Your donut – regular or decaf?

If Dr. Robert Bohannon has his way, the next time you stop in at your favorite donut shop, you may be asked that question. Dr. Bohannon, who is a molecular scientist/café owner, believes people could benefit from caffeine options other than coffee or tea. So he has come up with the idea of putting caffeine into some popular sweet treats like the ever popular donut. At present, he is trying to market his idea to some popular chains like Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts – but no word yet from them as to whether or not they will lay out the dough for Bohannon’s idea.

Hmm. I am sure there are many among us that like the idea of more options for caffeine intake. We live in an overworked, under-rested society. Most of us don’t get enough sleep. Therefore the need for caffeine (How many of you don’t feel awake until you have had a cup – or a pot – of coffee?). I can relate to that. But lately I have been sensing a growing conviction that I need to take better care of my body. After all, I only get one! So I had better take care of it. And given the truth that my body is now the temple of the Holy Spirit – I have even more motivation to care for it well. All this to ask all of us – are we being good stewards of the body that God has given us? That means getting adequate amounts of sleep, exercising on a regular basis, eating healthy, etc. Let’s determine to take some steps toward a healthier lifestyle!


Thanks for listening,

pj

From Dijon to Ikea.

While visiting with Paul and Louise Klawitter in Dijon, France, I discovered that Paul had a really comfy chair in his office. I did some reading in it. I did some thinking in it. I did some napping in it. When I asked him where he got the chair, he informed me that they had purchased it in the Ikea store in Dijon. At that moment, I made the decision to find the closest Ikea store to Lancaster and get me one of those chairs!

Yesterday, Sharon and I drove to Ikea in the Philly area. After walking for what seemed miles, we finally emerged with the coveted chair. Once home, I assembled it (rather quickly for me!). Now I am enjoying it. It is every bit as comfortable as I recall Paul’s chair being! (For those of you who might be interested it is a Poang chair).

To obtain this chair, I had to expend a lot of effort. I had to locate the nearest Ikea store (which I was able to do online). Then, I had to find time in my schedule to make the 1 ½ drive to Ikea, make the purchase (and do some additional shopping while there!), and then drive back home. As I thought about that, I thought of prayer. Prayer is a spiritual discipline in which we spend time conversing with God. Prayer involves thanking, praising, asking, and confessing. It is at the same time both a huge privilege and a great responsibility. Consider the asking part of prayer. Jesus makes it clear that when we ask our prayers will be answered. In Matthew 7:7-8 He says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Yet all of us have experienced times when we have asked and we have not received. What then? Is God falling short on his promise to us? Listen to the following words of J.I. Packer from his book, Praying: Finding Our Way through Duty to Delight, p. 215:

“According to Jesus, there is no such thing as unanswered prayer when a faithful child of God brings requests to his or her heavenly Father. The prayer will be taken notice of. It may not be answered in the form in which we offer it. It may be answered by God making us aware that there are things in our life that have got to be changed before he can give us what we have asked for. It may be that he will answer our prayer in a way which makes us realize that we were not asking for precisely the right thing in the first place. So God answers the prayer we OUGHT to have made rather than the prayer we DID make. But that is not unanswered prayer.”

That’s good stuff. Feed on those thoughts. And keep on praying! Because as Jesus adds in Matthew 7:9-11: “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”

Thanks for listening,

pj

Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men!

One day, as Simon and his brother, Andrew were casting their fishing net into the waters of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus spotted them and stopped to talk to them. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." How did Andrew and Simon respond to this invitation? "At once they left their nets and followed him." (See Matthew 4:19-20). I don't know about you - but I find it striking that they did that. They could have said to Jesus, "That sure is an interesting invitation; we will have to talk about it. We'll get back to you tomorrow." No. Matthew records no hesitation on their part. They simply left their nets and followed Jesus. Surprising? It shouldn't be. Simon and Andrew realized who it was that was offering the invite. And that made the all the difference for them.

I love to fish (See pic. It is not doctored in any way. I really did catch that fish!). But I love to fish for men even more. What a joy to be able to point people to Jesus Christ. He alone can meet a person's deepest needs. And He alone is the way home. Without Christ, people are lost. But with Him, they are wonderfully found! The invitation Jesus offered to Simon and Andrew - he offers to all of us. Are you willing to follow Him and allow Him to make you a fisher of people?

Thanks for listening,

PJ

Merci pour les escargots!

Thanks for the snails? I wasn't so sure. I had never tried to eat a snail before. But I had heard that people did eat them. And our friends assured us that they ate them (and lived) and actually enjoyed them. So much so that they always feasted on snails during the holidays.

So when they brought out a plateful of steamed snails, I knew I would have to be brave. I sure did not want to appear cowardly before a sixteen year old girl! As I scooped the snail out of its shell, I was hoping it would fall on the floor so that Marcel the dog would gobble it up. When that did not happen, I realized I had to go through with it. But there was something about eating a snail that just would not allow me to place this creature in my mouth. So, Elise (the sixteen year old seated to my right in the pic) came to the rescue. She took my fork, and pretending to be an airplane - she flew that snail right into my mouth (If you are a parent, you can remember those days when you tried that trick to get your kids to eat their creamed carrots or stewed green beans!). As soon as I tasted the snail (smothered in garlic and butter) I thought, "Wow! This is good!" So good that the second snail followed quite quickly after that.

Sometimes all it takes is a taste. Les escargots taste good. Maybe that is why they are so popular with our friends. The book of psalms urges us to "Taste and see that the LORD is good!" (Psalm 34:8). Indeed the LORD is good - He is very good! I trust that today you will “taste” HIS goodness in a powerful way!

Thanks for your time!

pj

Friends in France!

This is Franck Sergonne, his wife Sandriene and their two children, Isaline and Lenny. Since August of 2002, Franck has served as the pastor of our sister church in Dijon, France. The church, planted by GBIM missionaries Kent and Becky Good and Paul and Louise Klawitter, is now growing under French leadership. This has freed up the Goods to be reassigned to Asia and Paul to be appointed the Eruopean Regional Director for Grace Brethren International Missions.

Franck, unlike his wife who grew up in a pastor's home, was rasied in an unbelieving family. His older brother and father are nonpracticing Catholics, but in reality, they are atheists. At this moment, Franck is the only believing member of his family. He came to know Christ at the age of 22 through the testimony of a few Christians and by reading the Bible.

Will you pray for this dynamic family who is shepherding a flock of believers in Dijon, France. Pray that God will use them to bring many to the One who promises eternal life!

Thanks on behalf of Franck and his family,

PJ

I am so blessed!

The picture here shows the staff of Grace Church at Willow Valley. These men and women are a joy to work with! They love God, they love people AND they love our church. Although most are only part-time - they give a full time effort to the work of the kingdom here at Grace. I want to go public with my thanks for ALL they do! If you are a part of our church family here at Grace, select one of these staffers and send them a note of appreciation. You will make their day!

Thanks for your time,

PJ

It's a NEW LOOK!

Recenlty I decided to make a move. No, not from my house or my job. But with my blog. So here it is - my first blog on blogger.com. I made the switch because here I will be able to do more with my blog (like post some interesting photos for example - and I promise I won't bore you with pics of all my family - at lease not often!). So I hope you like the new look.

More to come.

PJ