jimmish's Xanga

Monday, June 23, 2008

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:39:28 GMT

Haven't contributed much lately..

(a little bit of writer's block, among other things), but wanted to share this update from Rachel

( those who know me will remember that she's my oldest daughter)

"When you're gone, colors seem to fade...or do they?"

"And I'll take with me the memories, To be my sunshine after the rain, It's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday." Boys 2 Men

"His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature " 2 Peter 1:3-4b

So I’m going to be one of those people who talks all about how great it is not to be around you. What? Are there really people like that? Okay, maybe that came out wrong. Let me start over.

I remember my High School graduation. One of my fellow classmates (there were only nine of us, mind you) got up to sing the Boys II Men song “It’s so hard to say goodbye”. It was very sweet and touching, until he started to give his speech after he sang. He started out by saying, “It’s really not hard to say goodbye, it’s time to go…” Now he was right of course, we couldn’t very well stay in high school forever and the time had come for us to leave. But, man, what a way to say it! Just to boldly proclaim “It’s easy to go!”

That’s how I feel lately. In case you didn’t see me there or you didn’t know, I recently took a trip home for about a month before returning to Ghana. I have to say I was really excited to get there, and enjoyed my time a lot. I got to see friends and family (including a new niece and nephew!), got to visit churches, meet with my Pastor and other spiritual mentors and take some time to rest and recoup. But to be completely honest, I was probably more excited to get back to Ghana than I had been to go home in the first place. Now, before all my family and friends stop reading and cut me off for saying that I’d rather be here than there, I love you all and I would absolutely love to be around you all the time. I just think that would work out better for me if all of you packed up and came with me

Something that I’ve been coming to realize is that, having once tasted of the plans God has for you, nothing else is quite as satisfactory, no matter how wonderful it may be. I would probably have said before that I knew this, or something along those lines, but there are just some things that you don’t really know until you’ve experienced them firsthand. Of course, this doesn’t mean that everyone should move to the mission field because you’ll be so much happier than you ever were before. I think most people wouldn’t love it for long periods of time, not because they’re not cut out for it…it’s just that not everyone has the same purpose in life. That’s why God made some people to be missionaries and some people to be pastors and some to be businessmen and some to be…I don’t know, astrophysicists. My point is that I’m where I’m supposed to be right now and I love it.

So what is it I love exactly? Well, lately I’ve been keeping pretty busy. We’ve made several trips to the orphanages we work with since I’ve been back…taking them food and soccer balls and just going to hang out with the kids in general. One thing that has made this in some ways even more fun for me is my new camera… While I was home someone got me a new digital SLR camera and it is totally awesome! Point being: up till now we’ve usually gotten a photographer to come on these trips so that we can send pictures to supporters who sent money to buy food or whatever the case may be. However, with that method we ended up having to scan the printed pictures before we could email them at all. So with the cost of the photographer and the hassle of scanning, it was taking a lot of time and money to get pictures. That is no longer a problem thanks to me and my new Rebel xTi--with my handy digital SLR I am now, more or less, the official photographer for…whatever. So I get to go around snapping pictures of everything that’s going on, and let’s face it, every kid loves having their picture taken so it makes me even more popular than I was before. Plus the pictures come out amazing. (Can you tell how much I love my new camera?)

I think I’ve mentioned both of these before, but two of the ministries we’re looking at starting are a prison ministry and something along the lines of a soup kitchen. The prison ministry is one I’m especially looking forward to, having heard about the conditions of prisons here and the complete lack of even the most basic necessities like toilet paper and enough food to eat. The soup kitchen is also an exciting prospect, but will definitely start slowly. We want to reach out to the elderly in Tema who might not have family that can take care of them and so can’t really get enough to eat or enough social interaction for that matter. We’re looking at starting by hosting a meal once a week or so, providing haircuts and other needs, and eventually maybe doing the meal on a more frequent basis. One of the main things to figure out is where to have this take place. We definitely have room on the base here, but whether it’s too far out of the way/too much trouble for people to get here would be the question. On top of those, the next Discipleship Training School starts up in July. We’re praying for lots of students and for God’s provision for them for their school fees, so join with us in that!

I’ve really been blessed by something over the last couple of months. In the past couple of years I’ve managed to accumulate friends that have ended up flung far and wide across the globe. Not that long ago, the only possible international call I could have considered making would have been to Mexico. But all of a sudden, I find that I have friends in Singapore, Ukraine, Tanzania, Costa Rica, Holland, Iraq, South Africa, Switzerland, Romania, Nigeria, Israel, Sierra Leone and probably some other places that I’m leaving out (if you’re there please forgive me). Most of these people are in missions in some way, and I get reports from them as to how things are going. I cannot tell you how encouraging it is to hear what God is doing all around the world. I get to read about orphans in Ukraine, Iraqis showing interest in Christ, border guards along the Gaza Strip risking their lives to bring a sick child to a waiting medical team amidst falling bombs, Bengalis hearing the Good News in a foreign country and then going back to Bangladesh, and the list goes on and on.

Our God is a wonderful, caring, compassionate God and I am blown away by His love for us.

Grace and Peace to you all!

Rachel

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Sat, 10 May 2008 20:20:55 GMT

Spring Comes

Spring comes
calling

                                                       with sweetened breath
                                                              dispelling death
                                      Spring comes
                                                  enticing
                                                        with fragrant hair
                                                         and greening wear

                                     and whispers
                                                       "Death is gone
                                                     today the dawn
                                                                of life is gi'en to all."

                                        The world in bloom
                                                       decries the doom
                                                        of weary days
                                                        and hopeless haze
                                                                     of fear.

                                         Christ comes (alive)
                                                      calling
                                                        Oh, so sweetly

                                         and says
                                                   "Life is near
                                                     for all who hear
                                                         and ask to take it in."

                                           Jesus, bedecked in joy
                                                       offers the spring
                                                        the life
                                                        the healing heart.

                                          Spring comes.
                                                                                      copyright May 2008 james a. smallish

                        Jesus answered, "...whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst.
                            Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
                                                                   John 4: 14

Monday, April 28, 2008

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:13:30 GMT

We all know the parable of the Sower.

Too often, I feel, we become bogged down in stewing about what, or even worse, IF
we have anything to sow.
Let me assure you. If you are God's.
and Christ is yours

you have seed(s) which are precious to God and the world.

My friend and pastor told this story yesterday:

He was taking a walk some time ago (recently), and passed through
a pleasant semi-wooded (nice and private) area
on a path through a park in our town.
As he passed through, he came upon a man "stretched out" on the ground,
apparently soaking in the nice day and surroundings.

The man saw him, waved and said "hi"..nothing more.
My pastor smiled, returned the greeting pleasantly,
and continued.

The next day on his walk through the same area,
he came upon a pair of police officers, who greeted him and asked if they could talk.
They asked him if he walked there often, discovered that he had been there the
previous day, and asked if he had seen a man matching the description of the man
my pastor had greeted.

The man had comitted suicide.
The pastor had very possibly been the last man he'd spoken with.

Now my pastor is a wonderful, tender man...his comment was,

"I determined to be more diligent in looking in every situation
for the opportunity to give and share (God's seed of love)."

Some speak, some sing,
others share and use no words at all.
Some mend, some heal,
some lend hands
when people come to fall.

If you are not a giant
nor preach the way of Paul,
It's who YOU are
God want to share;
For Christ through each will fill His call.
©james smallish 4.28.2008

God Bless you in being YOU

jim

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:52:54 GMT

Okay, over a week,(NOT tomorrow, as I thought)
a LOT of overtime,
and one nasty cold (I'm just getting my voice back) later,
I'm just going to BRIEFLY
synopsize the rest of the mission trip:

to whit:

We were able to do a tremendous amount on the porch enclosure,

get much of the house sided,

and in the meantime were treated to
wonderful Cajun hospitality---

delicious local food,

tours of the area in a V6-powered "mudboat",

and some good old silliness with a 'gator

(safely brought to us by our hosts)

as well as the bonding and fellowship that only happens in
living , working, and praying together with brothers and sisters in Christ
while working to Godly ends.
I am amazed not that so many come, rather, that so many more do not,
and that so many think working for Christ is a "sacrifice"...

I beg to differ.

from Psalm 133:1 "How good, how delightful it is when God's children dwell together in unity! It is comparable
to the sweetest things known in this life." (Jimmish expanded translation)

from John 13 "Jesus said.."A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

and from John 17, "(Jesus prayed) "Father...I have given them the glory that you gave me,
that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me.
May they be brought to complete unity
to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

How good, how delightful, indeed!

Monday, April 07, 2008

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 14:17:03 GMT

WOW!! I've been working overtime (Karen, you know about those 12 hour shifts);
I've mainly been sleeping and working...pretty much zero internet time.
I have the morning off tomorrow-Monday, and will start filling in the blanks then.
(I'm taking a minute to type this while at the old "salt mines"..ha,ha)

signpost at the camp where teams can place directions home

Soooo... March 2nd we arrived in Houma, La., after driving for two days...about 1100 miles.
We moved into the PDA camp,

were assigned to work crews, and prepared to
spend a week in post-Katrina-Rita repairs.

our crew, left to right
Kathy, Joan, Bob,Ben, Jim(mish),Lee, Allen, Terry and Bob

On Monday we were introduced to our project;
closing in a weather-proof deck on a home
which had been at ground level during Rita,
and subsequently under 9 feet of water.

We set to work

...cutting, framing, insulating, enclosing and siding....
there was plenty to keep our group busy.

Tomorrow....the week continues

Summary: Good work, good friends, good times;
all under the banner of Jesus Christ!

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:20:57 GMT

Hey, Cher!

jus' got back from da bayou
(bin down deh fixin' houses)
got to go woik a couple days,
den I be aba to update mo'.

meantime, 'joy dis zydeco video
(down an' to da lef')

bon temps, chers

jacques/jim

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:26:04 GMT

         . . . some of you will recognize this from last year...it is, indeed a "retread".
          You may recall that I had a little trouble with the format I used then;
           and some couldn't read it. I thought I'd give it another shot, and it's helpful
         because other things have diminished my ability to post lately....
God Bless you all
         Looking forward to more free time soon
                         Jim

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 14:46:28 GMT

Oh, for pete's sake!!

After working a bunch of 12 hour shifts, and then
sleeping the next few days (really!) , I had planned to FINALLY
get back on line today, and catch up here..

this morning the van quit....sigh.

SOOO as I was saying,

(just a sec., the shop's on the phone...
Great...$105 for a new battery, too)

..as I was saying, I began bidding on the , and after
an exciting last 60 seconds...won. Great news... even with the 100
shipping charge, it would still save 100 over the price in the local store.

Further, I called the seller on the , and they agreed to sell
me a second one
( remember, these are for 's ),

for the same price as the winning auction bid;
With one ..teensy..change...
the shipping charge was 200 ...

...EACH!!!!!!!!!!!

Neither nor (uh, that's me)
had noticed the disclaimer at the bottom of the seller's webpage
which pointed out that the quoted shipping ONLY applied
the area around ...

...

With lightning-quick (that is, "frantic") mental calculation
I concluded that the cost of for me to drive
to
would be about the same as
the original, quoted shipping, and would give me the chance to take a
little break, as I was at the beginning of a week off work
. (ha,ha)
I called the sellers, told them I'd be there soon,
and began making plans.

"May ( the Lord) give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed"
(Psalm 20:5)

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:05:33 GMT

It started innocuously enough...
about a week after the twins (Braden and Emma) were born, the phone rang .

It was Carol (my ex-wife..that's not a bad thing; we're good friends...really!)

She had a question. "Say, do you still have an account? "

Unsuspecting, (well, okay, kinda suspecting, but interested) I answered, "yes, why do you ask?"

"Well, there's a chance to save alot of on a crib I've been interested in", she replied.

I heard "..save "

I was hooked...we discussed the limit as far as
was concerned, and I hung up.

I immediately signed into, and began bidding.

(next..."complications")

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Wed, 09 Jan 2008 09:34:40 GMT

Question:
What do

Twins

and my car

have in common?

.....ROAD
TRIP!!!

(details later today)