First Sunday back home

Yesterday we enjoyed another rainstorm. We have had so much rain this year that it has seldom been necessary to water the lawn. The rain ought to be good for the crops. The dogs were not excited about going out in the rain.

Church attendance was very low. We are still in the recovery mode of the departure of our associate minister. Nevertheless, we had a great service in spite of the low attendance. Melissa Boutz had invited Alice Guzman and Cassidy Delmonicho from Youth For Christ to present their work. Both young ladies did a fine job of telling about this important ministry to youth in the Manhattan area. Alice told about being a teen mom who was kicked out by her parents and eventually marrying the child's father. She spoke of the large number of teens in this situation and their desperate search for someone to help them, especially after the child is born. So the Teen MOPS program was started to help these girls.

Disheartening in Cassidy's report was the varieties of evil that young people are involved in—cutting, illicit sex, drugs, etc. Many of these things are acts of desperation to try to find either satisfaction in life or acceptance by their peers. YFC is trying to reach out to these young people and show them an alternative lifestyle.

Earlier this year I purchased one of the pews out of the old Joliffe Hall chapel. John May helped me get it home. Arletta and I packed it into my office and then the question was raised, "Where do we put this thing?" I have always wanted a church pew in my home, so now I have one. The pew sat in an awkward place for about a month because right after I got it, I left for the Czech Republic. Arletta came up with an excellent plan to incorporate the pew into my office. We spent Sunday afternoon reorganizing the office. I think it looks great.