Happy Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to Amy and Mark!

COMFORT

What is it that causes you to feel comfort?

For me, on a Sunday night, it is Betty Sandwiches.

There is nothing like experiencing the aroma of bacon cooking as Joy begins the process of assembling these tasty treats.

The history of the Betty Sandwich is an Erickson history. Joy's mother taught Joy how to make them and Joy's mother learned about them from her sister.... Betty.
I only assume that Betty created them.

You start with toast (my favorite is whole grain or seven grain) slathered with mayonnaise.
Now bacon (turkey bacon) goes on.
Next comes sliced tomatoes (today, they are fresh from our garden!)
Now add slices of cheese - I prefer cheddar.
Next add sliced green olives (I only can tolerate green olives on this creation).
Then Thousand Island dressing and top off with sliced hard-boiled eggs.

Place in the oven under the broiler for three minutes and then serve.

YUMMMMMMMM.

Now, there are a lot of other things that are "comfort", but tonight thank God for Betty.

Posts

TIED UP

I haven't posted for some time.
It hasn't been for a lack of material or ideas....

I've been rather busy with some interesting projects and problems.
Perhaps more on that at a later time.

LOVE THOSE GERMANS.2

On June 13, I posted about a wonderful shirt I had seen on a man at "R" Place Restaurant in Morris. It said, "Living with a German Builds Character."

The story I heard about today confirms the strength and resolve of those Germans.
The different aspects of this story amaze me.

Pencil removed from woman's head

59-year-old suffered from headaches, nosebleeds for 55 years

BERLIN - A 59-year-old German woman has had most of a pencil removed from inside her head after suffering nearly her whole life with the headaches and nosebleeds it caused, Bild newspaper reported on Monday.

Margret Wegner fell over carrying the pencil in her hand when she was four.

“The pencil went right through my skin — and disappeared into my head,” Wegner told the newspaper.

It narrowly missed vital parts of her brain.

At the time no one dared operate, but now technology has improved sufficiently for doctors to be able to remove it.

The majority of the pencil, some 3.1 inches long, was taken out in an operation at a private Berlin clinic, but the tip had grown in so firmly that it was impossible to remove.

IT IS PUBLISHED!!!

Joy's book, Knowing God By Heart - An Invitation to a Praise-Driven Life is off the presses! It has been published!
I am so proud of my wife. She is an incredible woman and I am so blessed to be married to her.
This is one of her goals that she set some time ago and it is now complete and in her hands.





The books will be available from Joy, from her publisher, Pleasant Word, a division of Winepress Publishing Group (www.pleasantwordbooks.com) or Amazon.com. A couple of our local bookstores may also carry it.

You can check out more about the book on Joy's website www.joythornton.org.




Now, I have to get with the program on my goals!
Joy, I am so proud of you. You are an amazing woman.

It Doesn't Get Better Than This!

There is nothing better than sharing your breakfast with your grandson!
Sam loves eggs.
Especially the "football beans" (kidney beans) that are part of the omelette.

I'm Impressed

I am impressed by a group of young (at least younger than me) pastors / leaders that are advancing the kingdom of God. Their spirit reminds me of the early apostles.

Mark Batterson hosted the Buzz Conference at his church he started a few years ago in Washington, D. C. It is a great success story. (National Community Church - http://theaterchurch.com)

Craig Groeschel, the pastor of LifeChurch.tv (Oklahoma City) was one of the main speakers. He shared what he thinks are four great qualities of innovative leaders:

1. Innovative leaders heal the sick. Jesus sought out those in need and met their needs. He stated, too many churches are inwardly focused and are not meeting the needs of unbelievers. And in order to reach those who no one is reaching, we will have to do things that no one else is doing. Our goal is to reach people for Jesus however we can and in order to do that, we need to teach our people to love people who don’t know Christ. His question was, “Who is God calling you to reach that no one around you is reaching?”

2, Innovative leaders break the rules. Jesus broke the Sabbath rules. Craig used the analogy of Nascar. “Go straight, turn left. Go straight, turn left.” Innovative leaders don’t take the common path. They turn right! Every great movement of God was started by a leader making a right turn. Question: “What is God calling you to do that’s never been done before?”

3. Innovative leaders offend the Pharisees. When you do something new to reach people for Jesus, the Pharisees WILL attack with a vengeance. Groeschel said we shouldn’t worry when the Pharisees are shooting at us. We should worry when they aren’t. Question: “What new thing will God call you to create that will be hated today and embraced tomorrow?”

4. Innovative leaders redefine success. Instead of saying how many people they are reaching and bragging about numbers, innovative leaders are constantly reminded how many people there are still to reach. We cannot be impressed with ourselves. We need to stop building attendance and start building the Kingdom.