April 15 – “AP Byline ….. Jamaica Beach”

OK.  Three big disappointments today.  The first I can't say I didn't expect somehow.  I went by the house around 2:30 and there were no texture guys there.  I went inside the house.  No texture guys had been there.  Maybe they're coming later.  Probably not.   Number two hurt a little bit more.  The Amish cabinet guys didn't call, so I emailed them.  The reply was very upbeat, but not what I was hoping for.  The cabinets were supposed to be in Houston today.  They were not.  One of the guys is in Indiana now picking them up.  He is scheduled to leave there on Friday to head back to Houston.  Now our call to schedule installation won't come until early next week.   Finally, I found a Bop It Extreme toy in a box of donated clothes.  I was really excited.  That is one of the best going-to-camp activities ever.  We used to have one.  I was pleased to have one again.  I stopped at WalMart for batteries while I was in town.  Anxiously, I put them in and bopped.  Nothing.  So I twisted.  Silence.  I pulled.  Nothing.  I flicked.  Nothing.  Bop.  Nothing.  No sound.  The toy, sadly, was dead.  Someday I hope we find another Bop It Extreme.  Or just a Bop It.   I did find out one interesting thing.  There was a Houston Chronicle photographer at our Easter sunrise service.  She took a lot of pictures.  A few of them even made the Chronicle.  One of them made the internet as the editor's pic of the week.  I don't know how long it'll stay, but it was at www.chron.com.  It was of me baptizing a teenage girl.  It was a really cool picture.  A wave is crashing over her head just as it hits the water.  I told her it was God baptizing her with a wave.  Well, it turns out that AP picked up that picture and put it on the wires.  I got a call from Josh.  He said it was in the Dallas Morning News.  He saved us a copy.  Today I got a letter from Katie, a lady who used to go to Seaside.  She sent me the picture, too.  From the front page of the Huntsville newspaper.  Hey, now here's an encouraging thought.  In spite of everything, at least part of the world is getting word that people are coming to Jesus.  And the word is going out courtesy of the Associated Press.  I'm not sure that's what they intended.   I love Joshua 1:9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."   Father, I give you my discouragement.  Turn it into joy as only you can.  Amen.