My first trip to the Philippines has been great so far. It really was not as bad as I thought to get here. The last leg from Tokyo to Manila was actually the hardest flight because I was tired, but trying not to sleep on that one, to get on Philippines time.
Manila reminds me of the times I've been in Jamaica or the Bahamas. Some nice areas, and some impoverished areas, but relatively safe all around. After some difficulty, Tammy and her friend (who has a car) found me at the airport, and we've been staying in a hotel in a part of Manila called BGC, which is pretty much the nicest part of Manila, the desirable place to live for people with money, and kind of a center for tech industries, but also shopping malls and restaurants. Lots of the same stores and restaurants you would see in the US. The people here are super nice, everyone is very friendly and respectful (if you know anything about the culture, you may know about their tradition of saying "sir" and "madam" a lot - which is a translation of their term of respect, "po." ) They seem to love Americans, and the dollar goes a long way here.
The process of getting custody of our grandson Zeph moves along but slowly. We might see some progress this Friday, but trying to manage hopes since we've gotten our hopes up before only to see more delays.
Please keep praying for us, and for Zeph, and his mom our daughter Anjela, and his little brother Zach.
I'm back, up and running, and ready to go - I should have a new JOURNEY episode within the next week or so - and because you are my loyal peeps, here is an exclusive, just-for-you, behind the scenes SNEAK PEEK into my new office:
This was for March 24th, recorded for the Ascension App
Thanks for your patience - here is our next installment of The Journey - it's session # 96, but I'm also calling it PART 1 of a "miniseries" on John chapter 6.
Whoever watches it first, please let me know if it looks good or if there are any problems with it - I get through the first two sections of the text on the feeding of the 5,000.
Enjoy!
I mentioned in The Journey that I wrote a song based on Isaiah 2, which is one of my favorite OT passages:
In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain, and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it. Many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, That he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations, and set terms for many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
I hope you like the song!
