CHARACTER COUNTS

Great CHARACTER is known by the desires of our heart, by our hope in the unseen, by our reliance on help from God and by our request for discernment and wisdom.  Character accounts the sum of our values lived out fearlessly. As we become less interested in how we are perceived and more interested in how Jesus is perceived, we consider each word spoken, each action taken...with a hope to glorify God.  Without the shadow of our image, we can clearly reflect, as in a looking glass, more of Him and less of us.  The character of God is unchanging, unchallenged, undisputed, unmatched, and never undone by our choices.  What about our personal legacy? How will our life, our imprint, our contribution best linger? Like Solomon, will we be remembered because of our reflections and our praise of God for the times we witnessed God work miracles through ordinary people? 1 Kings 3:1-15 The Message: Solomon arranged a marriage contract with Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He married Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her to the City of David (Jerusalem) Meanwhile, the people were worshiping at local shrines because at that time no temple had yet been built to the Name of God. Solomon loved God and continued to live in the God-honoring ways of David his father, except that he also worshiped at the local shrines, offering sacrifices and burning incense. (God chose Solomon, He knew his heart, and his intent to honor God by his style of worship) The king went to Gibeon, ( 7 miles away from Jerusalem) the most prestigious of the local shrines, to worship. He sacrificed a thousand

Whole-Burnt-Offerings on that altar. That night God appeared to Solomon in a dream: God said, “What can I give you? Ask.”  Solomon said, “You were extravagantly generous in love with David my father, and he lived faithfully in your presence, his relationships were just and his heart right. And you have persisted in this great and generous love by giving him—and this very day!—a son to sit on his throne.  “And now here I am: God, my God, you have made me, your servant, ruler of the kingdom in place of David my father. I’m too young for this, a mere child! I don’t know the ropes, hardly know the ‘ins’ and ‘outs’ of this job. And here I am, set down in the middle of the people you’ve chosen, a great people—far too many to ever count.  “Here’s what I want: Give me a God-listening heart so I can lead your people well, discerning the difference between good and evil. For who on their

own is capable of leading your glorious people?”  God, the Master, was delighted with Solomon’s response. And God said to him, “Because you have asked for this and haven’t grasped after a long life, or riches, or the doom of your enemies, but you have asked for the ability to lead and govern well, I’ll give you what you’ve asked for—I’m giving you a wise and mature heart. There’s never been one like you before; and there’ll be no one after. As a bonus, I’m giving you both the wealth and glory you didn’t ask for—there’s not a king anywhere who will come up to your mark." One person's wise choice can and has changed a whole nation. Ruth, Joshua, Esther, David, Solomon, Jesus. Do you count on God to use you to positively influence your mate, child, neighbor, co-worker, or friends? When we FEEL His presence, are we convicted by His Holy Spirit to be a Godly example when faced with choices that could possibly compromise our faith?  As citizens of heaven, we are here on a mission, chosen by God, and equipped by the Holy Spirit to make a difference for His kingdom. When we are convicted to HOLD on to GOD, we stand upon a certain BELIEF in Jesus Christ as Lord, and in the inspired whole Word of God.  

Charles Baker was raised in a small town in Texas. As he shared a message on character, Charles reflected on his dads trustworthy character. His dad owned a store and the people of this small town signed their name to a book for goods purchased. His dad trusted the people of his town to be honorable and PAY their debt. Amazingly, the old ranchers did. Our character is built upon the promises we give and keep.  Our character is defined by our choices to trust in God, no matter the circumstance, challenge or criticism. Our character is more than a reputation, it is based upon the relationships that we  treasure. Who is worthy of your ear? Who is more worthy of your lingering gaze?  Is it a sports writer, a politician, a great orator, actor, singer or Jesus Christ?  Character building moments are when we face the choice to NOT act like the majority, but to separate ourselves and honor God with our every request for His help, His assistance, His presence, His wisdom.  Choosing what we watch on TV, who we listen to, and what person we select  as our friend, these choices measure our character.  Daniel is a great example of a man who lived according to his strong relationship with a trustworthy Holy God. Daniel's choice to not eat meat, to not drink wine positively influenced his friends to do the same.  His conviction to trust God could have cost him his life, but in the end, Daniel a foreigner to Babylon, became the adviser to the King. 

Who is watching you?  Are you being a godly example?

A. Daniel chose to keep the Law of Moses when he was a teenager.

B. Daniel's choice to live in obedience to the Lord set an example for other Jewish youths. 

C. Daniel's confidence in God gave him the boldness to risk a different diet.

D. Daniel committed to being true to the Word of God. King Nebuchadnezzar had an alarming dream, the Lord gave Daniel the interpretation and Daniel told the king the truth.

E. Daniel's honest relationship with God gave him courage and the conviction that he was not going to bow down to any other god. When Nebuchadnezzar made an image of himself and commanded all the people to bow down to it, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused, even though they faced being thrown into a burning furnace.

F. Daniel could not be persuaded by the threat of death to deny God. 

     G. Daniel was taught by his parents to stand firm and obey the law no matter what. 

H. Daniel studied the Word of God, he knew God would do what He promised. 

I.  Daniel loved the Lord, he was devoted to God. The Word of God empowered him. 

J. Daniel committed to obey God and he proved it with his actions and choices. 

    1) Daniel won his first battle when he refused to defile himself with the king’s food. His companions followed his example and trusted God for their safety in a foreign place. 

     2) Because Daniel was a person of high standards and moral character, his obedence opened doors for him to counsel and influence kings to listen to the one true God.

     3) God gave him favor with the kings. Although Daniel was a foreigner who held firmly to his Hebrew beliefs, he was promoted to the highest places of authority by every king he served. Instead of persecuting him for speaking the truth, they raised him up.

    4) God endowed Daniel with one of the most important prophecies in His Word. Because Daniel had remained a trustworthy and obedient servant in the midst of the Babylonian culture, the Lord entrusted him with amazing prophecies about future events.

God is looking for followers of Christ, doers of His word. In the face of threat or temptation to compromise for pleasure, ease or profit ~ are you ready to answer WHY you believe? 

A. What convictions guide your conduct?  Write them down.

B. What convictions are you unwilling to compromise? No negotiation! 

C. Are you firm when faced with losing comfort, money, the familiar or a friend? 

Dr Charles Stanley's Conclusion: "Godly character is a quality that is worth far more than anything you could gain or lose. If we are Ambassadors for God, we must not give in to fear of criticism, rejection, failure, or loss. One strong, uncompromising, obedient child of God is a powerhouse of influence, who—like Daniel—can impact a nation."  Let us be mindful of our impact for our wonderful Savior Jesus Christ.

HELP IN TIME OF TROUBLE: God knows the Christian life is not easy. And it never will become easy, no matter how long we live. In this world, we will face opposition, both from the world and from the enemy of our souls, the devil. Jesus told us, “In the world you have tribulation” (John 16:33).

As foreigners, we are constantly surrounded by opposition, by the enemy who plots to destroy our mission on earth. To live in a way that pleases God,  we must be subject to His will, we must surrender our inferior ways and develop endurance. The saints before us endured stoning, rejection, mockery, prison, and fierce opposition to their work.  Hebrews 11, is called the “Hall of Faith,” our heroes of faith.

We develop needed endurance by:

Receiving encouragement from God in His word and from others. The writer of Hebrews encourages us to ponder the lives of those he lists in chapter 11. He refers to them as “a cloud of witnesses” (Heb. 12:1). We cannot see this great cloud of witnesses, but we can read about them in God’s Word and glean from their inspiring stories of endurance. Then among your friends of the faith, who do you know that has received a miracle healing, surprising open door, a changed heart?

Getting rid of hindrances. “Let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us” (12:1). This means we need to identify those things that could slow us down, including any wrong food, old habit of thinking the worst, or sin that God brings to our attention.

Running the race. Hebrews 12:1  “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” When the going gets rough, we don’t run away, but we persist, we press on. Our character is boosted as we act in confident trust, and the longer we persevere, the stronger our faith, our belief, our reliance on Jesus becomes. We depend on His strength to give us the endurance we require to finish well, not quit.

Fixing our eyes on Christ. Hebrews 12:2 advises “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” Nothing helps us endure like seeing the final prize before us—and that prize is Christ Himself. Do you want the prize? Then you must endure. And Jesus promises to help you.

Two Books to Read for November

Ladies we have two months to read one or both of these different books before the Lakeside Book Club meets again. We have many who will be traveling so we will meet again on Thursday November 12, 2015.  Mark your calendars and also expect a reminder email in November. Our group was asked to email recommendations and here are two that came in that hold great reviews. The Nightingale: by Kristin Hannah  available on AMAZON at $12.99 for a kindle download with 12,670 five star reviews - As a New York Times Best Selling book, the author exposes the horrors of World War II in France. She uses the small town of Carriveau as a main setting that dramatically contrasts with the evil that is about to come to a country that has surrendered to the Nazis, and is now being occupied. The novel also develops the story of two courageous sisters who, ironically, get to come together to join forces in a time when hope, faith, and unity are lost. In love we find out who we want to be. In war we find out who we are.  This historical fiction book is set in France in the year 1939.  . It is the period when the country surrenders to the Germans, and the Nazi regime begins its occupation. While the city of Paris takes in most of the heat, the quiet village of Carriveau is on the brink of changing forever. The once peaceful and bucolic town has turned into a horrific show of airplanes, war tanks, bombs, and the scary sight of Nazis

from the SS, the Gestapo and the regular Wehrmacht all over.  In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn't believe that the Nazis will invade France...but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne's home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive. Vianne's sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth.  The Lakeside Book Club ladies may also prefer the second rare write over the above historical fiction.  The Lovely Bones was also made into a movie.  

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold    AMAZON $6.99 with 3,892 four star reviews.  ~ It is a unique novel that apparently tapped a vein of universal human experience.  It resonates with readers of all ages and it remains a phenomenal #1 bestseller. It is celebrated for its narrative artistry, its luminous clarity of emotion, and its astoniishing power to lay claim to the hearts of millions of readers around the world. The story was made into a movie starring Mark Walberg. It is a haunting and heartbreaking tale that unfolds from heaven, where "life is a perpetual yesterday" and from where the deceased narrates from above.  The author fashions it from the perspective that everyone has his or her own version of heaven.  The author supports the imagination of a child as heaven resembles athletic fields and the landscape of a suburban high school. “A heaven of her "simplest dreams," where "there were no teachers.... We never had to go inside except for art class.... The boys did not pinch our backsides or tell us we smelled; our textbooks were Seventeen, Glamour a and Vogue." This heaven placed child named Susie struggles to accept her death while still clinging to the lost world of the living. Her family disintegrates in their grief: her father becomes determined to find her killer, her mother withdraws, her little brother Buckley attempts to make sense of the new hole in his family, and her younger sister Lindsey moves through the milestone events of her teenage and young adult years with Susie riding spiritual shotgun. Random acts and missed opportunities run throughout the book.  Though sentimental at times, The Lovely Bones is a moving exploration of loss and mourning that ultimately puts a preference on living. The author spins a surprising finish, which may tend to tidy up a little too well for everyone in the end, however, no matter our thoughts about heaven, we certainly all hope that heaven is indeed a place filled with incredibly happy endings. 

August 2015 Book Club Lakeside

TWO BOOKS to choose from for the Lakeside Ladies Book Club for August 2015. Read one book or both, your choice. #1 Book is Red Skies. It involves the fates of three people who’ve never met ...converging in profound and unexpected ways.  Mari, the daughter of the town scavenger, grew up knowing hardship, but she never could have anticipated the struggles that now face her as an adult. Feeling alone and isolated, she dreams of a better life. On the other side of town, a frightened little girl named An Ni is forced to live on the streets, but she silently longs for the one thing she’s never known—a family. Max, a struggling American photojournalist, arrives in China with only one goal in mind: to face his demons and put an end to his own unbearable suffering. This hope-filled story offers a fresh glimpse into the life of a remarkable family. Rarely am I moved to tears after reading a book but this tale caused me to drip with compassion and joy.  I wiped many tears away, both happy and sad ones. I cringed, ducked and shrieked in terror... the author makes her characters and experiences come alive.  It tells of struggles of everyday life, of hope, of loss, of joy and overcoming the odds.The author Kay Bratt is a child advocate and author of several best selling books.  Red Skies is an EBOOK downloadable from Amazon for $4.99 USA. We are SET to gather at the newly renovated Adelita's in San Antonio to exchange our brilliant reviews on Aug 13, 2015. NEW PLACES, NEW FRIENDS ~ AWESOME!

Now for a quick bite of our 2nd thrilling book CHOICE for August. Saving Grace is a delightful read that includes a dip into the expat world in the Carribean. Ladies we all love CHOICE on a menu, and also in the flavor of our reading preferences.  1) Red Skies by Kay Bratt is historically interesting (or) for a lighter fun FREE kindle ebook read 2) Saving Grace by Pamela Fagan Hutchins. Saving Grace is also the first of a comical mystery series.  It was hard to put down as it is full of wit and a cunning depth. The leading lady is Katie Connell a high-strung attorney from Dallas who remains in denial as she escapes to the Caribbean to bypass professional humiliation.  She ends up trading one set of problems for another when she begins to investigate the suspicious deaths of her parents on the island of St. Marcos. Her retreat from her professional legalese, and immersion into the island dialect introduces new words, and new astonishing customs and beliefs. She is drawn to an abandoned house in the rainforest and discovers that she’s as much a danger to herself as the island’s bad guys are. We may read the Pamela Fagan Hutchins series is ya'll loved Saving Grace. But for Sept we will read "Tea with Emma".

LABOR OF LOVE

The Prophet Malachi was God's personal messenger. Malachi was riveted by the humbling presence of His holy God and his assignment from heaven was to deliver direct assertions from God. "I have loved you" Malachi 1:2 - to which the lazy Priests questioned God "How have You loved us?" That question was evidence of their short term memory loss. God had rescued them from HARD LABOR in Egypt, and took them safely through a miraculously parted Red Sea, fed them daily, clothed them, and walked with them as a Pillar of Light each night. Have you ever said "I'm doing my best" when you knew you were limping, and laboring half-heartedly? Has disappointment ever snuffed out your hope? Everyone of us have performed at below standard during difficult times. When we feel insecure because of shifting sand, because of unwanted changes, because of demands made upon us when we are operating at our lowest levels, we tend to LABOR grudgingly and accuse others of being unjust. We easily get miffed at others for dis-regarding our significance as they expect us to LABOR without complaint.  It is also very common for each of us to dishonor, or discount wisdom during times of personal struggle. Our mothers LABORED in pain to bring us into the world as we know it. We were given a name, we did not choose our parents, our inherent character traits, our personality, or our aptitude for career paths. As adults we labor day to day believing that we must bring honor to our birth family name. The identity we were assigned upon our entrance to planet earth comes with a nationality, a zip code, a zodiac sign and a language. Our birth parents,

or our adoptive parents exercised authority as they represented us at the doctor's office and when they brought us to school. Our holy God also LABORED hard to retrieve us from the emptiness that follows the achievement of lofty personal goals. God came down from His throne and walked the earth as Jesus Christ.  Jesus LABORED with all authority, as our Spiritual Father, and He adopted us and gave us His family name.  God claimed us as His kid, and as He promised, He sent the perfect Sacrifice to cover ALL our sins, and filled us with the Holy Spirit, Who never departs from us. Talk about a LABOR OF LOVE! Let us take time to acknowledge who we became "in Christ" as a Christian. Let us LABOR to live as  a "FEAR FREE" born again child of God, who has already gladly surrendered and free fallen in pure FAITH into Who Jesus Christ is.  Trusting Him to catch us when we fall, we jumped off the cliff of world FEAR, and we walk in faith,  ignoring the CAUTION that the unliberated souls cast out. We must NOT doubt the living Word of God. "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You must not be surprised at My saying, 'You must be born again.'  The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." John 3:6-8 NIV ~ True Christians are born again of the Spirit, which is from God.

Like the wind, the Holy Spirit swept into us, and though we could not see from whence the Spirit came, we heard the sweet small voice whisper "I have loved you, you belong to Me."  We were wooed by His love, and His grace changed our hard hearts of resistance. His Spirit gave us understanding of all the mysteries, as the Word of God was written by the Spirit. We do NOT live in fear, but we speak and act according to our faith. The High Israelite Priests were a fraternity of holy men who were anointed by God and given very high LABOR standards.  The High Israelite Priests of Malachi's time pitiful lack of gratitude for all that God had provided deserved our Father God's response.  Our holy, all powerful, full of authority God then declared His holy love- hate

relationship with Esau's nation of Edom and Jacob's nation of Israel.  The Israelite Priests had been bringing skimpy offerings that dishonored God. They had not been LABORING at their best as His anointed ones.  They were hoarding money and not feeding the spiritually starved.  God had shown much favor to the Israelites, as long as they treasured their inheritance, as God's chosen people. God is always fair and just. Isaiah 2:11 " The eyes of the arrogant man will be humbled and the pride of men brought low." God's word warns us, it gives us examples of how not to be. Israel questioned God "How have we despised Your Name?" Malachi 1:6 ~ The Hebrew word for name is sem. In Hebrew God's name or sem includes the concept of identity, character, significance, power, authority, presence, essence, and representation. God replied "By offering polluted food upon My alter." Malachi 1:7 ~ Offering blind or automatic robot praises is to dishonor God's name, His power, His Holy essence. When we offer sick excuses, when we whine and deny that we have NOT doubted or sinned, we are evil in our

rebellion and denial of God's holy significance. The Holy Spirit breathed words in Malachi 2:15-16 clearly puts the responsibility on the holy men for abandoning the Almighty God of the scriptures. "Did He not make them ONE, with a portion of the Spirit in their union? - So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless." The purging fire of heaven, the indwelt Holy Spirit, will erase the ERRORS of our past, IF we allow Him.  God does not regulate our choices.  He urges us to come and lay down our burdens, and pick up our mats and walk. IF we break our vow to love and obey God, and/or our spouse, our hearts will feel fractured until we return to God. God permits us to choose Him, trust Him, come to Him with all our burdens.   IF we want to experience JOY, then it is imperative that we give to God our past, our fears, our hesitations, and let Him CHANGE us for His glory.  We must allow God's grace along with the Holy Spirit to give us understanding as we contemplate God's covenant with us, and His enduring compassion and understanding for our LABORS and SUFFERING.

Our holy God is a relational Father, and with His Son, and the Holy Spirit all working in unison to redeem, restore, and forgive us, the appropriate RESPONSE from us is "Thank You Father for all my struggles which have caused me to seek You with all my heart!" Joni Erickson Tada who paints with her toes, knows that the grace of God does at times, come packaged as difficulty, without a tidy bow of understanding.  Yahweh does not always come immediately to RESCUE us from our consequences, or our unexplained painful life experiences.  Christians who are quick to take offense, and blame others in defense, are the same people who are anxious about everything.  Like the High Priests, they are NOT humble, and they do not rely on God through prayer. WHY?  Because they are insecure and truly trust-impaired. Security is a deeply rooted confidence that God is on the throne, and His faithful Authority rules, all the time, in every circumstance.  Is not our security centered in our Father? Our identity "in Him" is found in His word, which is true.

The opposite of security is an arrogant demand that we have the right to complain when life gets complicated or tough. If the Israelites wearied the Lord with their words, is it not possible that we weary our family, friends, and the world with our whiny insecure words of woe?  "You have wearied the Lord with your words." Malachi 2:17 - Job absolutely wore out the Almighty when he defended his complaints. "I'm not letting up, I'm standing my ground.  My complaint is legitimate.  God has no right to treat me like this. It is not fair!"  Job 23:1-7 The Message ~ Now consider a friend who has confessed their huge foe-paw to God, or think of something you said that was ungodly and confessed - on a scale of 1-10, do you believe our heavenly Father has completely forgiven both...or is He still waiting to give you another chance? Grace and forgiveness is a GIFT. It came to us easily without effort on our part.  Let us then quickly issue grace and forgiveness to honor God in our LABOR to please Him.  May we continue to walk worthy and LABOR on to bring our NEW FAMILY NAME all honor and glory.  AMEN

RESPECT in MEXICO

It was a thrilling day going back to school in Mexico.  I was delightfully greeted by the owner of a new Thai restaurant in Ajijic.  Senor Roberto Lopez told me that he had just had the opportunity to speak at the Rotary club this morning and share the short story of his boyhood.  He offered me a copy to read and I was glad for the cultural lesson on respect in Mexico, something that Mr. Lopez learned from his father.  He was raised in Arizona and he attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. He continued his education and acquired his Master in Psychology and taught for forty five years in Sacramento, California.  When Mr. Lopez retired he took a two week vacation to Guadalajara.  His friend encouraged him to visit the ancient lakeside town of Ajijic.  Within a year he moved just outside of Jocopotec, Jalisco and opened a restaurant in Ajijic named “Taste of Thai”.  Since living in Lakeside, Senor Lopez has encouraged nine local students to remain in school.  Mr. Lopez supplies each child with their required uniform, shoes, backpack and books. Enjoy the true tale of Roberto growing up.Taken from his own words: The long shadows of the setting sun

glistening through the huge grey cottonwood trees, made me realize how late it was and that I should hurry home as I was certain to be needed by mi Madre to run an errand before dinner at 6:00 p.m.  Tying my tennis shoes, I called to Chito “Oye vato, I can’t play anymore. I must get home.”   Chito was angry because our flag football game was tied.   I yelled back “me esperan en la casa”.   As I ran home I felt the sting of the December cold.  My nose and eyes were red and dripping as I raced towards the purple Papago Mountains that surrounded my small Arizona barrio.  Mi Madre was always in command and we enjoyed a clean and orderly home.  We were a family of eight.  My six siblings each had assigned chores, and mine was to run errands because I was as quick as the wind.  I was ten years old and at least once a day, before a meal could be properly prepared, Mi Madre dispatched me to purchase necessario items from Mr. Jackson’s store.  The store was only three blocks from home and it offered canned and boxed goods, fresh vegetables, candy and the very best ice cream in the neighborhood.  Mr. Jackson consistently greeted all customers with a grunt and sour face while his wife always appeared tired and forlorn.  The story about town regarding Mr. Jackson was that after the couple had lost their only child, he got drunk and in a rage chopped off two fingers with a sharp butcher knife.  He treated all kids the same, he was mean and grouchy. Mr. Jackson did not like me because I always questioned him about his high prices.  Once in my arithmetic class I calculated that this neighborhood store charged 20-30 % more for all items.  At home I questioned mi Madre

“Why do we pay that old man Henry so much for our food?”  Suddenly I heard my dad’s deep voice “Roberto, don’t you ever let me hear you question your mother like that again, and don’t you ever call someone older than you by their first name!”  One very cold evening my father was bringing home a guest for dinner. Mi Madre called “Roberto, here is twenty dollars and a list of things we need for tonight.  Run and get them, Y mijito, please be careful with the money as it is all we have.”   When I arrived at the store Mr. Jackson was locking up and he growled “hurry up boy!”  Frightened by his tone, I ordered a round steak, picked out some potatoes, a head of lettuce, and a loaf of bread.  I handed Mr. Jackson the twenty dollar bill.  As he counted back my change for a purchase of only $2.85, he had only given me change from a five dollar bill and yelled “Now get out of here and don’t come banging on my door anymore at closing time!”  I stared at the change and said “I am sorry sir, but I gave you a twenty”.  He raised his thick eyebrows and with an angry voice shouted

“Are you saying I made a mistake?”   Tears ran down my cheeks, my hands were shaking and I mumbled “I’m not saying you are a cheat, but I gave you a twenty.”  This tall bald, big fat man screamed “Get the hell out of here, and never return!”  My mind raced with worry about what to tell my parents. I decided to lie and tell them that in my haste, the money must have fell out of my pockets as I ran.  As I approached the back door I saw mi Madre expertly making paper-thin tortillas.  She asked me “porque durasted tanto?”  What kept you? Never mind hurry up and wash.  Before dinner, Dad proudly introduced me as his responsible young son to our dinner guest who was a doctor.  Suddenly I felt dizzy, I could not breathe and I felt like I was going to pass out.  “What’s the matter mijito, que pasa muchado?”  Nada, I lied, “the thought of doctors makes me sick.”  The next morning mi Madre asked about the short change from the twenty. “Mama, I lost the money on the way home from the store.”  She told me that my father was waiting in the kitchen to talk to me.  With my head down I walked towards the aroma of coffee expecting a scolding from my dad.  “Sientate, your Madre tells me that you lost fifteen dollars, Es verdad?”  I answered “Si and I am sorry.”  Papa stirred his coffee and asked “Is it true you that you lost the money?”  Not wanting to lie anymore, I

confessed the truth.   “No Papa, I lied” After I told my dad what really happened; he gently brushed the hair out of my eyes and told me to go to my room. The next day my Papa excused me from going to school and he took me around the entire neighborhood. As I played with the young children, my dad was mumbling a conversation to the parents of each family we visited. That night my dad called us all into the living room. “Today I spoke to all the parents in our barrio and after careful consideration of the facts, we all have decided to take action against our grocery man. Mr. Jackson has taken advantage of us all for years.  In addition to taking more than is fair of our hard earned money, Mr. Jackson is teaching our children to be deceitful and dishonest by his example.  Then with a dramatic flair, Papa stuck a match and lit his pant leg on fire.  As he looked at the growing flame he whispered “There are better things we could do!” Dad snuffed out the smoldering flame and with one hand and held up his opposite fist and said while motioning to his singed pant leg “This would be too easy, therefore, Los Padres today we made a wise decision.  The barrio residents have decided to take away something from Mr. and Mrs. Jackson that means much more to them. We will take away their respect by referring to them as Henry and Alice.  We will never call them Mr. and Mrs. Jackson again!”  My eyes lit up with great surprise as I smiled at my father with great admiration.  Many errands were eagerly ran for mi Madre after that.  I never feared Henry again! ---- THE END ---- You are welcome to chat with Senor Robert Lopez at his Thai Café located in The Plaza Interlago near the car wash on the Libramiento.  Give this Thai Restaurant a try. They are open Mon – Sat  10:00 AM – 8:00 PM.  

Tommy Dorsey

For those too young to know who he is, Tommy Dorsey was a well-known band leader in the 1930's and 40's.   In 1932, Tommy was a fairly new husband. He and his wife Nettie lived in a tiny flat on Chicago 's south side. One hot August afternoon Tommy was to be the featured soloist at a large revival meeting.  He did not want to go as Nettie was in the last month of pregnancy with their first child.  But a lot of people were expecting him in St. Louis at a huge revival.  Tom kissed Nettie goodbye, clattered downstairs to their Model A  and chugged out of Chicago on Route 66. Just outside the city limits, Tom suddenly remembered that he had forgotten his music case.  

He returned home and found Nettie sleeping peacefully.  He hesitated by her bed; while something was strongly telling him to stay.  Eager to get to his engagement, he chose not to disturb Nettie.  He shrugged off the feeling and quietly slipped out of the room with his music.  The next night, in the steaming St. Louis heat, the crowd called on Tommy to sing more gospel songs.  When he sat down on a break,  a messenger boy ran up with a Western Union telegram.  Tommy ripped open the envelope. Pasted on the yellow sheet were the words:  YOUR WIFE JUST DIED.  People were happily singing and clapping around him and Tom struggled not to cry out. He rushed to a phone and called home. All he heard on the other end was "Nettie is dead.

Nettie is dead.'"  When Tom returned home he learned that Nettie had given birth to a boy. He swung between grief and joy. Yet that same night, the baby died. He buried Nettie and his little boy together, in the same casket. Tommy fell apart and spent days in isolation.  He felt that God had done him an injustice and Tommy did not want to serve Him anymore or ever write another gospel song.  He was inclined to just go back to the jazz world that he once knew so well. But then, as Tommy hunched alone in that dark apartment those first sad days, he thought back to the afternoon he had gone to St. Louis. He remembered that something was encouraging him to stay with Nettie.  With reflection Tommy admitted that he had most certainly

dismissed the Holy Spirit’s nudge to stay.  With that revelation, Tom realized that if he had paid more attention to Him that day, he would have stayed and been with Nettie when she died.  From that moment on Tommy vowed to listen more closely for His voice, for His gentle nudge, and His coaxing prod.   Everyone around him was kind, but Tom was submerged in grief. One loyal friend got him out of the house and took him up to a neighborhood music school.  He sat down at the piano, and his hands began to browse over the keys. Something overtook Tom's grief and he felt peace.  

Tommy believes that God touched Him with His presence. Suddenly Tom found his fingers moving across the keys playing a delightful melody.  These lyrics flowed from his spirit, to his fingers:  'Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, let me stand, I am tired, I am weak, I am worn, through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light, take my hand, precious Lord, lead me home.' The Lord gave Tommy Dorsey these

words and melody.  He also healed Tom's spirit. Tommy learned that when people are in deep grief, when people feel farthest from God, that in these moments is when people actually feel His presence.  During our lowest grief is when we are most open to His restoring power.  Tommy went on living for God willingly and joyfully, until the day came when God took him gently home. Tommy Dorsey November 19, 1905 - November 26, 1956.  Many hymns were born out of grief. "PRECIOUS LORD" and "AMAZING BRACE" are two songs given by God to heal many. 

Road Trip 2015

TURN IT OVER

We made a decision to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God, therefore, we made direct apologies to all persons we had harmed and we issued forgiveness to all those who have hurt us.  We did this out of happy obedience to our Lord Jesus. We let the word of Christ dwell in us and compel us to do the right thing. For serenity, we chose to live one day at a time,

trusting God to lead us one step at a time, without needing to know specifically how all things will work out. We choose to enjoy one moment at a time and we accept any hardship as our pathway to peace. We chose to follow the example of Jesus, and we take this sinful world as it is, and give up our desire or need for the world and its inhabitants to change. We trust that God will finish the work He began.  Just like we have faith that our guide on 

a tour bus or cruise ship will show us things along our journey, that we may come back refreshed and informed, we NOW choose to trust the Holy Spirit as our guide, and that He will show us God's will and His superior ways. We believe that our position "in Christ" is unshakeable, and that we are covered by His righteousness, therefore, we do NOT need to strive to be righteous. "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, DO NOT worry about tomorrow." Matthew 6:33 - We agree that God is absolutely trustworthy,

and that "The Counselor, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, will teach us all things." John 4:16 - By faith we walk through doors God opens and we listen for His voice.   Our Father, who art in heaven, will never depart from us and He is always working. Because we accepted Jesus as our Lord, He invited us to join Him. We know that without Jesus we can accomplish nothing for the kingdom of God. So we watch to identify what the Lord is doing and we choose to join Him in His work.  Because the Father loves us, He shows us everything we need to know,

on a need to know basis.  "It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." Phil 2:13. We understand that our Master, our Lord Jesus works through His servants, and to serve God we must stay as clay in the Potter’s hands. We realize that apart from God we remain as ineffective as a cut off dead branch. We celebrate that God changes hearts, that His word melts resistance, and that God draws us into happy obedience. We choose to “confess our sins to God and to one another so that we can be healed” James 5:16 – We desire to experience God and we ask Him to lead us so that we can be of service for His good purpose. We acknowledge that we cannot stay the way we are and be of any use to God.  IF we are grafted into the Vine, IF we remain attached to the Living Word, and IF we

draw nourishment from the One Source of Truth, we will be changed in the twinkling of an eye! “I am the Vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."John 15:5  We know that we delight to experience God at work in us, and that through our willingness to obey and follow Jesus, God accomplishes His work through us.  God consistently encourages us to be pure in heart and motive. When the Holy Spirit pricks our conscious, we respond by openly examining our ways as we test them against His word. "Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the alter.  First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift."  God desires to hear our confessions and His word

requests that we express our anguish, our sorrow, our hurts to Him and another human being.  “The Lord gave us mind and conscious; we cannot hide from ourselves.” Proverbs 20:27.  When God speaks to us, when God calls us to be honest and depart from our familiar way of denial, for sanity and peace, we must leave our comfort zone and trust God’s unfailing Word and love.  We must whole heartedly believe that God came down to rescue us from the prison of shame and the slavery of guilt.  God sent Jesus to earth to bring the souls of His children out of captivity.  This is our time to make our Exodus 3:8-10.  We happily take off our sandals and kneel, for the place of repentance is holy ground.  God has seen the misery of

His lost daughters and sons. He has heard the cries of their tortured souls and He is concerned.  Exodus 3:2-8.  By faith Moses made major adjustments so that he could join God in what God wanted to accomplish. Moses initially stuttered in a crisis of faith “Who am I, that I should do this? O, Lord, I have never been eloquent, I am slow of speech, please Lord, do not ask this of me.” Moses then chose to obey and do what he was told because he trusted and relied on the spoken word of God and the invisible, yet constant presence of God.  In the name of Jesus we pray, dear God, you know all things, you know our past, present and future use.  In this step of obedience, we ask that You give us the strength and the courage to confess anything that we have done that offends

Thee.  Please help us Lord to identify another kindred spirit, that You shall place in our path, to hear our confession of hurts, habits and anything that hinders our relationship with God Almighty.  AMEN. Having a sponsor or accountability partner is biblical. “Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively.  If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone…there is no one to help him.  Two men can resist an attack that would defeat one man alone.” Ecc 4:9-12 GNB – We are all priests and we must discern wisely to whom we choose to confess our short comings.  They must have a growing relationship with Jesus. They must listen and not judge. Do they show compassion and mercy, but not pity? They must share their own struggles and their walk with Christ must match their talk.   A sponsor has completed the 12 steps of recovery and an accountability partner is someone who is currently going through the steps.  “Get rid

of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”   Eph 4:31 and remember this scripture “Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will uphold you with My victorious hand.” Isaiah 41:10 - It is God's will to do shocking things through His chosen, ordinary people. First God gets us into situations where we MUST trust in His power and plan.  At this point, even Moses, like us experienced a crisis of faith! "is God really able to part the sea or stop the sun?

Will God fulfill His written promises?" Moses was forced to believe that God would do everything He said He would do. This adjustment of belief is just as critical for us as it was for Moses. God will use our weakness to accomplish His will, and He will save us, restore us and use us to witness to others. God's standards are vastly different than the standards of the world, the scholars, and the church as we know it. Reversely, when a follower of Jesus Christ is fully yielded to God, that same person can be overlooked as insignificant according to world standards.  When we feel weak, limited

and ordinary, we must realize, only then can we be molded and used to fulfill God's will through us. "Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." Psalm 20:7  "Go down to the Potter's house, and there I will give My message. So in happy obedience I went to the Potter's house (His Word), and I saw Him working at the wheel.  But the pot He was shaping from the clay was marred in His hands; so the Potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to Him." Applied prayer:  "Your will be done Father, not mine. I am but putty in Your hands" AMEN