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There are a few trips in the offing!

In October, tentative to the Chicago area.  In November, tentative to Tokyo.  In March, tentative to Turkey.

I’ve never been off the continent.  Chicago is no new thing.  But Japan and Turkey? 

All three trips are related to church work.  In different ways.  The first is as a co-leader of our regional pastor’s network.  The next is as a part of our seamless link with our missionaries in Japan.  The third is as  the moderator at our Canadian denomination’s biannual assembly.

Maybe the next trip after these trips will be a for the fun of it!  Maybe the Caribbean?  How about Dore Lake in Northern Saskatchewan?  Or . . .

I’ve often wondered how to distinguish the leader that can really take an organization forward — versus the leader who is an egotist and takes things forward merely for themselves.

Ran across two video clips that resonated with me!  Put out by Cloud/Townsend (www.cloudtownsend.com) these two clips are interesting.  Try them out!

• Transcend Leader #1 – www.cloudtownsend.com/videoserver/video.php?clip=cloudT1042
• Transcendent Leader #2 – www.cloudtownsend.com/videoserver/video.php?clip=cloudT1043

The talk revolves around sub-mission, humility and fulfilment as a leader.  And all in less than 2o minutes for both clips!!

A gem appears in one of those regular emails, every once in awhile, off and on, if you keep looking.  They always have at the bottom of the “newsletter” a little line that lets you “unsubscribe”.  I’m just naive enough to think that an unusually unusual “ah-ha” moment will happen one of these times.  So, I seldom unsubscribe.

A few days ago I ran across this goody from Matthias Media (a down-under company!).  It’s all about the Swedish Method of bible study.  When I first mentioned it to some others their eyes went wide.  I think they were thinking of Swedish massage and other aberrations.

Took a bit to calm down, but then we looked it over.  There is a core of three things (and you can add more) that let you just read the Bible and observe what it says. 

A light bulb: This should be something that ‘shines’ from the passage—whatever impacts most, or draws attention.

A question mark: Anything that is difficult to understand in the text, or a question the reader would like to ask the writer of the passage or the Lord.

An arrow: A personal application for the reader’s life.

 

I began to reflect on this method.  This is exactly what we used to do in our youth group Bible studies back in the late ’60’s (and to think I’m that old!!).  I can see it still working today!  I’m always amazed that our group would have 30 teens show up for Bible study –  which was almost more than showed up for our Friday night “social and devotional” time.  There’s something about direct Bible study that is rewarding.  Maybe it’s getting to know God yourself, with a group of seekers who are looking for the same thing!!

Today I met more of the youth of our town.  Three young ladies at a Drug and Alcohol Wellness Network meeting, and three young men at a music jam session.

I enjoy working with youth.  They are both refreshing and frustrating.  I’m glad for myself the refreshing tends to win out more often than the opposite.

So, I’m home now.  Refreshed.

Meanwhile, a friend is in the hospital with a racing heart.  Laying in a hospital room where they can monitor his heartbeat.  And listening to other emergency cases.  I noticed he has a set of headphones hooked up to a DVD player.  Sometimes the distractions of life are a good thing.

Another friend is fighting addictions.  His emotions are stretched and his responses can range as wide as the ocean. 

May God keep us all in renewed states of seeking after Him.  That’s where real rest and refreshment are to be found.  Whether we are sick, addicted, afflicted  or in good health, there is a foundation of sanity that can only be found in the one who created us all!!