Stop that car!

Well Sunday was a great day in church, regardless of the members who chose not to come.We still had a great time and the singing was wonderful.

At the church in Čakovec we have our main meeting of the week at 6pm. We used to have Sunday school for the children and the main meeting. Well we ran into a problem; no room for all the children who wanted to come to church. This was a problem so we decided to start another service on Sunday at 4 and have all the children in that service in a big Sunday school so we would be able to use the auditorium to fit them all.

Okay so I said all that to tell you this. Sunday at 3:30 I went to pick up my van route in a little Gypsy village called Trnovec. I have a 7 seater van and on Sunday there were 10 of us in the van which is against the law in Croatia. Anyhow, we had SS and then at 5 I had to take them home and run my route for the six o'clock meeting when all the adults come. So I'm taking my kids home and we're zipping along with I see the "sucker". The little hand wand that looks like a sucker is what a policeman in Croatia uses to stop you for speeding or really any offense. So I see this guy and start to pull over while panicking inside at the fact that I have 8 unsecured persons in my van plus two adults.

The policeman walks up to my window and informs me that I was speeding and that since I was going 20 kilometers over the limit I was getting a 500 Kuna ($100) ticket. He asked me if I had the 500 Kuna on me to pay instantly or if he needed to write me a ticket. I was like, yea let me dig into my overflowing wallet for 500 Kunas worth of pocket change.

I was actually doing 72 km in a 50 zone. So he asks for my license and paperwork and I start looking for it. I find my insurance and paperwork and then I did my Texas license out of my wallet only to be dumbfounded. On that license in clear print is said: DATE OF EXPIRATION: 3/26/2010. UUUUGGG! Now I'm panicking because I just realized that not only do I have 8 unsecured children in my van but I also have an expired license. Are you kidding me? How did this happen? I can't even believe that the expiration on my liscense was out, even though at the beginning of the year I faintly remember thinking that i needed to renew. 

As the policeman walked over to a policewoman and started talking I quickly called Johnny and told him to pray. Pray about the license, speeding and all the kids thrown in the back of my van. Later I found out that he and Bro. Scott and immediately prayed for the situation.

A minute later the female police officer asked me too come across the street for a little chat. I walked over and she began asking all sorts of questions. She and the policeman kept passing my expired license back and forth and then laid in in plain sight on the hood of the cruiser. We soon found out that we live in the same village and share some village gossip about the priest that was being let go because he got his girlfriend pregnant. So we're carrying on here by the car and I'm explaining that I'm taking children home for SS and where we were from and all. Anyhow in the end she hands me the ticket and  I say "Thank you" like and idiot and go on my way.

Traci and I are talking after I left about how blessed I was that they didn't notice that my license was out and what a miracle it was. I was okay with the ticket since it could have been so much better. The policeman never asked to look into the van and since my windows and almost black tinted they were none the wiser. 

Finally we slowly make it back to the church and everyone congratulates me and we all have a laugh. I take my ticket out to show Ljubica (national pastor's wife that used to work for the police) and she starts to bust out laughing. Laughing??? What's so funny? She nearly hollers out, "It's not a ticket, it's a warning!". NO WAY! I'm thinking you have got to be kidding me. The male police said I was getting a ticket, he even tried to get me to pay it. It must have been my God sent, gossiping police woman who decided to give me a warning. WOW, God is so good. 

So the the jest of the whole story is that I made it through the traffic stop without getting into any trouble for the speeding, expired license and the child endangerment. WOW! God sure is good. 

Just wanted to share this with you so you could rejoice and be amazed with me!!

*Updated to include:
Since I haven't renewed my license in person in more than 10 years I will have to go to the US to renew it. I need my license, I run a van route for church and without a license the folks that come with me on Sunday would be out of luck. Huge bummer but God has supplied a way.
Not too long ago I found out my mom was having complete shoulder replacement and would be in the hospital for a little while. She's 60 this year and I have never really been "there" for her since we have always been here. Anyhow with this whole license problem and my moms surgery I will be going back to the states soon. Praise the Lord we have a United Mileage Plus card and we have racked up enough miles for a FREE ticket.  So I'll be in the states for the next two weeks and visiting Wal-mart often! :0)

I'm a walker!!!

Wow, I can't believe it, I'm a walker!!!

Traci (new missionary wife in Croatia) and I have been walking daily since Monday. I'm so excited to say that we have walked just short of 15 miles in 4 days. YEA for us! 

I have always wanted to be a walker. I am so blessed to live in a country that is a clean and very safe place to walk. I don't think I'd be taking all these walks if I were in the states.

I know that it's said to be the best overall exercise and it's so cheap too. Walking is a great way to maintain a healthy body and the means I'm using to get one!

Here are some of the many benefits of walking on a consistent basis.

• Reduces the risk of heart disease by improving blood circulation throughout the body.
• Keeps weight under control.
• Improves blood cholesterol levels.
• Prevents and reduces high blood pressure.
• Prevents bone loss.
• Boosts energy level.
• Helps manage stress.
• Releases tension.
• Improves the ability to fall asleep quickly and sleep well.
• Improves self-image.
• Counters anxiety and depression and increases enthusiasm and optimism.
• Increases muscle strength, giving greater capacity for other physical activities.
• Provides a way to share an activity with family and friends.
• Establishes good heart-healthy habits in children and counters the conditions (obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, poor lifestyle habits, etc.) that lead to heart attack and stroke later in life.
• In older people, it helps delay or prevents chronic illnesses and diseases associated with aging and maintains quality of life and independence longer. 
CREDIT 

Okay so my little ticker in the sidebar says that we've walked almost 15 miles and our short term goal is 100 miles. WOW! You just wait, it wont be long!

Smelling a little icky!

So the other day I took some laundry out to the line and on the way I could smell something icky. I mean it was rank and I didn't have a clue where the smell was coming from. So I finished my load of clothes and headed in not knowing what that smell was that made my nose wrinkle.

A little while later I was on the patio doing something, watering the plants I think and I noticed that smell again. It was a strange smell, not at all attractive but somehow familiar.

Later I heard Johnny scolding the dog. Apparently K.D. had found a way out of the yard and had gone off to play in the world but was very safe to be back before morning. No, I'm so not kidding. She got out and did who knows what and was back by morning. Little did she know, even though she made it back to where she was suppose to be and in time she hadn't lost the smell of her jaunt in the world. She apparently had played in the little canal close to our house and then rolled in some dead remnants or something like that.

Anyhow, later in the day as she dried she still reeked of her trip out and it wasn't getting any better. 

As I was passing Hannah on the stairs I was suddenly hit with that smell. It was K. D., no, wait a minute, it wasn't K.D. this time. No, this time it was Hannah. Hannah smelled like K.D.. Hannah smelled like K.D.'s time in the world. It was awful and almost as strong on Hannah as it was on K.D.. Earlier in the day Hannah had been out in the yard hanging around with K.D.. Little did Hannah know she was being infected by K.D.'s worldly aroma.

Even though Hannah hadn't sneaked out of the yard in the night and gone swimming in the canal, Hannah still smelled like the world. She smelled just like she had partnered K.D. in her trek in the gloaming.

Wow, what a lesson learned from a dog. It's not necessary for us to go running around in the world to begin to look like the world. No, all it takes is to have a worldly friend and before long we'll look like them and even start to smell like them. We've got to be very careful about whom we run with. If we run with them you can be sure we will eventually look and smell like them too. 

Special thanks to K.D. for today's devotion!

Insulated on the mission field far away from Me-ville.

It's not just a little jump from Texas to Croatia. We're not just right around the corner. Texas and Croatia are 5,588 miles apart. Hey that's a long way! We're not talking about a few miles, it takes 9 hours on a plane to get here from the Lone Star State. Once you step off that plane you're in a whole new world. Croatia isn't just another country it's another world. As life begins new here the memories and activities of life in the good 'ol USA are slowly forgotten.

One interesting fact that kinda slapped me in the face our first year in Croatia was that life in the states and at our home church kept on going despite our absence. Church didn't just stop because we were gone, instead it continued to go and grow and kept having victories and defeats along the way. 

Our first furlough we were in total shock at how  much things had changed in just a few short years. I mean people looked different, buildings had changed, couples had been united and some torn apart. The "friends" we had known had forgotten we existed and life in general was totally different. Somehow it moved faster, people jolted from here to there and back again and never came up for air. Another interesting fact was that the fashion in church had changed. It had become much more laid back. Men had started to drop their ties on Wednesdays and flip flops in church were everywhere. I was also in shock that the length of skirts had risen a bit, not to major but a bit. Life had made a major change in just a few years. 

We returned to the field and closed our little box to the rest of the world until our next furlough. Shock!!! I was literally in shock at the change in America. Churches had changed, some completely. I remember the lack of excitement and the overwhelming sense that the church was all about "us" and forget those in the highways and bi-ways. Many churches we visited had decided to drop their bus programs, those we the most dead. The didn't have time for the children and it seemed the Holy Spirit didn't have time to visit their services. 

Our next furlough we took a little early due to financial woes from the whopping Euro but it didn't make the change any different. This time we noticed more than outward appearance which had drastically changed to knee length skirts (knee length if they were standing but sitting was a different story altogether), leggings and long shirts, and the Miami Vice mock turtle neck and blazer of once tie wearers. Something else had changed, the people were different. Those who once had an excellent spirit were very self consumed. Men had become pretty somehow and in more ways than just appearance. Neck lines had plunged and so had attitudes. The the hardest thing was to realize how man had "gone away". People who had stood and preached the cause were now eloping to the new movement of happy church. They weren't only throwing away standards but their beliefs had some how changed. The old faith that was enough to save them was now some how inadequate to save anyone born after 1985.

Through out all these furloughs I noticed a thread of unity in thought; "Life's too short." This wasn't the good kinda "Life's too short.", the kind that says, "The day is short and we must be busy about the Father's business.", no this was a "Life's too short, I'm gonna get the most out of it that I can even if it means letting some really important things go." 

It's been a heartbreak to see so many fall by the wayside. Not deep into sin but way deeper into compromise of right than any Christian should ever even think about going. 

Sadly I've been mistaken about the insulation of the mission field. As it's worked for us it's failed many other missionaries. I have watched as many have somehow caught the "Life's too short." bug and have also fallen by the wayside. 

Something very real and very scary is happening all through our IFBaptist churches. We need to all wake up and take a look around and all of the "Me thinking" going on. Hey there is only one of ME and there are billions of THEM, we're spending way too much time of the ME and not enough on the THEM.

Sometimes we've been called stubborn or hardheaded. PRAISE THE LORD! That stubbornness has kept us firmly planted in the OLD WAYS and we're not moving. My real concern is my children that are getting ready to join the ME life in America. They're getting ready to go off to college and when they do??? I feel like I'm sending them into Sodom somehow and there isn't anything I can do about it. Once they're gone they are gone. Outside of my protection and amidst a world of compromise.

I praise the Lord for the insulation of the mission field but I fear that the walls are breaking down as we speak.

I wonder what will be in 10 years. What will be left for our children. Will the old paths be long forgotten? 

God forbid! We have to stand rigid and unyielding! 1 small step in the wrong direction can be the one that sends us over to ME-ville.

If anything this post has been a warning for me. We are for sure in the last days and if we ever needed to stand we need to stand now.

Tax Day Freebies!!!

 

CINNABON: Get two free bite-sized cupcakes from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at participating mall locations as part of "Tax Day Bites!" Flavors include Chocolate Passion, 24-Carrot Cake, Vanilla Bliss and Cinnacake Classic.

 

MAGGIEMOO'S: Get one free slice of ice cream pizza -- ice cream with red frosting to look like sauce and white chocolate to look like cheese -- at participating locations from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.

 

STARBUCKS: Get free brewed coffee all day Thursday if you bring your own mug, a promotion the cafe chain says is friendly to the environment as well as taxpayers.

 

BOSTON MARKET: For a "last-minute tax break" -- one free meal for each one you buy Thursday through Sunday -- show this coupon: http://bit.ly/d1YlRO

 

IHOP: Expanding on the tax deduction parents get for kids, the restaurant chain is offering free dinner for one child age 12 or younger with each adult meal purchased 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. all month long.

 

MCCORMICK & SCHMICK'S: The seafood restaurant is offering $10.40 dinner and drink specials in the bar on Thursday -- a nod to the 1040 tax form. Bar guests who come in April 15 also receive a $10.40 gift certificate for a later visit. And professional tax preparers, who may have to work right until the midnight deadline Thursday, get their freebie Friday: dessert on the house plus a $10.40 certificate if they show a business card.

 

P.F. CHANG'S: Get 15 percent off food purchases for dine-in or take-out, excluding alcohol and happy hour food and beverages.

 

TACO DEL MAR: Free tacos. At its 275 restaurants in the West, Taco Del Mar will run a promotion: "Taxes ----. Tacos Don't." People can register at the Taco Del Mar website for an e-mailed coupon for a free tax day taco.

 

T.G.I. FRIDAYS: Free gift cards. T.G.I. Friday's will give Wednesday customers $5 Bonus Bites gift cards for food and beverage purchases of $15 to $25 and $10 cards for those who spend more than $25. Members of the 1,000-outlet chain's frequent-customer program also will get double points.

 

WHOLE FOODS: Savvy shoppers should head to the grocery store on April 15 since Whole Foods will not be charging customers sales tax on purchases made on Tax Day. For some customers, this could be a nice bit of savings since tax rates vary across the country. Check with your local Whole Foods store to be sure that they are participating.

 

DUNKIN' DONUTS: The special at Dunkin' Donuts on tax day is to give customers a free donut with the purchase of a medium or large drink.

 

JACK IN THE BOX:  is trying a different approach to their promotion. Taxpayers who want a freebie will have to wait a day. This company will be offering individuals a free small fries on April 16.

 

MR. JIMS PIZZA:  If you live near one of the 70 Mr. Jim's Pizza locations, make sure to become their fan on Facebook to get a coupon for a free small pizza to be used on Tax Day. They're calling it the 1040-PZ...

 

McDONALDS: Buy a Southern Style Chicken Biscuit or Sandwich on Tax Day & you’ll get the second one free!

 

SUBWAY: Free cookie for all customers

 

BUFFALO WILD WINGS: In the mood for buffalo wings? image You can get a few on the cheap at Buffalo Wild Wings, thanks to the coupons posted on their Facebook page (you don’t need Facebook account to get the deals): You’ll find coupons to get $5 off a $25 purchase, buy 8 boneless wings & get 4 boneless wings free, and buy 6 traditional wings & get 6 free. The coupons expire on April 25.

HYDROMASSAGE: Get a free massage Thursday through Sunday at participating locations. The mall-based massage chain suggests calling ahead to book an appointment. Find a location at http://www.hydromassage.com/taxday.

Out of the mouths of babes!

Super Busy!

I remember being a child and complaining to my mother about being bored. I can remember waiting for the long long day to finally end. What happened to those days? Why is it that the days now seem like a minuet fraction of what they used to be. Now that we have so much more to accomplish in a days time we have shorter days. I know you don't believe that they are shorter but I swear they are.

Anyhoo, I would kill for a few of those long days of childhood. This past week Bro. Bill Smith from Southwest Baptist was here and he preached a missionary seminar in the morning, and every evening he preached an end times revival. It was great! Bro. Smith preached during the missionary seminar on Behold His Glory. He has been with us for four years now and every year it gets better.

Here are just a few photos of our week, and boy was it busy!

Bro. Scott played the guitar and Cody sang a special for the church. He really loves to sing, I'm glad Bro. Scott came to kinda push him into using his talent for God.

We had pretty good attendance for most of the meetings. The singing was awesome, there was so much life in the church and it was such a blessing. 

Bro. Sam Ward arrived on the 27th of March and is now working as a partner in the ministry here in Croatia. He is from our home church and we're tickled to have him here with us.

Also during the conference Bro. Pranger came down from Budapest, Hungary and we were so glad he did.

B

On Sunday morning Bro. Smith preached in Varaždin and Jasmina was saved. Praise the Lord! We have actually had a lot of souls saved over the last several weeks and God has blessed us with several Baptisms too. Here are some photos of just a few.

Bro. Krešo was saved a few weeks ago and followed the Lord in believers baptism.

The son of one of our Gypsy men was saved a couple weeks ago and also was baptized.

The Danijel and Nina came to church and they both got saved, praise the Lord. They have both been faithful and we're praying that God would really get a hold of their hearts and they would begin to change for Him.

On last photo to leave you with, Spring has sprung here in Croatia and the Magnolias are gorgeous!
Have a great Thursday Y'all!