I'm really easy to get along with once people learn to worship me.

Here's another opportunity for a motivational poster spoof. You even have the black margin at the bottom for your text. So, give me your caption! I'll post the best submission and send you a prize. How about a copy of last week's bulletin?

Franz Reichelt, a tailor, lived in France in the early 1900's. Fancying himself something of an inventor he decided to design a suit that would allow its wearer to fall - or jump - from great heights and descend safely to the ground. His creation was ready for debut in 1912, the year Reichelt decided to demonstrate his invention by jumping from the Eiffel Tower. Fortunately for the annals of history, his demonstration was caught on film in one of the earliest examples of that new technology. Unfortunately for Reichelt, his invention didn't work.
Franz Reichelt's Leap into History
My favorite part is where the CSI guys are measuring the ground afterward. What's that about??

This afternoon the Moore's hosted a going away BBQ for JR and Emily and their daughter, Eloise. JR is in the Air Force and leaves soon for a year's deployment in Qatar. Emily and Eloise will move up back up to Camano Island, just north of Seattle where she has family. Eloise has special needs and being near family will make it a lot easier for Emily with JR gone. But we're going to miss them!

I promised a post tonight with an update on how things went at church this morning after our 10,700-piece mailing to homes in the area. We had no idea what to expect. Flood or drought? More people than we have space for, or "just us chickens?" We prayed for the former and agreed to accept the latter as God's good and perfect will. Had extra chairs set up, but determined that even if no one came we would worship and learn no differently than we do any other Sunday.

I confess that at the beginning of the service I felt a sense of disappointment. We only had one person come in as a result of the mailing - and we know that's why Jose came because he had the mailing piece in his hand. The people were terrific at making Jose feel welcome; I couldn't have asked for better. Marcie gave him an extra Bible she'd brought for the purpose and I think virtually everone greeted him. I had a brief conversation with Jose before we started. He was born in Mexico, lived in Minnesota for a few years and moved here four years ago.

I sit in front during the first part of the service so I don't know if Jose participated in the singing. But when I preached he did his best to find the passages, wrote on the bulletin insert I'd prepared for following the sermon, and seemed to enjoy the humor.

In between the two hours I had time for a more extended conversation with Jose. Really nice guy. I'm going to guess in his early 30's. I asked about his church background and he said he was raised Roman Catholic but realized he wasn't learning anything about the Bible there. So he tried something else - the Mormon Church. He said that was pretty much the same; rules and regs, but he wasn't learning about the Bible. I asked him if he felt like he learned the Bible during the sermon. "Oh, yes!"

Jose stayed for the second hour. In Foundations I'm doing a survey of the OT - think BL 101 or first year Confirmation - and it's a wild, frenetic hour. Fast paced, light, humor, and tons of content crammed into 50 minutes. If you know my teaching style you know I don't hestiate to call on people, engage in light hearted banter and generally try to make it fun to learn. And Jose was right there, joining in all of it and writing notes as fast as he could. We covered Deuteronomy and Joshua, including S. J. Bedmizan, MGR.

OK, here's the BEST part.
Right after we stop class everybody pitches in to help with tear-down. They're terrific about that and I'm always amazed at how quickly it all gets packed up and out to our vehicles. I was down on my haunches packing up some electronics when Jose bent down next to me with paper and pen in hand. He asked me what kind of Bible he should buy and where to go to get it.

It's Sunday night and I'm exhausted. That's the norm. But I'm also very, very thankful for God's blessing this morning. Hey, it's very possible that others will come next week because of the mailing. But from what he said, Jose will be back, maybe with his daughter, and with his own Bible. Jose wants to learn the Bible, and that's why Pathway exists!
(Does Jose know the Savior that Bible is all about??)
If the time and money invested on that mailing go no further than Jose, it was worth every cent!
The initial disappointment I felt disappeared quickly. Tonight I think God used Pathway, and I think will continue to use Pathway to minister to someone who wants to learn the Bible. And only God knows where that leads!