Preparing, preparing, preparing.

In less than three weeks, my wife should be with me again. I look forward to it. I know that it is discouraging for her to be alone in Mago. It was easier when Deniece was there, but now it is extremely lonely. I talked with her a couple of days ago. She was chipper at that point because she is busy building a greenhouse. She is so much like her mother. If she has a project and help to accomplish the project, she is happy.

Janet had a pretty good Sabbath a couple of weeks ago. She wrote, “Yesterday, Sabbath was a big day, 2 weddings, 4 baby dedications, communion, 16 baptisms from all around, 1 ordination, and 3 girls graduated from sewing school. We took all day and then had a bunch sleep over. Pulled 2 teeth this morning.” That, for my wife, is happiness!

I spent a wonderful week in Whitehorse, Yukon, with Julie and her family.  The last Sabbath was a high Sabbath. We started at 10 AM and I quit talking at 8:30 PM. The house was packed and I talked all day. Everyone seemed much interested and Julie was overjoyed. For potluck there was twice as much food as there was people. I ate too much. (French Canadians, Americans, Philippinos, Hungarians, Venezualans and others I cannot account for, like, not-French-Canadians.) Three or four of the people were not SDA . . . yet. I don't know if they will ever be, but they acted like they were positively impacted.

Julie works all the time sewing and gardening. She made enough money to put two of her boys through Young Disciples Camp, and to pay for her trip to Washington State, and to the Light Bearer’s Camp Meeting, and to pay the IRS of the USA seven years of back taxes. (Her husband is a US citizen. He never had to pay taxes to the US before, but they passed a new law, and now he has to pay taxes.)

Lately, I’ve been swamped with requests to write. I've been praying more and asking the Lord's help. I've edited all of the Faith Ventures this week. Yesterday, I wrote an article for the ASI Welcome magazine for the Convention. I've also had to respond to all the people in Germany, Singapore, and Nova Scotia who wanted titles, themes, bio's, and description of seminars. I can hardly know what I'm preaching for next Sabbath, much less know months ahead what I'll be presenting, but they are forcing me. Also, I was asked to write an article for the Review on the meaning of ASI, besides preparing sermons till they come out my ears.

Matthew Imes and Jennifer Dettman are planning to marry on August 25.

Today, we  (the EVI Staff) worked at weeding the raspberries and the garlic patch. We got it all done. Looks great. It looks like this is finally the year of the raspberries. They are coming on strong. Also, Ignacio planted strawberries in April and today there are tons of fruit. Impressive really. They are fruiting like they were mature old plants. We all had lunch at the Village today, and had strawberries on cake for desert.

I'm sitting at the Denver airport. (What else is new?) My flight to Atlanta was to be at 1:15 PM. Now it is only at 5:45 PM. I was supposed to drive to Uchee with Steve Grabiner, but I missed that ride. Now I had to rent a car. $155 for two days. I'll be at Uchee around midnight if I don't get lost. (Arrived at 1:45 AM.)

On my way home from Uchee, I wrote an article for the Review. Sometimes the Lord gives me these things easily. Sometimes it is like pulling teeth. This time it came wonderfully easy.

I'm almost finished reading a manuscript on the Trinity by Barry Mellor, Deniece's husband. Learned much, some reservations.

I finished praying through my Bible, the Conflict series, 7A and all my Spirit of Prophecy etchings in the margin of my Bible. It took three years less two months, to the day. Today, I started to read through the Testimonies to the Church. It took me 17 years the first time. Hopefully it won't take that long this time around. I probably don't have 17 years left, (or right.)

I had a board meeting with Northland Sanctuary Ranch, last night. Today, I sat on a Search Committee to replace Ramon Chow. Tomorrow, an ASI Exec. Comm. At least, I get to exercise to de-stress. Tomorrow, I have an appointment with Karen Lewis. She has accepted a call to train Bible Workers in the Minnesota Conference. She wants EVI to take her Denver project. The Executive Committee will wrestle with that in three days.

Life has been super hectic for me. It seems like I had tons of clerical work to do. I never thought I'd get through it, but I did. I had a fourth of July supper with the Roeskes and the Smiths last night. The food was great, but the sleep that followed was awful. Christina and a girl from Julie's church are now in Florida for Youth For Jesus. They had a difficult time at two airports, but managed to get there in the end.

Angie is determined not to do Foster Care anymore. Julie and Angie are at the Light Bearer's Camp Meeting having a blast.

Today, I get a haircut and see a dentist at 3:30 PM to get my cap put in, if he doesn't charge more than I am willing to pay.

I preach tomorrow, but I have no sermon prepared. I guess I should tackle that next.

Yesterday, while I was having my devotion, the Lord impressed me with a possible title for my ASI Keynote Address. (No sermon, just a title.) When I got to the office, I had an e-mail from my ASI Program Director saying they urgently needed the title of my sermon and a description of it. How do you describe something that doesn't exist? Well, the Lord gave me a title, so I made up a description out of thin air. Now all I have to do is prepare a sermon. Simple, n'est pas?

Phew! Wasn’t that fun?