Joke, our Harvest Party, Chase alone, Prison Revival

As we began leadership meeting yesterday the pastor read a joke he had come across. At a political rally two very proud liberal parents brought their eight year old up to be introduced to the visiting politician. Seeing the obviously proud parents, he asked “What would you do if you were president?” Without hesitation the little girl responded, “I would make sure every homeless person had a place to live and food to eat.” Her parents just beamed. “You don’t have to wait until you are president to do something”, the politician explained, “Come over to my house and mow the grass, wash my car and weed the flower bed and I will give you $50. Then I can take you to where the homeless people stay and you can pick out a homeless man to give the money to so he can buy some food and pay for a place to sleep.” The little girl thought for a moment then asked, “Why don’t we just get the homeless man to mow your yard, wash your car and weed the flower bed? Then we can give the money to him for the work?” Whereupon the politician extended his hand and said ‘Welcome to the Republican party.”


The pastor also gave a report of the Harvest Party we had done last Friday night. Though we did not take an official head count, there were over one hundred children along with many parents. We had a houseful. There were 39 professions of faith – mostly from the children. We will be doing follow up for months to come. I personally shared the Gospel with three young boys and all three prayed to receive Christ. One youngster is a favorite of Mama and Victoria so we will hopefully be doing that particular visit. The pastor made a very valid point of instruction to all of us. If we do not win the parents many of these young believers will fall away because there will be no one to hold them close to the Lord; a sad, but true thought.

Both Victoria and Chase have long days today. Mama and Chase are going to practice driving the Lincoln later today or tomorrow so Chase can use it to shuttle himself to church and to work while Mama and I are in Bowie. The very fact that he is willing to drive an ‘87 Lincoln shows his desperation for independence. On Sunday evening he will be totally alone since Victoria will be going over with us through Tuesday evening. I am a little concerned, not because Chase has given us any reason to be worried, but because he is a teenager – a teenager with a girlfriend. That is the most dangerous teenager of all.

I am going to have Mama let the young lady’s parents know that Chase will be home alone until Tuesday evening so they are aware of the possibility of deception. It is always better to set up some accountability because we can never be certain what temptations will be tried in the absence of the normal deterrents. I hope Chase will not take too much offence to it. I do the same thing for myself. For instance, I do not get on the computer when I am alone in the house – too many temptations. If I am so affected by temptation after serving the Lord for over forty years and after 29 years of marriage, I know it affects my teenage son.

Today begins a revival at one of the prison units here in Amarillo. I will get to participate on Saturday, but the actual revival begins today. I am a little more fearful than usual about going to the prison to do soul winning. We were given some pretty stern warnings about how to deal with the men in the prison and I know that I am very gullible – a weakness they can easily spot and prey upon. Knowing that, I am praying for a very strong partner to spend that time with me.

An old saying is that God protects idiots and fools; I am or have been guilty in both categories.