I’m back! And, believe me, it feels good! Between the trip to Romania, Jim McDonald’s presentation, and surgery, I have been out of the pulpit six out of the past seven Sabbaths. Next week will be the baccalaureate service for Napa Christian and then I should be back on track for the following several weeks. John and Cristina Grys will be arriving in early July and should be here for Sabbath, July 14. You will probably get your first chance to hear him preach on July 28 as I will be conducting a wedding back east. Won’t it be grand to have things back on track.
I do want to sincerely thank all of you who have sent cards, emails, and other good wishes over the past couple of weeks. I also want to thank all of you who continue to work to make things happen around here through the week and on Sabbath. I watched both of the services on line the past two Sabbaths and it is wonderful to be able to do so. However, it certainly does not take the place of being there with you, talking in person, and having the physical contact. Our church family is a treasure that you can’t fully appreciate unless you have been a part of many other church families. In my almost 34 years of ministry I find this church body to be exceptional. Keep it up!
I am still quite tender in spots, but am gaining strength and increasing flexibility daily and I am trying to be patient during the whole process. It is quite humbling to have to allow others to do some of the very simple things that you want to do for yourself. I guess that mentality is what makes the whole process of salvation so difficult isn’t it? We are able to do absolutely nothing for ourselves and must humble ourselves before our God.
Now we are into the summer months. I know that many, or most, of you will have travel plans and activities that will take you away, and that is always a good thing. But, please don’t forget the needs of your home church while you are away. Our church budget has lagged behind the first half of this year and we really need to get it back on track. You have always responded so generously to appeals through the years. I am appealing to you to respond to our local needs at this time. We can’t reach out to others if we are not completely healthy ourselves. This is certainly not an emergency situation, but it is a serious concern to our finance committee. I am confident that we will balance it out in the second half of the year.
I want to share a story that Sheila Chirco sent to me this past week. It’s just a story, but it certainly rings true.
“Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of passage?
His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.
The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man!
Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.
We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, our Lord Jesus is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.”
I’ll be sharing another report she sent to me next week that I think you will find interesting as well.
As we attended the memorial service for Mark Blue last Sabbath afternoon we were thankful to sense that our Father was sitting right next to us and especially right next to Christy, her children, and the rest of the family. Just this morning I received news that the wife of Ernie West passed away suddenly this past weekend. Ernie was the pastor in Petaluma and Novato and now is pastoring near Redding. There is so much pain, uncertainty, and fear all around us and it seems it is hitting so many families who are far too young to expect these trials. It is comforting to know that when morning comes we will find our Father has been right beside us all through the night. My prayer is that morning might come soon.
I do want to offer hearty congratulations to all of our students graduating from 8th grade, high school, college, and graduate programs. Education is a precious gift and when we can have a Christian education it is a special privilege. We acknowledge all the hard work that you have put into your studies and we pray that the knowledge you have attained will be used to glorify God and benefit others. Enjoy your summer!
