Good Lord's Day,

I'M REJOICING NIGHT AND DAY, AS I WALK THIS PILGRIM 
WAY
FOR THE HAND OF GOD IN ALL MY LIFE I SEE
AND THE REASON FOR MY BLISS, YES THE SECRET ALL IS 
THIS
THAT THE COMFORTER ABIDES WITH ME.

Chorus: HE ABIDES, HE ABIDES, HALLELUJAH! HE ABIDES WITH ME
I'M REJOICING NIGHT AND DAY AS I WALK THIS NARROW WAY
FOR THE COMFORTER ABIDES WITH ME
This song is what I call, "A Sunday night hand-clapper". Come on, let's sing 
the chorus again at least once. What's wrong, were some of you baptized in lemon juice? 
A pastor of mine long ago said, "Many so-called saints looked to him like a 
discouraged cow trying to eat corn though a picket fence". That, my friend, 
is, indeed a long face.
Romans 14:17 " For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but 
righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost"

CLUTTER CUT-Mike and Linda Knibbs do all transfers to my website. Before 
they set up this letter each week, they remove all of the headers and 
footers. This leaves text only, if you wish to download from there. Thanks, 
Mike and Linda.

VALENTINES THOUGHT-About four years ago, Jeanene cut out a "Dear Abby" column 
entitled The Ten Commandments of Love. She taped it to the wall where I can 
read it every day. I have been thinking about reading it.

ASCEND OR ABIDE-Using the two questions: "Who shall ascend into the hill of 
the Lord" in Psalm 24:3 and "Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle" from 
Psalm 15:1, I have a book of several chapters length to answer the question, 
"Which is better?". The book is certainly not of sufficient merit for me to 
recommend it to you. Of course, it is rather clear that to abide is 
preferable. Is it too late for resolutions?

PRAYER NEEDS-Readers are now writing for us to join. One of them was facing 
tests to analyze the growths in the bladder. They needed to do the tests 
before I had opportunity to share with you. They went in for biopsies-and 
guess what? The growths were gone. Forget it-except praise. If you were a 
CPA at this time of the year, wouldn't you be concerned about recurring 
bouts with the flu? I thought so. Please join me in prayer for a regular 
reader.

SORRY, RAMS FANS-My prediction last week was as ineffective as their game 
plan. I lost no sleep and no money over the outcome. I did read an 
interesting article about Kurt Warner, their quarterback. 

Your Sports Section will tell you the rags to riches story of this man who 
attended a small college (Upper Iowa) and failed in many attempts to play pro 
football. By hard work, he moved from a $5.50 an hour job in a grocery to 
become a Most Valuable Player award winner with a multimillion dollar 
contract.

What your Sports Section will not tell you is that Kurt Warner, his wife, 
Cindy and their four children (one is blind) are active members of The Family 
Church, a large independent, evangelical group in St. Louis. As outspoken 
born-again believers they do good works in the spirit of Matthew 5;16, "Let 
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and 
glorify your Father which is in heaven".

Each home game he buys 20 tickets for the underprivileged in the area that 
are in a program that leads them out of poverty. That is no big deal for a 
multimillionaire. BUT------on Friday, he and his family have the dinner meal 
as hosts to this twenty. They sit at a special round table in a fine 
restaurant. WAIT----on Sunday morning they go to church together. Will 
somebody please call the ACLU! There seems to be a radical on the loose.

"BUDDY"-That was a code name for me from my mother from childhood. It meant 
"After while, when we are alone, I want to talk to you about something you 
may not want to know, but need to hear."

You need to know that my mom has been dead 15 years, but I expect to see her 
in heaven. She was the quintessential "Yiddish Momma", without a drop of 
Jewish blood in her veins. Scottish, Irish, Cherokee and Angel was her 
racial derivation, and I am not certain of the first two. Loving and caring to the point of doting, and no 
children were the equal of hers-just ask or don't ask and she'll tell you.

I had the privilege of serving a church in my home city for eight and one 
half years. Mom was a regular attendant. One Sunday morning she remained 
after all had gone. "Buddy", she said, "Here is the check to cover the cost 
of your office furniture". (We had just completed an addition larger than the 
church, and I had kept a space for a private study.) "When is a time you 
will be here alone"? My mother making an appointment? You need to 
understand that Mom had never been to my office and that this was typical.

When she drove in on Tuesday at noon, I knew a "buddy" meeting was about to 
convene.

Let me set the scene--I'm nearly forty. Pastor of a growing church. 
Lecturing on a ten hour a week schedule at a nearby college. Writing a study 
guide and all questions for a nationwide quiz competition that involved 200 
churches. I had arrived. A "buddy" session? But, this is my mother.

She walked in the office. "See the nice furniture", I said. "I saw it when 
I walked in", she said. "I have come to see you."

My parents were best described as "direct" with their children. "Buddy, take 
it easy." She was concerned with a pace that on the Saturday before included 
three funerals and two weddings. "Buddy, stay off 'hobby horses'". She knew 
how I disliked speakers or preachers who were not properly prepared and 
reverted to their personal thoughts on petty subjects. "Buddy, spend more 
time at home." As if to kind of soften the latter she added, "I might want 
to call you some evening". That was almost funny, she never called me unless 
her dog was sick. The dog had died a year before.

My mom gave me a really good three point outline for pastors or workers who 
are too busy. 1. Slow down 2. Stay fresh 3. Stay home Do you hear me? 
Buddy!

CLASSIFIED-The only entries accepted by this publication are for Steinway 
concert grand pianos, 7 ft. 3 inch size or larger. They must be at least 125 
years old. Worth at least 20 thousand dollars. Must be properly stored 
awaiting assembly and refinishing of the Rosewood cabinet. We presently have 
one (1) on hand. We can furnish a phone number to serious buyers who desire 
technical information.

WHERE ARE THEY-We learned this week that Kevin is in the Amazon area of 
Brazil. For over twenty years he has moved around the world as a builder of 
mission stations and other buildings for a missionary fellowship. We recall 
a shy teenager in our church, who had little to say. He must have said "YES" 
at the right times.

His,
Ron Krantz