Sobering Thoughts

I am in the office late today since I have neither mother nor wife to beckon me home.  I am happy to be alive and grateful to have a purpose to my life and an opportunity to make a difference.  I am daily reminded that whatever good comes about from my labor in this place is a result of God’s work in spite of me.  It is totally a God thing—and that is not false humility.  I am amazed on a daily basis that God chooses to work through my feeble efforts.  I find myself in a position that requires more skill, more wisdom, more vision and insight that I could ever possess.  I have no choice but to trust in God’s power to transform my ineptitude into something useful, and why not, miraculous, for His praise and glory.

On Sunday the Arizona constituency voted to return me to my post as Superintendent of Education for the Arizona Conference for another five years.  I am not sure my family can deal with my being here for another five years.  Elyse, my granddaughter, will be over 10 years old!  Robert will be in the third grade by then.  And I will be nibbling at 60 years old.  On the other hand, God brought me to Arizona and I trust He will decide when to open another door to another ministry elsewhere or whether He wants me to remain at this post longer.  I certainly did not come looking or campaigning for this position.  Who knows, He might decide to send me somewhere that is even more distant from my family in California.  It’s a sobering thought.  Well, it’s not worth worrying about at this point.  There is a lot to do and time does not stand still for anyone. 

I am scheduled to preach at the YES SDA Church in the city of Surprise, Arizona.  Yes, you heard it—the YES Church in Surprise.  The acronym YES means something, but I do not know what it means.  The city name was chosen for obvious reasons only to the ones who chose the name.  If I find out I’ll let you know.  I am feeling very tired.  Good night!