Branson Getaway

Since I don't have to preach this Memorial Day Weekend Sunday, Ruth and I decided to slip away for a Friday overnighter in Branson.

We like it here. Accommodations are reasonable, people are friendly, and Silver Dollar City is nearby.

Yesterday I found another reason to like Branson. While browsing through the St Louis Cardinals (Did I mention they have the best record in baseball?) store, I heard Christian music. When I stepped outside, I heard Christian music being played over the Branson Landing PA System. Yay. Way to go.

Looking for fun in our own back yard? I recommend Branson. One warning: beware traffic on Country Music Boulevard.

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I Miss My Small Group

If one purpose of a small group is to promote close bonding, our group has to be doing something right. I miss our Thursday night college students. I miss their zest for life, their love for Ruth and me, their commitment to the Scriptures, their voracious appetites, their laughter, their crazy antics surrounding each session's picture.

I've learned they love pizza, lemonade, and chocolate milk. Whenever I see any of these three items, I think of my college group. When I see people standing up and talking while eating, I think of my group. When I see it's Thursday, I think of my group. Wow. It's going to be a long summer. I'm ready for August to get here.

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Miskito Poverty

On my  flight into Managua, I sat next to the first Swedenborgian I have ever met. A small Christian group, their most famous adherent was Helen Keller.

I think I was the first Baptist preacher he had ever met. His office is one block away from the Empire State Building. He oversees a resort for the wealthiest family in Nicaragua.

He was an utter contrast to the Pastors I met the next morning. Twenty-one Miskitos had ridden an old bus for 21 hours to reach Managua. Several of them had walked ten hours to catch the bus. They had no currency with them. John Edie's ministry had to cover all their expenses.

They appreciated every gesture of kindness. It was a refreshing experience for me. I truly felt they were the kind of people Jesus would have been very comfortable with.

Miskito

I have fallen in love with another people group, the Miskito of Nicaragua. They live on the far Eastern side of Nicaragua.

Their isolation has long caused them to be overlooked by the government in Managua. In 2009 they declared their independence from Nicaragua. A silent stalemate has followed their announcement.

Their nation of about 300,000 is ruled by seven Elders. Three of these men are Pastors, and were among the Pastors School students John Edie and I taught this week in Managua. One of the three is the lead elder of the Miskitos. He is the driving force behind their effort to gain independence.

This effort on their part is no surprise. They have a strong independent streak. The Spanish Conquistadors were never able to defeat them. When I referred to this fact in my lesson, they spontaneously broke into exuberant applause. I'll blog more about them in the next few days.

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Pastors

This week I will be spending a lot of time with Pastors. I love them. My family has produced seven consecutive generations of them, now that my son is a co-Pastor at his church.

Pastors are not as revered as they once were. This saddens me, for they have the highest position in a local church, and should be honored accordingly.

Pope, Prelate, Cardinal, vicar--these all matter, but their jobs are not mentioned in the Bible. However, the humblest Pastor of the smallest country church can find the name of his office in the Bible.

Thank you, Second, for always honoring me. May other churches do the same.

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Record Storm

For many, including me, this is the first time we have seen snow fall in May. I am in awe. This may never happen again in our lifetimes.

This May snowfall is extra poignant to me because I was in the 1980s the Pastor of an elderly man who remembered the last big May snowfall in Missouri, about 1929 or so. He loved to tell the story. The storm caught everyone by surprise. He was not dressed in winter clothes. When the snow began to fall, he knew history was in the making. He pulled to the side of the road, got out of his car, and stood in the snow for a few minutes to relish the moment.

He said he knew it would never happen again, and he wanted to never forget it. He never did. He took that story to the grave with him. It also stuck with me. I'm thinking of him today. He would be awed too.

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College Group Finale

Tomorrow night will be our last small group meeting for this school year. This is a bittersweet time for Ruth and me. We will miss our gatherings, but are thrilled with the lifetime memories we had.

Ruth and I fell in love with this group. Their enthusiasm for life is contagious. We can hardly wait to resume meeting in August.

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