. I find that, after a good time singing and having some good fellowship, our batteries are recharged for the work ahead.

PS. Here is a new song that might bring a smile to your face.

Senior version of "Jesus Loves Me"

Jesus loves me, this I know, Though my hair is white as snow.
Though my sight is growing dim, Still He bids me trust in Him.

(CHORUS) YES, JESUS LOVES ME... YES, JESUS LOVES ME... YES, JESUS LOVES ME FOR THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO.

Though my steps are oh, so slow, With my hand in His I'll go.
On through life, let come what may, He'll be there to lead the way.
(CHORUS)
Though I am no longer young, I have much which He's begun.
Let me serve Christ with a smile, Go with others the extra mile.
(CHORUS)
When the nights are dark and long, In my heart He puts a song.
Telling me in words so clear, "Have no fear, for I am near."
(CHORUS)
When my work on earth is done, And life's victories have been won.
He will take me home above, Then I'll understand His love.
(CHORUS)
I love Jesus, does He know? Have I ever told Him so?
Jesus loves to hear me say, That I love Him every day.

Busy but Cooler

Last week seemed especially busy. Besides our regular schedule, we had a BBQ for the youth group, I preached in a chapel service at the college, we held a church service in a private home and I was asked by a fellow missionary to fill in for him for a Sunday PM Service.

I can tell when I am really busy by one sure sign. It involves the Doctoral program in Apologetics I am doing through a distance learning program. The sign I am to busy happens when I finally get a few moments to myself and then I think: “Oh boy! Now I have a chance to work on my term paper!” Now, how can that be right, when the most dreaded assignments from my college days seem like a fun activity now that I am in the ministry? Well at least, being busy seems to improve my attitude about that.

Besides all these preaching opportunities, we also finished the project of sanding and painting the refrigerator. My visitation partner Luis and I moved it into the church after Tuesday Night visitation. Hooray! Now we can have a better Fellowship Time after church Sunday. Ice makes a big difference in the tropics! At the end of a busy week, a little thing like an ice cube can make a big difference.