Goodbye July

I'm headed home. I won't turn on the computer again until next month, so that's it for July!

Anniversary

One year ago today I resigned as a missionary from the IMB to pastor a church.

I'm not sad I resigned; a little melancholy, perhaps.



I first started with the Board in 1989 when I was appointed under Keith Parks as a Journeyman to Hong Kong. During that time, I helped to plant a church in Kowloon, New Hope Baptist Church. I was honored when the church planting team agreed on my suggestion for the name of the church, for at that time, (pre-1997) no one knew what the future of HK held with China looming overhead. Everyone was afraid and had lost hope.



It is fitting that I ended my missionary "career" in Hong Kong. After a tour in West Africa, then in East Asia, we transferred to Hong Kong. I honestly thought that we would retire with the Board and become "Emeritus", but God had other plans.



Most of our missionary service was "support". Not a very glamorous position, but necessary nonetheless. We considered ourselves to be like Aaron and Hur, providing support to Moses has he did what God called him to do.

We loved serving in West Africa. Africa is like a huge goldfish bowl where missionaries are the fish. It is like that to some degree in Asia, but it is much more severe in Africa. We experienced so much in our first term there. God transformed us and He used us. He allowed us to serve in both little and big ways. I pray that He found us faithful.



Then civil war.

We left the land and people we loved and followed God to Thailand. Again, we had a service of service. No glamor, unless you like being in AGM videos (which I secretly did). [OK, perhaps not SECRETLY!] The work there was email intensive. I joked that "I used to be a missionary, but now I answer email for a living". That wasn't far off. But what we did, and what they still do, is extremely important to keep the mission machine working.

If you have a missionary to speak in your church and they say something like "well, I"m only in support missions" or some other nonsense like that, please do your best to affirm them and encourage them in their work. I would rather be found faithful doing what I was called to do, than the alternative. Wouldn't you?

RAIN!

Yep, the weatherman was right! We actually got a little bit of rain this morning. Of course, it had ended by 8 am. By 9:30 the sun was shining brightly, so now, at 10:50, it is hot and steamy. Thankfully, the high is only supposed to be 94, so I guess it could be worse!

Happy Birthday, Pam!

Today is my little sister's (Pam Goodell) birthday! She is FORTY TWO years old! Wow! How can I have a little sister that is 42? (Yikes!)

I love my sister. I have given her grief over the years, but that's what a big brother is for. Then again, she has given me grief over the years, too, but that's what a little sister is for!

As we have both grown, so has our relationship. I've seen my little sister be strong through some very, very tough situations that would have broken a weaker person. However, my little sister has something that many strong people do not: she has a great faith in God!

Yessiree, my little sister is a go-getter! She gets what she puts her mind to and what she puts her mind to always benefits her family and brings glory to God. From teaching Sunday School to getting ready to be a school teacher, my little sister is a keeper!

But, since I am her older brother, I have to put some cutesie pictures of her on my website!


Here is Baby Pamela at just a few weeks old with our grandmother, Meme, and me.


Here we are at Cowskin Bay near Grove, OK, on Grand Lake. We almost lived our weekends at the lake. So much so, that one summer, we had perfect attendance at the local church!


Here we are dressed up for Christmas 1967. We have both always had a certain pinache.


Here we are with Mom in the spring of 1968. This is where we lived until about 1971. I always loved those red steps.


And here we are today. This was at our Meme's house in Muskogee this past Easter.

I love you, Pam. Happy Birthday!

Livin' Like the Rockefellers

One of our church members, Dee Berryhill, drives a limousine part time. Today he had a call to drive some folks to the airport and he dropped by the church on the way home. I called the kids to come over and look at it and he then offered to drive them home. I hopped in for good measure (I'm just a big kid) and rode home in style. He backed it in our driveway and cars had to wait on us. However, they didn't just drive on by. They crept by real slow to see who was gonna get out of that limo. I'm sure they were sorely disappointed to find out it was only me!


Dee Berryhill and limo in front of the church (and it wasn't even a funeral! )


Emily and Audrey living it up in their 2 minute limo ride.


Dee and limo in front of Chez Boyne (aka the pastorium)

Super Saturday

Saturday, we packed up the kids and headed for the Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa. When we arrived, the Tulsa Model A Club was all parked out in the parking lot. I have never seen so many Model A's at the same time! It was wonderful!


Looks like a 1930's used car lot!


I think I liked this one best.


A beautiful sedan.


Close of up a hood ornament/radiator cap.


I wish Mr. Miagi would say, "Take your pick".

Great Friday

We had a really great day last Friday, as we spent it with my folks on Ft. Gibson Lake. We went out Thursday night and spent the night. While the day was stifling hot, we went out on the pontoon boat for a ride around the lake and a swim. All went well until my knot slipped and we lost the anchor. And to think, I once got a Merit Badge in knots!


This is the view from the lake towards my folks' house and dock. Their dock is the second one from the right, with the doors open.


Here is my dad, mom, and Audrey, on the pontoon boat.


Audrey, Emily, and Sally taking a dip in the lake.


A couple of docks broke loose during the recent flooding and stranded themselves on dry land. Not a good situation.



A Blue Heron takes a rest on a "No Wake" buoy.

Hello Dolly!

(Click for larger image)

Hurricane Dolly is having a "good" effect on NE Oklahoma this week as it will alter our forecast from triple digits all week long to highs of mid-upper 90's for Tuesday-Thursday with a chance of rain Tuesday and Wednesday!

Any relief is welcome as we still have an "Excessive Heat Warning" for our part of the State.

Reader Poll

OK, with Dori Hawker's comment about opening Christmas presents on Christmas morning instead of the correct time (Christmas Eve), I thought I'd conduct a little reader poll and see what you think.

You can find the poll on the right hand column, 3rd item down. I have cast the first vote myself.

5 months from tonight

5 months from tonight we'll be at my grandma's house opening Christmas presents!

Doesn't that just bring a smile to your soul?!?

In four months and four days, I can start putting up my Christmas lights!

Yippee!!!!!!!!!!!

I told you it was hot...

...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THURSDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TULSA HAS ISSUED A HEAT
ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT THURSDAY FOR THE
FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN OKLAHOMA...
OSAGE...WASHINGTON...NOWATA...PAWNEE...TULSA...ROGERS...CREEK...
WAGONER.

HEAT INDEX VALUES OF AROUND 1O5 DEGREES ARE EXPECTED ACROSS
THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND AGAIN THURSDAY AFTERNOON AS
TEMPERATURES SOAR INTO THE UPPER 90S TO NEAR 100 DEGREES. THESE
TEMPERATURES COMBINED WITH THE HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL
CREATE THE HEAT INDEX VALUES OF AROUND 105 DEGREES.

THIS HEAT ADVISORY MAY BE UPGRADED TO AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING AS
TEMPERATURES ARE FORECASTED TO EXCEED THE CENTURY MARK ACROSS
MUCH THE ADVISORY AREA THIS WEEKEND.

A HEAT ADVISORY MEANS THAT A PERIOD OF HOT TEMPERATURES IS
EXPECTED. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY
WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE
POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS...STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED
ROOM...STAY OUT OF THE SUN...AND CHECK UP ON RELATIVES AND
NEIGHBORS.

Dog Days of Summer

There is nothing like Oklahoma in July. Unless it is Oklahoma in August!

The temperatures are hovering in the high (very high) 90's and humidity is starting to play a part in the daily heat.

OK, OK! I know... It was hotter in West Africa! Much hotter. And it was hotter in Bangkok. Hong Kong is more humid. I know these things.

But I'm in Oklahoma right now. Sweating.

If it's on the internet, it must be true

I am totally amazed at the email that people forward to me. I think most folks must have the mentality that if it is on the internet, it must be true.

Now, don't get me wrong! Some of the jokes that are forwarded to me are absolutely hilarious. Some are just downright racists, sexist, and quite frankly, vulgar. Some of the pictures are beautiful and cute; some are just down right corny.

What gets me, though, are the emails that claim to be warning you of a danger you never knew existed or spreading dirt on someone. There was one, forwarded to me most recently by no less that 8 different people, claiming that Obama is/will be the anti-Christ, claiming that the Bible said that the anti-Christ will be of Muslim decent.

The Bible says that?

I don't think so.

Islam wasn't even "dreamed up" "imagined" "created" until 610 AD. (AD stands for the Latin Anno Domini, which means "year of our Lord" [Jesus]) There is no way that the Bible would say that the anti-Christ would come from MUSLIM decent!

www.snopes.com is there for a reason! So is www.breakthechain.org. If you get an email forwarded to you that says to "forward this to everyone in your address book right now", JUST SAY "NO"! If it is something that sounds reasonable, check it out at one of the two websites before just blindly forwarding it on.

By the way, a beautiful prayer or a beautiful poem about God or about the US is fine, but when it says that if "you love Jesus, forward this to all your friends in the next 5 minutes or your dog will die", then it kind of loses its appeal.

Please be responsible with your forwards. Be kind to my inbox.

Thanks Mom!

My sister, Pam, and me at my 5th birthday party.

44 years ago today, my mother "labored" to bring me into the world. She has been and still is a fantastic wonderful mother that has taught me how to laugh and love in abundance.

As I look at the 44th anniversary of my birth, I can't help but to see an incredible blessing from God as He gave me my extended family then and my wonderful wife and children now. He has given me a host of friends all around the world. In fact, He has allowed me to see more of the world than most people could ever even dream about. He has allowed me to serve Him in 5 foreign countries and now back here at home.

As I look to the future, not knowing whether it will be a long future or a short future (for that is all in God's hands), I pray that I will be all that God wants me to be and a blessing to others. I want to see my daughters grow up into faithful women of God, blessings to their husbands and children. I want to see my church be faithful to God, being all it can be for His glory. I want to be a constant encourager and supporter for my wife, so that she can serve the Lord to His glory.

If you ever happen to pray for me, pray that I would be continually filled with the Holy Spirit and that God would give me wisdom.

Direct Affront to God

On August 25, 2008, the new BOK Center in Tulsa has decided to do a "Traditional Indian Blessing" before the opening of their new convention hall. I would like to say that I strongly protest this event on the grounds that it is a direct offense to God.

I am not saying this on racial grounds, for I, myself, have Cherokee blood. However, I denounce the pagan practices by my ancestors and by the living tribe. I proclaim that instead of a blessing, the BOK Center will be bringing down a curse upon them, for they do not ask a blessing from God, but from their spirits.

We, as Oklahomans, are much too nonchalant when it comes to embracing pagan practices. It isn't politically correct to call Native American religious practices "Pagan" but that is exactly what they are. We tend to look at Native American culture as "tradition" or "natural", but if it doesn't worship God, then it is NOT OF GOD!

Perhaps this sounds a bit strange coming from me. Perhaps you have never heard me talk this way before. Well, it is because I am tired of compromise. I am tired of people being wishy-washy and claiming to be Christian, but then practicing paganism.

Fellow Oklahomans, get off the fence! It is either God or it is not God. You cannot be both Christian and practice traditional Indian religions. Look at Commandments 1 and 2!

I call upon the City of Tulsa, the directors of the BOK Center, the Bank of Oklahoma, and the Kaiser family to stop this affront to God.

Better Late Than Never

Well, I've been a bit too busy to post some of the pictures from July the Fourth. In the past two days, I have been to two funerals. That's two too many. Without further ado, here are the July 4th pics:


We shot the big fireworks at my parents house at Ft. Gibson Lake.


I let the older kids handle them all this year; I was just a spectator.


Aunt Mary seems to have found the weakness in one particular old plastic chair.


My mother-in-law bought steaks and I grilled them, along with some roasting ears, on the BBQ in the back yard. They were delicious!

How much?

I mentioned in yesterday's post that we were looking a beautiful 1964 Ford Falcon convertible for sale right here in Wagoner. We went to look at it and were sorely tempted to buy it, given the price. The only hitch in the deal was that we don't have a garage and it would be a shame to let such a beautiful care sit out in the weather.

When we asked, both Sally and I heard the man say "fourteen fifty".

Well, last night at Walmart, we ran into him again and he asked us about our interest in it. We told him we were very, very interested, but that we didn't have a garage to put it in. It is, after all, a parade car.

He then told us that he had had several callers but everyone became disinterested when they heard the price. He said, "I guess they thought they could pick it up for 5 or 6 THOUSAND!"

5 or 6 THOUSAND? I thought he said $1450. He MUST have said fourteen THOUSAND; but it sure didn't sound like it.

If we'd had a garage, I would have whipped out my check book with an offer of $1200. Boy! Would I have looked foolish, huh?

What's $10,000 among friends!?! YIKES!!!!!

July?

How in the world can it be July already?

I might as well give you an update as to the current status of things:

My grandmother is home from the hospital. She is still having difficulty sleeping. Mom said she did have a good night last night, though. Thanks for your prayers, but continue to lift her up to God.

I'm feeling rather melancholy from all of the contact with IMB folks this week. A good friend of mine called me this morning for a chat. I planted a church in HK with them back in 1989-90. (New Hope Baptist Church). They are retired (sort of) and living in Knoxville.

There is a 1964 Ford Falcon convertible for sale in town for an extremely reasonable price. The only problem is, is that we don't have a garage to put it in. It is definitely a parade car. Sally has wanted one since we got married, but I can't see leaving it out in the weather. (It is sky blue)

I'm ready to go fishing, but the lake is too high to get to my dad's dock.

I'm working really hard (except for right this moment, when I'm blogging) to be completely ready for Sunday by Thursday so I can take Friday and Saturday "off".

Sally starts her "new" new job next Monday. She was head-hunted by Muskogee Public Schools and will be their federal grants secretary.

The girls are bored, but there isn't much I can do about it. They can't stay with either grandmother right now for various and sundry reasons. At least they don't fuss. And, they are right next door. I feel bad about it, but I don't know what to do.

The church is doing pretty good. Our attendance is down because of the summer-time, though. I am encouraged about all the things that are happening right now. We ordered a fancy new sign that should be here in 6-8 weeks. It will be very, very nice.

Well, I guess that about sums things up. I need to get back to work.