Nothing to see here. Move Along!

You ever been near the scene of some police activity and over hear an officer tell the crowds, "nothing to see here, move along!" Well, that's basically what it seemed like what I was telling people this past summer. Between the time the test churches finished up their run of the first series until now seemed like a looong time. But my tune has changed. I'm getting excited for the upcoming months where we will be even busier than ever.

The board of Missions Alive has given us a course correction. Because of test church feedback and our own feelings about the first week, were dumping the opening episode and writing a new one to go at the end of Series One. Finally our episodes and week numbers will match!! We are also bringing in some new faces, expanding our cast and bringing in some much needed ethnic diversity. Teachers will also enjoy a lesson plan and a choice of what to have included in the package. We are also looking into Internet delivery, virtual sets among other things that will help enhance distribution and cut production costs.

If you have or know of others who have writing experience for children's productions write me! doldham@missionsalive.org. Missions experience is a plus.

Watch this space!!

Have Proper Placed Confidence!

There's a lesson God taught me years ago, "Only bring the tools you plan to use." Now that statement won't make any sense until I tell you my tale. A true tale it is.

We've all heard the term "starving artist" and except for the starving part...I could stand to loose, well many pounds...that's been the case. Business hasn't been booming for this artist. I've been freelancing most all my career and have never made I thought I needed to make. But my finances is a whole nuther tale.

In the leaner times, God blessed me with a couple of AB cars...they got me from point "A" to point "B." The first one took me an hour south to Bloomington Indiana where I first was paid to learn Flash. Cool. But this is where I first started a pattern that took me a while to recognize. I took tools with me. Sounds practical, especially if you knew the age and mileage of these cars. If I took pliers, hanger wire and rope, I ended up tying up my muffler. Good thing I had those supplies with me huh? Even a pocket knife hasn't escaped use to cut off the end of a hose that had rotted away so I could put a fresh end back on the tube it connected to to get the engine running smooth again. The weirdest one though was where I had a little screw and nut driver set with me. The thermostat was sticking closed. I had the screwdriver to remove the hose from the engine, but my socket set was too small to remove the bolts that held the thermostat to the engine. No one would lone me the wrench needed at the "service" station I limped to.

But an inspired thought struck me, I don't typically think this way on my own. I pulled out the largest nut driver I had and dropped it into the thermostat. I pushed the neck into the hole which opened up the thermostat. The fat end that would go onto a nut prevented the tool from being swallowed into the engine. I put the hose back on, added more anti-freeze, which I also carried with me, and viola, I was back home in no time. Have you all picked up on the pattern? If so, you picked it up much quicker than I did.

There were those trips that I began to NOT take ANYTHING with me. Guess what? No breakdowns. Well there was one. The water pump failed as I was turning onto our street, but God provided a hill and some young men to help me park the car at a business and I walked our sleepy sons home.

Now God has gone beyond that little lesson to some advanced confidence building classes but the lesson is still the same. Do NOT have confidence in the flesh, Philippians 3, and that confidence can be placed incorrectly in people places and things. I have a blessing called a 1994 Toyota Previa. God is reminding me of these previous lessons. Not confident that the vehicle you're driving can get you where you need to go? Good! Have confidence in God, that He will get you to where you need to go. Has someone or place let you down? Were you confident in them? Not good. Have confidence in God, that He will be sufficient in ALL things.

How do I apply that here? I don't know. Search your heart and remember our hope is supposed to be in the Lord. 1 Timothy 1.

David Oldham