BIG NEWS!

It has been decided. We will be going to the Philippines for our outreach. I don't know too many details yet, so You will need to check back in from time to time as the story unfolds.


On Fridays, the COD kids join the CDTS class for worship. At that time, the director of our class told us that the we would be going to the Philippines. I thought it was great that the kids were able to hear it from him at the same time we did. I really want the girls to feel that they are a part of this whole adventure, not just compulsory spectators.

Tonight, before dinner, I was looking for Annalise. When I found her she was on the trampoline eating an ice cream treat she had just bought from the Internet Cafe. So much for eating a good dinner. But hey, at least it shows she has talent. How many 4 year olds do you know who could eat ice cream while bouncing on a trampoline and not end up wearing most of it? Now you know at least one.

Alayna and some of her friends became a cheerleading squad for the volleyball game we had after dinner tonight. They were so adorable - even if they did only have one cheer that they repeated over and over and over and over............ At least they did it for each member of the team - over and over and over.......

Grace,
Tom

Happy Birthday, Lisa!

First and foremost! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LISA! Before breakfast, we had a little celebration. But during our class, she had a cake complete with candles. (If you counted the candles though, today she celebrated sweet 16.) At lunch the whole base sang Happy Birthday again. Happy birthday, Sweetheart!

After breakfast on Thursdays, the base takes time for intercessory prayer. Today our prayer emphasis was for the F.A.N. ministry (Friends of All Nations). They work with international students at the local universities. They help the students as they learn the language and culture. They help them obtain needed services. They provide fellowship and cultural activities. And of course, through it all, they share Christ. After interceding for a number of specific needs of the ministry, we prayed for the directors. It was a very powerful time of prayer. It was awesome knowing that God understood and cared about each prayer as people spoke out in English, Korean, and Madagscar-ean (Sorry, I suppose I need to find out what language the student from Madagascar prayed in.)

Adriana’s COD class joined us. She too, was moved by today’s prayers. How grateful we are to have the burden of discipleship of our girls shared by so many people: family and friends at home as well as new friends from around the country and around the world.

After that, it was on to class. We continued the topic of spiritual warfare with Dean Sherman. It has been a great class.

After lunch we had our small group time. The men decided that we would like to use some of our times together to do some work for a widow down the road. One of our group happened to meet her while on a walk. So today, we went over and chopped wood.

I helped with the ropes course again before dinner. It has been very enjoyable helping encourage people to work through their fears. Today the teen son of another CDTS family helped me out. It was fun working with Josh. I presume he had fun too, since the group that was here today is a cheerleading team.

After dinner Adriana and Alexie have been helping with kitchen clean-up. It isn’t exactly their idea of fun, but I think it is good for them to have some responsibilities. They have been doing a good job. It is nice to be able to see my family throughout the day and work alongside them as well.

Grace,
Tom

No-Snow Sledding

Who says you need snow to go sledding? Alexie, Annalise, Becca, and Karis enjoyed sledding today without needing to bundle up at all. There is a steep hill behind the dining hall that they were able to enjoy sledding down.

Better than I Deserve

Our class spent more time this morning seeking God's direction for where our outreach should focus. We look forward to God confirming the location and work we are to do. There are many things I would like to share about what He has revealed, but it seems best to wait to share that. Please hold us and our leaders up in prayer as we wait upon the Lord for this. We expect to make a decision before next week.

Annalise fell fast asleep during our evening service tonight. She continued to sleep as I carried her back to our dorm. What a wonderful blessing to be able to carry her in my arms. One day, I won't have the opportunity to carry her as she sleeps. I am blessed to be surrounded by my girls.

A beautiful and wonderful wife, awesome girls who still think I am something special, and a God who cares about all of the above; I am, indeed, better than I deserve.

It's not a recent photo, but it is does represent all that is important to me.
Grace,
Tom

Spiritual Warfare

This week our topic is spiritual warfare. This is a topic about which I was somewhat apprehensive. The YWAM approach of knowledge being directly applied had me a little worried about what we may have been asked to do. Imagine the most outlandish things you have heard about "spiritual warfare" and that is where my mind was. (This had nothing to do with YWAM, just a personal association I have with that phrase.)

I am pleased to report that we didn't have a field trip to cast the demons out of the neighbors emu or llama. It was a very good discussion by Dean Sherman. In the few hours we had with him this morning, I jotted down several ideas I would like to share with you. I am not going to try to give you the lecture notes, just a collection of ideas.

• Jesus talked about the kingdom of Heaven being like a treasure hidden in a field. Our job is not to sell fields, but to make people aware of the treasure that can be found. This is best done by living a joyfilled, loving, serving, compassionate, humble life. Then they will sell all they have to buy the field.
• When He sent Jesus, God was not interested in starting a religion, He wanted to love the world.
  
• If your belief system does not include the supernatural, you will tend to become too active towards humans. People are never the enemy (see Ephesians 6).

I look forward to the rest of the week with Dean as we continue to discuss this topic.

Tonight Adriana's Bible study met again. They studied chapter 1 of Ruth. They drew pictures of life before and after God transformed their life. She is very excited about how it went.

Grace to you,
Tom

Quick Tour

I don't really have much to say about the day. We went to the Salem Vineyard church again today. It rained in the morning but cleared in the afternoon. I took a nap. Lisa and I took a walk. That about covers it.

Then when I should have been finishing up my homework, I made this movie. I hope you enjoy it.



Grace,
Tom

Brazilian BBQ

YeeHaaw for Saturdays! While class has been very enjoyable, it was good to have a day off. The girls enjoyed free time around the campus. Lisa enjoyed getting to know some of our new friends better. I enjoyed helping a family (cousins, grandparents, the whole works) on the ropes course. We even hoisted a woman at 6 months pregnant with twins up on the flying squirrel! It was a lot of fun.

My timing was perfect. While it was in no way planned (of course I would have planned it if I had known), the ropes course staff was having a Brazilian BBQ for dinner. We were blessed to be invited.


Sal and Loly hosted it at their house (right on the base). Sal grilled up some awesome beef, pork, and chicken. They are from Brazil but have recently returned from Moscow, where they have been for the past 10 years or so. Sal is working with the course so he can learn the ropes to start that ministry back in Brazil. (I know, that was a bad joke. But you've already read it now so there's no taking it back.) Loly is currently working with Annalise's class in COD. They have 3 wonderful daughters that have become close friends of Alexie, Alayna, and Annalise.


A Brazilian BBQ is a very social event. They don't follow the American plan of cooking the meat, everybody getting as much as they want, and calling it an evening. Instead, they cook up more meat than you could expect the group to eat. Then the host cuts a small piece of meat off for you right from the grill. In this way, you are never satisfied and keep coming back. I know that when I was full, I had eaten more than I should have and that there was still plenty left. Sal has told me how hospitality and social gatherings are of great importance in Brazil.

I also found out that today is the Midsummer Holiday, or Jani, in Latvia. So be sure to wish any Latvian friends well today.


Another thing to ponder from Annalise's prayer tonight: God is real. He is not pretend.

Grace,
Tom