Honoring Pastor Tom

Vision Night

Sunday night at Stadium High School they honored Tom’s 25 years of Ministry. It was a great night of different people sharing and encouragement.

Pastor Burt share about the yoke. How the yoke for the oxen was carefully made with each ox in mind. It was made so it wouldn’t hurt the animal. Jesus never meant for us to be burdened under the yoke. But because of words spoken to us – you can’t …., you should …, you did it wrong, your time of ministry is done, or maybe you shouldn’t be in ministry…. – the yoke has become a stock. He spoke words of encouragement to us and had us break those stocks and put back on the yoke. Thank you Jesus!!!

Tom and I went up front

And Pastor Burt thanked me too saying I have been working right along side Tom. They gave him a framed plaque, roses and a beautiful Waterford© Crystal Clock.

Tom and I went down and people gathered around to pray over us.
Afterward we went out to eat with my sister Sue, nieces Amy & Natalie, youth leaders; Josh, Nichole, Jasmyn and her sister join us.

What a wonderful evening. Love ya all.

Tom & My Ordination

Tom & I were ordained. The eve of July 24, 2007 overlooking Jerusalem. Along with us on the same night Jerry and Judy were ordained. It was a great day all around.

The day began with us walking down the Mt of Olives. At the convention that night we saw the live program of the ‘The Covenant’. Later we went out on the balcony of the hotel where a previous wedding had taken place the night before.

Sunrise from the end of the hotel balcony

Night time viewThey had set out a table with two menorahs. Pastor Burt along with

our friends Scott & Pat who emceed the night.

As different people came up to share they lit a candle which promptly blew out by the wind

or blew upward.

They anointed our toe, thumb and ear.
Group prayer.

Next Tom anointed Jerry

And I anointed Judy.
Hugs all around.

In my wildest imagination I would have never dream that we would be getting ordained in Jerusalem. Father God is so good to us He gives us our hearts desire in the most awesome ways.

Some people have asked me why this was so important to me and I couldn’t explain why. Then while watching the video ‘The Covenant’ that Pastor Jack Hayford sent us for a Christmas present - which was another one of my heart desires- when I saw Samuel anointing David king as a young boy, I started dancing with joy because that is how I felt about getting anointed. Do you know that David killed Goliath after he had been anointed?

At the Jerusalem Convention they also honored Tom’s 25 years of ministry. Last night, January 27th, they gave us the plaque, pin, a beautiful lead crystal clock and roses. I will write another post about that. What a wonderful night.

The Holy Alphabet

I received this on
Wed, 22 September 2004

Whoever came up with this one must have had some Divine guidance!

A lthough things are not perfect
B ecause of trial or pain
C ontinue in thanksgiving
D o not begin to blame
E ven when the times are hard
F ierce winds are bound to blow
G od is forever able
H old on to what you know
I magine life without His love
J oy would cease to be
K eep thanking Him for all the things
L ove imparts to thee
M ove out of "Camp Complaining"
N o weapon that is known
O n earth can yield the power
P raise can do alone
Q uit looking at the future
R edeem the time at hand
S tart every day with worship
T o "thank" is a command
U ntil we see Him coming
V ictorious in the sky
W e'll run the race with gratitude
X alting God most high
Y es, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Z ion waits in glory...where none are ever sad!

The $2 Bill... Everyone should start carrying them!

Don't know where this came from but it makes me laugh. How many of us have two dollar bills? I have a few.

I am STILL laughing!! I think we need to quit saving our $2 bills and bring them out in public. Our younger generation doesn't know they exist.

THE STORY:

On my way home from work, I stopped at Taco Bell for a quick bite to eat. In my billfold are a $50 bill and a $2 bill. I figure that with a $2 bill, I can get something to eat and not have to worry about anyone getting irritated at me for trying to break a $50 bill.

Me: "Hi, I'd like one seven-layer burrito please, to go"
Server: "That'll be $1.04. Eat in?"

Me: "No, it's to go."

At this point, I open my billfold and hand him the $2 bill. He looks at it kind of funny.

Server: "Uh, hang on a sec, I'll be right back. "

He goes to talk to his manager, who is still within my earshot. The following conversation occurs between the two of them:

Server: "Hey, you ever see a $2 bill?"
Manager: "No.. A what?"

Server: "A $2 bill. This guy just gave it to me."
Manager: "Ask for something else. There's no such thing as a $2 bill."

Server: "Yeah, thought so ."

He comes back to me and says, "We don't take these. Do you have anything else?"
Me: "Just this fifty. You don't take $2 bills? Why?"

Server: "I don't know."
Me: "See here where it says legal tender?"

Server: "Yeah."
Me: "So, why won't you take it?"

Server: "Well, hang on a sec." He goes back to his manager, who has been watching me like I'm a shoplifter, and says to him, "He says I have to take it."
Manager: "Doesn't he have anything else?"

Server: "Yeah, a fifty. I'll get it and you can open the safe and get change "
Manager: "I'm not opening the safe with him in here."

Server: "What should I do?"

Manager: "Tell him to come back later when he has real money."
Server: "I can't tell him that! You tell him."

Manager: "Just tell him."
Server: "No way! This is weird. I'm going in back."

The manager approaches me and says, "I'm sorry, but we don't take big bills this time of night." Me: "It's only seven o'clock! Well, then, here's a two dollar bill."

Manager: "We don't take those, either."
Me: "Why not?"

Manager: "I think you know why."
Me: "No really, tell me why."

Manager: "Please leave before I call mall security."
Me: "Excuse me?"

Manager: "Please leave before I call mall security."
Me: "What on earth for?"

Manager: "Please, sir."
Me: "Uh, go ahead, call them."

Manager: "Would you please just leave?"
Me: "No"

Manager: "Fine... have it your way then."
Me: "Hey, that's Burger King, isn't it?"

At this point, he backs away from me and calls mall security on the phone around the corner. I have two people staring at me from the dining area, and I begin laughing out loud, just for effect. A few minutes later this 45-year-oldish guy Comes in.

Guard: "Yeah, Mike, what's up?"
Manager (whispering): "This guy is trying to give me some (pause) Funny money."

Guard: "No kidding! What?"
Manager: "Get this .. A two dollar bill."

Guard (incredulous): "Why would a guy fake a two dollar bill?"
Manager: "I don't know. He's kinda weird. He says the only other thing he has is a fifty."

Guard: "Oh, so the fifty's fake!"
Manager: "No, the two dollar bill is."

Guard: "Why would he fake a two dollar bill?"
Manager: "I don't know! Can you talk to him, and get him out of here?"

Guard: "Yeah."

Security Guard walks over to me and...

Guard: "Mike here tells me you have some fake bills you're trying to use."
Me: "Uh, no."

Guard: "Lemme see 'em."
Me: "Why?"

Guard: "Do you want me to get the cops in here?"

At this point I am ready to say, "Sure, please!" but I want to eat, so I say "I'm just trying to buy a burrito and pay for it with this two dollar bill. I put the bill up near his face, and he flinches like I'm taking a swing at him.

He takes the bill, turns it over a few times in his hands, and says, "Hey, Mike, what's wrong with this bill?"

Manager: "It's fake."
Guard: "It doesn't look fake to me."

Manager "But it's a two dollar bill."
Guard: "Yeah?"

Manager: "Well, there's no such thing, is there?"

The security guard and I both look at him like he's an idiot and it dawns on the guy that he has no clue. So, it turns out that my burrito was free, and he threw in a small drink and some of those cinnamon thingies, too. Made me want to get a whole stack of two dollar bills just to see what happens when I try to buy stuff. If I got the right group of people, I could probably end up in jail. You get free food there, too.

Just think... that manager and server probably voted last week.........