Rats! I'm becoming one of those people...

I'm afraid that my recent neglect of blogging has been in part due to my new toy -- a smart phone.

I have been skipping time with the laptop and getting online info from my phone. Unfortunately, posting to my blog from my phone is not a pleasant experience. I'm either going to have to go back to bringing my laptop to work for my breaks or just deciding to spend the time to sit down and write.

The good news is that I am still able to follow all of you other bloggers and keep up with your regular posts.

I am going to have to make the effort to not become a person that is so attached to the world through his phone that it becomes on of those gotta have at all times kind of things. So far it's not too bad. Recently, I found myself on an airplane and realized that I hadn't even downloaded any games that I could play without an internet link! Smart phones apparently work better for smart people!

I have corrected that oversight and downloaded a few other apps, as well. I have to say that one of my favorites is the YouVersion bible app. A few months ago, Pastor Terry mentioned that there really is no good reason for most of us to not be reading our bibles daily; that with smart phones and tablets, we can have our daily bible reading at any time. Pick your plan, pick your translation, read daily!

I (of course) have the social media apps a few games and several that were on the phone that I don't use.

What are your favorite apps? What apps would make my life easier? Which ones will make me smarter?
I know that I am greatly under-utilizing the technology that my phone offers--and I'm okay with that. I'm certain that I'll learn as I go and as others share their experiences and knowledge with me. Until then, I'm going to be cautious about over-using my phone and becoming dependent on AT&T for all of life's most recent updates.

John <><

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Completely Irrational

Happy Pi Day!

Pi is probably the most well known of all irrational numbers. Since it begins with 3.14, March 14th (3-14) is often referred to as pi day.

For those that are not into mathematics (rational or irrational), an irrational number cannot be expressed as a ratio of numbers.
For example:
2 can be expressed as 2/1 and is a rational number.
4.5 can be expressed as 9/2 and is a rational number.
Even .33333333... (3 repeating) can be expressed as 1/3 and is a rational number.

Irrational numbers never repeat as a decimal number and cannot be expressed as a fraction (a ratio of numbers).

From one site on irrational numbers comes this story:

History of Irrational Numbers

Apparently, Hippasus (one of Pythagoras' students) discovered irrational numbers when trying to represent the square root of 2 as a fraction (using geometry, it is thought). Instead he proved you couldn't write the square root of 2 as a fraction and so it was irrational.

However, Pythagoras could not accept the existence of irrational numbers, because he believed that all numbers had perfect values. But he could not disprove Hippasus' "irrational numbers" and so Hippasus was thrown overboard and drowned!

And I thought I had some tough teachers!

John <><

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St.Louis, Schlafly Bottleworks, Iron Barley and more...

I'm phone blogging again this morning. We'll see how it goes.

I'm up ahead of the rest of the gang and enjoying a Starbucks Americano while they get that missing hour.

Aaron and Jenny are here from Chicago. Hannah managed to break away from college. Chris and I are here with Jenny's parents and her niece. Eight in all, the whole gang.

We met for lunch at the Schlafly Bottleworks. For those that are distressed that this is a brewery,  check out the menu on their website. (I'd link to it, but haven't figured that out on my phone, yet.) Wow! What a great meal!

After an afternoon of visiting and spending time in the hotel pool, we headed out for dinner at the Iron Barley in South City. This place would've fit the "Dives" category of the Diners, Drive Ins and Dives show that it was featured on. We we're seated in the "Underground" which means the basement.  You go outside, around back, through the kitchen entrance (the back door), and down the concrete stairs to the old basement converted to a bar with a few tables and a small area for a two man blues/bluegrass team. Between the owners, workers and clientele I felt like we had stepped into a backwoods biker bar.

Holy smokes! This was some of the best food ever!  We will definitely be back to this place!

We finished the day at Ted Drewes and then visiting some more at the hotel. We'll visit some more today and then we'll each make our way back to our normal lives. I think the eight of us have consumed enough food to feed a small village.

It's been a good weekend.  Time to wake 'em up and enjoy the kids for a few more hours before they leave for home and school.

Have a grand day.
John <><

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The Ministry Month in Review

It has been a little while since I've sat with the intent to write a meaningful post. This post won't mean much to most of you, but it helps me to keep things in perspective as life tends to hurry by.

Typically winter is a slow time in my ministry programs. That's okay, we all need those times to reflect, retool and recharge our areas of ministry. From time to time I have the opportunity to perform a magic program for a Valentine Day dinner at a church, although it has been several years since I've done this. This year I received three calls for the same Saturday night!

Pastor Jim Erwin won the first call contest by contacting me through LinkedIn, a social network for business contacts. This was my first booking made through LinkedIn! And although I have served with Pastor Jim in the past, this was my first trip to the First Baptist Church of Washburn MO. I hope to be able to serve there again in the future.

The following Saturday night found me in Buckhorn MO at the First Baptist Church of Buckhorn for the annual Pulaski County Association Evangelism Conference. I shared the message of salvation through the use of illusions on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday nights. I was at two of the association churches on Sunday morning and Sunday evening and shared a message about telling others about our wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus. I had an opportunity to reconnect with some of the evangelists that have greatly encouraged me in my ministry and to hear them preach great messages during the four day conference.

On the Thursday of the same week, the ReFRESH conference in Branson MO was taking place. I missed the Thursday evening session, but made it for Friday's morning and afternoon sessions. I had some things to get done before flying to Chicago on Saturday, so I also missed the Friday evening session.

Saturday I flew to Chicago via Atlanta and had a wonderful conversation with a fellow laborer in the Kingdom--but that's a story for another day.
On Sunday morning I shared the message in magic with the kids from Holy Trinity Church in Chicago. I stayed with Aaron and Jenny and had a nice visit.
On Monday I was able to attend the church's weekly Chicago Plan meeting.  I have always been thankful for the church's ministry to Aaron and Jenny and the way they are helping him in developing into a pastor/servant, but seeing this part of the discipling first hand has given me a greater appreciation of the work that HTC is doing in developing the next generation of leaders in our churches.

And any trip to Chicago is going to include some great food! I did enjoy the awesome Chicago Dog, Polish Sausage and Italian Beef sandwich that the Haymarket Pub and Brewery served. No, I didn't have that all in one visit, after Aaron and I had lunch there, we had to make Jenny happy by going back for dinner!

Tuesday, I arrived home in time to get to work and finish out the work week.
The week also included a lunch meeting and evening business meeting in our own Tricounty Baptist Association to complete the work of calling a new Director of Missions.
Tomorrow, we're off to St. Louis for the weekend to meet with the kids (Hannah, too) and have a day to relax a little bit.

Right now, there seems to be a lot of things going on that would indicate that the coming year will be filled with ministry opportunities. Maybe that forced day off every pay period from the government's sequestration will end up being a good thing for me.

Remember--
God loves you.
Jesus died for you.

John <><

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Too Busy To Write

It's been a few days since returning home from my weekend event in Chicago. I know that I need to write about several of the things that happened on my trip, but early morning after a mid (and with a full day ahead of me) isn't really the best time.

I'll get to that soon enough.

I'm still trying to figure out blogging on my phone. The last post didn't post with paragraphs like it was written. I think I have that figured out, but it wouldn't surprise me if I just have to go post it and then edit from my computer later.

I'll keep working at it and try to fire off a post when I get a break on the mid tonight.

No promises, though!

John <><

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Mobile Posting Today

I'm getting used to my Samsung Galaxy S3 and writing my first post on it while waiting on Aaron. We're at the Lawndale Christian Fitness Center. Aaron was telling me about this church run center and all of the ways that the Lawndale Christian Church ministers to the community around it. This is a church that is really sharing God's love with the people living in the neighborhood. Too often we find ourselves thinking of mission work as something that takes place in a far away land. This view often causes us to miss the needs in our own little corner of the world. _______ It's now time to turn in so I can catch my early morning flight. I've had an enjoyable day with Aaron and Jenny. I'll write more about my trip when I have a real keyboard in front of me. John <><

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Re-charged!

So here it is--March 1st!
Looking back, I see that I didn't do a very good job with regular posting in February. Oh well. That's behind me now.

I've spent the past week getting re-energized. Last Saturday through Tuesday I was at the Pulaski County Association's annual evangelism conference. It was great to get to meet with my old friends and fellow laborers in the Kingdom. Just hanging out with these men of faith gets me pumped up about sharing the Gospel. Listening to them preach and receiving their encouragement is enough to really get me fired up.

I spent today in Branson MO at the ReFRESH conference.
WOW!!! Some serious motivation going on there!

Aside from the great speakers and music, I received encouragement from several of the contacts that I made during the day. I got to meet a few people that I have been in contact with through Facebook, talk with some pastors that I haven't seen in quite some time, hear reports of great ministry that is going on at some of our Missouri college BSUs and how other ministries around the state are thriving.

Although the conference is geared towards reviving, refreshing and encouraging pastors, a small time evangelist like myself also found great energy and encouragement.

All in all, it's been a grand week.

I'm still struggling with some low back pain from muscle spasms. Unfortunately, the position that seems to aggravate it most is sitting. Muscle relaxants have helped a little, but keep me from going to work. I'm not looking forward to the time I'll be sitting tomorrow as I make my way to Chicago for a Sunday service with Holy Trinity Church Chicago.

I'm certain the discomfort of travel will be nothing next to the joy of serving with Aaron, Jenny and the HTC leadership to make their annual all church service a big day for the Kingdom work in Chicago. And I'll have a couple of days to visit with the kids before I head back home.

To all of my fellow pastors/preachers/evangelists, preach hard this weekend. There are souls that are counting on you to be sharing the love and the truth of the Gospel.

John <><

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