Rich Tatum: Wow, just read your letter — that's incredible!
Kathi: Isn't it?
Rich Tatum: Insane.
Rich Tatum: I mean, in a good way!
Kathi: ROFL
Kathi: thought you meant me for a minute ….
Rich Tatum: It's good you've done this before Halloween, I'm guessing.
Rich Tatum: Makes a nice break from the past.
Rich Tatum: It "sanctifies" these kinds of events for you.
Kathi: I've been accused :-) But oh well.
I was just having the most interesting conversation with a Jewish woman. She's trying desperately to convince me that Jesus is not the Messiah predicted by the prophets. She's signing off now, I think I made her uncomfortable with the truth.
Rich Tatum: :-)
Rich Tatum: Yeah, that had to be interesting.
Kathi: I needed that break from the past … a tangible thing … but I also think that I needed to be responsible and destroy things that could be harmful.
Kathi: Sparks. Colors.
I told my pastor about it, he said he'd heard about things like that happening to others who had done this.
Rich Tatum: Yes, and I think it's more than merely symbolic, in the way that water baptism is more than a mere symbol.
Kathi: :::nodding:::
Rich Tatum: Plus, it was biblical.
Rich Tatum: This is what the apostles did with these kinds of materials in Acts.
Kathi: yes, the sorcerers burning their scrolls? I kind of had the thought of making it a public event … but I didn't think I could get a permit to do so
Rich Tatum: It was more important that you do it than that you get an audience.
Kathi: I was kind of surprised they let me have a campfire the other night. We've not had rain in something like 35 days now.
Kathi: Agreed
Rich Tatum: Huh.
Kathi: Want to hear something else incredible?
Rich Tatum: Hit me
Kathi: Last night's sermon was on depression, and what to do about it
Rich Tatum: Yeah?
Kathi: Bobby, my son, got really hit by some of the things he was hearing.
Rich Tatum: And …. ?
Kathi: At the end of the service, there was an altar call for people who had issues like that to come up and be prayed for. He wanted to go. This is after weeks and weeks of me trying to convince him that God would help him if he asked, and him refusing. He refused last night, and then in his words … his feet
Kathi: stood him up, carried him up there, and his mouth asked for prayer … regardless of whether his mind wanted it or not. <g>
Rich Tatum: Wow, incredible!
Kathi: We went up and prayed with him, and there were about 7 others too … it was a very overwhelming experience for all of us.
Kathi: But do you know WHY he says he did it? Not because it will help him now, not because it would solve problems now, but because he doesn't want anything to stop him or hinder him in becoming a missionary to china.
Kathi: My mind is still reeling from THAT announcement.
Rich Tatum: Huh, now that's a kicker
Rich Tatum: Cool.
Kathi: Isn't it?
Rich Tatum: Start stocking up on Berlitz tapes!
Rich Tatum: How old is he?
Kathi: He's 11 … 12 in January. Wants our pastor to start planning a missions trip now, for about 5 years from now.
Rich Tatum: China is a wonderful place
Rich Tatum: You know, he can go while he's in college, too, as part of an ESL program.
Kathi: Really? I hadn't thought of that.
Kathi: brb, dog needs OUT
Rich Tatum: Yeah, I very nearly went to Asia in my senior year to teach English as a second language. I've always felt intrigued by Asia and Asia Pacific, and it appealed to the missionary instincts in me. There are good ESL programs being run by Christian orgs, and I thing the A/G actually runs one, too. You can check with dfm (at) ag.org to find out.
Rich Tatum: I still wish I'd gone. The best time to go is right after college before debts and jobs and obligations and girlfriends set in.
Kathi: <grin> this is true!
Rich Tatum: Plus, he doesn't have to know Mandarin to go!
Rich Tatum: And you could always look into a 9 mo. exchange program for high school — they cost money but he could raise donations from the church if he's serious about going.
Rich Tatum: Check with the Rotary Club for that.
Kathi: OK …
Kathi: I'm going to print this out so that he can see …
Rich Tatum: Getting some exposure to the culture while he's in High School will help him choose how to study in College.
Rich Tatum: :-)
Kathi: I'm glad that he's developed a fascination in this.. and also in God. You know he was quoting to me from the Bible last night, too? It's hard to believe that just two months ago, I was despairing that he'd ever come around … and what? four months ago now? I would have never thought that such things could happen in my life, let alone his.
Rich Tatum: Good is very good.
Rich Tatum: I mean … uh … God is very good.
Rich Tatum: Didn't mean to be redundant to be redundant to be redundant.
Kathi: ROFL I was just thinking that …
Rich Tatum: Is Bobby interesting in the Royal Rangers?
Rich Tatum: Uh, I guess I can't type today! "Interested" is the word.
Rich Tatum: Criminey!
Kathi: Oh Yes … very much so. And we've got two great leaders for his age group, too … dynamic, outgoing, very involved … and one of them is the father of Bobby's best friend at church, who happens to also have ADD and possibly bipolar.
Kathi: I'm ignoring the typos …
Rich Tatum: That's good. There are a some merit badges Bobby can earn regarding missions, I think, and even possibly about foreign countries. I'm not sure, but that could be fun.
Rich Tatum: :-)
Rich Tatum: I've got typo-id fever.
Kathi: ROFL
