First time to Houston - Tammy and I went for an ecumenical conference, where I was supposed to give a talk. But I got hit hard with a stomach flu, missed the second day of the conference, didn't get to give my talk, and didn't even get to meet the royalty that were there (a prince of Luxembourg, a prince of Liechtenstein, and a princess of the Habsburg line, of Hungary).
Funny thing is, I realized (after attending the first day of the conference) that my talk would have been out of place there. I would have given it anyway, but it would have been a bit of a challenge to the Protestants there, probably received as too apologetical for the mixed audience - something like a lecture, when the other talks were more like a testimony. While laying in bed sick, I got it in my head that God didn't want me to give that talk. I said to God, Did you have to give me this terrible stomach flu? And the answer came back immediately, "Anything less and you would have powered through and given that talk."
You never know, when you hear the voice of God, whether you are really hearing your own brain having a conversation with itself. But either way, it was a very humbling experience. I went into that conference as a professor, but the conference didn't need a professor, it just needed a believer. In the end, Prince Paul of Luxembourg took my place, so although I didn't get to meet him, they got a prince instead of me.
Dear friends - Please take 10 minutes to watch this personal update from me:
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:
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!
The problem with us men is that often we don't have the wisdom to be a father until we're a grandfather.
This may sounds like some ironic statement that makes you nod your head in agreement but shrug your shoulders in resignation, thinking, well there's nothing we can do about that. But the practical application of that is that it demonstrates how important it is for kids to grow up around their grandparents. But as in our culture the family becomes ever more fractured and spread out, that is harder and harder to do.
Lately I've been thinking that part of the problem is the whole concept of college. It used to be that everyone thought a person had to go to college to make a good living. Not only is that not the case (truck drivers make more money than I do) but now college has gone from useless to actually ruining our kids. But when I went to college, what you were supposed to do is figure out what career you wanted (as if anyone knows that at age 18) and then go away to the college ...
And don't forget, if you would like to read my latest novel:
The Sword and the Clover - just let me know by email.
I'm happy to send you the PDF version, even if you haven't been a monetary supporter of the community - all I ask is that you don't share it with anyone else.
My email address:
Keep in touch!
JIm
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