Joy in a Funeral

WOW, I USE THAT WORD A GREAT DEAL LATLEY.  I HAD THE GREAT HONOR TO SONG AT FUNERAL TODAY, WHAT JOY IN THE FAMILY.  YES, THERE WAS SORROW AND PAIN BUT THE ULTIMATE UNDERSTANDING WAS KNOWING MOM WAS IN HEAVEN ENJOYING THE WONDERS OF THAT PLACE AND ALSO HANGING WITH FAMILY WHO HAD GONE BEFORE.  

MY JOY CAME WHEN I GOT A CALL TO SEE IF I WOULD SING.   I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD GIVEN THE FAMILY SOME CD'S MONTHS AGO BECAUSE THEY HAD HEARD ME SING AT HOPE AND SAID IT WOULD BE NICE TO GET HER SOME OF YOUR MUSIC, WELL I HAD THEM IN MY MUSIC BAG AND I JUST GAVE THEM A COUPLE AND SAID  JUST CONSIDER IT A GIFT.  

WELL, IT WAS MENTIONED IN THE SERMON THAT I WAS THERE TO SING BECAUSE SHE LOVED TO LISTEN TO THE CD'S AND ENJOYED THEM GREATLY.  HER FAVORITE WAS "AMAZING GRACE" AND I SANG THAT SONG AS WELL AS "I CAN ONLY IMAGINE".  IT WAS A GREAT TIME OF WORSHIP AND I WAS TOUCHED BY HER LOVE OF MUSIC. 

MAY I ALWAYS BE THANKFUL THAT I'M ABLE TO BE A SMALL PART OF MY FATHERS WORK ON THIS EARTH. 

 Thank you Papa !!

Your son

Dalend

Been awhile Friends

Sorry that it has been awhile since we have communicated.  We are in Storm Lake the end of the month, looking forward to seeing our sound man Matt again.  It will be a great evening of worship and fun.  Please pray for guidance as I'm making changes to the ministry and also my role.  God is in control.....Thank you Papa !!

Well friends, this week-end GodZ GuyZ are in Waukee, Iowa at the First Christian Church on Highway 6 just West of Waukee about a 1/2 mile or so.  If your in the Des Moines area stop out and see us.  The church is having a potluck @ 5pm and then after dinner we are going to be singing about an hour or so, it all depends on how the Spirit moves.  

Remember, we have lots of snow coming again so be prepared and drive safe.  God Bless you All and see you on Sunday !!

Dalend  

From a friend, Pastor Daniel Parsch.  A man of great Wisdom.

The relationship between clay and the potter is very intimate. The potter has a vision.  And the best art is that, which the artist pours his or her soul into, so that the work may reflect the heart of its maker.  God does not want to see you destroyed, formless or lifeless lumps of clay.  God desires to breathe life into you, to form you into a person  whose life is breathtakingly beautiful and good. 

At the heart of the good news proclaimed by the Christian faith is the affirmation that it is in Christ and through Christ that God has chosen to come into this world to re-form the spoiled clay that is humanity and to reshape us into beautiful, useable vessels, in His service.  When God, in working on us and with us, encounters a resistance from inside of us that spoils our emerging beauty and worth, God does not abandon us. Rather God chooses to start anew with us, patiently reworking us into persons of worth and beauty.

The risen Christ possesses the grace, love, and mercy to change our lives from faithlessness to faithfulness, from disobedience to obedience, from resistance to God’s will to doing God’s work. Christ has the grace and the will and the power to re-form our sinful selves into people who serve both God and neighbor. It is Christ, the patient and ever-gracious Potter, Who is the hope of all humanity.

Wow, what a crazy couple of weeks.  I've been back to work after surgery now for 2 weeks.  It was very hard to get my head wrapped around working again but I sure missed it though.  Been practicing with the GodZ GuyZ now for almost the same time.  We start back on the road in February. Looking forward to doing that again.  Thank you for all your prayers and all the wonderful emails  as well.  God Bless You All !!

Dalend 

Time to prepare

Wow, what a fabulous Christmas and New Years, wasn't it !  And I'm sure that people are asking themselves, what now?  All the family is gone, I have to go back to work...what now God? Christmas Eve services were awesome and inspiring but what now?  For some though, it was not good and there was no WOW !!

Well, we now prepare for Easter.  We prepare for His trial, His death and His resurrection.  We do the work that He has for us to do.  Our church is encouraging each member to study the year of the bible.  Daily scripture readings that get us through the entire bible in just one year.  We must continue to focus on Christ to keep us excited and also to keep our friends focused.   

I met with a few good friends this week for lunch and I need to focus my prayers on them. Some are struggling with life and one in particular with her faith.  She told me that she does not believe that Jesus is here now, she has lost her faith.  That is something that I must help them all with, to have them know and understand that I will be praying for them, that I will be contacting them with emails and every once in awhile a phone call to see how they are and to make sure they know that I will be praying for them every day.  I can't let this happen, I must help, I must pray, I will not let devil win.  My God has won the victory and the ending has already been written.

His Peace

Dalend

Friends:

Well, it's 12:40am on Saturday and I can't sleep.  Many things in my head that I'm thinking about.  Christmas is just 5 days away now, it will be a wonderful celebration of the birth of our King.  Take time to call your family, friends, neighbor and maybe even a co-worker and invite them to worship on Christmas Eve, share with them the Christmas story.  I'm looking forward to hanging with the family on Christmas day as well, sharing Christmas meal (watching some football) and just being together.  Now days families are spread out all over but remember to give them all a call, tell them you love them and you miss seeing them.  May God Bless you as learn more about the Babe in the manger.  He is King of Kings !  

His Peace