Holy Spirit and Paintball

What a great weekend we had at PowerLine.

Friday night we had 110 at our youth service, with 20 first time visitors.

Saturday we had 40 get together to play paintball. Only 27 actually played, but that is a whole other story. Those that eventually played, had a great time and only a few went home with welts or bruises.

Back to Friday.

We have had an emphasis on the Holy Spirit this month and Friday night we taught on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Speaking in tongues. We had a full altar as dozens of students responded to receive more power. Several were filled with the HS and spoke in tongues and other commented that they had never felt God so close and real as they did that night.

I can't emphasize enough the importance of challenging our students to grow in their relationship with God. They are hungry and ready for more and with God's help we will work to disciple and encourage them.

In between, we will have fun and also look for opportunities to let Christ Shine through us in every venue.

Gotta go for now. We are having a "Drive-in" movie in my backyard later this week and I need to do some prep for that.

PB

Happy Thanksgiving

Real Pilgrims at Plimouth Plantation in Massachusetts.

This Thanksgiving let us remember to give thanks for our religious freedom. This was the force that drove these early pioneers to the "new world".

Pastor

Life Is Strange

Well, reflecting over the past month I must say that life is truly strange. One moment I am traveling 7,500 miles (by way of the latest technology) to Africa and ministering (without technology) in a world that is seemingly much more simple than here in the USA. Life in rural Kenya was very basic and uncomplicated. Drinking hot tea that was steeped in water from the most recent rainstorm, eating very simple meals that were prepared over wood fires and cooked out of doors.

Then at the end of a week of ministry to be thrown into the lap of luxury, treated like English colonizers during the turn of the century (early 1900s), gazing at wild animals doing what they do over a forever changing vista on the open savannah of the Masai Mara.

And then to do a "white knuckle" drive to New England to visit and assist aging parents in their last days. And taking the role of guardian and parent of my parents. Total role reversal, after 50 years!

It almost seems like a time machine (note drawing of HG Wells' time machine above) had transported me within three very different venues in only about 3 weeks time. I am not sure of the word, but maybe it is surreal or sublime or maybe strange is as good a choice as any.

Pastor

Safari Photos

Here we are at the "Terminal" at the landing strip at Masai Mara greeted with fresh fruit drinks and even hot coffee
We had our own Land Rover and Driver for the three days

Sunrise from our bed, looking right out to the savannah, when the sun rose higher it revealed zebra and giraffe and wildebeast

Masai tribesmen patrolled the camp perimeter

A group of young male lions napping in the mid morning sun

Hippos lined up like cruise ships

The Crocs were huge

Pumba and her babies

As you can see, we were able to get pretty close to all animals

Magnificent sunset

Out of Africa

Our first dinner meal was in Nakuru at an Ethiopian restaurant- excellent food eaten with your hands.

The next two days were non-stop with a conference in Nakuru for pastors on the topic of Discipleship and Cathy presented healthcare issues to the pastor's wives.

Saturday was a day off watching these two Rhinos square off with one another at Lake Nakuru National Park.

The pink along the shoreline are hundreds of thousands of flamingo



Sunday morning I preached in the Assemblies of God church in Nakuru with Pastor Wallace who serves as the District Superintendent




The last three days of our Africa trip were spent in the Masai Mara at Kichwa Tembo
Here is the view from our dining table

We had luxury tented accomodations

We saw the Big 5, including these elephants crossing the Mara River

More photos in days to come...

Look what I came home to

After arriving home from Africa following a 2 week trip this is what I found in my office. I found a wall full of post-its expressing appreciation and then a desk covered with even more post-its. I never know what will happen to my office whenever I leave town.

Also, while I was gone, the Red Sox won another World Series! And to think that I had an almost complete news black out while I was in Kenya.

Here is a photo of our accomodations while on Safari the last three days of our stay. I will post more photos later. Pastor P

Dentist Appointments and Meeting the President

Who would think that getting to see a dentist would be more involved and harder (it has to be) than meeting the President?

Today ended an odyssey of phone calls, faxes, emails and general frustration to use our Dental insurance to see the dentist. We have had dental for a couple of months now and have had to reschedule appointments a couple of times before success was achieved. The Insurance carrier sends out a roster every month to the office with the names of clients listed, well we were not on "the List". So we were told that we would have to cancel our appointments and reschedule for December when we were on "the List". Problem is that the appointment was for BJ and he needs to go so he can get x-rays taken that can then be used to start him on his journey down the braces trail.

Long story short, we went up the customer service ladder and finally got approved to go, even though we are still not on "the List" we will be added and all is well. So after all the fiasco, BJ now has a dentist appointment Monday at noon and an orthodontist appointment at 2pm. What a fun way to spend an afternoon.

So after our success dealing with that seemingly impossible situation, I am going to start making phone calls to set up a dinner with the President. That should be easier after dealing with an Insurance company.
PB