Joy & Pain

Some days are like sunshine, and others are like rain.

Some days are filled with the joys of the ministry. Doing life with people. Being with hem as they go through the trials and difficulties of this sinful world. Rejoicing when they do well. Visiting them while they are ill. Being able to help with tangible things. Praying with and for them to have strength and peace.

Some days are just gut wrenching. Watching someone struggle. Seeing people dabble with sin. Seeing people forget that they are bought with a price. I want to cry as I encounter those who for what ever reason are on the edge of poverty not only physically but spiritually also.

Some days, these are the same day. Going from Joy to Pain in the same day, sometimes within an hour. This can be very difficult on someone who has a struggle with depression.

Silly Grandmother

I love my mammaw. She is my hero. She has always been one of my best friends and confidants. We have had some long discussions about everything in the world. We have some disagreements over political things. She is a what you call a "yellow dog democrat" . If a yellow dog was on the ballot, she would vote for them.

She really through me for a loop when she voted for George Bush for president the first time in 2000. I thought hell froze over and I did not get the memo. She did not re-vote for him in 2004

Any way she voted for Obama. Big surprise. She knows how I am so not a Obama guy. I mean I guess he is a nice a guy in a sort of Fascist, Communist, Socialist, Marxist, Leftist sort of way. If you like that sort of thing.

She knows I am also a avid reader. I read a lot of books on all sorts of topics. So for Christmas she got me "The Audacity of Hope" by non other than the Chicago Thug politician himself, Mr. Obama. She even inscribed it for me. I love her.

Plus she got me Mike Huckabee's book "Do the right thing". I told her that that was more like it.

I am going to read both. I love her.

Update on all the happs

Well I still h ave not got that stupid deer. Sam and I went back again tonight and I went on Friday and still nothing. I am starting to wonder about my skills as a hunter. sigh...

I have been doing a lot of reading about Mother Theresa. What a profound lady with a profound ministry. I am bothered a bit by some of the things she says. In some of the prayers that she has written she encourages Muslims and Hindus to put the name of their God in the place of Jesus. She encourages them to be better Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs or what ever. This bothers me.

I guess the evangelical in me screams out "why not lead them to Jesus.!!!!!" I don't want to diminish the work that she did, but wow.

I also re-read a book by Dominic Dunne called "Anther City No My Own" - about the OJ Simpson murder case. He is a good writer. The first time I read this book I had borrowed it from my grandfather. He read every book written about the OJ trial. I read most of them. My thoughts...GUILTY!!!!!

Tonight we went to my mother in law's church. They had a walk through nativity story. It was done by the youth. They did a very good job.

In the next couple of weeks I am going to be taking on some new responsibilities at the church. I am excited, nervous, sad, over whelmed all at the same time. One of the things I will not be doing is teaching Sunday school. A break is nice. I have been teaching straight for 4 years now. I love to teach. I love the prep time that I have getting to study in the word and drawing out from God's treasure things that I can share with what ever class I am leading.

I have also been reflecting on the the last 4 years and asking some questions.
1. Have I made a difference?
2. Have I been obedient?
3. Have I missed anything?
4. How can I improve?
5. What should I do more/less of?

Time will tell.