Entries by James

Wrapping Up

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Welcome to 2005! We got a much needed rest around the holidays. I've been pushing very hard so as to make a successful conclusion to the year, in an attempt to get us on firm footing for the big transition to full-time mission work on January 1. So, we were all quite tired, and it was about time to just rest. We got lots of sleep, spent time together with family and with each other, and just caught up a bit.

The kids had a great time of course. The boys got a wooden train set, and Spider-man action figures. Elizabeth got one of those Little Tikes kitchenettes with all kinds of pretend foods, and dishes, and a stove and a sink and a microwave and a phone, and she is, of course, loving playing with it. The LORD provided some much needed money to buy these gifts, and it was very encouraging to me to be able to give some good presents to my children.

MISSION: Uganda Blog Update 12-22-2004

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Greetings, folks!

We were in Philadelphia Baptist Church in Philadelphia, MO (close to Palmyra, outside Hannibal) for their missions conference this past weekend. We were there, on our way to Uganda, East Africa, and so was Lenelle Smith, on her way to Ivory Coast, West Africa, so it was all African missionaries. It's always good to meet other folks on their way to Africa, who share your burden for the continent. Africa's a big place, and you can't really run out of work to do or places to go and work as a missionary. The need is ever present, and never diminishes. We had an all African dinner on Saturday, featuring food from Ivory Coast. It had a lot of curry in it, which I thought was really tasty, but which apparently lit some folks on fire. We all wore our African garments, and had some good fellowship with the people.

Sunday went well. We all slept like the dead on Sunday afternoon, and then got up to pack. My nimble-fingered, future pick-pocket daughter spirited away my travel alarm clock, which I need to make sure I wake up on time in the morning. My wife set it down for second, and turned
to get something, and <POOF>, it was gone. It turned out later that she'd been "helping pack", and had put it in her suitcase. Laughing Overall, it was a great conference, and I'm glad we got to attend, especially this late in the year.

MISSION: Uganda Email Update 12-13-2004

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We were at Lifegate Baptist Church in Ellisville, MO last night. I have no idea what great thing God was attempting to do last night, but the Devil was surely fighting us. What a day! None of the kids took naps, which meant neither did we. They all had to be spanked, and were all crabby and hard to deal with before we left. Plus, there was a lot of last minute stuff that almost made us late to church. It felt like walking into the wind all day until we got there. Like I said before we left "Well, we must be going the right way, because the Devil sure is fighting us." The meeting went well. Pastor Squires and his wife Marion were very gracious, and everyone was very helpful. They gave us a very generous love offering, which is very important in these weeks remaining before I quit my job. I'm going to be leaving my job a week earlier than planned, because Anna's grandfather is doing worse. We'll be taking a meeting up in Scott's Bluff, Nebraska on January 2, then spending the rest of the week with the Brush's in South Dakota. I think God is motivating these churches to be generous to us because he planned all along for it to be this way, and wanted to reassure us that everything is in His control, and that we will be provided for. We have a conference in Philadelphia, MO next weekend (Philadelphia Baptist Church, Roger Stevens), so be praying for us as we drive, and attend the conference. I am going to have to take a half-day off on Friday, and again on Monday so we can crash when we come home Sunday night (it's a four-hour drive from here). Also, I have to give my boss the news of my looming resignation soon, and I dread it a bit, because I hate to leave a good job where people are depending on me. And yet I must.

Holy Flying Metal, Batman!

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Here's the picture I took before we got the windshield replaced. I guess God still has plans for me, eh? God has provided 200 dollars for the windshield, which has been replaced now. Thank you all for your prayers.