Roy Roger’s Auction Offers Trigger’s Remains

This is another one of those stories that cracks me up. I guess that Roy Roger’s really loved his horse “Trigger” so much that he had him stuffed! But now he is on the auction block! Some of the things for sale, his 1964 Bonneville Convertible with door handles and gear shifter make of silver-plated pistols. his jeep “Neelybelle from his TV show and the preserved remains of of his German Shepherd dog “Bullet”. The car is expected to be auctioned off between $100,000 to $150,000, while “Trigger” is expected to be auctioned off for $100,000 to $200,000. Poor “Bullet” there was no dollar figure for him. Again, this just cracked me up.

Tonaki

You know God has other plans. You plan a trip, plan something to do, but if your life is submitted to God you recognize that plans are in His Hands. We planned on coming to Tonaki for just one day. A group of the students expected it to be sunny "don't forget to bring your swim suits" I told them. But the next day the weather got cold. We did not think that it was going to be that bad, but it got worse. God provided for us in that one of the students grandmothers had a house in Tonaki. So the Girls stayed there and the guys stayed in our missions house. But things got worse; they cancelled the ferry from Tonaki to Okinawa, winds and waves too big. So we have to stay here probably a few more days. God is so good, He makes the time go fast. At first it is kind of scary "we have to stay here, what about home, what about the message Wednesday night"? So many questions. Well, God knows, He has everything is His Hands. We just follow. God moves, we move, He says put, we stay put. Kind of like the Children of Israel; thinking that they were going to stay for only a day in one place, but God changes the day to weeks, to months. When the cloud moved, they moved, if not, they stayed put. Hopefully the cloud does move soon, I would like to get back to Okinawa. But for now, whatever the Lord wants to teach us.

I am blessed with the people back in Okinawa at CCGinowan. They are in good hands, no worries, God has raised up a good group of people who can teach, lead in worship, handle the fort with no problem at all, anointed people of God. I remember what Oswald Sanders says " the most important duty of a Spiritual leader is to raise us spiritual leaders". As I write there are 3 guys on the island with me preparing for messages to teach. Not all of them will teach, but they are preparing. There is an old saying from an insurance agency "you are in good hands with Alstate", well, we are in Good Hands with Jesus!

Gems

I really enjoy checking out the recycle shops in Okinawa. They are like second hand stores in America, except most everything has an Asian flavor to it. As you search through the store every now and then you come across an absolute Gem. Something that no one else can really see unless you are looking for it. Sometimes I find a cooking utensil that is expensive brand new but cheap priced in the recycle store. I come back to the Coffee house with something to give to Joel to make his cooking experience happier. But sometimes you come across something and you know that it is good. About 5 months ago I saw a guitar that was for sale. It was beat up, missing the tuners, dirty, faded, but I could tell that it was a good made guitar. It was not a Martin or a Taylor, but a sound Japanese model with an interesting head, straight body and sound condition. They only wanted 1000 yen about 10 bucks American. I tried to get them a little down, but that was their best price, so I bought it. I knew that if I found some parts for it that this was going to be a beautiful guitar. Well tonight I put the finishing touches on it and it absolutely sounds amazing! It a interesting what a little cleaning and tuning can do to an instrument, but it all starts with a sound body. I really enjoy finding something of value that no one else might want, seeing its potential and tuning it up. That is the way God does things with us. We are beat up, looking faded but God sees something wonderful about us that no one else can see. He tunes us up, and whalla, we can become His beautiful instrument.

Rick at the Bible College

It is a blessing to see Pastor Rick and to have him ministering at the Bible College. Listening to him reminds me of how gifted this man is. In the beginning at CCLivingwater, he was just a young man willing to do anything the Lord told him to do. He was raised up through the ranks to become a man who we proudly sent out to do the work of God. A good man doing a good work.

Ministering in Japanese

"Lord thank you for allowing us to minister to the Japanese folks here at the Bible College". I am blessed and amazed that God has raised up a strong army of men and women who are willing to help minister to the people here at the Church and Bible College. It gets difficult translating all that we do, but it is so worth it. I feel so languagy challenged. Trying to say Japanese words and phrases is so difficult but I press on. We must all press on, when things get tough, the Christian goes forward. This is a new chapter in our work in Okinawa.

First Entry

As many of you know we have e3missions.com to keep everyone updated on daily life in Okinawa. Much of what is written has to do what the Lord is doing at the Bible College, to keep everyone updated on the great things that God is doing. There have been some personal things that God has been speaking to my heart and if you are interested you can follow up on those thoughts. Most of what is written will have to do with what God is saying to me personally but also to journal those thoughts and to be able to look back and see what God is doing. I am amazed that I can look back at e3missions and see from the beginning of what God has done since we have been here. God bless you as you check in now and then.

Pastor Tommy