Como se Dice?

Back when Bev and I were studying Spanish my favorite phrase was "Como se dice?" It means "How do you say?"
As I sit here on Boxing Day, one of eighteen official Uganda holidays, como se dice come to mind.

I have had an incredible month. Going to court, teaching School of Ministry. teaching Revelation at Wednesday night bible study, filling in for Kelli as the youth group leader and working with all the kids and adults on the Christmas program.

How do you say to God just how great a blessing is life in Christ? Jesus has guided and carried me through some difficult moments in a corrupt court to where I have come out smiling. Not because justice was served but because He is Lord!

How do you say to a group of young men what a privilege it is to teach them the Word of God and see them gain insight far beyond what they were taught in class?

How do you say to the youth how much fun it is to be with them and see their enthusiasm to become who Jesus wants them to be?

How do you say how proud you are of the singers, actors, dancers and drummers who gave up four hours every day for the last month to bring the joy and good news of Jesus Christ to men and women in prison? These kids all know loneliness and isolation because they are orphans, abandoned or HIV victims. The adults have felt the pain of losing children to sickness and they help these kids by giving their hearts to them.

The joy that Christmas brings is not found in traditions that bring comfort to heavy hearts that long to relive their past to find peace and see lost family again.

No, to me the joy of Christmas is found in the heart of Jesus who teaches us to love those in the present celebration. Making hearts light with new faces and opportunities to rejoice in Him.

I pray your Christmas was a blessed one, knowing Jesus fully today with the expectation of knowing Him even better tomorrow!

Como se dice Merry Christmas? Feliz Navidad. Jesus te ama!

A Lesson About Money

I had a meeting today in Kajjansi to settle a court dispute. To make a long story short I was ordered by a minor court to pay a former pastor 3,500,000 shillings and another man's widow 1,500,000 shillings. I couldn't help feeling bitter about the whole corrupt court process but I had been asking God to remove the bitterness.

As the court officials came and then the people who were to receive the money, they were all in a jovial mood. Only I was annoyed. But as the meeting and day wore on I started to feel the Lord reminding me that this is not a life or death matter but it is a matter of the heart. Cheer up, you still have Me. So I let Jesus lighten my mood.

By the time I paid the money a great weight was lifted off my shoulders. Then I noticed the most amazing thing. The farther the money got away from me the closer I drew to Jesus and the bitterness left me.

But at the same time that I was being released the people who were receiving the money were being put into bondage. They stopped laughing and started frowning. They started to grow agitated the closer the money got. By the time they actually received it they did not speak to each other and began to bicker.

As we traveled home Steven, Moses and I were down right happy and joyful. But I am sorry that the others were down right miserable. The desire of my heart was to draw near to God and forget about the monetary loss. "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desire of your heart." It is so true.

Jesus you are always enough for us!

Warning Labels

Warning labels are put on all kinds of stuff these days. Cigarettes(Warning: The Surgeon General has determined that smoking may be hazardous to your health). Did he actually do surgery to discover this? Wouldn't it be simpler to just tell the truth? Like this. Warning: only a fool would set dry leaves on fire and put them in his mouth, and think he looks cool and intelligent.

Alcohol (Warning: Consuming alcohol may affect your unborn child.) Hey try some real truth. Warning: The contents of this bottle will not make you better looking, richer or more popular. It may cause you to run your pickup into a bridge abutment or shoot your friend but hey that's what Saturday nights are for. And your kids ain't bailing you out!

Prescription medicines,(Warning: This medicine may cause drowsiness.) That was on a bottle of sleeping pills. Hey, if it doesn't can I get my money back at the all night pharmacy?

Plastic bags, (Warning: Suffocation hazard. Do not put over your head.) Face it the people who would put a plastic bag over their heads are women trying to keep their hair dry and kids who don't know how to read yet. Women lose all sense when it comes to hair styles anyway and kids would better understand if the bag read Warning: Do not place over your head because I said so!

Blogs should come with warnings as well.

Warning: The following material may be of an offensive nature to somebody.

Warning: The following material may or may not contain humor or any sign of intelligent thought.

But the real warning for life should be written on our hearts.

Sin. Warning: Sin kills. 100% effective. Kills the soul on contact. It may also kill within a radius of acquaintances or blood relatives. Only known antidote is Jesus Christ. Jesus must be taken internally. External application of Jesus may prolong life but will not save.

Have you taken Jesus to save you from the poison of sin?

For immediate relief call 537 877 2837 (Jesus Saves)Tell the operator the poison you taken and accept the cure. Do it now!