Cemetery Speaker

Today at 1pm I will speak for the annual Memorial Day ceremony at our
veterans cemetery. Since the first moment I was asked to speak, I have
carried this assignment in my heart with a deep sense of duty. It is
a huge honor. It is a huge responsibility.

I have to bless the families of those who gave their all for our
freedoms. I have to discuss our freedoms. I have to challenge the
hearers to never forget the fallen, and to remain vigilant in
protecting our liberty.

Please pray God will make my words a benediction to everyone present.
Thank you.

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Cataract Surgery #1

The saga of my eyes is the stuff legends are made of. When six years
old I lived in Illmo MO, which eventually merged with Fornfelt and
Ancell to become Scott City. In other words, ill-mo-mo is-no-mo.

One night our town high school was playing a basketball game against
our arch-rivals, the Chaffee Red Devils. This, by the way, was Ruth's
home at the time.

As the game progressed, I kept asking Dad what the score was. He kept
telling me to look at the scoreboard. I told dad I couldn't see it.
That's how Mom and Dad first realized I needed glasses.

Thus began 52 years of strong prescriptions to undo profound
nearsightedness. I had cataract surgery on my right eye Wednesday. I
guess tomorrow will be the first time in over half a century I have
attended church without wearing glasses. Wow.

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Westward Bound: Epic Church San Fran

For a year, I've watched Epic Church San Francisco being birthed. It became one of the most amazing sagas I've ever witnessed. Five U-Hauls. 12,000 miles. From seven states. A devoted band of believers is heading west, leaving homes, families, jobs, and familiar culture.

Who are these spiritual pioneers? Ben and Shauna Pilgreen and their three boys are heading out from Second. Brad and Mary Keel are heading out from FL. He's a pharmacist who will be the church's worship leader. They are a family of four. He had to take and pass the CA pharmacy board exam to be able to work out there.

Tim and Kristin Milner are heading out from my alma mater, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Tim will serve the church as Executive Pastor. Ben and Lindsey Lee are coming from AL. She will serve as Director of City Life. Ben hopes to find a marketing job in the financial services sector.

Also coming from AL is Josh Hamilton, an accountant who took a job at the Charles Schwab headquarters. TX will be represented by Lee and Lindsey Pilgreen. They are school teachers. Lee is Ben's brother.

Shauna's sister and husband, Matthew and Katy Strickland, are coming from GA, bringing a baby with them. Matt is a computer science software engineer. Coming from CO are Phil and Kaci Rippurger.

22 in all. Horace Greeley would be proud. "Go west, young man, go west." This group of dedicated believers is fulfilling he wish.

423 Verses Memorized

I attended the annual Awana Awards ceremony last night. I think I have
attended them all the 14 years I've been here. Ruth and I love Awana.
She started the program at our church in St. Louis.

Bible memory is Awana's strong suit. Children learn 100 or more verses
a year. Last night four children were given awards for having
memorized 423 verses in 4 years. Their picture is on my Facebook wall.

I've known of children memorizing whole books of the Bible. This
astounds me. I grew up during a time when Bible memory was not
emphasized. I feel I was cheated.

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Outpatient Surgery

Yesterday I had outpatient surgery, following up on a procedure that
was done twelve weeks ago. Everything went well. Prognosis is
excellent. "Thank You, Lord Jesus".

Anesthesia is wonderful, but made for a long night. I had stomach
pains till about 1am. Not real bad, but aggravating enough to keep ne
awake.

Had a headache, something I almost never experience. Again, not
terribly painful, but hurting enough to not let me fall asleep till
after 1am. For a guy who goes to bed at 9pm, 1am is late!!

I will try to rest as much as possible today. I was able to redeem
much of the waiting time yesterday afternoon and evening by editing
two upcoming sermons.

By the way, Ruth is the world's greatest nurse. I love her, and am
grateful for her.

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Sunday May 16

Sundays are always a big day at Second. Five worship services (3
morning, 1 evening, 1 Burmese) and 3 Sunday Schools get us started
each week.

Tomorrow seems to be shaping up as an extra special Sunday. We will
honor high school seniors at 9:30 and 11:00.

Tomorrow night at 5pm we will vote on a prospective youth minister, be
blessed by the "I am the Vine" presentation, and take the Lord's Supper.

I'm spending tonight mastering my sermon manuscript for in the morning.
Pray for me.

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Grandchildren May 2010

At 6:19am Ian and Lilly Ruth came walking down the hall toward our
bedroom, dragging their loveys behind them. I asked why they got up at
the same time. Ian said, "I woke up Lilly because we wanted to go find
out if it was still dark."

At the grocery store, Sam broke into a box of white powder donuts. He
tried to look innocent, but incriminating evidence was all over his
face.

Caleb is receiving more and more invitations to come play his cello.
He's good. He has begun taking guitar lessons from Ryan Myers.

Amanda says Grandchild 5 is doing well in the oven. I trust her
judgment.

I love being a grandpa. I also enjoy being married to my
grandchildren's grandmother.

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Mothers Day 2010

Ruth said, without doubt this was one of the grandest Mothers Days
ever. I agree. The day began with a resounding start--3 glorious
worship services at Second.

We then headed to our daughter Rebekah's house. She set the table with
nostalgic heirloom tableware from several sides of the family. We
laughed a lot, ate way too much, and took a ton of pictures. I'm
confident several will show up on Rebekah's blog at www.blogspot.yeebird.com
.

An added special touch was the fact Amanda is pregnant. We are all
excited about the coming baby.

To end the day Ruth and I ate supper with my aunt and her new husband.
They are giddily happy. It blesses me to see widow/widower marriages
that bring happiness in the golden years.

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Church Planting Novice

I am safely home after a roundtrip visit to Kansas City. My task was
to preach to Baptist KC area Pastors on the subject of. . .you won't
believe it. . . church planting.

Word has begun to circulate about Second's new church starts: San
Francisco, Bolivar, Strafford, Greene County next Easter, etc. I fear
people may be tempted to think I'm proficient in church planting.

Nothing could be further from the truth. I am a novice, franticly
reading, talking, and learning every other way I possibly can. This is
new territory to me. It's a pilgrimage Second and I will have to take
together, one step at a time.

Ruth made the trip with me. Made the journey a piece of Heaven for me.
She went to Bannister Mall to shop, but it was closed, out of
business, buildings torn down. For a shopper, devastation like this
can be disconcerting.

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Triathlete

My daughter Rebekah completed a triathlon today in Columbia MO. Ruth
and Nathan were there to share in the joy.

I don't know what to say. No one in our family has ever done anything
like this. I couldn't be prouder of Rebekah if she had won an Olympic
medal.

She joined an elite club today. Less than 1% of USA Americans have
completed a triathlon.

She trained for months at the Meyer Center. She took swimming lessons,
rode endless miles on a bike, and ran long distances. Her goal was to
lose 40 pounds in the process. She made it.

An interesting footnote to the day. John Edie's daughter was in the
same race. Neither he nor I knew the other one's daughter was there.

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San Fran Epic Church

In less than a month, the Pilgreens will be moving to San Francisco to
start Epic Church. They are not going alone. A total of 22 (13 adults,
8 children) are heeding the call, "Go west, young man, go west."

Ben will be the only full-time staff member. All the others will be bi-
vocational. This transition is not a minor matter. Lives are being
totally uprooted to birth Epic Church.

One couple has divested themselves of almost all their earthly
possessions. They are moving into a 460-square-foot apartment (step it
off) for $1800 a month. The husband has a job interview coming up soon
out there. Pray for him.

I envy the brave, free thinking spirit of the young. They don't know
enough to know it can't be done. They therefore do it. I think the
naysayers have met their match in this westward bound band. A part of
my heart is going with them.

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