Look at That Boy!

Tonight during our community group Angie was with our two youngest children at our daughter's school's open house. Students and their families took an informative tour of their main classroom, art room, music and PE rooms, and the library (I think). Our youngest was not behaving. I nearly rolled on the floor when Angie told me about her experience in the art room. Angie was trying to talk with the teacher when she put our youngest son on the ground. Mind you, he's going to be 5 yrs in two months. After about 30 seconds of conversation Angie heard a voice in the room say, "Look at that boy." She knew it must be our son. She turned to see. It was. He had shoved his face in front of a water fountain in the room and was allowing the water to splash all over this hair, clothes, and the surrounding art projects. At this point all you can do is laugh. Since it was the art room Angie decided to glue and staple him onto the cork board next to the fountain so he could dry off without getting into anything else. We'll get him in the morning when I drop our daughter off for school.

The weather has become perfect around here. I was able to play golf on Monday in a tournament put on to raise money for the building of churches in African nations. What a cool ministry ICM is! I needed the break and chance to be outside too. The views of the deep green grass up against the red and brown mountains was an all-morning bowl of eye candy.

We continue to see new guests at worship every weekend. It is so much fun getting to meet new people and make new friends. I struggle, though, with the reality that I can no longer enjoy the same kind of engagement with people because of the numbers. I want to know everybody well, but that is becoming more and more of an impossibility. More and more I am accepting the fact that I won't even be able to greet each person on a Sunday morning during worship. I am deeply encouraged, though, to see that several CWR folks make great efforts to welcome newcomers and to include them in the weekly activities and gatherings of the church. Once again proof of the fact that God builds His church and that He doesn't need us!

I had lunch today with another pastor who serves one of the largest churches in LV. His primary role is related to outreach, including marketplace ministries. That is why I wanted to spend time with him. We are still trying to determine where/how God would use our efforts to reach into the downtown business communities with the gospel. Some good ideas surfaced in my conversation today. We will continue to pray. God will lead, I'm sure of that.