Wild places call to me.

Places filled with grass and trees that need neither watered nor trimmed, but are cared for by nature’s wisdom, compel me to abandon my own care and grooming and join in a timeless day of sheer existence.

It is very square where I am.

The gridwork of streets and houses, the surveyed, plotted, platted, and marked boundaries of every square inch of my world is punctuated by carefully compassed curves of flower beds and city parks.

Where is the Randomness of boulder-strewn dry wash?

Where is the strategic invasion of tiny wildflowers in the edge of underbrush?

Where is the absence of domesticity?

Wild places call to me.

Deep woods.

Shallow rivers.

Barren peaks.

Ocean horizon.

Big Silence there will mute the myriad voices in my mind that scream and whine for my fragmented attention.

The rugged and jagged will brush away the orderly cubes among which I live.

The dictatorial hands of the clock that portion out my life in minute, exact segments will be broken. They can move forward, backward, or not at all.

I’ve lost some of me. The man in the mirror has a hollowness about him, reflecting the pale and air conditioned world in which I live.

Where is the core?

Where is the vitality?

Where is the shining gleam?

Out there somewhere.

Wild places call to me.

Greater love has no man than this; that a man lay down his life for his friends. –John 15:13

Friendship is a wonderful thing. When you have been blessed of God with another person whom you know you can count on when things are bad, you have a true friend.

When they care about your troubles and will help you work through them, even when your troubles are your own fault, you have a true friend.

When they call on you to share with you their joys and victories, not just when they need something, you have a true friend.

When you enjoy each others’ company, even if you’re not really doing anything, you have a true friend.

When you need something, and your friend has it, but they need it too, yet they give it to you, you have a true friend.

Thank God for our True Friends, and especially for the Greatest Friend of all, our Lord Jesus Christ Who did all the above and so much more. He is the Friend that sticks closer than a brother.

I have called you friends… -John 15:15

MISSION GALVESTON

It has been my privilege to stand in for Brother Raju at Mission Galveston while he is in India taking care of the orphanages. I get to preach to about 75 folks on Monday mornings, and it is a blessing indeed.

Today was “chilidog day” at the mission, and the volunteers did their usual great job of sharing the love of Jesus with these dear folks who really need some help during these difficult times.

Most importantly, the counselors led two people to the Lord!

I encourage you to be involved in whatever capacity the Lord may lead. You will surely receive a blessing.

Raju (part of him at least) and me in India

FLU PREVENTION TIPS:

Here are some Swine Flu preventing tips we found and wanted to pass along to you:

Tips for preventing swine flu, from Dr. Vinay Goyal, Milad, India.

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it’s almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced:

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. “Hands-off-the-face” approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face.

3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don’t trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don’t underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water; *blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.

5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C. *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. Drink as much warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

ALL I AM IS YOURS            Johnny D. Taylor

Wherever you are, that’s where I want to be

Whatever you need you can have for free

I’ll give it all to see you smile at me

‘Cause all I am is yours.

So ask me for all of your heart’s desire

Ask me to pay the price your joy requires

I gave my love and there is no cost higher

So all I am is yours.

If you would be my Lady I’ll be your Knight

‘Though my armor’s rusty and I’m more black and blue than white

I’ll be your champion, fight with all my might

‘Cause all I am is yours.

My faith in you will evermore endure

My hands are rugged but my hold is sure

I ain’t pretty but my heart is pure

And all I am is yours.

And when it’s time to face the setting sun

And we look back on all we’ve been and done

We’ll understand just how the two become one

‘Cause all I am is yours.

If there’s a love that conquers life and time

That can’t be broken, faded, or left behind

I swear to you it will be yours and mine

‘Cause all I am is yours.      

My Strength, my Breath, my Life,

My Heart, my Love for you my Wife

All I am is yours.

Storm

September 23, 2009

And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, “Peace, be still.” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. -Mark 4:39

A year ago…

We were “refugees”, displaced, homeless, or at the very least living without electricity.

A year ago…

A lot of people died, and a lot of homes were destroyed.

A year ago…

Everybody‘s plans were changed, priorities were rethought, and a bottle of water became a priceless commodity.

A year ago…

A lot of people‘s trust in God and their neighbors was restored and strengthened.

A year ago…

Almighty God was still on His Throne.

Ike was a storm to remember, and hopefully to learn from. As I write this article I look out the window and see a “blue roof” on a house across the way, along with missing shingles and siding here and there. The storm lasted a few days, but the aftermath has lasted over a year, and counting.

Do you remember what it was like? Do you remember how you knocked the dust off your prayer life? Do you remember how obvious it was that we all must “trust in the Lord with all our heart”, because He was the only One Who could help us while we “hunkered down”?

There is no storm today (thank you God!), but our need for and dependency on our Lord is just as profound.

Today, just as a year ago, we need to hear His voice speak into our hearts…

“Peace, be still.”

***

Judgment Day before God is a scary thought, because we usually associate it with being confronted with all His laws we broke, bad things we did.

But what if God on Judgment Day, asks you why you didn‘t follow your God-given dreams?

“For it is God which works in you both to desire and to do His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13

What if He asks why you neglected your greatest gifts, settled for mediocrity, and didn‘t help a languishing world that needed you?

What if He wants you to explain why you listened to the voices of discouragement when you could have followed the Voice of the Great Shepherd?

“Therefore to him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin.” James 4:17

Believe me, I understand.

The moment you think about taking a step to “be somebody”, it’s as if the whole world rises up to put you back in your place of obscurity, mediocrity, and meaninglessness.

And the loudest voice of all is the one inside your own head.

“What will people think? What will they say?”

But let’s put it in perspective.

There are 6 billion people on the planet, and you only know about 1000 of them.

What if you set aside that 1000 and their “opinion”, and be a blessing to the rest?

You probably won’t ever know what most people think and say about you anyway.

But one thing is certain; you will know what your King thinks and says about you, for you will appear before Him one day.

“You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world”

Get busy.