Final Post

Hello, Friends:

You probably saw this coming, but today it becomes official.  In light of the fact that I have chosen to move on from this position as Superintendent of Education for the Arizona Conference of Seventh-day Adventists effective July 1, 2013, I have chosen to end my blogging sooner than later.  The truth is that the pace has picked up since I made the decision to return to California.  Perhpas that is due to my desire to finish strong and not to end with a whimper.

I appreciate the fact that you took the time to read the blog.  I am sure there were times you wondered why, but you did.  I even appreciate those who took the time to react to my thoughts.  I have found other outlets for my writing.  my personal email remains the same (r3pa@sbcglobal.net).  You are always welcomed.

Blessings

The Process Continues

It’s Thursday night and I’m almost out of week with much more to accomplish before the sun sets tomorrow.  The last week took me to Ontario, California (again!) for K-12 Curriculum Committee.  These are all becoming the “last” of their kind for me in my present position.  It’s a bit strange, but what can you do?

This coming week will take me to Northridge, California for a WASC accreditation visit at San Fernando Valley Academy.  I am chairing the committee.  I should have said “no,” but I have this thing about saying yes to people asking for help.  I am reading the book “Boundaries,” by Cloud and Townsend.  Perhaps that will help me get better at that in the future.

 The personnel process continues.  Still some fluidity, but it seems to be taking shape in the elementary schools.  There will be minimal movement, but it will include another step in improving the whole.  It has not been easy, but progress is rarely without some opposition or misunderstanding.  You just have to be as fair as possible and be true to what you are impressed is the right road to take.  TAA is almost finished in its personnel search as well.  A couple of additions are still in the works.  Good night! (228)

Long Week Ended

Today is Friday.  Sabbath is but a couple hours away.   I need rest.  It has been a hectic month with demands inside and outside the confines of the Arizona Conference.

This week is the first week all month that I have been able to be physically in the office for the entire week, yet even that is a relative term with my visits to the schools across the state.  Education Day/Superintendents’ Council/Educational Leadership Committee at Angwin, California led off the month.  That was followed by the One Project gathering in Chicago—a wonderful experience with time to dream and think outside the box without losing sight of the Prize, which is Jesus.  I was here this week, but after tomorrow I will be gone for the lion’s share of the next two weeks at K-12 Curriculum Committee in Ontario, California followed by a WASC accreditation Visiting Committee, which I am chairing, at San Fernando Valley Academy, in Northridge, California.

In the midst of that there were multiple school boards and personnel committees.  There were church boards and preaching opportunities. And of course there were TCE demands and Director of Family Ministries commitments.  Believe it or not, I am still married, which is a 24/7 experience….  One would think I have just had a genuine “pity party”, but I’m not.  I loved every minute of it, but it has stretched me close to the limit.  At least I am not bored as the days move towards my ultimate departure from the Arizona Conference.

Personnel time is always a time to adjust and transition.  It is not always easy, but it is necessary.  Such is the case in the Arizona Conference.  There are people leaving, transitioning, scaling back, considering options, moving, and remaining.   What the conference will look like when the proverbial dust settles is not visible as of today.  We will press on.

 I am preaching at AWC tomorrow.  I am looking forward to it.  My sermon title is “God is Up to No Good!”  It is based on the story and peculiar prayer of Jonah.  I am looking forward to it.  I need rest before I begin.  This week has taken a lot out of me.  I have had some tough conversations in various settings.  God knows why he brought me here.  I will remain at my post until he calls me away. (225)

Late Saturday Lines

It’s early Sunday morning—Super Bowl Sunday.  I will most likely miss the game since I will be traveling later this afternoon to Oakland, California in route to PUC for Education Days.  Penny will be traveling with me, so that will make the trip more pleasant.

It was a great Sabbath day at AWC.  I will miss the people there when I’m gone.  They really are a nice bunch of people who generally like being with each other.  Services are pretty informal and laid back, but the substance is solid.  Pastor B preached today as part of a Prayer Sermon Series.  He spoke on the power and need of intercessory prayer in the context of the great controversy taking place between God and Satan.  The message was powerful and his delivery was passionate, as usual.

Penny and I enjoyed a simple lunch together and then rested all afternoon.  We took a walk in the evening after going on an errand to Wal-Mart.  We had a great talk during our walk and enjoyed a relaxing evening.  These days are rare, but precious.  Good night! (220)

Visitation Day Aftermath

It’s a quiet evening at the Escalante’s.  Praise God for Sabbath!  It was hectic week culminating in a hectic Friday.  TCE celebrated Visitation Day.  The school was all gussied up for company.  It was a great day for most all.

There was learning taking place, but it was a colorful, exciting, creative, and energetic sort of learning.  There were games and experiments.  There were interesting classroom experiences.  There were lots of new little people on campus.  There were many prizes given.  There was even an acrobatic performance by the TAA Arco Team in which many children were able to participate.  Oh, yes, there was a short devotional thought at the end of the festivities as well.

But as all amazing days tend to require an amazing outlay of work and energy, today was no exception.  A few late nights followed by early mornings finally decided to cash in on Friday afternoon.  Penny and I both crashed early (I woke up in the late evening to write this entry).  It was nice to have a time of refreshing.

No preaching or teaching tomorrow.  No responsibility…well maybe that’s pushing it a bit.  But it is still a day when I will be able to enjoy the experience without directly being responsible for putting it together.  Of course that may all change tomorrow, but I can enjoy the illusion while it lasts.

The personnel process has begun in earnest across the conference.  It is always a bit of an unnerving time for all involved.  A lot of prayer is going up these days as decisions are being made that will impact people’s lives and livelihood.  Some personnel sessions are short and easy, while others can extend over days.  Both require God’s leading.  Both require that the focus be on the children God entrusted to us.

At least I can set it aside for a few hours.  (I guess I didn’t really, since I just blogged about it!  Oh, well.)  Pray for the process and for the people involved and affected by the choices yet to be made. 

Oh yes, please pray for a couple of our teachers, Steve and Joan, who are facing serious family health challenges that will require divine intervention if favorable outcomes are to be expected.  They need our prayers—we need to press together when any of us is hurting. Steve’s sister and Joan’s mom are facing major crises, but Joan and Steve need our prayers as well. (224)

Transition TIme

I am in SOuthern California today for a major reunion at the La Sierra Spanish SDA Church in Riverside, California.  Of course, that means I get to see my family in Riverside.  Just a coincidence, of course!      

By now, you may have heard that I have officially announced my intent to return to California at that end of the present school year.  It has been a gut-wrenching decision on many levels.  A big part of me does not want to leave a job that I have just begun.  There is so much to yet to do.  AAF is just beginning to establish itself at Thunderbird.  The transition has not been one without some serious adjustments.  I believe God brought me here to be part of that transition.  It saddens me to think that I may be leaving before my role in this incredible journey is completed.

The elementary educational system is still in a state of transition as well.  Although enrollment has been up every year since I arrived, there is little comfort in that.  There are changes that need to take place that require more time.  It can’t be done in three short years.  Some changes are in place.  Some are about to take place.  Others require more time.  I am saddened that I will not be able to see those changes through.  I trust God will find the person to continue the move towards continual improvement.

Ultimately, this is a family-based decision.  Penny and I miss the family.  I have resisted conference-office work for many years because of family.  I thought that it might be a workable scenario now that that my children are all independent and relatively established in their respective calling.  I responded to a need and I do not regret the decision.  I had to respond—it is how I raised my children.  It is what I taught my youth groups.

But I also raised my children to treasure family.  I have made most of my professional decisions with family in mind.  When I did not do that I lived to regret the impact it had on one or more members of my nuclear family circle.  I have missed so much of the lives of my children and grandchildren.  Little and big things—some people might even consider them insignificant.  But they are not.  They are moments forever lost.

My melancholy is tempered by the amount of work that remains in the months to come.  I ask for your collective prayers for the events, the tasks, and the decisions that have yet to be made.   God is still at work.  The best days of education in the Arizona Conference remain to be seen.  God will raise up who he needs.

California Ramblings

We’re still in California.  It’s beautiful in California during this time of year.  The skies are clear and you can see forever in any direction.  The mountains are now-capped and candy clouds decorate the blue skies.  The weather is crisp but not frigid.  The best part of it is that Penny and I can enjoy the grandkids every evening without having to travel much.

We are catching up on the local tasks that have been neglected over time.  We spent a couple hours this morning at the Social Security Office trying to normalize the status of a developmentally disadvantaged lady. 

We have an evening planned in Orange County with Amanda and her husband.  We’re looking forward to that.  Later.

Off and Running

Penny and I find myself in Riverside, California this morning.  We survived the long trek back from Gilbert, Arizona to Riverside yesterday.  We had enjoyed some pleasant moments with the Anobile family as they celebrated their 25^th anniversary at the Gilbert Church on the last day of 2012.  We stayed past 10 o’clock, with the intent of staying until midnight.  But alas, we reconsidered when the thought of beginning our trip after midnight began to soak in.  We needed to be there before morning because we had a very important package to deliver to a person who needed it as soon as possible.  So we left at about 10:45 p.m. and arrived after 3:30 a.m. the next morning, California time).

It was quite a whirlwind day yesterday.  Visited family and ate too much again!  I got a chance to see a little of the Rose Parade on TV, since it was on in one of the homes we visited.  Not much bowl watching, since no one was watching college football bowl games.  The evening ended with some Chinese Food with the family and a relatively early bedtime at about 11 p.m.

Today is a somewhat open day with many errands to run and catching up with some office-related communications.  Hopefully I will get some time just to relax and vegetate.  Those are rare commodities.  Gotta go!   

Penultimate Day Contemplation

Only one more day remains of the year 2012.  Penny and I are back from California and Christmas with the family.  It was pretty awesome.  Every day that goes by I miss them more and more.  Being there only reminds me of all that I am missing.  I know that there is much more to do here in Arizona.  That is why I came.  I confess that my resolve is beginning to weaken.  There will be much prayer in the next few weeks and months as I assess what God has in store for me in Arizona and beyond.

I had a great time preaching this past week at AWC.  My sermon title was “Now What!” but it could have just as easily been “Happy Ebenezer Day!”  I am learning to savor every time I stand to preach since I do not know how long I will have the privilege.  Life is fragile and unpredictable.  I have had too many reminders of that reality this year.

Now I have a couple of very busy days ahead before I head out again for the West Coast (actually Central California) where my step-mom still lives.  Our plan is to travel with grandchildren in tow and spend a day or so with her.  She hasn’t seen them for a few months.  It is too easy to get too busy and lose sight of the priorities in life.  Our parents and those who had a part in seeing us through our formative years should not be forgotten.

Well, I ate too much during the holidays.  My scale was not happy when I returned to Scottsdale.  I am in recovery…but, alas, I am returning to the land of endless invitations to eat heartily and drink deeply.  I see plenty of “green juice” in my future, upon my return from the holidays!  (217.8

Running on Fumes

If that date sounds familiar, it should, since today was prognosticated by many as the last day of planet earth.  This may sound a bit crazy in a few years, but it was taken quite seriously by many people.  Oh well, we’re still here.

In any case, it is late Friday night in Scottsdale.  Another busy week has come to a close, but for a busy Sabbath awaiting me tomorrow.  This week produced quite a few memorable moments. 

Tuesday I enjoyed a great musical concert at GAA.  It was amazing what that school has put together at their school.  The children sound nothing short of amazing!  The selection of music was not simple and basic.  It was challenging and more than a bit complex.  But the kids rose to the occasion and produced some wonderful melodies and harmonies.

            Thursday was the Christmas Concert at TCE, where Penny and I work a few days out of the week.  All I can say about that evening is that God rescued what could have been a disastrous night.  Pretty much everything that could have gone wrong went wrong, not just that evening, but for a couple days leading up to the concert.

To name a few (not all), we lost our performance CD.  It was taken by mistake to California.  We failed to order a rush copy, because we were convinced that we could use a “Dropbox” copy of the performance CD for the rehearsals and the “dress rehearsal”.  As it was, we were unable to open the Dropbox copy on time to use during our rehearsals on Wednesday due to some security firewalls.  We had to use a scratched and imperfect copy to rehearse.

We had planned a dress rehearsal on Thursday morning in the TAA Auditorium.  Instead we were forced into a “lockdown” situation due to a police situation a couple of miles away from our school.  That was after we were informed that the person who was running all the lights for the evening program had been admitted to the hospital in California (with our CD). When we finally went to rehearse, the good news is that we had a workable copy created by a very intelligent computer genius.  On that down side, our sound technician did not show up.  We were forced to have a dress rehearsal without the microphones we were going to use in the evening.

We survived.  The technician arrived that afternoon, about 4:00 p.m., and set up the microphones and other amenities. All was working well. No lights, though, since the technician was not familiar with the intricacies, as was his wife, who was in the hospital in California.  We launched the program anyway, only to discover too late that most of the microphones were in fact not working.  One speaker and the “fold-back” speakers used by the choir also when dead early in the cantata.  Do you see a pattern?

The good news is that the kids did wonderfully!  They sang their little hearts out, and in the end, the parents left delighted with the results, not realizing that the choral director was close to a coronary!  It was an amazing night, in spite of the technical difficulties.

Tonight I went for the last rehearsal before tomorrow’s cantata at AWC.  I’m tired!  Good night!  (213.6)

No Time to Rest...Yet

Thursday is over.  I spent the lion’s share of the day at GAA doing some teacher observations and dealing with some matters that needed special attention.  I had an opportunity to sit through a portion of the rehearsal for the Christmas program scheduled for next week.  GAA’s music program is incredible and the students work hard to create an amazing concert.  It was sight to behold!

I did not have much time to be in the office.  I was there long enough to get some documents signed and some Christmas cards completed before I had to head home to get ready for the evening.  It was the AZ Conference Christmas Dinner.  It is always a fun night, although it was close to 10 o’clock when we ended the evening at the office.  We still had more work waiting for us at home.

The evening was complicated unnecessarily due to a typical male behavioral pattern.  I apparently failed to make note of the dress code for the evening and proudly accompanied Penny to the evening festivities all gussied up only to discover upon arriving at the office that no one else was dressed up for the evening.

Penny had to run home and change, but the evening had already gotten off on the wrong foot.  At least she came back to the party, but the evening was quite cold for a considerable spell thereafter.  The Quartet sang a few songs.  The office staff sang some Christmas carols.  There were some readings and some humorous moments.  The food was quite delicious although I did not eat as much as I would have wanted since I was going to sing.

The White Elephant gift exchange went on forever, but it was very entertaining.  The items most in demand were some electronic picture frame and a large can of Big Franks--- go figure.  I ended up with a wind-up radio and a can opener!  It will be a late night followed by an early morning leading to a full weekend and a busy next week leading into the holidays!  Aaargh!  (217)

The Pace is Picking Up

Today was 12/12/12 and it will not be that again for 100 years.  I guess the next big day is December 21, huh?  I truly doubt the day will be anything other than another day, except for some “crazy” that may use the day to create some sort of apocalyptic scenario to get some sick sense of notoriety.  No need to worry!  Every day bring enough to worry about.

These have been a couple of very busy days in my life.  Education Board for the Arizona Conference took place on Tuesday and the Executive Board for the Arizona Conference took place today.  Add a personnel committee and a budget committee to the mix and you can begin to sense my level of busyness. 

But at least I am on this side of the storm and I’m still standing.  Some pretty sensitive matters were considered.  It’s tough to have make decisions that seriously impact people’s lives.  But sometimes it’s inevitable.  Great discussion took place during the Education Board related to identifying new sources of income for the school system.  The good news is that Tax Credit funds have spiked considerably this year.  That bodes well for December donations.  But it is going to take quite a windfall to significantly impact the financial challenges that exist presently in certain schools in the system.

The coming days do not offer any hope of slowing down.  Christmas season only picks up the pace.  Additional rehearsals are planned this week and next for the TCE Christmas Concert.  That should be fun.  Tomorrow I will be visiting GAA to do teacher observations after rehearsing with the TCE group in the early morning.

Change is in the air! (217)

Sunday Escape to the West

Sunday began early this week.  It usually provides me the opportunity to stay in bed a few extra minutes.  Today would not allow me such a luxury.  Today was the AZ Conference Retirees’ Christmas Banquet at the conference office.

The conference quartet, that still remains nameless, was slated to sing a few songs for the retirees.  That required some last minute rehearsing in the morning before it was time to set up the sound system.  We practiced and actually sounded quite nice—the acoustics in the cafeteria are quite impressive.

In any case, we practiced and got to sing four songs.  I wish I could say we sounded as good during the banquet as we did practicing, but this was definitely not the case.  Our only solace was the possibility that some of them could not hear us well enough to know how fragmented we sounded.  Or perhaps they did hear us and were simply very gracious with us not wanting to hurt our feelings.  Well, we get another chance this coming Thursday at the conference Christmas Party.

Penny and I left to Riverside immediately after we finished singing.  It was our daughter-in-law’s 30^th birthday celebration put together by the aunts back in California.  We arrived about two minutes too late to be in on the “Surprise!”  But we did get there in time for all the good food.  It was a great time with family.  No doubt we are missing the family more and more.  But God has provided us plenty of opportunity to visit and spend some time with them.

We’ll see how and where God leads for next year.  (217.8)

Busy Sabbath

It’s almost midnight and the day is almost done.  It was a great day at AWC.  Pastor HB had the sermon, but it was also our first day trying out our new template for the worship service.  We were out of church at 1:00 p.m., which is a rarity at AWC.  Still, there was plenty of time for the important components of the worship service.  It was good day.

In the afternoon (after a quick lunch) Penny and I ran off to witness a baptism.  German and Ashley were baptized in a mini-pool.  Lots of people came out in the afternoon and celebrated with the AWC family.  Great time was had by all who came out.  I even had an opportunity to see some ex-TAA students who came out for the baptism.

The evening ended with a trip to TAA to enjoy the Christmas Concert.  It was a treat.  The choir sounded amazing.  The strings and band are immensely improved over last year.  The program itself was put together and lighted quite nicely.  I don’t know how it’s midnight already. (216.6)

Friday Brief Brief

Just a short entry tonight.  Half a day at TCE.  The afternoon was spent running errands with Penny and hunting for gifts for the White Elephant gifts exchange at the conference office.

The day ended at choir practice at the conference office with the AWC Christmas Choir.  That program will take place on December 22.  Time for some shut-eye. (216.6)

Thursday Tidbits

Busy day is waiting for me when I get to the office.  The president is out of town and he asked me to cover for him at the morning worship at the office.  The fact is that I hardly go to the morning worships at the conference anymore, since I am usually at TCE greeting parents and the children as they arrive for school.  But it will be a treat for me to share some thoughts with my friends at the office.  I do miss being there regularly.

Yesterday Penny and I took a reasonably long trip to Nogales, Arizona to supposedly take care of some SENTRI process I had been working on for the last few months.  As it is, since I had since traded in my previous Prius I could no longer complete the process.  Ironically I couldn’t cancel it either without going into the office.  Homeland Security has made life a lot more difficult for the honest people.  In any case, I am beginning the process all over again.

The conference school system is still in need of a large influx of cash.  Schools are struggling financially.  The tax credit program is not being used to its potential for reasons I cannot truly fathom.  We gave out over $100,000 dollars in scholarships, but the need is so much greater.  It is going to take some divine intervention again.  I have been praying and I am curious to see how God is going to get involved this time. 

By the way, not that it is has anything to do with this blog, but my keyboard is going wacky!  It is jumping around in the middle of my typing without rhyme or reason.  It is very frustrating since I have to keep correcting mistakes that are unnecessary.  I do not know if it is a deterioration of my typing skills or truly a mechanical thing with my computer.  I’ll keep you posted on this important development.
 

Today ended up being a great day.  Worship at the conference office this morning was a hoot.  The details will remain undisclosed, but trust me when I say that it was one of those unforgettable moments.  I had little time to enjoy it since I had to run to the dentist’s office for some needed intervention.  I got away relatively unscathed. 

I got my things together and headed up the hill to the Prescott school.  I had a short but productive day with AL and CL.  They are doing a great job.  The students were engaged in what was taking place in the classroom.  We had a blast playing kick-ball and some crazy tag game which involved a “Paper, Rock, and Scissors” tiebreaking protocol and bedlam.  It was my exercise for the day, but the kids enjoyed seeing the old man run around the gym.

I stayed for an accreditation meeting followed by a school board meeting.  Both were productive and positive.  Lots of good things are in the pipeline at Prescott.  There are challenges, but they seem to have a positive spirit that will go a long was in pressing on.

I got home at a relatively early time.  Penny and I even had the time to sneak off to Costco and get some computer work done when we got home.  It’s Friday tomorrow!  Where did the week go? (218)

Sluggish Status

In spite of my resolve, it’s been 11 days since I last blogged.  No excuse except for Thanksgiving break.  All I can say is that I survived.  Softball, eating, golf, eating, soccer, eating, more eating, then came Sabbath and more eating!  Dare I say there was a lot of eating involved?  Oh, by the way, I was sick much of the time so I succeeded in not gaining much weight at all along the way.

Now I’m back in Scottsdale trying to catch up with tons of work that was supposed to have been dealt with during the break!  This did not happen.  However, more work succeeded in piling up while I was gone.

On a positive note, I finally made it to traffic school and erased that blemish from my driving record.  The day after renewing my license I was stopped on Interstate 10 by a state trooper.  Luckily it was only a “fix-it” ticket related to my over-tinted front windows.  I got it fixed today and will send the paperwork in tomorrow.  I am legal again!

I did not have a good day today.  I was drained before I got to work!  It was as if energy had been sucked out of me during the night.  I could not concentrate.  I could not stay on task.  I made it through the day, but barely.  I actually did get some things done, but it was not as productive a day as I would have wished.  I pray tomorrow will be better. (218.8)

Trying to Strike a Balance

Friday morning usually finds me in the office at TCE.  It is the day I can spend more time on this campus where Penny and I are providing administrative leadership (we are co-principals).  It’s the last day before Thanksgiving vacation for the students.  They are sharing pies of all kinds with each other—lots of calories floating around here today.  Personally, my day was mainly consumed with minutes, agendas for the TCE board meeting next Monday.  We’re running a little behind this month, but there are important items that need to be discussed.  Monday should be a good meeting.

I will be attending my first choir practice tonight for the AWC Christmas Cantata.  I have a solo part that I have yet to learn, but I’m getting close.  My relationship with AWC has been going through some transitions lately.  I have not been able to attend regularly due to out of town commitments, so it will be nice to be there tonight and get to know the people in a different setting.

Penny and I got back late last night from a two-day tour of the Tucson schools.  There are some very large challenges at one of the schools and some sticky challenges at the other.  It keeps me on my knees (or at least in prayer) a lot more nowadays.  There are some immense financial needs that require a large infusion of funds into some of these schools.  I know the money is out there: tax credit and otherwise.  What is missing is a passion by sufficient people to lead the charge.  There are people who are beginning to step up and ask how they can help, but we need more!

On a personal note, I need a break!  The bare thread is beginning to show and I need to find the “refresh button.”  I will have a couple of days next week to be with family: nuclear and extended.  That will be nice.  But I need more time to regroup and catch up (which is not the same thing!).  In all honesty, I do not know where I am going to find it.  I have drastically scaled back my preaching—even at AWC, but that creates a whole other level of guilt.  I appreciate any prayers you can send up on my behalf.  But I have to find a way to reconnect and renew, while still doing what I need to do without missing a beat (How is that possible!).  And while I try to figure it out, I will cling to the words, “My Grace is sufficient.” Prayers are appreciated. (221.6)

Wednesday at the Inn

In spite of my best efforts I have failed miserably to blog consistently.  Tonight finds me at a Country Inn and Suites in Tucson, Arizona, with Penny.  I attended SHACS school board meeting earlier tonight.  Tomorrow I am at SHACS and DVCS for observations and another school board. It is amazing the level of sacrifice required to keep a school alive when the trends and indicators have turned south.  I watch these school board members dealing with run-of-the-mill tasks that are anything but that in the challenging context in which they must function.  But they refuse to fold.  They press on in spite of the many challenges.

The challenges facing our schools are bigger than the local churches that support them.  That statement has been repeated ad nauseam but to little, if any, avail.  Many churches have gone into survival mode as well, and they cannot fathom how they can be expected to help rescue the educational system from imploding.  It is a matter of time before this will happen unless we change the way we conduct business, locally and as a system.  If our schools go, soon the churches will follow. 

But not unlike those involved in other more mundane pursuits, there is a reluctance to act without concern for the personal cost.  There is however, in its place, a willingness to pass the challenge along to the next generation to address, when it may be too late to rescue.

I must cling to the belief that God is in control, even when humans are clutching to the helm and moving closer and closer to a catastrophe.  In any case, here I am in Tucson.  Good night! (221)

Hectic Days Behind and Ahead

I woke up this morning with much on my mind.  I looked back at the days recently gone by and I can only exhale a sigh of relief.  My life was tugged in many directions, often at the same time during the past seven days.  Behind the scenes of busy-ness was a second layer of events that weighted on me as much if not more than the others.  But God is good—all the time.

Friday provided me the opportunity to speak for the Friday Chapel at GAA.  It was a full house.  There was a sweet spirit in the room as they sang songs and were led by their principal, FL.  I was greeted by some of the children who have gotten to know me over the last couple of years.  I enjoyed sharing some good news with them.  They seemed to enjoy the stories.  I will trust the “seeds” of the Gospel landed on fertile group.

I had a very fruitful conversation after the meeting was over.  Life is crazy!  People are going through all types of complications that life throws our way.  We prayed—that was a good moment. 

Friday night I was finally able to bring together the AWC elders.   It was a great evening of visioning and prioritizing the ministry of the elders at AWC.  We spent a thoughtful couple of hours in honest dialogue about the future of AWC and how best to serve God.  We ended our evening with a season of prayer in the back yard of our host’s home.  I also had my fill of some delicious “haystacks”.

Sabbath morning took Penny and me to AWC to enjoy the service.  Actually Penny stayed in the car putting her final touches on a presentation we were going to give at the South Mountain Church in the afternoon.  She joined me in time for church.  I attended the youth class—and I was blessed.  I even came out with a sermon idea having to do with Nebuchadnezzar—go figure.  CM preached a long but powerful sermon on the two sides of the “Why Me?” question. 

The original plan was to have a board meeting at an elder’s home immediately after the morning service.  This plan was dashed by the breadth of the sermon and a realization that the afternoon seminar I thought was scheduled on the downside of 3 o’clock was actually slated for the early side of that hour.  There was no way I would be able to have even a short board meeting and still get to southern Phoenix in time.  So I quickly rescheduled the elder’s meeting until next week (they are pretty flexible at AWC) and Penny and I rushed home to pick up some “eats” to enjoy on our way to the church.  We got there with a couple of minutes to spare.  Actually, we got there with a couple minutes to spare before the scheduled time.  It was a good 45 minutes before we began. 

Penny and I gave a seminar following a presentation given by a couple who had been married 57 years.  They spoke of the ingredients that it takes to make a marriage last.  It was somewhat humorous that after they concluded this presentation on “marital bliss” we were called up to make a presentation on “Couples in Crisis.”  Life is full of ironies.  We shared some concepts we have learned along our 33 years together and other material we were able to glean along the way.  The people appreciated the presentation. 

From there we rushed home to change clothes in order to go on to our next commitment at the DH home.  It was a special evening planned for individuals of “means” (I was not one of them) who were being enlisted to be part of the renaissance of Adventist education in Arizona.  It was a very encouraging evening.  More than the money that was pledged or given, what was of most import was the ripples that the meeting will produce as these people expand the circle to others.  The future of Adventist Education is getting brighter.  Pray hard!

Late night—tired but satisfied.  Penny and I even went outside our duplex close to midnight to see if we could catch any of the “falling stars” from the remnants of Haley’s Comet that the news said would be visible between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.  We were disappointed.  Too much light pollution!

Today will be consumed with catch-up work, the fair, and the Fall Festival at GAA.  I think my stomach is up to it!  (219.8)