Is it just me or does anyone else (other than my wife) carefully inspect bills?  It still amazes me how much companies are constantly trying to skim (and scam) off the average person!  They'll over charge you - not necessarily large amounts, and then act like it's no big deal.  For them, it's accumulatively large amounts of added income.  For us, it's paying an amount we did not agree to.  Furthermore, when you try to 'cancel' a service, they make it as difficult as possible. 

It seems there's no end to it.  I supposed it's the 'nature of the beast'.

I'm just letting the beast know that I'm hard-headed - and I don't give up.

jas

I'm getting to my blog a little late in the day - we just finished Greek class tonight.  I have four lovely ladies that take the class on Tuesdays.  The astonishing thing for me is that we are only two lessons from being through with Greek 1!  Amazing.  I mean really - Greek is no cake-walk.  You don't take the course because you just feel like doing something on the side.  It can toast your cookies.  Yet these women are hammering through it all and getting it done. I feeling kinda proud - givin' Jesus the glory.

Why learn Koine Greek?  Ask God - He's the one that chose it for what we call the New Testament Scriptures.  How powerful would the church be if the majority knew it - as they once did.  There was a time when every university required taking the course - even in high school a hundred years ago, you were exposed to the language. 

So I see it as planting some seeds.  Undoubtedly, there will be some mighty oaks that come from them; to the glory of God, and Him alone.

jas

I played ball again today.  Basketball.  It requires much running you know.  Jumping too.  I am getting older.  Fortunately Andrew was there - and on my team - therefore, all I had to do was get him the ball and he would do the rest. 

But now, I hurt - as usual.  Does one ever get past the point of work-out pain at this age?  I think not.  It's a perpetual state of soreness.  Whatever.  I still love the game - even if I can't play it worth a flip.

Isn't it strange how strong winds can wear you down?  Especially after 5 or 6 games of full court? 

Anyhow.

God continues to be good to us - as always.  Count your blessings - just 5 - 10 if your feeling ambitious.

1.  Being able to run.
2.  Being able to walk after running so much.
3.  Having a family that is well.
4.  A loving, thriving church family.
5.  Shelter from the wind.
6.  A faithful dog.
7.  Being surrounded with willing servants.
8.  Having a wife who cares.
9.  The unfailing Word.
10.  Hugs from my church family.

What more could a man ask for?

jas

It's Saturday and the building is as always, alive with activity.  Elizabeth, Randal, and Cathy are always here to clean, repair, install, talk, eat (of course!), and best of all encourage.  The smell of coffee and biscuits is all about.  Others drop in - like David Richards, with double armloads of supplies; and Natalie to say 'hi' and visit a bit before taking off into town. Rich swings by to pick up some things from the other day.  The phone rings with calls from our precious ladies, LaRue and Callie, and Brandon calls for updates on the movie night (tonight).

The smell of breakfast is replaced with aroma of 'clean'.  The mud is scrubbed off the nursery mats, music is played, and Roscoe the church mascot plays tag with Cathy when he can distract her for a moment.  Randal and I venture out into the frozen tundra to put the letters on the sign for the movie tonight.  Cathy and Elizabeth are cutting up jalapenos for movie snacks.

Bathrooms are sanitized and the carpet is vacuumed.  The worship music is carefully constructed and the slides are prepped.  The lesson is sharpened and some Greek is tossed about.  Supplies are stocked and arranged.

Wendell, Laura, Arnold, Randy, and Don, begin to filter in for a band practice.  They will be performing at a retreat in Bridgeport in week or so.  So, the building fills with the sounds of praise again - this time, in a live format.  Roscoe takes part with the band.

This evening the building will be teeming with people for the movie.  More fellowship, and no doubt, more encouragement.

It would appear the property is actually serving its purpose - to glorify Him.  If you ever want some down-home Spirit filled encouragement, come visit the building on a Saturday morning.  There's no telling who you will see or what will be taking place.

What a privilege to be a part.

Today I have the honor of performing another funeral service for a friend. 

Funerals are never easy - but some are easier than others.

There seems to be a fine line between living a life that keeps one's mortality in view in regard to living daily for Christ, and being downright morbid about dying one day.

I want to make sure I'm communicating clearly on this: funerals have a way of snapping people into reality; Something that brings a sense of seeing what is most important in life.  As a Christian, I want to live each day for Jesus so that when I reach the end of this old body, I have no regrets (I grant you, I have not fully achieved this goal as of yet).  On the other hand, I do not want to live each day thinking about my death here on earth, so as to give me a constant melancholic attitude.

I actually wonder very little what people will say on my death.  I do however, speculate what God will say.

jas

My discipline and memory to keep this blog updated has been just terrible.  I've put it into my calendar now - I'm out of excuses.

Last weekend Wendell and I were able to share some of our trip to Ecuador and the Amazon with everyone.  Pictures are great, but hardly do justice to the experience as a whole.  Their faces and voices are still very vivid in my mind. 

As a student of cultural studies, I marvel at the influence of 'things' (or the lack of) on the church in different locations.  I think I can accurately sum it up as this: conflict in materially prosperous congregations are usually over trivial matters.  Conflict in materially poor congregations is usually matters of life and death.  Beyond a doubt, the differentiating issue is money (both in the congregation and the geographic location in which it resides).  I certainly do not buy into the notion that prosperous congregations and economic surroundings directly result in corrupt churches.  But I do see a weakness in being unaware of one's wealth and having a perspective outside of the culture one has been raised in.

Money is a tool.  That is all.  It is to be used and controlled with a Christ-like attitude.  I believe that is why God told Moses to instruct the people in the writings we call 'Leviticus', that they should give their tithes and offerings to the Levites - and then understand, it is no longer theirs, but the Levites.  In other words - let it go.  And is it any wonder He set it up this way?  How many arguments and power struggles have we seen over the decades because of 'the money'? 

In an odd way, the poverty of the people from where visited is a blessing - even a luxury.  They already see what is most important.  They are not distracted with the foolishness of petty arguments.  Their world is very real - very serious.  It's a matter of survival - not the control of finances, programs, and the color of carpets and draperies.

I am thankful for the attitude and freedom that God has blessed us with here at CCF.  May our prosperity never come between us and Him.  It all belongs to Him and no other.

jas

It's all just a blur in my mind at the present - we drove 5 hours (of essentially lawless roads) Monday to the edge of the Amazon, Tuesday, hopped in a tiny plane, flew out into the jungle, met some wonderful people, flew back, drove back 5 hours passing through the 'corridor of volcanoes', picking up lava rocks of the world's most active one (while it was spewing ash overhead), Tungurahua, and slid in safe by the hand of God around 10:00pm last night.

I make no excuses - I'm tired.  The people that do this on a regular basis are tougher than nails. 

There is far too much to put into this blog right now of the things and people we have experienced.  Plus, I want to reflect and digest it all to share when I return.  But I will say this - The 'image of God' in man reaches far greater than we can imagine. 

Thank you for your prayers of our safety.  God has honored them and we give Him all the glory. 

Please continue to pray for us as we enter the women's prison today.  The country here is corrupt in and at all levels.  Muggings are common - the police are as dangerous and crooked as the criminals themselves. 

Our love remains with you all,

jas

After spending a FULL day of travel with a layover in Maimi, we made it safely into Quito, Ecuador late last night.  Customs was non-issue (praise God!) and our accomodations are exceptional.

Today we were blessed to worship with brothers and sisters in a small church in town.  I will share more when I return, but it was fantastic to be with another section of the kingdom I had never met before. 

Wendell played 3 songs in worship and I was graciously given time to speak (with an interpreter of course!).  Afterwards, some of the people stayed to work on the construction site of the new building project.  What sincere dedication to the cause.

We just finished watching the Superbowl here - in Spanish, of course.  Several people came in and there was nothing short of a feast to be had.  And I thought I wouldn't be eating much here.......

Tomorrow we start off on the first of the traveling leg to the jungle.  We will drive approx. 5 hours and then stay overnight.  The next day we will fly into the heart of the jungle and go precisely where Elliot and company ministered ('End of the Spear' story).

I won't be able to write for a couple of days.  But I hope to give an update as soon as we return here to Quito.  When we Wednesday we will be going into the prison to minister there.

Know you are all loved and missed.  Please pray for our safety and opportunity to serve. 

Peace and Blessings,

jas

All the supplies for Ecuador are now packed in as tight as we can get them - and I do mean tight.  Even when I arrived this morning, there were more supplies to take.  All of the people here have been so generous!  What a great group of people to serve in the Kingdom with.

When traveling like this, you don't want to leave anything undone that really needs to be done.  What I mean is, it doesn't really matter if I forget toothpaste or extra socks.  Those can be acquired (I think!).  But there are things that must be had to make the travel possible, and the things of uncomfortable subject matters if our return is hindered.  It is those things that are the necessities.  All else is comfort and / or peripheral.

While thinking about this, our life here on earth and the eternal thereafter are not so different.  There are certain things we must have in order when our old heart stops beating or Jesus comes to take up home.  Some things are absolute necessities - such as being under His blood, accepting His lordship, being covered with His grace, and having pursued Him in the light of righteousness.  There are other things that are important in life's journey as well, but they are more peripheral than central. 

It's been my experience in the church that most arguing and fighting is over those peripheral issues (usually based in control attempts) and not central matters concerning Christ.  The apostle Paul even directly confronts this in his letter to the church in Corinth in 1 Cor. 15:3ff when he states the matters of first importance. 

Pray for us please.  Make all important things ready.

jas