Michigan Basketball

Today Pat, Mary, Hannah, and I are traveling to Ann Arbor to watch the Michigan basketball team play the Georgetown Hoyas. This will be a test for the Wolverines to see if they can beat a quality opponent. It will be a fun day and we look forward to spending time afterwards at the Briarwood Mall and possibly eating at Cottage Inn Pizza or Zingerman's. But I was wondering, just what is a "Hoya?" These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"

Zoo Lights

Yesterday my family and Campus Life friends, went to the Franklin Park Mall and the Toledo Zoo. The Toledo Zoo is having their annual "Lights Before Christmas," which runs through December 31st. You still have time to see this special display. Go to
www.toledozoo.org for more details. The lights are the zoo are amazing. It's wonderful how you can take a drab setting, when all vegetation is dormant, abd bring it to life with colorful lights. In fact, you hardly see any animals at the zoo. We did see seals, a baby elephant,fish, eagles, and a polar bear. My grandson Jacob liked the polar bear best of all. But other than that, the other animals must have been sleeping. Still, thousands come to the zoo attracted by the pretty lights. This I think speaks volumes to those who follow Jesus. We have the responsibility to be His light. Matthew 5:14-16. Our lives should so reflect Jesus, that people are attracted to Him! May this be your experience. Display His light in your "zoo." These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"

Playing Cards Last Night

Last night Pat and I were at The Common Grounds playing cards with David and Mary Glick. Mary and I were partners and we won the first game of euchre. The second game was a close contest when I received a call on my cellphone. It was Amy at Movie Gallery, telling me that a Bluffton student that we know, left home and was wondering the streets of Bluffton. It was 10 pm. We played one more hand and we set David to win the match. We then got into David's station wagon looking for the wondering girl. We noticed both police cars at the police station, so we stopped there to find her. The police don't normally deal with "homelss" girls, so David made a quick call to the Findlay City Mission. They had two beds available and would accept the girl, who by the way is 19 years old. We grabbed her belongings, stopped at McDonald's to get her some food, since she had not eaten since breakfast, and headed north to Findlay. We then took her to the entrance and had her check in. Soon we were on our way back home, praying that this "homeless" girl would have relationships restored, so she could return home. The holiday season is usually associated with joy and blessings, yet the world is still scarred by sin and pain knows no holiday. We thank the Lord that we can be His tools to help bring restoration to a fallen world. Always be open to His calling, even if you're playing euchre at the coffee house. These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"

More Books for Christmas

Three more books made it my way this Christmas Season. They include "Teenage Guys" by Steve Gerali and "Teenage Girls" by Ginny Olson. They look like the kind of books that I'll pick and choose a chapter to read, depending upon what I want to know about adolescent development. Sort of like encyclopedias about teens. The other book I received was "Simply Christian" by N. T. Wright. N. T. Wright is Bishop of Durham, England. He has taught New Testament studies at Cambridge and Oxford universities. He's one of my favorite authors. In the midst of reading, I'm preparing and looking forward to going to Toledo tomorrow. It's off to the Franklin Park Mall and the Zoo lights. This is for Campus Life and several members of the family are going too! I just love the holidays!! These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"

Another Christmas

I hope you had a "merry little Christmas." We have one more Christmas gathering tonight as the "Stratton's" get together for some figgy pudding at 6 pm. I was able to read "The Real Mary" by Scot McKnight yesterday. A gift and an appropriate read for December 25th. A good read on Mary, the mother of Jesus, written from a Protestant point of view. There aren't to many books like that to read. I was especially moved by the price Mary was willing to pay for bearing the Christ child as a virgin. Of course, who would believe her? A virgin gets pregnant? Scot McKnight does a great job taking you back to first century Israel and what it would be like to make such a claim. All you need to do is read Deuteronomy 22:23,24 and Numbers chapter 5 about the "bitter waters" to see what Mary could have faced. Get a copy and read. It will be worth your time. These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"

Christmas Eve

I just love the Christmas Season! The lights bring life and beauty to everyday objects. This is just like Christ, Who as the Light of the World brings life and beauty to us. I love the Christmas Carols and how some of them have rich theological notes running through them. Look at the words found in Hark, the Hearld Angels Sing...
"Come, Desire of nations, come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the woman’s conqu’ring Seed,
Bruise in us the serpent’s head.
Now display Thy saving power,
Ruined nature now restore;
Now in mystic union join
Thine to ours, and ours to Thine."
This is a great line expressing the THE PROTOEVANGELIUM OR "FIRST GOSPEL" found in Genesis 3:15. Then there's the excitement of gathering together as His Church on Christmas Eve, celebrating the Immanuel. A taste of what it will be like when we all gather around His table at the marriage feast of the Lamb. All in all, I just love the Christmas Season. A little snow on Christmas morning would be nice. Of course the snow, it reminds me of the purity that Christ gives to me by His grace. I could go on, but let me end by saying, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!
These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"

Books For Vacation

Tis the season for an extended Christmas vacation. That doesn't mean I won't be around. In fact, tonight I went to the BHS boys basketball game vs. the Grove Bulldogs. The Pirates won a thriller, thanks to a last second shot by Patrick Garlock. With Grove hitting a "trey" with less than 15 seconds to tie the game, it came down to a shot at the buzzer to win it. In the meantime, in the midst of Christmas celebrations, I'll have time to catch up on my reading. I plan to read "Letter to a Christian Nation" by Sam Harris. It's an attack on Christian belief and practice that makes you want to love Jesus even more. Then I have a book by R. C. Sproul on worship titled, "A Taste of Heaven - Worship In the Light of Eternity." A small book sits on my desk, ready to be read called "When the Darkness Will Not Lift" by John Piper. Then my favorite worship band leader, David Crowder, has a book I desire to digest called, "Everybody Wants to Get to Heaven, But Nobody Wants To Die." Then who knows what books I'll receive as gifts for Christmas. Even more books to read!!! I'll let you know after Christmas if any books show up in my stocking. In the meantime, I hope you find time to be with friends and family during the holidays. After all, these are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"

Here Is Our King

The following video presentations were made by seventy8 Productions, a minstry of Bluffton/PG Youth for Christ that has been around since mid November. The main producers are Jeremy Smith, Stephen Steiner, and Adam Wireman. I especially like "Here Is Our King." These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"

Here are the first two videos produced by seventy8 Productions

The Nativity Story

Pat and I saw The Nativity Story Sunday afternoon. I found the story to be engaging and fairly Biblical. I do think the Magi found the baby Jesus later, in a house (Matthew 2:11) rather than in the manger. This would account for one of the reasons Herod had all male babies two years and under murdered in the little town of Bethlehem. I really liked the reconstruction of what homes and villages must have looked like in the time of Joseph and Mary. The movie also does a great job of capturing peoples reaction to Mary being pregnant and claiming she was a virgin. So as the day of celebrating our Lord's birth rapidly approaches, see if you can't get away from all the hustle and bustle, to see this movie. It'll be worth your time. These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"

Night Strike

It's Friday night at the Burnside Bridge in Portland Oregon. Vans and cars are filled with volunteers of Bridgetown Ministries. It's "Night Strike," a ministry that meets the homeless under the Burnside Bridge. They dispense hot meals and set up barber shops to give haircuts and shaves. Their motto is "Get out of the box." But most amazing of all is the ministry's act of compassion and humility when they wash the feet of the homeless.. Four folding chairs are set up in a row, each occupied by a downtrodden human being. His or her feet are immersed in a warm tub of water. A volunteer gently scrubs the feet. Then they are dryed and powdered. New socks are then placed on the feet of the homeless. One man said, "I can't find the words to describe how good that felt." What an expression of Christian faith and service! May we find ways to love and serve those in need. These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"

Savior

December 4th in Baghdad. Army Private Ross McGinnis is in a Humvee when a grenade is tossed in. McGinnis shouts a warning to four other soldiers who are with him. He then hurls himself upon the grenade, sacrificing his life to save the others. This courageous soldier sacrificed his life to save the physical life of his friends. Jesus saves us from spiritual death.
Jesus throws Himself on the spiritual grenade of spiritual death. Without Jesus coming to us as a baby, He couldn’t throw Himself on death and be our Savior. What a gift - The Gift of God whose birth we celebrate in December. "And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.' -Matthew 1:21. These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"

Put Your Pant(ies) On

This is weird. When will these girls or is it, women, grow up? Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and Lindsay Lohan have in recent months not been wearing underwear. Not only that, they wear short skirts to prove it! As pre teens and teens, Britney and Lindsaywere looked up to by many moms as role models for their daughters. Well times have changed! I think that most of us would not want our daughters or girls in our communities to emulate their current behavior. So here's hoping "The Brit Pack" can spend some of their money to forgo going commando. These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"

Facing the Giants

I did have the opportunity last week to see "Facing the Giants." Pat and I rushed up to the Shannon Theatre on Wednesday at 9:30 pm. (Thanks Stephen for the movie passes!) We bought some popcorn and settled into our seats just in time to see the beginning of the film. For a review you can go to http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0805526/ Most of the cast and crew were from a Baptist Church in Georgia. While the film is one based on the Christian faith, I thought it went a little over the top in the concluding scene. Not only was it a "miracle" to win one state football championship and have a wife get pregnant when infertility was a problem, but look what happens two years later! Two championships and another pregnancy!! The problem is all too often the Christian faith is shared as an experience of life will be a bed of roses. Unfortunately that's an unrealistic expectation. Followers of Jesus get sick, get cancer, lose jobs, have broken relationships, and even die at the hands of persecutors. Sometimes roses have thorns. Then what? Is Jesus unfaithful? So not meaning to be critical of the film, I wish it was realistic. I don't want people following Jesus thinking all their problems will be solved in a glorious, wonderful way. Something to ponder. These are the days.
Jim "Train"

Tools Not Toys

My life has been a whirl since arriving back home from France. I think I'll have more time this week to share with you through this blog. Friday at Mars Hill (Bluffton High School release program for Campus Life) we watched the scene from The Chronicles of Narnia where Father Christmas gives gifts to the children. (something to ponder - why did C. S. Lewis include "Santa Claus" in this allegorical story about Jesus?) After Father Christmas gives the gifts he says, "These are tools, not toys." Wow! We are so used to giving toys to children. Yet St. Nick entrusts "tools" to the children. As the story unfolds, we'll see how the children use the "tools" they have been given. This scene reminds me of how our Father entrusts us with "tools." He blesses us with gifts, talents, and abilities. What will we do with the "tools" we received? Jesus in the Gospel of Luke chapter 12 (verses 35-48) warns us that we neeed to be found as faithful servants. People will be punished for failing to do good as well as for doing evil. So may you use the "tools" God has given you for His glory. These are the days my friend.
Jim Train"

Finale in France

Our adult France Project Serve is coming to a close. I'm sitting in my Etap Hotel room with Adam Wireman getting ready for our final night, this one in Paris. We have had an eventful time in France. Our team was able to give 245 man hours in helping remodel a hotel bought by France YFC near Munster. This hotel will be used for the Matthew 9:38 training center. The Matthew 9:38 Project trains college age students in a one year course in sharing Jesus with the young people of this country. More work is required and it's one of the reasons we are offering a youth service project at this same site next summer. The area of Munster is beautiful with its fir tree covered mountains. A babblig brook runs right beside the YFC hotel. This project is well worth a young person's time and money. I would like you to return with me to a place that needs us to finish a fantastic tool for ministry in France. These are the days my friend.
Jim "Train"