Great friends...

Tonya and I have been blessed by so many friends in our lives. We got together with some of them this past Saturday night. Sitting at the table (left) are the Boulware's, Short's and us; we're getting ready for our Luau in Hawaii - 2004. Man What a great time we had. We have traveled together to California, St. John's, Florida and Hawaii.

Of course the guys are playing golf, while the gals are talking about how our altar calls need help - haha. We played golf at some of the greatest courses around. For example: Florida (LPGA International, The TPC Stadium course and a few others; Kapulua, Hawaii (The Plantation - Mercedes Championship course, Village and Bay courses); California (Spyglass Hill and Pebble Beach). For most of these, my 'A' game was left in my suitcase.

But most of the great fun has been traveling the roads together in a mini-van and having a 'hootin' time. We have laughed on more roads than I could name or remember. I remember one time especially, while drivin through Carmel, California - LOL.

Anyway, we had a great dinner together Saturday night, along with the Boulware's 3rd daughter Mackenzie and her boyfriend Alex. We had a great time talking about the old time and looking forward to some new ones. We had dinner at Ma T 888 China Bistro in Evansville. Man it is a great place for Chinese. Awesome atmosphere and great great food! It was a great night...

BLESSINGS!
MT

Olive Garden...

One of Tonya and I's favorite restaurants is Olive Garden. We ate there tonight with some great friends; Troy and Carla Boulware. They pastor a great church not far from us in Newburgh, Indiana. The name of their church is Abundant Life Community Church. We always have a great time with them and enjoy their fellowship. We always enjoy a good movie and dinner with them.

There are 2 meals that I would recommend to anyone at Olive Garden; first there is the Mixed Grill, which I had tonight. And the second dinner is the Venetian Apricot Chicken, which is a low fat meal that has a great taste. To drink I highly recommend their Bellini Peach-Raspberry Iced Tea. WOW it is good - yum yum.

My brother Brian is a food expert and regularly talks about food on his blog. Brian, I'm just a pretender, but couldn't pass up this opportunity to try.

Anyway, I trust that the next time you're at Olive Garden, you might try these recommendations. Even down to the chocolate mint candies at the end are tasty too!

BLESSINGS!

MT

White Hats and Cowboys

I like watching old Westerns on television. Some of my favorites are; "Big Jake", "The Undefeated", "The Shootist", "Dances With Wolves", "Open Range". Others with stars like; John Wayne, Glenn Ford, Audie Murphy, Clint Eastwood, Kevin Costner...

Maybe it is because they are easy to follow. The "Good Guys" always wear white hats, their bullets never hit innocent bystanders, and they treat their women and horses like they should. The "Bad Guys" always wear black, always are deceitful, and never treat anyone the right way.

Well ... maybe those old movies are not quite that cut and dried, but they are close. And the Old West was not like that. It was never that easy to tell the good guys from the bad ones. I suspect they were much like people today: people whose lives are messy, people who sometimes make bad choices and decisions, and people who do not easily fit into stereotypes. I am still surprised at people labeled as "bad" who do nice things. I am still saddened, but not always surprised, when "good" people do bad things.

A long time ago, Jesus made the point that only God is truly good. He was right. God, who is good, wants men — who are not always good — to live in relationship with him. In fact, God wanted that so much that he sent his son Jesus to die for the bad in us. So we would be good — holy — like God. Not good because of what we do, but in spite of what we do. Good because of what he did for us, not because of what we do.

That is good news. And if they made a film of heaven, it might be like an old western. You will not have any trouble knowing who the good people are: they will be the ones who trusted Jesus.

GIDDIE-UP!

MT

Test Driving...

Praise the Lord for a great Sunday service. I believe there is a hunger in the hearts of ALL of God's people today and that hunger pain is: 'give me real'. I think that the body of Christ has had it's share of the 'test driving' that has been going on for some time. You know what test driving is don't you? It going to someone else's car lot, borrowing the keys, driving a vehicle that's not yours and then 'kicking the tires' - test driving. We've borrowed that type of thinking today when it comes to seeking the face of God. Too much of that I think goes on churches today. We come to kick the tires, instead of coming just seek His face. We seek His hands instead of His heart. Remember that God is not a commodity (an article that can be bought or sold), that we do with as we will. We are His children and He is our Father - so we cry out 'Abba Father'.

Well, Sunday was one of those services where God was here specifically to do something special -(BTW, we've been in this vein for weeks). While I didn't see lightning bolts or see the ceiling roll open, I didn't need to. The heart of the Father was here to minister to His children - and HE DID! For those of you reading this who do not attend Harvestime, we have several people who need a healing touch from the Lord. Purposely on Sunday, we didn't come to fill the service with request, no not this Sunday, but only to lift Him up above our ocean of need. There's nothing wrong with bringing our request before a loving Father, but likewise, there's nothing wrong with glorifying Him above it all! That is truly all He ask of us.

This Sunday... wherever you regularly worship God, don't come to 'test drive' Him, but come to earnestly seek His face and heart, I promise you that you won't leave disappointed or dry!

BLESSINGS!

MT

Storms...

These are challenging times, and it is difficult to find a silver lining to some of the darker clouds visible to everyone. As election-year rhetoric morphs from harsh to rancorous, the economy of recession continues to take its toll. All of us know lots of people who have lost their jobs. Who will be next to suffer?

One of the interesting fact that some of us have forgotten is that crisis times have often been the stimulus for creative new beginnings. Notable successes have been generated from the ashes of previous economic downturns.

A little perspective from history might encourage you. Walt Disney lost an acting job as a movie extra and started his famous cartoon company in a garage during the recession of 1923-1924. William Hewlett and David Packard teamed up in Silicon Valley in 1938 during the Great Depression. And Bill Gates dropped out of college to launch Microsoft during the downturn of a recession in 1975.

When the sun is shining, most people are content to let the boat sail under its own power — and to sun on the deck. When the clouds roll in and the boat begins to toss violently on the sea, creative people are encouraged to take risks and to chart new courses. What about you? Do you see yourself as a thermometer or a thermostat in these tough times? Thermometers do nothing more than reflect their environments. Thermostats change their environments!

If you have had a bad year, have been laid off, or exist in a generally horrible environment, you have a choice. You can be a victim and whine about your fate. Or you can do some serious introspection, set some positive goals for making things better, and start moving ahead.

Now that you have seen the newscasts and figured out that times really are tough, it is time to decide about your future. Make responsible choices on the basis of your passions, values, and priorities and not your gloomy circumstance. With the strength of God to help you, you can move from being a melancholy thermometer to become a difference-making thermostat in your world. You can chart a new course and set sail to a brighter destination.

BLESSINGS!

MT

Perspective...

It's a Matter of Perspective

As I was flying to Ecuador a few years ago, I looked out the airplane window and admired how green Texas was. From several thousand feet up, the ground looked almost lush. But as we landed to change flights, I again looked out the window and my immediate thought was how brown and dried up the ground looked. I had just been home in Indiana where the grass was dark green and dense, the flowers were blossoming and the tall trees were abundant. After Indiana, Texas looked arid. Nothing had really changed except my perception.

My perspective is based on my emotions or personal opinions. I look back over my life and I remember my terrible "F's." I think about my personal failures, family problems, financial concerns, fear for the future and my futility in maintaining a relationship with God.

How does God see us? God looks at His children with pure love. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and His love is not emotionally based depending upon his mood for the day. I don't really understand this but I do know that my name has been engraved on the palm of God's hand Isaiah 49:16 and that I am the apple of His eye Zechariah 2:8. He loved me enough that He sent His only Son to die for my sins so that I can have an eternal relationship with Him.

I can learn from my failures and perhaps even help others facing similar trials. Since my children are adults, I can't make decisions for them but I can take their names before God in prayer, remembering that God loves them even more than I do. I can plan for my future but, since I cannot control it, I can trust God to take care of things. As difficult as it is for me to admit, He doesn't need my help. I can choose to remain faithful and ask for strength and courage from my Father in heaven.

Maybe, just maybe, God looks at my fears and failures as opportunities for me to grow in Him and then He shouts for joy when I fall to my knees in prayer. Do you have similar thoughts and concerns? Do you wonder if God really loves you? Do you perceive that God cannot possibly care for you? If you answered yes to any of these questions, let's talk to our Father about it and then listen for His tender advice.

BLESSINGS!
MT

Our God IS An Awesome God...

Yes He is!! When I first came to Harvestime Temple in 1982, there was a banner behind the pulpit that simply said; "WE CAN". This simple statement was a reminder to us all that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us - Philippians 4:13. We all need to be reminded from time to time that we are strong, not in our own fleshly strength, but in His unlimited power. Yesterday, Sunday, was another one of those services that all of us as Christians love to be in. There was no doubt that God was in the house. The manifested presence of the Lord was so full. The gifts of the Spirit were operating in order and everyone went out with a part of God's glory in them! People were seeking the face of God and filling the altar area with gratitude, thanksgiving and worship. THATS WHAT HE IS LOOKING FOR. In John 4:22-24, Jesus said, "...Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship..." The Message. Engage yourself today: spirit, soul and body in the pursuit of God's truth! Don't ever allow the enemy to tell you that you can't, you're not good enough, it will never happen... Know that the Lord is God and that through Him we be who he says we can be and do what He says we can do!

BLESSINGS!

MT

My Thoughts At 50!!

First of all I want to say thanks to everyone who has been reminding me of how old I am - ha. I am so blessed with all the people in my life; family, church and friends. As far as my thoughts at 50, well, they're pretty much the same as yesterday, but here goes:

1. I think that I'm gong to be joining up with the AARP - can't wait to use my discount!
2. I think that age is truly just a number, but 50, man that's a big number!
3. I think that life is like a roll of toliet paper, the closer to the end you get, the faster it goes!
4. I think that I going to plan on enjoying my days ahead.
5. I think that life begins at 50, but who knows really, I'm just a 'greenie'.
6. I think I'm going to try and still smell good, instead of that old man smell... :-)
7. I think friends and family are a tremendous gift that God's gives to us and I want to appreciate each and every one more.
8. I think that Facebook is a lot better than MySpace.
9. I think that flying into outer space would be an awesome experience, but I some of you think I'm already there... haha
10. I think that I have the BEST WIFE in Tonya and no we didn't just fight last night.
11. I think that Fort Myers Beach would be great place to be today!
12. I think that my golf game needs a lot of work.
13. I think that I'm going to try and be healthly next week at the Fall Festival.
14. I think that the liberal media has gone off the deep end.
15. I think that Jesus is getting ready!
16. I think onions are something I could live without.
17. I think the fall, although short is the best season.
18. I think that my church is awesome. I don't pastor the largest, biggest or most famous church in America, but I pastor the GREATEST!

BLESSINGS!
MT