I don't know if this is real, but it is worth reading.

This will give you the chills.......
GOOD chills. A young man had been to Wednesday Night Bible Study.

The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voice. The young man couldn't help but wonder, 'Does God still speak to people?'
After service, he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message.
Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways...

It was about ten o'clock when the young man started
driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, 'God...If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey.'

As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk. He shook his head and said out loud, 'God is that you?' He didn't get a reply and started on toward home. But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk.

The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli.

'Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk.' It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.
As he passed Seventh Street, he again felt the urge, 'Turn Down that street.' This is crazy he thought, and drove on past the intersection. Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street . At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh. Half jokingly, he said out loud, 'Okay, God, I will.'

He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop. He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi- commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed.
Again, he sensed something, 'Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street.' The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat.

'Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid.' Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk.

Finally, he opened the door, 'Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk. If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for something, but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here.'
He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, 'Who is it? What do you want?' Then the door opened before the young man could answer.

The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. 'What is it?'
The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, 'Here, I brought this to you.' The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway.

Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face.

The man began speaking and half crying, 'We were praying. We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk..'
His wife in the kitchen yelled out, 'I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?'The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put it in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face.

Are we truly listening for the urging of the Spirit in our lives?  

For better and worse

Dawn is both a little better and a little worse. The treatment increases in dosage every couple of days. Yesterday was her first increase and it nocked her a little further into woozyville and added a bit more to the nausea with which she's been dealing since beginning these treatments. As for the "better," she mentioned this morning that the pain seems to have lessened a little. We're not doing backflips yet, but our prayer is that the easing of the pain will continue through the coming days.



The view from the waiting room holds a nice angle of Billy Penn as the early Sun pushes its light over the tall buildings. This picture is of Mr. Penn's statue, but I didn't take it and the angle isn't from the waiting room window. Still, you get the idea.

Tom

New School Prayer:

WRITTEN BY A 15 yr. Old SCHOOL KID IN ARIZONA:

Since the Pledge of Allegiance and The Lord's Prayer are not allowed in most public schools anymore because the word 'God' is mentioned, a kid in Arizona wrote what follows: 

New School Prayer:

 Now I sit me down in school where praying is against the rule

For this great nation under God finds mention of Him very odd.

If Scripture now the class recites, it violates the Bill of Rights.

And anytime my head I bow becomes a Federal matter now.

Our hair can be purple, orange or green, that's no offense; it's a freedom scene.

The law is specific, the law is precise. Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.  

For praying in a public hall might offend someone with no faith at all.

In silence alone we must meditate, God's name is prohibited by the state.

We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks, and pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks..

They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.  To quote the Good Book makes me liable.

We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen, and the 'unwed daddy,' our Senior King.

It's 'inappropriate' to teach right from wrong, we're taught that such 'judgments' do not belong.

We can get our condoms and birth controls, study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.

But the Ten Commandments are not allowed, no word of God must reach this crowd.  

It's scary here I must confess, when chaos reigns the school's a mess.

So, Lord, this silent plea I make: Should I be shot; My soul please take!

Amen 

This was sent to me in an email and at some point along the way was tagged with one of those lines that try to guilt me into forwarding it.  I promptly deleted the guilt and posted the story here.   Is this really how we've let our society develop?  Are we in the process of pushing God right out of everything public?  One can only wonder where this will end.  Come Lord Jesus.

Tom

In need of prayer

What follows is a letter from a missionary in Venezuela. It is getting very bad down there. Please add these people to your prayer list. Tom

Dear brothers and sisters
My family and I are sending a warm greeting to all you.
I would like to say that everything in my country is fine but the true is everything is going worse every day. The crime is increasing very fast, the government has not the capacity to stop the crime and many people are killing by deliquescent , during the weekend the crime increase , we have more people killed than the Iraq's war.
A group of the Harding University came to Venezuela to help San Antonio Church ( 30 minutes from Caracas)They had a campaign for two weeks, my daughter Karen came with them to work in the campaign , one night after finish the conference a lady RosaVirginia where Karen and one American girl called Kelly were stayed decided to stop on store to buy some food, there were four men in same place, those men start to follow the girls , when they are entering in the building where they are staying , they were stopped with those men and three of the came into the car and the other one stayed in their car, those men forced the girls to go with them in the girl´s car and the men put their guns in the head of the girls for three hours, they kidnapped the girls, here in Venezuela the criminal people take people to ask for money to their family, that is called express kidnap , They ask Karen who are I am, where I work, where we live and those questions they asked to all of them , they want to take one of them to another stated , my daughter was praying and also the lady, those men started to shout to Kelly she was crying, she cannot understand what they say to her, they kept the girls for three hours and they decided to release the girls in a dangerous place, they took the girl´s car and all the bags with the things of the girls, Kelly´s passport was taken by the men, thank God they did not do any physical damage to the girls. Karen is very affected with that situation, I have had to take her to doctors, she felt very bad, her health is no fine, we had to talk to the Harding university to stop her study, we are planning to send her back to Harding university in January in the next year, the doctors recommended it. My wife is affected, that hurt us very much but we trust in God. I beg you to pray for us , we are having hard time in this moment.
Venezuela is not safe for people, the corruption is increase everyday and the price of everything is expensive.
We are baptized five persons last month, I am sending pictures of them, I continue working in a city called San Juan De Los Morros, we have bible study every Tuesday and also there is another city close to Maracay called Cagua, we have Bible study every Monday
We have many people in Church who have many emotional problems, I am helping them, I go to Los Teques Church ( two hours from Mararcay driving) to help members with this problem, I spent all day working with them that is Thursday .
I would like to know if you receive this e-mail please let me know
God bless you
We are God´s soldiers for this world
Jorge Perez

Still more ancient notbook (are you tired of these yet?)

What I have done for you

The stars are silently placed in their high perch in the heavens, with a thought the sun begins to glow and the earth is formed. In a beautiful garden, life is breathed both into a man, and into a world and in a whisper on the new wind, words are spoken, “This is what I have done for you.”

Time is created and rolls swiftly on its course and blessings cascade on the world one after another like cool waves of the sea on a sunny shore. A heavenly smile is continuously cast upon earthly children and in a cheerful exalted voice that rides on a sunbeam again it is proclaimed, “This is what I have done for you!”

Then the world falls and the life given becomes stagnant in disobedience and offensive in sin. The gift of life is horribly abused and the only possible true punishment is the loss of that gift. Thus enters death into the world and sorrow finds its way into the heart of the Creator.

Time again passes on the on the blue ball and though some continue after the true and the right, others become self-absorbed and gods unto themselves. With the penalty of death still hanging over their heads the people continue on in their own designs without pause or prayer to Him who Is. Yet in his forbearance, he allows it to continue.

A baby is born and grows into a healthy young man and at some point in his years he realizes that he is living in a world which he made. Perhaps he notices that the flowers seem to look like a far away dream, or maybe the crisp air curls around his face like a kiss as he walks in the morning hours. Perhaps while sitting in a grove of trees, a robin lands on his knee and sings the sweet song of love as one sings for a friend. The boy grows in body and spirit and comes to understand his power and purpose in the world that he created. Once again the light from a heavenly smile beams down on the small globe. With the presence of God on earth the very air seems to shout, “This is what I have done for you!”

With his mission forever in front of him, Jesus gathers his flock and begins to teach them how to please the One who Is; life for the sake of love, and love for the gift of life. But still hanging like a noose, is the punishment of death. To be pure and just, that debt must be paid.

With signs given and miracles shared, the teacher moves across the face of his world. Some follow true to him, others leave when his teachings come in conflict with their desires. Others despise him for shattering their shallow packaged lives. Growing room must be forged out of the protective fences built by the prideful and self-important.

In his eyes shine love while in theirs grow the glare of hate. He teaches strangers of brotherhood and they treat brothers as strangers. They want nothing but to take his life not knowing that his life is ultimately the very gift he will give to his people, his world.

In a garden, dark from hours past the man kneels and prays. His heart is given as his body will soon be. From his forehead flows sweat as from his eyes flow tears. The trusted followers sleep on their watch as an angry crowd appears. Jesus is taken, not with swords and clubs, but with the kiss of one he had called friend. Force doesn't bend him to their will, but his obedience to the will of his Father in heaven.

An already dismal night grows even darker as time slowly passes in what has come to be the most eventful night in history. On a rugged pole with a splintery crossbar hangs the man who had known the sent of a flower before he came close enough to smell it. His love is poured out in blood. His heart, the heart that beats in time with the rhythm of all creation, is nearly crushed by the weight of the sins of the world. This great man who had done nothing wrong speaks with his last breath, “It is finished.” …

… and in heaven the One who Is turns away from his Son and speaks in an eternal whisper to each person in the world, “This, is what I have done for you!”

Tom Shuff

Another visit to my little notbook of things written and forgotten

The Legacy of Eve

In the early morning hours as the sweet smell of creation lingers in the new air, Adam lay asleep. With the gentlest touch a rib is taken from his side and in his slumber he feels, as a soft breeze on his face, the breath of his comforting God. The rib lifts slowly in the air and floats above the man from whom it had been taken, and there it waits. God looks at Adam and sees in him a wondrous being of flesh and spirit. The prefect combination of emotionally driven man with the soul that is able to connect with the Creator himself. Then God looks with Adam’s heart where He knows exists an emptiness. He knows something is left missing. Then God smiles, and with a slight turn of His wrist he extends His mighty hand out beneath the floating rib and allows power to flow from His fingertips. Within the masterfully creative mind of God exist a picture, and the hovering rib begins to move and grow to match. As God wills, it changes and becomes the companion for the man. With only a thought He has given to man a being full of compassion. With less than a gesture He has gifted creation with a motivating force that will be the cause of a myriad of wonderful things. In less than an instant the awesome God has inspired countless poems, stories and songs. He has created the most perfect work of art, and the exact answers to an empty heart. He gave love to man in the form of woman. As this incredible woman floats like a feather down beside Adam, her arm gently falls across his chest and her perfect face brushes up next to his. There in the quiet dawn of a day bursting with wonderful new possibilities, while they both lie asleep, the very first human embrace gently occurs and is seen only by the eyes of the Creator. In a moment of splendor God whispers his breath on the two and calls for them to rise from his creative sleep. They do not see him as they wake; they only stare into each others starry eyes amazed at the overwhelming joy that fills their hearts. This joy will set in place a continuing pattern for everyone ever blessed to gaze into the eyes of the one they love.
A legacy was also created on that day. In the light of that creation, when God looked at Adam and Eve, He could see each couple to follow. While in his infinite wisdom He saw how happy His precious new gift would make Adam and Eve, He also knew how happy we could make each other. He knew that the touch of the one we love would fill us with the same awe Adam must have felt waking to see Eve beside him.
If Adam felt anything similar to what we are capable of, once he woke to see Eve, he must have never wanted to close his eyes again. May we often remember to take the opportunity to gaze into the eyes of the one we love as we did at the beginning.

Tom Shuff

On the way to church ...

I pulled up to the curb as I always do when we are late. I opened the automatic sliding door on the van and Christian was the first one out. In the blink of an eye he jumped to the sidewalk, jumped up and grabbed the stone blocks that top the wall to the right of the steps. That fast, two stone blocks fell from the wall and one of them hit him on the head and face as it fell to the sidewalk. He stood there for a moment thinking he was in trouble and calmly stated "Well, that never happened before." That is when we first saw the blood. A significant gash had been cut into his forehead at his hairline. Dawn was calm, I got somewhat panicky. We got him to the ER where he had 9 stitches in his forehead which are enhanced by some cuts and scrapes down his nose lip and chin. He's doing a little better now but he will be feeling this for some time. We stayed home tonight and hung out. We also prayed and hugged a lot.

Tom

Been working hard

Wow, what happened. I've been so busy with everything that I haven't had a spare moment to blog. Sorry. I'll try to do better. My special thanks to Jel for her help on a project I'm working on. Her photography is excellent. She let me use one of her shots for a website I'm working on. It isn't completed yet, but you can see Jel's hawk picture on the home page at www.blueskyrep.com. Thanks again Jel.

Also thanks to everyone who has been praying for Dawn. She and I both appreciate it very much.

Tom

RSD

Many of you have been praying for my wife Dawn for a while. I so appreciate your concern for her, but I probably haven't been very good at explaining what's going on. Dawn has RSD. It started after she had surgery this past November to remove a cartilage tumor in her left ring finger. Her cartilage tumor came because a bit of cartilage in that finger never turned to bone. The tumor was benign and they took a small bit of bone from her wrist and put it where the bone in her finger should have been. Dawn should have been better within weeks, but the pain never went away. It actually got worse and moved up her arm and across her shoulders. After going back to the doctors a many times we found out that she was exhibiting all the signs of RSD (also knows as CRPS or Complex Regional Pain Syndrome). I’ve included some descriptions below of RSD. You can see this and more at http://www.rsds.org/index2.html. Not too many people are aware of RSD. We sure weren't. I'm wearing a small orange RSD Awareness wrist band on my left hand. I hate to have things on my wrist, but if Dawn is going through this constant pain in her left hand and arm, the very least I can do is have this supportive minor annoyance on mine.

Thanks for your concern and your prayers.
Tom

RSD (Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy) is a chronic neurological syndrome characterized by:
* severe burning pain
* pathological changes in bone and skin
* excessive sweating
* tissue swelling
* extreme sensitivity to touch
There are Two Types of CRPS - Type I and Type II
* CRPS Type I (also referred to as RSD) - cases in which the nerve injury cannot be immediately identified
* CRPS Type II (also referred to as Causalgia) - cases in which a distinct "major" nerve injury has occurred
* CRPS is best described in terms of an injury to a nerve or soft tissue (e.g. broken bone) that does not follow the normal healing path
* CRPS development does not appear to depend on the magnitude of the injury. The sympathetic nervous system seems to assume an abnormal function after an injury.
* Since there is no single laboratory test to diagnose CRPS, the physician must assess and document both subjective complaints (medical history) and, if present, objective findings (physical examination).
Criteria for Diagnosing

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type I (RSD)
* The presence of an initiating noxious event, or a cause of immobilization
* Continuing pain, allodynia, or hyperalgesia with which the pain is disproportionate to any inciting event
* Evidence at some time of edema, changes in skin blood flow (skin color changes, skin temperature changes more than 1.1°C difference from the homologous body part), or abnormal sudomotor activity in the region of the pain
* This diagnosis is excluded by the existence of conditions that would otherwise account for the degree of pain and dysfunction
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type II (Causalgia)
* The presence of continuing pain, allodynia, or hyperalgesia after a nerve injury, not necessarily limited to the distribution of the injured nerve
* Evidence at some time of edema, changes in skin blood flow (skin color changes, skin temperature changes more than 1.1°C difference from the homologous body part), or abnormal sudomotor activity in the region of pain
This diagnosis is excluded by the existence of conditions that would otherwise account for the degree of pain and dysfunction.

Finally Moving Forward

Hello all. I've lost count of the time since the congregation here stepped into the thirsty land of trying to function without a minister. It is no secret that I deeply miss the man and the family we had. I said prior to their moving that I was sure that God had a plan for them and I believe that has proven true. It has taken us some time and the process has not been without its share of difficulties, but we have finally moved forward. As of sometime in late June or early July, Bill McGee will come here and take up the post of minister for us. It is my hope and prayer that the days, months and years following his arrival will prove productive days blessed by God. May we reach out to this community and share with them the truth that comes from knowing Jesus. Please pray for us in this time.

ON a personal note, fishing will still not be the same.

Update on Dawn

I've been a little busy the past couple of days. Dawn is doing alright. She's still in a lot of pain but we have some hope that this operation has a good chance of helping her with her RSD. Some of the medicine that they had given her for the RSD hadn't worked prior to this surgery, but is now giving her some relief. Please keep her in your prayers. If this doesn't work to fix the RSD she will have to undergo some significantly difficult procedures.

Thank you for keeping her in your prayers.

Tom

Operation, The Wacky Doctor Game

Dawn considering a test drive just before we bought our Honda Odyssey

Dawn made it through her second hand surgery. This one was to loosen her tendons and ligaments so that she could have use of her finger, but more importantly so that perhaps the RSD would be somewhat relieved. She has been in significant pain in her hand, up her arm and across her shoulders. She is in a lot of pain at the moment, but we are hoping that as her finger re-heals that her pain receptacles in her brain will reset and she won't feel the constant pain she was in before. Please keep her in your prayers.

Thanks,

Tom