What a summer

I have not updated my "Blog" nearly as much as I thought I would.

But I will try a "catch up" post and perhaps I will stay up to date. (time will tell)

June

This was a full month of itineration in both Michigan and in Pennsylvania.
We met many new friends and got to visit with some other friends we have known for some time.

I also turned 41 on June 15 - then we had a great Fathers day with Pastors Dennis and Bonnie Saglimbene in Prudenville Michigan. We had a great missions service that morning then we went to their home for a cookout and a full day of Boating and Tubing. (most of the tubing was done by the kids - actually ALL of the tubing was done by the kids) That made me very happy!

July

This month started with Family Camp at Lost Valley - I was the Activities director for the camp and we all had a blast - I can not remember better weather for Family camp! This was a very busy time for the Thomas family but the activities and the services were Great and we got to see friends from all over the state.

Before we even got unpacked from our week of camp we went on another Pennsylvania trip

This trip included a Family wedding (My cousin Sue's daughter Gayle got married) It was a great service and reception - and we got to visit many of our cousins and family who are spread out all over the country.

We also Packed up my Mom and Dad's house in Pittsburgh and made the Big Move North. Mom and Dad had lived in that house for 34 years. Great memories. We picked a hot one to move on - well over 90 degrees. Some folks from the church came to help and we put them to work.

After we loaded up we took off to get some miles under our belt but we had a problem with the U-haul. This was a loud buzzer that kept going off for no reason.

We stopped sooner than we wanted in a less than "nice" hotel but it took dogs (mocca) so it was OK. They sent a mechanic about 5 hours later and they did not do much - so we ignored the buzzer for 10 hours the next day.

We moved Mom and Dad in on our 20th Wedding anniversary Rhonda and I have always been Flexible about dates and celebrations - so we celebrated later in the week and are still planning our 20th anniversary celebration - maybe by 25 we will do something big.

August

August 5 marked the first time we had Sunday services in 3 churches on one sunday.

10 am === 1:30 pm === and 6 pm

What a crazy day - but we made it and still yet drove home that night.

Planning for General Council -

It was Wednesday morning I got to thinking - "I should go to the gym and play basketball" then I thought - not before I travel to Indianapolis = I should just take it easy -

Then I went any way - that 41st birthday is always something that I am aware of - unless I see a "lane" - I saw a "lane" and I am sure that whatever move I thought that I was making would have looked really great - but somewhere between what I thought would happen and the floor of the gym I "sprained" my knee. The same knee that I had 2 surgeries on already. Painful and inconvienient at the same time.

I got an appointment with our Doc's office - and they pulled and poked to make sure that I could not hurt it any worse but traveling to Indianapolis.

This was Wednesday - I had to be at the airport in Grand Rapids - 100 miles away at 7am on Thursday.

The trip would have been really great - had I listened to myself - and stayed home Wednesday.

It was hard but worth it to hobble around -

Thursday - I need the brace and a cane
Friday - I just needed the brace
Saturday - Traveled back to GR - with brace
Sunday - no brace and no cane - but still not moving fast at all

It is getting better every day - there may be a tear in there somewhere - but we will let it go and see what happens.

Also in August

Bobby started Football - Pop Warner - this is fun for all of us - he is learning the game and having fun.

Bethany is playing Volleyball for CHCS = she started practice today

Rhonda is filling in for the Secretary at CHCS while she recovers from surgery.

It has been a busy summer - and this is just a bit of what has been going on.

more later.....................

Changing the strap did not tip you off?

Recently at a meeting - a Pastor friend "crashed" a luncheon for Missionaries. He set his brand new laptop, case and all, in the corner and dug in for his meal.

After lunch - we began to gather and prepare to leave. We could not find his 5 day old computer anywhere. We began retracing his steps, (we visited every restroom more than once) - No computer bag. Over an hour later we set out on the long trip home - discouraged that the computer was gone.

About 2 hours into the trip home - my friends cell phone rang. It was one of my Missionary friends - calling to say that they had grabbed his computer bag by mistake. His invoice was in the bag so they called him and we made arrangements to pick up the computer. Relieved does not even begin to describe it.

I want to protect the identity of my Missionary friends but their initials are Ray and Debbie Miller and they are great Missionaries who serve faithfully in the Philippines.

The funniest part of all of this was when Debbie told us that as Ray was taking my friend Casey's computer he had to adjust the strap to get it to attach to his suitcase..............Hummmmm

Ray -----didn't changing the strap kind of tip you off that just maybe............OH never mind..........

Blessed are the Flexible

Life is full of change - when we entered the whirlwind adventure of our Missionary journey, Rhonda and I were turned upside down and inside out. We went from meticulous planners to "roll with the punches" schedule adjusters. Sure we still make plans - we always will but - sometime we make them thinking - Oh sure - like this will ever happen this way!

Overview of the CHANGES in this last year:

• June 2006 - Complete 16th year of Ministry at Cadillac Assembly of God - tearful goodbyes - Big Change
• July 2006 - Attend Missionary Training - 6 weeks with the 4 of us living in 2 dorm rooms - Big Change
• July/August 2006 = Begin Itineration (travel to raise support and awareness for our ministry in Ethiopia, Africa) Speaking/Preaching in a different church every week. Big Change
• September/ October 2006 - Work heavy on Masters Class assignments. "how do you cite a website in a footnote" - the last time I footnoted anything there was no Internet! - Big Changes.
• November/December 2006 - I Realize that many churches don't schedule Missionary guests over the "holidays" - Big Change - (Realize that God is faithful and he has given me good friends who helped me out but giving me a "pulpit" to speak from - yes even on Christmas eve! - Big Changes
• January/ February 2007 - About this time I realized that raising the money and prayer supporters that are necessary for ministry in Africa is not only HARD WORK - but I also realize that it will take LONGER than I thought. Big Changes
• March 2007 - Sometimes our plans don't work out like we thought. Our "plan" was to move my parents from Pittsburgh to Cadillac and when their house had and offer after just a few days on the market we were Thrilled - only to find out that having an offer and selling a house are not the same! - Deal falls through - Big Change of Plans..........(ongoing)
• April 2007 - New Plan - Ethiopia is no longer an option - We have prayed and know that our new field of Ministry will be Burundi - (Be honest - you probably did not even know it was in Africa) - Big Huge - Whopper of a Change - new country (yes that is a big change)
• May 5 - 2007 - meet with "new" team leader - discuss RAISING budget for ministry in Africa by $250 per month - WOW - what a big change - scary to......(see January 2007)
• May 7 - 2007 - New team leader calls to Say - we will NOT be raising your budget! GREAT NEWS - This is a Big Change - (but not for long)
• May 25 - Hear from the Benevolent Bureaucracy - the budget increase will NOT be $250 per month - but over $1000 per month more - WOW - that is a huge change!
• June - It begins to sink in that the same God who would help us raise our other budget is going to help us raise our new and improved (much higher) budget. - Big Change (in attitude)
• Ongoing - It is all about being flexible - we knew it long ago and we are living it every day -

Blessed are the Flexible - For they shall NOT BE BROKEN!

No matter what changes next!!!!!

Ignore the man behind the curtain

I vaguely remember this line from the Wizard of Oz "Ignore the man behind the curtain" - Toto had just pulled back the curtain and revealed that the great OZ was just a little man and even though he was now exposed as a fraud - he bellowed - "Ignore the man behind the curtain".



What made me think of this line recently was a comical series of events - that would take a while to explain but to make a long story short - A Pastor Friend and I were sharing a hotel room at a convention. We had arranged a room with 2 double beds - only to find out that one of the beds was a pull out couch. To make the stay even more interesting - the room was a "Juccuzzi suite" and to make the Juccuzzi even more "romantic" it open up into the motel room. With just a curtain that pulled across. The end result of all of this was that any time anyone used the "facilities" for any reason the only thing that seperated us was the Curtain. - So the phrase - "ignore the man behind the curtain" became our battle cry!

If it was good enough for the guy from OZ it is good enough for me!

Indeed they are!

My son is 8......his interests run along the lines of many 8 year olds........bikes, balls, and bugs.....on one of his recent tirades about the injustices in his world he was complaining about the young ladies in his class at school. I don't know what the particular offense was but it seems that whatever it was it was a united effort on thier part to ruin his life. After patiently listening to him go on and on and on - my wife Rhonda offered up some helpful information to Bobby. She said that he should not let them get to him because after all (in his opinion) they were just "icky girls" - he stopped and looked at her and declared - INDEED THEY ARE!

Indeed!

I am going to remind him of that in 5 years!

100 Miles from HOME

I know exactly where I am when I am 100 miles from Home. You see - I travel the same roads many times when I minister in churches around Michigan. The crossroads of 2 highways mark the 100 mile mark. Sometimes when I hit the 100 mile mark I am so EXCITED - "only 100 miles" it seems like I will be home very quickly and the milestone makes me happy. Then there are times when I hit that turn and I feel like I will NEVER get home. It seems like the 100 miles will take forever and I will never make it.

It is the same 100 miles - the difference is perspective.

The 100 miles is the same distance - the car and driver are the same - the perspective is all about how I feel at the moment. I am learning that sometimes the way I "see" something is a choice that I make - the facts don't change - but my attitude about them will often determine my mood and my response.

When I choose to "see" things from a positive perspective it will make a big difference in the outcome.


PS - I know that lots of my posts are about traveling - but right now that is where my LIFE LESSONS are..........

The Pittsburgh Experience

When you are born in Pittsburgh - it becomes part of you - I have lived my entire adult life in Cadillac, way up in Northern Michigan but I am a Pittsburger through and through. The whole family is in the 'Burg right now - doing some missions services/meetings and enjoying spring break. (it snowed - but not as much as it did in Cadillac) When ever we visit - I have to review my vocabulary. Visit this site for a brief overview.
http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Port/9832/pittsburgh.html

We ate dinner in Dahntahn Pittsburgh - (I could not parallel park in a very tight spot and my kids will NEVER let me live it down) On the way from the parking garage to the resturant we saw a Llama with pink bunny ears - it was a real, living, breathing Llama - I think the bunny ears were an "Easter week thing" - but if you are going to see a Llama in a Metropolitan area - it may as well be wearing bunny ears.

The resturant was in a part of the city called Souside (for most people it would be South Side) but when in Pittsuburgh - you have to know the lingo - you also have to be able to parallel park in very small places - carrying snacks for the local Llama is not a bad idea either.

Any post about the 'Burg has to give a shout out to the Stillers - "Here we go Stillers - Here we go" - Although the most important part of our time in Cadillac, Michigan was spent doing ministry another fun part was recruting a new generation of Stiller fans! (They don't talk right but they are good football fans)

Late Night Drives

My new role as a missionary involves lots of travel - our minivan is now my office. Even before we leave for Africa we will travel tens of thousands of miles sharing our vision and raising prayer and financial supporters.

It has been wonderful to travel across Michigan and beyond ministering in churches and meeting with missions committees and Pastors. I would rather drive home, sometimes 200 plus miles after an evening meeting, than to get a motel room for the night.

Driving late at night - with just me and the truck drivers and the deer, gives me a different perspective.

The long late night trips give me lots of time to think and time to pray - late night drives are the perfect time for extended times of prayer - but it is not automatic - it is so easy to turn on the radio and find a basketball game or a hockey game or a talk show. Christian Music stations are great - but can also keep me from my intended late night prayer time.

Prayer is always a choice - in our homes, at our offices (2002 Caravans included) in our quiet times with God - we make a choice - we choose to use the time to Pray - to AVOID the distractions and to spend the time with God -

What a great choice that we can make = and God is always willing to take the time to spend with us - WOW -

He get's it

A relative just got some terrible news from the doctor - "The C word" - the disease is so dreaded that we often can't face even saying the word. He has had tests and more tests and now Chemotherepy will be starting soon. He was preparing his young grandson for the side effects of the treatment he will recieve and he discovered something that we should ALL understand! Here is what my relative said that made a difference for me.

In the car on the way to school the other morning, {my grandson} asked why I am going to take medicine to make me sick. I told him I needed some pain to get some gain. His reply to me was “Just like Jesus dying on the cross to take away our sins.” I knew then that this kid gets it and two years of paying for Christian School was worth every cent. Bob, I don’t know why I am going through this, but God does and that is all that matters. One day I may know but for now I just go with it.

Wow -- He Gets it - they both do!

Melting

The snow is melting - there was so much of it late this winter in our part of Northern Michigan. It seemed like it would never stop coming - it seemed like winter would NEVER end. One storm after another came - but TODAY it is warm - the sun is shining and the snow is melting.

Seasons of storms come and go - but Spring will come - it always does.

Which do you want first?

You have heard it - many times - which do you want first "the good news or the bad news".

In the end it does not matter. We all go through ups and downs. Good things happen and what we perceive at the time as "Bad News" comes to all of us. I am learning that it is the lessons of the Bad News that shape us. We have a choice when faced with challenges. We can cower, we can run or we can worry. But at the same time when we are shaken - WE CAN TRUST.

We can trust that God is with us - even we it seems like our world is turned upside down. When we don't know what the future holds or even when the "other shoe" is going to drop.

We get good news and we get bad news. - I LOVE the good news - but I know that God shapes me as I respond by trusting him = even when I get Bad news!

Friends

I have great Friends.

I hope I am a good friend back to those who call me friend. Sometimes it seems like the "favors" that friends do for me are out of balance with what I have to offer back to my friends.

I have friends like Dave and Jack and Craig - who are helping so much with our remodeling. I have friends like Tom who helped my son with a project when I had to be out of town preaching. I have friends like Brian - who helps me almost every week with our Website and our blog. There are hundreds of others and I could not possibly name them all but I think of them and pray for them often.

I am convinced that God brings Friends to us! Mine are GREAT! I just hope that someday they will feel like I do - that God has brought them into my life and I am a better person for knowing them!

The Stuff of Life

The transition from Pastoral Ministry to that of a Candidate Missionary has left me without a place to share the "stuff of life" with people. My presentation to the congregations that I am blessed to share with every week are limited to presenting the vision for our minstry in Africa. So this blog will give me a place to share "the stuff of life".God's many blessings and the fun stuff that happens as we live and walk with him!I hope you enjoy these musings.Bob

Power Tools

Those who know me know that I am not a "handy" guy. Those who know me well will acutually hide the power tools when I am tempted to use them. Some friends are doing some work in our basement and I was "helping". At one point I was the only one who had a power tool and I was using it as I was instructed. The thing about me and power tools is that I can usually find a way to do the one thing that will make the biggest problem. I did! - I was drilling away and suddenly the bit I was using was bent, distorted and banging my hand between the drill and the wall.I learned an important lesson - sometimes we know what to do and we know how to do it - but some things need to be practiced and experienced for a long time before we can begin to do them correctly.This applies to our walk with the Lord as well. Practice makes us better! We may get things all bent and distorted but when we practice the disciplines of a Christian life we gain skills, and we become experienced and productive.They may still hide my power tools but I learned an important lesson about walking with God.