Gintzoo's World

Countdown to Vietnam... 37 days

2012-01-20T13:33:00.005-05:00

Yes, I'm counting down the days. On February 28, I will join 10 other United Methodist pastors as we journey from Chicago to Seoul South Korea and on to Hanoi Vietnam.

We will spend several days in the northern part of the country, touring Hanoi, including Ho Chi Mihn's tomb, the infamous Hanoi Hilton (POW camp) as well as United Methodist churches and pastors. We will also be visiting the Hai Long Bay, with its towering rock formations that rise up out of the sea.

So, now is the time to get serious about the mission God has called us to. Pray for the team. Pray for me. Pray for the Vietnamese pastors. But most of all, pray for the unsaved in Vietnam.

For more information, check out my previous blog... found below...

In His Service,
Gary 'PreacherMan' Ginter

Back to Vietnam...

2011-10-07T11:15:00.005-04:00

A couple weeks ago I received an email from a pastor friend of mine with whom I had traveled to Vietnam with back in 2010. His email informed me that another trip was being planned for Spring 2012, and he urged me to consider going back.
Contemplating another trip to Vietnam is a big decision. On the one hand, my job at school is keeping me very busy since I was appointed treasurer in March 2011. Also, keeping track of my mother has been an ordeal since she suffered a stroke in June of this year. Add in church activities and family obligations, and you can quickly see that Gary is a very busy boy.

But an opportunity to return to Vietnam does not come every day. The images of seeing the country and the people again are still ingrained in my mind. Coupled with my memories of the last trip is the excitement of knowing we would be visiting Hanoi on this trip.

And so I began to pray for God's guidance. In the last few days, individuals have stepped forward to let me know that they are hoping and praying for me to go. Also, my church has elected to support my mission trip to the best of their ability.

And so, with the support of my family, my friends, my church, and my work, I am planning to return to Vietnam in a few short months. I will be part of an 8 man mission team, sent to see the United Methodist Church and our ministry in Vietnam firsthand, to experience Vietnamese culture, to witness the "Good News" of Jesus Christ, to worship with brothers and sisters from the other side of the world and to witness baptisms, to engage in ministry with people of villages and emerging United Methodist churches, to be renewed spiritually, and to renew friendships made on our previous visit.

As before, I will be traveling to Vietnam with the Shawnee Valley Mission team, leaving Tuesday February 28 and returning Monday March 12. We will be visiting Hanoi, then traveling to Hue to pick up our motorbikes. From Hue we will tavel by motorbike through the cities and villages, along the coast of the South China Sea and into the remote mountain villages. We will be meeting and worshipping with Vietnamese pastors and their congregations, witnessing and sharing the Gospel of Christ; experiencing the land, the culture, and the people.

The motorbikes we purchase will be donated to Vietnamese United Methodist pastors to be used in their ministry in Vietnam. We will ride approximately 1,000 miles by motorbike from Hue to Ho Chi Mihn City (formerly Saigon).

I would ask for your support in helping this mission become a reality. First and foremost, I would ask for your prayers... for me, for the members of the mission team, for the Vietnamese pastors, for the United Methodist Mission in Vietnam, and for God to change and renew the hearts and minds of all who are involved in this endeavor.

Second, I would ask for your support (if possible)... in raising the $4,000 to cover the cost of this trip and to buy a motorbike that will be donated to a Vietnamese United Methodist pastor. My church, St. John's UMC will once again be the collection point for all funds donated to this trip.

Checks can be made out to: St. John's UMC - Vietnam Mission and sent to the following address:

St. John's UMC
205 North High St.
PO Box 8
Columbus Grove, OH 45830

Jesus said, Go and make disciples of all nations..." This is our mission, my mission, and the mission of the church. Help me make this dream mission a reality. Thanks you for your prayers and support.

In His Service,
Gary Ginter

Vietnam - Day 14 & the Ride Home

2010-09-14T09:07:00.016-04:00

Talk about a short night! Today is Wednesday April 21, 2010 and my morning began at 3:00 am! We spent our short night back in the Royal Kimdo Hotel in downtown Ho Chi Minh City where we were awakened at 3:00 am to prepare for the long flight home. No time for breakfast, just a quick shower, throw a few last things in the bags, and we are boarding our busses at 3:45 am for the early morning drive to Tan Son Naht airport. Our flight is scheduled to leave around 7:00 am, and we needed time to clear Vietnamese security.

The flight back was a reverse of the flight to Vietnam. We flew from Ho Chi Minh City to Hong Kong, then to Chicago, and finally back to Cincinnati. Our plane left around 7:00 am local (Vietnam) time arriving in Cincinnati around 7:00 pm local (Cincinnati) time. Altogether we spent another 30 or so hours either in the air or at airports.

Over the past few months, I have had ample time to reflect on the things I witnessed and the people I met in Vietnam. As I bring this series of blogs to a close, allow me to share some of my thoughts and observations.

First, the land I discovered. Vietnam is a beautiful country, and so diverse! From the rice paddies to the mountains, from the warm inviting beaches of the South China Sea coast to the rivers and canals of the Mekong Delta, from the triple canopy jungles to the banana and rubber tree plantations - such vibrant colors, from the green, lush jungles to the deep blue of the South China Sea. Most of the roads are not the best, but that only means your journey will take a little longer, giving you ample time to take in the sights and enjoy the scenery.

Vietnam is a land of contrasts. Yes, the land is diverse, but so are the people. To me, there was a marked difference between those who lived in the cities and those who dwelled out in the rural areas. Their clothes were different, their food was different, and their friendliness was different. It was very obvious to me that the city dwellers had more money to spend - their clothes were nicer and more modern, and many of them loved to shop. In the mountain villages, many were living on the equivalent of about $2.00 per day. In some areas, coca-cola was cheaper than milk, and mothers would buy coke, water it down, and feed it to their babies.
Vietnam is a country of hard working, industrious people. Most labor is still done by hand - whether working in the rice paddies, fishing for self or for sale, or building a roadway - manual labor was abundant. Everywhere we went, in the heavily occupied cities or the sparsely populated countryside, most work was completed with shovels and wheelbarrows.

Vietnam is a country of young people. Everywhere we went we were surrounded by children and teenagers. Conversely, we saw very few older individuals (by older I mean 50+ years). What this means is that there are very few Vietnamese citizens who are old enough to remember the war - shorter life expectancy and a harsh envirenment have left a relatively young population.

Vietnam is a place of hospitality and friendships. At no time did we as Americans feel threatened or afraid. We felt no hatred nor animosity. Instead, everywhere we went we were welcomed with open arms, smiles, and graciousness. In the small churches we were greeted with bottles of water and fresh bananas. They fed us and they graced us with gifts. Church members would surround us, gives us hugs, shake our hands, and want their pictures taken with us, even though they would never see a copy of the photo. It was almost as if they wanted their picture taken for us - so that we would not forget them. And their number one request?? They asked if we would pray for them.

Finally, Vietnam is a country where the Spirit of God is moving mightily. Just three years ago, there were only about 50 United Methodist churches serving about 1,000 people. Today, the congregations number over 150 and serve over 10,000 individuals. Christians in Vietnam are serious and enthusiastic. Serious in that they are literally willing to risk their property and their lives in a Communist controlled country to spread the Gospel. Enthusiastic in their praise and worship, willing to out-sing and out-praise most congregations I know.

In closing, let me offer these final observations. In my opinion, we (the United Methodist mission team) traveled to Vietnam to accomplish three goals. First, to purchase 18 brand new motorbikes, ride them through the country to make ourselves visible, and then to give those bikes away to Vietnamese United Methodist pastors to use in their churches and in their villages to promote the Gospel. Second, we were to visit the budding United Methodist churches, meet their congregations and their pastors, and offer encouragement and support to their efforts. Finally, we wanted to send a strong, clear message to the Communist officials in Hanoi that the United Methodist Church was in Vietnam to promote the Gospel, help the churches and the pastors, and to work with the Government in bettering the lives of their people. In my humble opinion, I really think we accomplished our mission.

In closing, let take this opportunity to thank God for allowing me to visit this amazing country and its even more amazing people. Let me thank all those individuals who helped make my participation possible, either financially or through their prayers. And finaly, my thanks to the amazing people of Vietnam - for their generosity and their friendship in welcoming me and others into their families. :-)

Vietnam - Day 13

2010-08-12T13:56:00.014-04:00

Today is Tuesday April 20, 2010, our 13th and final full day in Vietnam. Our day begins with another great breakfast, this time at the Golf Can Tho Hotel in Can Tho, Vietnam. We are deep in the Mekong Delta, Can Tho being a thriving metropolis of over 2 million, with the mighty Mekong River flowing through the middle of the city. After breakfast we load our luggage onto our busses, but we are note quite ready to leave yet. First, an adventure!
The busy Mekong River flows past our hotel. And so before we leave the delta, we are in for one last sight-seeing tour. We board two floating taxis and head up river, deep into the city. What a view! River traffic is always heavy, and now we are just part of the "water ballet". For almost an hour we travel in our boat, soaking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the river.

Eventually we arrive in an area known as the "floating marketplace". Imagine shopping in the produce section of your favorite grocery store - except that each bin is a boat, and each boat is different. Here we found (by our estimation) close to a thousand boats of all shapes, sizes, and each with different produce.
Boats full of bananas, coconuts, and melons - barges loaded with potatoes, fruits and vegetables. Small, personal boats - large, barge-like boats. Men, women, children on board these watercraft - some with entire families, who make these boats their floating homes.
Hundreds of boats and who knows how many people! All buying, selling, trading, bartering their goods. Some loading, others unloading - all done by physical labor - no machinery here. Melons are man-handled from boat to boat, person to person. Flowers are examined and carefully stowed on decks.
Here in Can Tho, as I imagine is true anywhere in the delta, the river is life. Everything and everybody touches it. In the span of less than a half mile, we see a woman washing her breakfast dishes in the river. A little further on we see a man taking a bath in the river. Farther down is a woman brushing her teeth with river water. A little farther and we see a man and woman fishing in the river. Further yet we spy a man using the river as his bathroom!
Imagine the filthiest, smelliest river you could ever imagine. No, worse than that. Dirtier. Matter of fact, we were advised to not touch the water. Cannot imagine the germs and bacteria floating beside our boat. Mile after mile the scene is the same - boats and people, all using the river for their personal reasons.
We slowly trolled alongside this floating market place for almost two hours. It was over a mile long, and then we floated back through again. We watched as families ate breakfast, hung laundry out on the deck railings, or plied their goods. Many families and lots of small children. One mother in a small boat used her young daughter to sell water and cola to passing tourists, like us. Children were everywhere.

Eventually our tour came to an end. The hour long ride back to the hotel was mostly quiet as we contemplated what we had just witnessed. For us air-conditioned, spoiled American tourists, this was a world we simply could never live in. Still trying to figure out how the people survive here.
It is a quiet group that slowly boards the busses. We begin our final journey, this time traveling north, back to Ho Chi Minh City. Ahhhhh, air-conditioned busses! We cross the mighty Mekong River by ferry boat one last time. We stop for lunch, really enjoying the meal, especially the "sticky rice" or "Dragon's Egg" as it is called here.

Several hours later, we enter the outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City. We weave our way through the streets and arrive back at the Roal Kimdo Hotel for our last night. The evening is ours as we venture out onto the streets for the last time. I have my picture taken with a couple shop girls at a small store near our hotel. A liitle last minute shopping and off to bed. We are told that we leave for the airport around 3:30 am! Gonna be a short night!

Vietnam - Day 12

2010-08-02T13:21:00.020-04:00

Today is Monday April 19, 2010 and our 12th day in Vietnam has just begun. We are staying at the Golf Can Tho Hotel in the city of Can Tho on the Mekong River. We arrived here in the Mekong Delta late yesterday afternoon, and today we are to spend the day visiting United Methodist churches in and around Can Tho. And so, after breakfast, we spend a few moments watching the river traffic, then we board our busses around 9:00 am to begin our goodwill church tour.

Our first stop is a relatively new church in Can Tho. Several United Methodist churches in southern Ohio helped build this small but growing church. Here we met the pastor and his family along with several members of the congregation. A couple of the pastors in our group took turns baptizing several of the new Vietnamese believers.
Here we participate in a short service, preparing new members for baptism.
Here new members are baptized into the Methodist Church and the family of God.
More new members being baptized by members of our mission group.
Reluctantly, we leave this church and our new friends. Back on board our busses we discuss the excitement and fulfillment of helping and encouraging new Christians. Our bus takes us deeper into the city of 2 million, and eventually we stop at another church. This one is more of a house church - the pastor and his family live downstairs while church is conducted in a room upstairs.
Here we meet the pastor and his family.
Allow me to introduce you to a new friend, Bich Nguyen Thi. Bich is a 22 year-old college student attending university here in Can Tho. She is one of five children, (and the only Christian in her family), she is a long way from home, and she found this small United Methodist church where she discovered new friends and a love she had never known before. She enjoys her church because they love God "enthusiastically"! Although she is attending university, her desire is to become a pastor so she can share the love of Christ with her family and others.

Here members of the Vietnamese congregation exchange gifts with members of their sponsor church from Chilicothe, Ohio.

Here members of the American Mission team are seen leaving the house church. The church is located down this alley, back in behind store-fronts and homes. Note the condition of the alley - this is typical of most alleys, especially in the larger cities.
Our next stop isn't exactly a church, but a small wood-working business owned by one of the Vietnamese pastor's and his wife. This particular business is unique in that the pastor/owner will only hire employees who are handicapped. What you have to understand is that the handicapped of Vietnam have little to no life. They are shunned by society as being non-productive. This particular pastor and his wife will hire ONLY handicapped, and provide them a place to stay if need be. We met many of the employees and listened to their stories, sharing in their joy of being able to find not only employment, but acceptance in this biased society.

Our last visit of the day was to a small, but growing United Methodist church about an hour west and south of Can Tho, deep in the delta region. Here we found another church that is being sponsored by United methodist churches of southern Ohio. Once again, we met the pastor and his family, along with a large portion of his congregation. They greeted us with cold bottles of water and fresh bananas!

As with all the churches we have visited on this trip, what they lack in material and 'stuff' they more than make up in their enthusiasm and sincerity. The music may be simple, but they are "loud and proud" as they worship with their new American friends.

We gather together to have one big group picture taken before we take our leave. Once again, we have found new friends, and despite the language barrier, we have been able to communicate our love and friendship for these brothers and sisters in Christ.

Reluctantly, we board our busses once again and begin our journey back to the hotel. The drive is about an hour, giving us plenty of time to try and absorb what we have witnessed today. Homes turned into churches. Churches built with help from small American congregations located in southern Ohio. Employers who will only hire the "unemployable." Yes, I think we have much to learn from our new friends.

And so, we eventually arrive back at our hotel. Most of us are still in deep contemplation of the things we have experienced today. Some are already looking ahead to tomorrow, our last full day in Vietnam. We arrive back at our hotel, looking for supper. Tonight we are on our own, to find whatever we can in or around the hotel. Believe it or not, the hotel serves hamburgers. We are dubious, but hungry, and so many of us order the familiar sounding meal. When our food comes, it looks like hamburger, yet tastes different. We are half afraid to ask, and so we settle on "similar, yet different". We end our long day with a walk along the river. It is a very pleasant evening (in the mid 80's) and many families are out with their families. We enjoy this quiet time, watching life along the Mekong.

Vietnam - Day 11

2010-07-16T11:40:00.021-04:00

Today is Sunday April 18, 2010. Our day begins at the Royal Kimdo Hotel in downtown Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). After breakfast we board the busses and are off to church. It takes about 45 minutes of travel time, up and down back streets and into unfamiliar territory. Eventually, we park our busses on a side street and walk down an alley, behind homes and small businesses until we find this small United Methodist church tucked deep into this residential area.
Once again we are struck by the contrasts we face. From the street-front, the buildings look like many we would see in any large American city; but a short journey down a back alley tells a story of poverty and neglect. Yet here, in the midst of such contrast, we find a small, thriving United Methodist church. It kind of reminds me of the Gospels where Jesus came to serve the poor and downtrodden, the members of society that no one else wanted to associate with.
And so, here we are, worshipping on a Sunday morning in Communist controlled Vietnam. As with all the services we have participated in on this trip, we are surrounded by a very enthusiastic group. What they lack in material things (such as musical instruments) they make up for in volume and excitement! The Vietnamese hymns are familiar and so we sing along in English.
This Sunday morning service is fairly similar to others we have experienced thus far. Lots of hymn singing along with several special numbers by a small choir. No piano in this church, just a small electronic keyboard. But it is enough as the congregation outsings the music! I'm pretty sure these small Vietnamese congregations could put most American congregations to shame with their enthusiasm and excitement!
Another surprise this morning. One of our own, Wade Giffin (a member of the West Ohio Conference staff in Worthington), has been asked to preach for the Sunday morning worship service. He has an interpreter, and so Wade steps up to the podium and preaches. He is all smiles and full of excitement as he delivers his message. We are all very proud and happy for him. In attendance is Wade's son Alex who came on this mission trip to enjoy an amazing adventure with his dad. I for one, am very happy for both of them and this time they are able to share together.

After the service, we wind our way through the alley and back to the busses parked on the street. We board our busses and we are off again. The rest of today is a travel day - we are heading south into the Mekong Delta. And so we wind through the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, and eventually find ourselves traveling south into the watery delta region.

We leave the city and the mountains behind. The further south we go, the flatter and wetter it gets. We are surrounded by rice paddies, rivers and canals - less road traffic, but much more boat traffic. The motorbike may be the main means of transportation on dry ground, but here one needs a boat to survive.
Here we see boats of all sizes and shapes, from small personal rowboats, to commercial barges. Even more interesting are the homes along the canals and waterways. The difference bewtween Vietnam and America is that these boats are not pleasure boats - they are necessary for livlihoods. I think this is the first place in Vietnam I have seen where boats outnumber motorbikes! After several hours of driving south, we eventually come to the mighty Mekong River! The Mekong is huge! Much bigger than the Mississippi River, and much busier. The government is in the process of building a huge bridge across the river, but it is not finished yet. And so, we muct cross the river by ferry boat.
There are many large ferry boats criss-crossing the river, and yet there is so much traffic that we must wait in line to cross. The river is so wide we have time to leave our busses and wander around the ferry boat. Here I am crossing on the ferry with our bus drivers, Nat and Bee (rubbing my tummy in happy Buddah fashion!)

Here I am with one of my new friends, Pat Aloisio from Chilicothe, as we cross the Mekong River. Soon we are across the mighty Mekong and driving through the streets of Can Tho. We will be staying in Can Tho for two nights. We finally arrive at the Golf Can Tho Hotel along the river. We check into the hotel around 5:00 pm and prepare for supper. Our meal is at the hotel, and then we are off to explore this river city of over 2 million.
There is a park near the hotel along the river, and this evening the park is full of families and couples, some taking evening boat cruises, but most just relaxing with their families in the cool evening air. And so for a short while, we find ourselves surrounded by couples sitting on benches, by familes watching over small, active children, and street vendors hawking their merchandise - all under the moon and stars along the Mekong River. How peaceful. How relaxing. The foreign music mixes with the sing-song Vietnamese language, and for a short while, we are content. Tomorrow we visit United Methodist churches in and around Can Tho, but tonight, we enjoy the lazy river and the life around it.

Vietnam - Day 10

2010-07-08T11:27:00.017-04:00

Today is Saturday April 17, 2010, the tenth day of our Vietnam Mission adventure. We are back in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) and our day begins with breakfast at the Royal Kimdo Hotel somewhere in the downtown area. We have finished our motorbike ride (1,600 kilometers, almost 1,000 miles from Hue to Ho Chi Minh City). Today we are to join in the celebration of the dedication of the new United Methodist Center here in Ho Chi Minh City.

We all board our busses for the drive to the new center. The bus ride takes about 45 minutes (Ho Chi Minh City is huge with over 7 1/2 million people). We arrive at the new 5-story building along with many dignitaries. Joining us is a United Methodist group from the states that had been touring Cambodia and Laos. Also joing us was Bishop Bruce Ough and his wife, Char. Bishop Ough will be giving the dedication address. Also in attendance are representatives from several of the local churches.

The service lasts a little over two hours. The time goes quickly as there is much singing and praise. Here a choir of Vietnamese pastors sings a couple songs for us. It is very warm in the un-air conditioned top floor sanctuary. A few fans make for a nice breeze, but the room is very warm.

Here a group of young seminary students in traditional robes sing for us. Part of the new center is a seminary with dormitories for the students. We sing several hymns, both in English and in Vietnamese. The Vietnamese are especially enthusiastic. The songs are loud and the praise is exhuberent.
There are a couple individual songs performed by local church members. This couple sang and played a flute-like instrument. Others sang or shared their personal excitement of having the center available. A couple of the Vietnamese pastors share with the group the story of our motorbike adventure. The bikes are officially turned over to the Methodist Church in Vietnam to distribute to pastors to be used in their home parrishes.

Bishop Bruce Ough of the West Ohio Conference presided over the dedication service. Afterwards, there were many people to acknowledge and gifts to share. Following the service we enjoy lunch served on the first floor of the new center. I am seated at a table with a group of the Vietnamese pastors - I am the only American at the table without an interpreter, yet I think I enjoyed this lunch as much as any I had shared during the entire journey. By way of broken English and hand gestures, we are all soon laughing and having a wonderful time. I cannot begin to tell you how much I will miss these brave, enthusiastic, committed pastors. We are now brothers and sisters, united by a common bond in Christ.

Here I am posing with three female United Methodist pastors. Some women are flocking to the United Methodist Church in Vietnam because it is the only church in Vietnam to allow female pastors. Two of these girls are married to pastors, and all three of these women rode with us some or all the way during our motorbike journey.

The service and the meal were finally over. We took our time saying our goodbye's - to our new Vietnamese pastors and friends, and to the motorbikes that had brought us to this place. With much emotion, we boarded our busses for the trip back to the Royal Kimdo Hotel.

We return to the hotel in the early afternoon. We are told that the rest of the day is ours to do as we please. And so, in groups of 2's and 3's and 4's, we head out to explore and shop in downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Yes, the Methodist's are loose in the city! I join a couple girls from our group, Midge and Pat. Together the three of us spend the rest of the afternoon and evening sight-seeing. Our first stop is a local ice cream parlor just down the street. Yum! Nothing like ice cream in 95 degree city heat!
A couple doors down from our hotel is a four-story indoor shopping mall. The first floor is all jewelry and seems very expensive. The second floor has a drug store and expensive clothing. The third floor contains less expensive clothes along with shoes and fabric. The fourth floor is a giant flea-market. We rocket up to the fourth floor! We spend most of our evening browsing and bartering. What a hoot! Hint for future travelers - never pay the first price quoted. Half the fun of shopping was in the negotiations.

We finally tired of shopping and returned to our hotel. Tomorrow is Sunday - church service in Ho Chi Minh City, then we travel south by bus into the Mekong Delta.

Vietnam Day 9...

2010-06-25T13:42:00.017-04:00

It is Fridat April 16, 2010 and today is the last day of our motorbike journey. Our day began at the Canary Resort in Phan Thiet on the South China Sea with another wonderful breakfast. Before we departed, we met again with the police chief, who has been our constant escort since Hue, and his family who lives nearby. I was somewhat surprised that his family spoke understandable English and were very curious about us 'Americans'. The teenage boy was deeply engrossed in a computer game (he had a laptop with him) and the girls quickly found the girls in our group and soon were chatting away. He and his family were very friendly, and I think we could have sat and visited for hours.

We left the resort around 9:30 am on the last leg of motorbike journey. We were approximately 200 kilometers (about 124 miles) from Ho Chi Minh City. We were told that back seat riders could ride with us the first part of this last trip, but only single riders were allowed as we would enter the busy traffic of Ho Chi Minh City. So, for the last time, off we go!

We rode for almost two hours then stopped for lunch at a very large road-side stop. Here the back-seat riders board the busses for the final leg of our journey. It doesn't take long to enter the outskirts of the city. Ho Chi Minh City is a vast, sprawling metropolis of over 7 million people. Traffic is very heavy - cars, trucks, and more motorbikes than you could ever imagine; there are motorbikes everywhere! After about 40 minutes of choked road riding, the car/truck/bus traffic veers of in one direction and the motorbikes in another. Now we are just a small number of 'bees' in a very large beehive!!
As I enter the city, I am amazed by the sheer numbers of people. Streets, sidewalks, and back alleys are literally congested. At a red light (one of the very few in the city) I pause to take a picture of a telephone repairman up a pole. If you look closely, you will see a 'knot' of wires just above his head. I simply cannot imagine how he knew what he was doing or which line needed his attention!

We continue into town - we riders have absolutely no idea where we are - we just continue to follow our leader. It seems as though every motorbike is trying to go in a different direction and all at the same time. Horns all around us, yet no accidents and no one seems upset or impatient. Its almost like a finely timed and orchestrated ballet only with thousands of participants.

Around 5:00 pm we arrive back at the Royal Kimdo Hotel. Yes, this is the hotel we spent our very first night in Vietnam, and now we are back again on familiar ground. But first we park our motorbikes on the sidewalk in front of the hotel. Soon there is laughter, handshakes, and a lot of hugging. Here we are, 12 Americans and several Vietnamese United Methodist pastors, all having survived a 1,600 kilometer (1,000 mile) motorbike ride through Vietnam.

We pause to pray - to thank God for being with us during this amazing journey. We thank Him for His protection, for His provision, and for new friendships. It is hard to walk away from the Vietnamese pastors we have come to know so well. Despite our language barrier, we have drawn very close to each other - brothers and sisters in Christ and on motorbikes. I'm sure that many tears were shed as we walked away from the pastors and the bikes.

One last order of business. Speeches must be made. Recognition must be acknowledged. Our leader, Joe Bishman, says a few words. Our police escorts, Chom and the 'chief' must also say a few words. Ut and Karen, our United Methodist guides must have their turn. One last observation - I was able to say goodbye to the police chief. He gave me a hug, and the last words out of his mouth to me were - "God bless you!" Imagine these words from a Communist official!

Finally, everyone slowly drifts away. The Vietnamese pastors take the bikes and head off into the depths of the large city. The police get into their cars and drive off. One by one, we check back into the hotel and take showers. Tonight, supper is on our own. Believe it or not, we happen to find a Pizza Hut just a few blocks from our hotel. Ahhhh, pizza. But remember, we are in Vietnam - familiar, yet different. The pizza is delicious, but not quite the same as back home. After supper we check out the night-life near our hotel. There is a 4-story shopping mall just a few doors down the street. First floor is expensive jewelry, but stuff gets cheaper as you go up. So up we go and have a blast bargaining with the shop keepers for souvineers. A little food, a little shopping, and bed around 10:00 pm. What an adventure!

Vietnam - Day 8

2010-06-15T13:26:00.011-04:00

Today is Thursday April 15, 2010 and our day begins at a South China Sea Resort in Phan Rang Thap Cham. After another delicious breakfast of fresh fruits and rolls, we meet the Vietnamese pastors and check over our motorbikes before we ride. We are told that the ride today will be short, giving us plenty of time in the late afternoon and evening for R & R.

As we were preparing to depart, a small delegation from a local United Methodist church came and met us in the resort parking lot. When these church members found out that we were prohibited from visiting their church, they brought the church to us. In this parking lot, hands were shaken, hugs were given, pictures were taken, and prayers were shared.

We left the resort around 9:30 am and continued south on Highway 1A. As we pulled out of the resort, we watched bright blue-green Mig fighters flying overhead on training flights. Seems there is a very large Vietnamese air base just outside of town. Today was indeed a short ride, with one stop for lunch along the way. Around 2:30 pm we arrived at the Canary Resort in Phan Thiet.
The Canary Resort was very much a foreign tourist spot. Here we met many travelers from England, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, and America. The resort was very modern, featuring a swimmimg pool with a swim-up bar, hot tubs, and a spa. Once again, the resort was right on the beach within close proximity to local fishermen. Since we had arrived so early, we made good use of the beach and other facilities.

The late afternoon was spent checking out the local scenery. Here we find a woman gathering sea shells along the beach. She is carrying the supplies necessary to make hand-made shell jewelry, which she sells to tourists to make her living. Down the beach are two other women collecting sea crabs which they too are trying to sell. Several in our group purchased a number of the crabs and had a crab bake on the sea shore that afternoon.

Here a father and son are seen repairing their fishing nets beside their small round fishing boat. All along the shore we can see these small round fishing boats bobbing in the surf alongside the larger fishing boats, or junks. Fishing is definitely a important aspect of life in Vietnam, whether you are doing the fishing or eating the fish.
Once again, we are confronted by contrasts. Here we are staying at a beautiful sea side resort with all the modern amenities one could imagine. In the large lot right next to the resort we find a shack made of wood and tin, surrounded by palm trees and cows. We asked about the shack and were told by a couple resort employees, that the man who owned that property simply refused to sell. The land had been in his family gor generations, and he had turned down a fortune to retain this way of life for his family.

And so, I spent part of my afternnon watching as the wife of this man prepared her evening meal outdoors over an open fire while her husband worked the nets from his small fishing boat. Soon the sun would set over the South China Sea, and we, the tourists, would gather together in the resort dinning room for a feast prepared in our honor.

We had special guests for dinner, the police chief who had been our escort for the past week and his family. Seems the chief lived near Phan Thiet, and so his family joined us for the evening meal. Our dinner was indeed a feast with Vietnamese soup, fried fish, pork chops, sausage rolls, shrimp (prawns), and plenty of fresh fruit. After supper a few of us walked up and down the street in fron of the resort to walk off the large dinner. It is now 10:00 pm and I am off to bed. Tomorrow we finally arrive in Ho Chi Minh City!

Vietnam - Day 7

2010-06-02T13:20:00.016-04:00

It is Wednesday April 14 and our day begins in Tuy Hoa, at a resort owned by a retired Russian Air Force pilot. He had flown missions in Afghanistan, and when he retired he came to Vietnam and built this resort. We had arrived at the resort after dark, and had no idea what the place looked like. When we opened the door to our room and looked out, we were greeted with a view of the South China Sea from our front doorstep.
After breakfast, a few of us wandered around the resort. The grounds were immaculate, the scenery stunning. Here we found such a contrast from what we had been experiencing over the past few days. From poverty to wealth. From humble dwellings to a palatial resort. From hungry citizens to well fed tourists. Located on the resort grounds were swimming pools, man-made waterfalls, a small exotic zoo, and an outdoor ice cream parlor!

It was difficult for my mind to switch gears. Just as we were becomming used to the heat and simplicty of rural life, we were suddenly thrust back into civilization. It was a bit of a jolt to the system, as we took advantage of air conditioning, cold drinks, and ice cream! I believe the Vietnamese pastors traveling with us were just as surprised as we were by our surroundings. They seemed (to me) uncomfortable in the air conditioning and the luxurious accomadations.

Hind sight is always 20/20, and looking back now, I wish I would have taken the time to talk with our traveling companions - to get their observations from a Vietnamese perspective. Over the past fw days, we (the motorbike riders) had developed a close bond with our Vietnamese brothers and sisters. But the language barrier prevented us at times from discussing deeper issues.

We left the resort a little after 9:00 am and continued south along the coastal highway. We stopped a few times for gas, water, and to stretch our legs, but most of the day remained uneventful. We continued along the coast, and the view of the South China Sea was spectacular. We stopped for lunch in Nha Trang ( I had a ham sandwich with a bowl of chicken and mushroom soup) then continued south.

Today was a long riding day with a lot of kilometers to cover. As instructed by our "official" friends, we did not stop to visit any churches today. No, today was a traveling day, so we really didn't have much time to even chat with our Vietnamese escorts. Our route took us along the coast, through many fishing villages and small towns. The rest stops were brief, just time to stretch our legs and grab a warm water, then off again.

Again, I couldn't help but notice the contrasts between the people we saw in the mountain villages and the people we were now seeing along the coast. The people here along the coast seemed a bit better dressed and busier. Off course part of that might have been due to the influence of foreign tourists. Here we met people from England, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand. Lots of tall, white people here at the resort villages. Lots of big muti-storied resorts hotels. Lots of people rushing around on their motorbikes and cars. Personally, I am ready to return to the mountains!
Finally, around 4:30 we arrived in Phan Rang Thap Cham. Here was another resort right along the sea coast that primarily catered to foreigners. As a group, we were hot, sweaty, and tired, but that didn't keep us from running to our rooms to change into our swimsuits and jumping into the warm salty water of the South China Sea! How refreshing! The warm salt water was wonderful.

After our dip in the sea, we showered and changed for supper. As you can imagine, the menu was heavy on the seafood side. What can you expect when the reort is on the beach. Fish with rice. Fish with noodles. Fish with this and fish with that. Geez, what I would give for a Big Mac!

By the way, this picture is for those of you who enjoy eating shrimp. Vietnamese shrimp are called prawns. There are three prawns on this plate. When served, you must seperate the head from the body and then remove the shell from the tail. Nothing like haveing your supper stare back at you, eh?

Thus our 7th day in Vietnam ended along the sandy shore of the South China Sea. It had been a long riding day, but the warm salty sea had helped to ease our aches and pains. I don't think anyone had any difficulty falling asleep that night. Tomorrow, we continue south along the coast.

Vietnam - Day 6

2010-05-20T14:20:00.018-04:00

Today is Tuesday April 13, 2010 and we are in Pleiku, Vietnam. We spent the night in the Hoang Anh Gialai Hotel and we are preparing to get under way. But wait! There is a major change in plans! Our schedule, our route, our entire plans for the next few days has been changed by the Government officials who have been our escorts. Allow me to explain the events leading up to this change.

We met the two men pictured here (along with a couple others) a few days ago when we picked up our bikes at the Hai Van Pass. The one on the left is Chom. He and I hit it off right away and became very close friends during the ride. Very friendly, quick with a smile, a laugh, or a joke. I found out on this our 4th day of riding that Chom was a police officer, and the man next to him is his boss, the Police Chief for all the territory between Hue in the north and Ho Chi Minh City in the south.

They have been traveling with us for the past few days, partly for our protection and to make sure our passage through the countryside was uneventful. We found out later that they were also reporting all of our activities to higher officials in Hanoi. They had witnessed most of our church visits, and became particularly interested when we baptized new believers. One of the other officers carried a small video camera with him and had been recording much of our activities. To make a long story short, this morning before we left Pleiku, we were told to stop visiting churches and to stop baptizing Vietnamese - we were "saving" too many people!

And so we begin our journey, but in a different direction. Our first stop is a cultural one; we are to visit a reconstructed village, an outdoor museum, showing how Vietnamese villagers once lived. Here we found huts made of wood, thatch, and tin. There were animals, such as goats, cows, and water buffalo roaming free for us to observe. There were people there to demonstrate to us how they used to live, communicating thru interpreters. And there were real villagers nearby who suddenly appeared to see the Americans. We spent a couple hours here talking to the villagers and taking pictures.

Before we left the village, another change took place. Our Mission Team Leader, Joe Bishman, informed us that the next two days would consist of long, hard riding. He gave the riders the option - ride bikes, or take a break and ride on the bus for a while. Of the 12 American riders, 5 of us decided to continue the ride. The other 7 boarded the busses, allowing some of the Vietnamese pastors to take their place riding.
We finally head off once again, heading south thru Pleiku. However, those of us on the bikes quickly realize that the busses are not with us! They have taken another route (and the police escorts are with the busses, not the bikes!) And so the bikers, 5 Americans and about 15 Vietnamese pastors head off into the mountains of the Central Highlands. Did I mention that all of our interpreters are on the busses!! We are off on a real adventure!
We ride for about an hour, soaking up the sights of the mountains and the villagers we pass by. We stop for what we thought was a water and stretch break. Suddenly, we are surrounded by a large group of villagers. Seems they are the congregation of a local United Methodist church. Just goes to show that if you can't visit the church, the church can come and visit you! We met the pastor and many of his congregation here along the side of a mountain road.
We board our bikes once more and continue our journey into the mountains. About an hour later, we stop once again, this time for lunch. We sit for lunch and are joined by a Vietnamese who calls himself "Danny". (Danny is the short man in red) It seems Danny learned to speak English as a small boy when the U.S. Army was stationed here in the late 60's. Danny is now the pastor of a small United Methodist church here in this mountain village. He informs us over lunch that we are the first white men (American's) to visit his village since 1975!
Danny and the members of his congregation have provided our lunch. Then he presents to each of us a gift - a shoulder bag hand-made by the ladies of his church. We have discovered that the Vietnamese are all about hospitality and graciousness. We are embarassed that we do not have gifts to give in return. Danny introduces us to his son, and together with several members of his congregation, we pray for each other and are on our way once again.

We are now crossing back over the mountains heading south-west. The ride is mostly uneventfull for the rest of the afternoon. Up and down the hills, round and round the curves we go. The roads are not the best. In some places, the highway is more stone and potholes than pavement, but on we go. The weather is very warm - in the mid 90's and we are dog tired as we journey on. But, no matter how tired we are, we perk up each time we pass through a village or small town. We are energized as the Vietnamese recognize that we are different (foreigners) and they smile and wave and yell "hello" to us!

One other note about this particular ride - the five of us (Americans) are really bonding with our Vietnamese counterparts. As we ride beside each other, we are developing a mutual respect and friendship. We may not be able to talk to each other as easily as we wish, but we are still able to communicate. These guys and gals riding with us are amazing, and I would ride with any of them anywhere, anytime!

We continue riding, following our Vietnamese guides. We have not seen the busses all day and are not sure where they are - but we continue to ride. The sun sets and our last two hours of riding are in the dark - not fun! In a strange country with no street lights, the potholes and bumps are difficult to see. But we have faith - faith in our escorts, but mostly faith in God, that He will protect us and lead us to our next destination. And lead us He does. Around 8:30 pm we arrive back on the coast of the South China Sea at a resort hotel. Everyone is exhausted, but thrilled at the events of the day. A quick shower and supper, and off to bed. Tomorrow we continue south along the coast.

Vietnam - Day 5

2010-05-17T10:19:00.017-04:00

It is Monday April 12 and our day begins with breakfast at the Central Hotel in Quang Ngai. It is already hot as we continue our journey. We begin our ride heading south on Highway 1A, but only for about 30 kilometers. Today our journey takes us up and over the mountains, so we leave the coast of the South China Sea and head east. Our surrounding change quickly as we leave the coastal area behind.

For the next few hours we slowly move uphill. Here we see some farmland, including small fields of corn, and more rice paddies - except the paddies are terraced into the sides of the hills. Here also we have road hazzards, such as cows, goats and water buffalo that are roaming free! Every curve in the road becomes an adventure!

We stop briefly to stretch our legs and find ourselves in the middle of a group of children walking to school. They stop to smile and laugh at us. A family living nearby sees and hears the noise of our laughter and peek through the bushes to see what is going on. We give them candy and take a few pictures. Soon we are off again...onward and upward!

We make another stop, this time at a small United Methodist church tucked here in the foothills. Here we meet the pastor and a few members of his small congregation. It is hard to describe the feelings we felt as we met these people. They did not understand our words, yet with smiles, handshakes, and laughter we connected.
After our brief visit, we continue on and up into the hills. Our next stop is for lunch at a small roadside area. It's not exactly a restaurant, so we share ham sandwiches and cold bottles of water. Also, there are no restrooms here! Its every man and woman for themselves out back behind the building in the bushes! Make sure you take a roll of toilet paper with you, and be careful where you step!

As we prepare to leave, our guides tell us that we are just now leaving the foothills and will begin to go up into the mountains! We are cautioned. Most of the roads are switchbacks without guard-rails, so keep your eyes on the road and your attention to your riding. The leader tells us that these are some of the most dangerous roads in all of Vietnam!

For the next 4 or 5 hours we ride. Our bikes are 4-speed automatics, but we are constantly changing gears between 2nd and 3rd gear. Up and down and around and around we go. Every curve brings new adventures! We pass cows, goats, and water buffalo as they graze by the road. We pass through small mountain villages, waving and smiling at the people we meet. We pass children as they walk and ride their bicycles to and from school. Everyone we meet greets us with smiles and waves...most yell "hello!" as we pass by.

Allow me to make an observation here. Everywhere we go, we are greeted with smiles and waves. We have not seen any anger or animosity directed toward the "American Visitors". Even here in the small mountain villages, we find the Vietnamese are eager to share their friendship with strangers. It may sound strange, but in many ways I feel safer here than I do in some areas of Ohio!

It is getting late in the day and we finally ride into Pleiku. It has been an exhausting day riding through the mountains, but rewarding as well. Tired as we were, we became energized each time we rode through a small village. We looked forward to interacting with the people as they recognized the foreign visitors and showered us with smiles and waves. We park our bikes for the night and check into the Hoang Anh Gialai Hotel in downtown Pleiku. We wolf down our supper and with very little coaxing, we are off to bed. Tomorrow, our schedule and our route will be changed by the Communist officials riding with us!

Vietnam - Day 4

2010-05-13T13:01:00.018-04:00

It is Sunday morning April 11, 2010. We left the hotel in Hoi An around 8:00 am and wound through the streets until we came to a small United Methodist church located in a residential area. Here we joined about 60 Vietnamese for Sunday worship. I gotta tell you, these people have enthusiasm! Their worship was joyous and loud! Together we sang Amazing Grace, them in Vietnamese and us in English.

One of the members of our group was born in Vietnam, but his family escaped by boat to Thailand when he was nine years old. His name is Sun To, and he is currently pastoring a church near Dallas, Texas. This is his first trip to Vietnam since his family escaped, and today he is preaching! He speaks fluent English and Vietnamese, so he is able to translate his sermon for the entire mixed congregation. I cannot describe the emotion of Sun To or the entire group as we share this moment in his life.

After the service, we are back on the road heading south. Around noon we stop at a road-side restaurant, some had rice with fish or chicken or beef. I had a fried egg sub sandwich! After lunch we continued south on Highway 1A.

In the early afternoon, just north of Quang Ngai, we turn off the main road and head off into the countryside. We ride for over an hour...the road becoming less and less paved, more and more gravel and dirt. Eventually we turn off the dirt road and bike down a dirt path into the jungle...we have arrived at a very small jungle village. We park our motorbikes and are met by a handful of villagers (the busses could not negotiate the dirt path and so they park out on the dirt road and the team members walk back the lane to the village).
The villagers lead us off into the banana trees, down a hill, and around a corner, suddenly we find ourselves surrounded by over 300 people! There is a United Methodist church tucked here in the jungle and when the congregations in this area found out the Americans were coming, they gathered here in this remote location to wait for us. Over 300 men, women, and children met us in the jungle. Some had been waiting 4 or 5 hours just to see us. But there was more...much more awaiting us.

The people had come together from their respective villages to participate in a baptism service. And so the American pastors in the group found a room inside the church, filled a large pail of water, and began taking turns baptizing those who came and asked. They were brought in to the room in groups of 10 or so, and then baptized two at a time. This went on for over an hour as over 100 persons were baptized!

One of the most amazing stories we were witness to was about a father who had become a Christian a few months back, and wanted his family to be baptized. So he brought his entire family to this remote location, all of them having walked about 30 kilometers, about 18 miles! It was a very emotional, happy time as the Spirit of God was poured out upon villagers and team members alike.

We spent several hours with these amazing people. Together we laughed, we cried, we prayed and we praised God! I'm not really sure who was blessed more...those who came and were baptized, or the stunned Americans who witnessed such amazing faith and grace in the jungles of Vietnam.

Over the next few days, several of us would have long, deep discussions about what we witnessed in the jungle. There are lessons to be learned here for all of us, clergy and laity alike.
First, God loves everyone, everywhere. It truly matters not who you are or where you come from. I think that here back in the States, we have a tendency to ignore or discount those who are not like us. God, in His infinite wisdom, looks beyond our clothing, our careers, and our stuff and looks deep inside to see what we are made of. The people we met in a remote jungle had the right stuff and God blessed them for it.

Second, the love of God will make you do crazy things. How many of us would walk across town much less 18 miles to church? How many of us love our families so deeply that we would be willing to do almost anything to see them saved? Half-way around the world we found God's Amazing Grace!

Reluctantly, we leave the church and the jungle behind. It is late afternoon and we must be back on the road. It takes another hour or so just to retrace our path back to a semblance of civilization. We ride to the coastal city of Quang Ngai. Here we will spend the night and dream of God's Holy Spirit moving mightily in the jungles of Vietnam!

Vietnam - Day 3

2010-05-10T10:53:00.018-04:00

My morning in Hue began at 6:15 am. Like yesterday, a fantastic and filling breakfast awaited. After breakfast, a little time to take pictures along the river bank behind the hotel. Already there is a lot of traffic on the river at this eary hour. As I am standing taking pictures, a woman in her own little boat slides up to the bank and asks if I need a ride to the other side...a water taxi!

Soon, we are back in our busses and off we go. Hue is a fairly large city (the ancient Imperial Capital of Vietnam) and it takes some time to get through town. The city is bustling with activity, and it is warm already, even at the early hour. All through the city we see little markets on street corners, people peddling fresh fruits and vegetabes everywhere.

We have a little detour of sorts this morning. One of our group, Rick Dean, served with the 101st Airborn during the war and spent the better part of 1968 stationed at a small village on the San Bo River about 10 km (7 miles) north of Hue. And so the entire group traveled north a few miles to honor a friend and a veteran. It was a very emotioanl time as Rick and his wife shared stories of combat, the village and the villagers, and of his comrades of 1968...those who survived, and those whose name are etched on the Wall.

For the next few hours the busses plodded south along Highway 1A. We traveled through the countryside, watching as men and women worked silently in the rice paddies and fields. As we traveled south, we began moving up into the mountains that seperated Hue from DaNang. We stopped at a rest stop area at the highest point, the Hai Van Pass. When we pulled off into the parking lot, we were greeted by several Vietnamese United Methodist pastors, and 18 brand new Yamaha 110 cc Sirius motorbikes!

Before our trip began, the Team had been asked to collect donations to purchase these motorbikes...12 motorbikes at $1,500 each. So we sent $18,000 ahead of us to buy the bikes...but the Vietnamese pastor (Nia) who bought the bikes was able to purchase 18 bikes and helmets with the money! Talk about loaves and fishes!! There were 12 of us from the States ready to ride and the extra bikes would be riden by some of the Vietnamese pastors who met us at the top of the mountain.

And so finally, our motorbike journey began on top of a Vietnamese mountain. We riders quickly acclimated ourselves to our bikes and off we went, down the mountain. Around the curves and switchbacks we went, smiling and laughing with our Vietnamese pastor counterparts. At the bottom of the mountain was the city of DaNang...our first experience riding in city traffic on motorbikes...yikes!!

We wind our way through the streets of DaNang and eventually we stop at a United Methodist house church. (A house church is a congregation that is meeting is someone's home because they have not been able to raise the money to buy or build a church building yet.) Here we meet the pastor and several of his congregation. There are also a dozen or so members of the Vietnamese congregation present to be baptized...so a couple of the pastors in our group do the honors!

As a side note about the Vietnamese churches and their members...we have been amazed at their enthusiasm and excitement. Their worship services are exhuberent and joy-filled. In talking with some of them, they relate that THEY are amazed at our interest and encouragement of THEM. The main request from these small congregations is not for money (which they could certainly use) but for our prayers.

As we leave the church we are caught in a massive traffic jam in downtown DaNang. After some skillful (and lucky) riding, we eventually leave DaNang behind us. Miraculously, we do not witness any accidents at all! We continue south along Highway 1A, our next stop is Hoi An, where we spend the night at the Thanh Binh hotel. A quick shower and off to supper. Tomorrow we continue south.

Vietnam - Day 2

2010-05-06T14:55:00.016-04:00

I know what you're thinking. You're looking at the picture of the breakfast feast we enjoyed at the Kim Do Hotel, and you're thinking, "This is Vietnam?" Ho Chi Minh City is very much an international destination, catering not only to Americans but to visitors from around the globe. Yes, our first breakfast in Vietnam was delicious and abundant!

After breakfast, we had a couple hours to do a wee bit of sight-seeing near our hotel. We were greeted by throngs of motorbikes plying the streets and by vendors hawking their wares and an occasional breakfast on the sidewalks. Ho Chi Minh City is a thriving metropolis of over 7 million. I think each one has a motorbike! We didn't have much time to look around as we were scheduled to fly north just after lunch. So, after a brief look around we were off to the airport once again.

After a flight of an hour or so, we arrived in Hue around 4:00 pm local time. There we boarded two small busses and met our drivers, Bee and Nat. These two would be our drivers, luggage handlers, tour guides, and friends for the next 13 days. Both are fun to be around and have a great sense of humor.

Our busses slowly worked north into the city of Hue. All along the way we wound through throngs of bicycles, motorbikes, and foot traffic. So much traffic...every one going somewhere. Bicycles and motorbikes are heavily laden with all manor of goods...fruits, vegetables, boxes, livestock...one guy even had a refrigerator tied down to the back of his motorbike! The weather was warm and humid, temps in the low 90's even this far north. Yet, many of the Vietnamese wore long sleeves, some wearing hoodies and light jackets. All we could do was roll up our windows and crank up the air!

We continued to wind through the streets of Hue until we reached the Huong (Perfume) River. We pull in to the Huong Giang Hotel around 5:00 pm. We are told we have an hour until supper...a river boat supper cruise on the Perfume River. When we arrive for dinner, a surprise awaits us. We are to don traditional robes for this feast on the river!

Supper was interesting to say the least. The catch phrase became "similar yet different" at one table and "don't ask, don't tell" at another. The nine course meal consisted of soups, salads using local greens, shrimp (prawns with the heads still attached!) beef wrapped in rice leaves, chicken, and of course rice and fish. Our entertainment was a trio playing traditional instruments to accompany a small chorus of young ladies. We enjoyed this very different music as we floated up and down the Perfume River.

The evening finally came to an end for the weary travelers...so back to the hotel for some sleep. We now spend our second night in Vietnam.

One side note: Hue is in the center of Vietnam, just south of the 17th parallel that once seperated north from south Vietnam. The Communist influence is very strong here. We have been told that restrictions and attitudes towards Americans will ease as we travel south. Tomorrow we pick up our motorbikes and the real journey begins!!

Vietnam - Day 1

2010-05-04T13:33:00.009-04:00

As many of you are aware, I recently spent a couple weeks in Vietnam on a United Methodist Mission Trip. Over the next few weeks, I will attempt to share some of my experiences and a few photos. So, let the journey begin...

Day 1...

Wednesday April began around 5:15 am. I had spent the night at my son Ben's condo in Mason, Ohio. I was soon on the road, arriving at the Cincinnati airport around 7:00 am. Surprisingly, security was routine and quick, and so we had a bit of time before we could board our plane. We were off the ground and flying north by 10:00 am, arriving in Chicago around 11:30 am. After a four hour delay in Chicago (due to mechanical difficulties), the team members board a United 747 bound for Hong Kong. If you've never flown that far before in a single hop, believe you me, it was the longets and most uncomfortable flight in my life...15 1/2 hours in the air!

Since we spent so much time in several airport lounges and and long flights, I found the opportunity to meet a few of my fellow travelers. For many, this was not only their first mission trip, but was also their first time overseas. We shared a common curiosity as to what we would find half-way around the world, but all of us had placed our trust in God that He would not only keep us safe from harm, but that He would open our eyes and ears to His Will.

Much to my surprise, we fly almost straight north, over Milwaukee and up over Canada. The plane looped over the top of Alaska and finally began to venture south somewhere over Siberia. We crossed over much of central China, finally arriving in Hong Kong around 9:00 pm local time. After another 1 1/2 hours of waiting, we once again boarded our 747 and took off for Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. We arrived at Tan Son Naht Airport at 11:30 pm local time, finally arriving at the Kim Do Hotel in downtown Ho Chi Minh City around 1:00 am. Needless to say, no one was forced into a bed for some much welcome sleep. By the way, it was 84 degrees in Ho Chi Minh City at 1:00 am!

We have arrived. Our Mission Team is comprised of 30 individuals, some United Methodist pastors, some local church lay people, and a few brave souls from the West Ohio Conference office. We have barely met each other, and here we are on an adventure of a life-time. Tomorrow our journey begins... can't wait to see what this country looks like in the daylight!!

Vietnam Mission Trip

2010-04-05T11:24:00.003-04:00

Well, the time has finally arrived. After much planning and contemplating...after immunization shots and medications...after picking up all the stuff I think I'll need (and probably some stuff I won't)...after receiving many generous donations from friends, family, church members, and even a couple strangers...after much prayer, the time has finnaly arrived. I am on my way to Vietnam.

On Wednesday morning April 7, the Mission team of 30 men, women, and three teenagers, will board a plane in Cincinnati at 10:00 am for Chicago. In Chicago we will change planes to a 747 and fly to Hong Kong (15 1/2 hours in the air!) From Hong Kong we will fly into Ho Chi Minh City arriving around 10:00 pm April 8. For those of you who like to calculate this out, we will spend about 35 hours in airports and airplanes! We will then spend our first night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Ahhh, but we are not quite done with flying yet. Our first morning in Vietnam will find us once again in an airplane flying north the the city of Hue. In Hue, we will purchase our motorbikes (12 motorbikes to be exact) and in Hue will begin our journey. Our first stop is not on the schedule. One of the team members was stationed in Vietnam and we will travel a few miles north of Hue to visit the location of his deployment during the war.

As we travel south, we will visit United Methodist churches and the Imperial Citadel in Hue. We will follow the coast on Highway 1A approximately 81 miles to Hoi An, where we will visit churches and the ancient town. We plan to spend the night in Hoi An. Next morning we continue south another 81 miles to Quang Ngai, visiting established churches and home churches along the way. We will spend the night in Quang Ngai.

Our third day will find us again traveling south along the coastal road to Quy Nhon, where we will leave the coast and turn inland into the central highlands. Our next stop is Pleiku in central Vietnam, with several stops along the way to visit and encourage Vietnamese pastors and churches. Overnight in Pleiku, and then off again next morning continuing south on Highway 14. Today we will visit Dac Lak, visiting the UM church there. Our overnight stay will be Buon Me Thuoc.

From Buon Me Thuoc we will continue south on Highway 14 to Dac Nong for lunch, then continue south to spend the night in Dong Xoai. Next morning we are off again to visit churches in the Binh Phuoc area, then to Binh Duong, and finally arriving in Ho Chi Minh City for the night.

Most of the rest of our time in Vietnam will be spent in the Ho Chi Minh City area. There we will visit the new United Methodist Center as well as spend time visitng churches and Vietnamese pastors in the city. There is a plan to hold a United Methodist Rally in the Ho Chi Minh City Soccer stadium (which holds around 10,000 people). Pastors in the area were asked to come and bring people with them to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ, and to see what the United Methodist Church was doing in Vietnam.

Oh yes, about the 12 motorbikes. Altogether, the team will have traveled about 750 miles on these new bikes. The plan then is that the motorbikes will donated to Vietnamese United Methodist pastors to take home and use in their church work.

We will have a day or two of free time in Ho Chi Minh City for sight-seeing. Recent plans also include a trip farther south into the Mekong Delta to visit pastors and churches in that area. We will board our plane on Wednesday April 21 for the return home (another 35 or so hours!).

If I haven't already, I want to thank everyone who has been so very generous in their prayers, their concerns, and their donations. Trips like this are possible only because of individuals like you. You are helping spread the Good News of Jesus Christ, a missionary even if you don't leave your own home. I am humbled in your presence, and grateful in your generosity.

Keep us in your prayers over the next two weeks. For those who wish to follow our journey, you can read about it on Wade Giffin's blog - wocumc.wordpress.com

May God richly bless each and every one of you for your kind generosity in serving God.

In His Service,

Gary Ginter, pastor
St. John's UMC
Columbus Grove, Ohio

Crabby Old Man

2010-03-18T15:23:00.010-04:00

As I have had opportunity to re-connect with old friends and classmates through Facebook, I have come to the realization that none of us are getting any younger. It sure seems like that old adage of "time goes faster as you age" is certainly coming true for me. The days sometimes seem to blur, and the seasons come and go so quickly.

A good friend of mine recently sent me one of those email flitterings, you know, the kind that get passed around and around. My normal reaction to these kinds of meanderings is to send them into oblivion via my "delete" button. But this one caught my eye. Maybe its because I am getting older (and I hope wiser). Whatever the reason, whether true or not, I post this story and this poem as a reminder that we are all unique and valuable individuals.

When an old man died in the geriatric ward of a nursing home in North Platte, Nebraska, it was believed that he had nothing left of any value.

Later, when the nurses were going through his meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Missouri .

The old man's sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the St. Louis Association for Mental Health. A slide presentation has also been made based on his simple, but eloquent, poem.

And this little old man, with nothing left to give to the world, is now the author of this 'anonymous' poem winging across the Internet.

Crabby Old Man

What do you see nurses? . . . . . What do you see?
What are you thinking . . . . . when you're looking at me?
A crabby old man . . . . . not very wise,
Uncertain of habit . . . . . with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food . . . . . and makes no reply.
When you say in a loud voice. ... . . . 'I do wish you'd try!'
Who seems not to notice . . . . . the things that you do.
And forever is losing . . . . . A sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not . . . . . lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding . . . . . The long day to fill?
Is that what you're thinking? . . . . . Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse . . . . . you're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am. . . .. . . As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, . . . ... .as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of Ten . . . . . with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters . . . . . who love one another.

A young boy of Sixteen . . . . with wings on his feet..
Dreaming that soon now . . . . . a lover he'll meet.
A groom soon at Twenty . . . . . my heart gives a leap.
Remembering, the vows . . . . . that I promised to keep.

At Twenty-Five, now . . . . . I have young of my own.
Who need me to guide . . . . . And a secure happy home.
A man of Thirty . . . . . My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other . . . . . With ties that should last.

At Forty, my young sons . . . . . have grown and are gone,
But my woman's beside me . . . . . to see I don't mourn.
At Fifty, once more, babies play 'round my knee,
Again, we know children . . . . . My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me . . . . .. my wife is now dead.
I look at the future . . . . . shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing. ... . . . young of their own.
And I think of the years . . . . . and the love that I've known..

I'm now an old man . . . . . and nature is cruel.
Tis jest to make old age . . . . . look like a fool..
The body, it crumbles . . . . . grace and vigor, depart.
There is now a stone . . . . where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass . . . . . a young guy still dwells,
And now and again . . . . . my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys . . . . . I remember the pain.
And I'm loving and living . . . . . life over again.

I think of the years, all too few . . . . . gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact . . . ... that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people . . . . . open and see.
Not a crabby old man . . . Look closer . . . see ME!!

The next time you encounter someone different from you, slow down and consider the life they may have endured...the people they may have influenced...the loves kindled and lost. Remember this poem when you next meet an older person who you might brush aside without looking at the young soul within.

Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.

Unto us a (grand) son is born...

2010-02-18T15:14:00.014-05:00

No one was expecting it. It came as a complete surprise to me. After all, he wasn't due until the end of March. But as we all know, babies come when they are good and ready. And this one was ready!

On Thursday morning February 11, 2010, I was on my way to work. My cell phone went off at about 7:40 am, normally an unusual event for that early. On the other end was my youngest daughter, Brittany. She was pregnant and expecting sometime the last week in March. Her words caught my speechless (which is hard to do!) "Dad, my contractions are two minutes apart and I'm on my way to the hospital!" As I said, I was caught off-guard, but I continued my way to work.

At 8:50 am, my phone went off again. This time it was Matt's mom, Gloria. She was with Brittany because Matt was on his way to the hospital from his job site. She informed me that Brittany was 7 cm dialated and they were wheeling her into the delivery room! She said she'd keep me posted.

At 9:50 am my phone rang once more. This time it was Brittany. Calmly as could be she announced that Kyle Matthew Gurtzweiler was born at 9:21 am, weighing in at 5 lbs. 1 oz, and measuring about 18 inches long. Welcome baby Kyle!

Now comes the rest of the story. What Brittany didn't tell me was that Kyle's birth was a little out of the ordinary. First, Matt arrived about 5 minutes before the birth, so he was able to witness the event. Then, as Brittany began to deliver, both the doctor and the nurse could be heard to say..."There's the head, it's beginning to crown." However, as Brittany, Matt and Gloria watched intently via the mirror, they didn't think the head looked quite right. Suddenly, almost simulataneously, both the doctor and nurse exclaimed "he's breach!" What they thought was the head was actually his little behind!

Now, here's the cool part...you know, where God steps in and says, "I'm in control!" The delivery was too far advanced to reverse the process and remove the baby by C-section. So the doctor and nurse did their best as quickly as possible to remove the breached baby. As his head finally appeared, it was discovered that the cord was wrapped around his neck. Now maybe some of you know more about this than me, but my thinking is that had Kyle been born the other way around, things might have ended quite a bit differently...perhaps even tragically. Yes, Kyle suffered some major bruising, but as of Sunday night, his bruising was almost all gone already.

Baby Kyle is still in the hospital. Being born almost 7 weeks early, his little body just isn't quite ready to tackle baby life just yet. He is having some difficulty learning to swallow. So, they have a feeding tube inserted through his nose and into his stomach. He does take a bottle once a day, but so far, this wears out the little guy, so his other "meals" are through the tube. We have been told that he will be able to go home just as soon as he gets the swallowing thing down pat!

All this baby stuff got me to thinking. This miraculous birth only confirms in me the undeniable truth that God is in control. Even when we think that things are going horibly wrong, He takes control and events work out in spite of our efforts. What at first appeared to be a panic event turned out to be a life saving moment. God takes care of us in spite of ourselves.

Today, Kyle is a week old already. We welcome our fourth grandchild (first grandson!) into our growing family. We eagerly await his trip home to begin his life with mommy, daddy, and big sister, Kaitlyn. Welcome baby Kyle! We love you!!

What the world needs now is love sweet love...

2010-02-08T14:21:00.004-05:00

Ahhhh, February! It is the shortest month of the year, and maybe the dreariest. Cold and gloom prevail, and maybe that is the reason someone decided a long time ago to liven up this otherwise gloomy month with visions of love. Of course, I’m talking about Valentine’s Day.

Yes, February is the time when we express our deepest affections and shower those dear to us with expressions of love. We pick one day, February 14th, and we honor those we truly love with such things as an intimate dinner, beautiful flowers, perhaps even a box of delicious candy. We have come to believe that these are all examples of how we display our love to one another.

As I have studied the New Testament, one of the things I have appreciated in its writings was the skillful use of language. The original New Testament was written mostly in Greek, and the Greek language has some wonderful nuances that we should pay attention to. Let us take for example, the word “love”. The Greeks had at least three different words they used to denote love; Philia, Eros, and Agape. Let’s take a moment to examine the differences.

A man might say, “I love my dog…I love my truck…I love pizza…I love my wife.” Obviously the word love in these examples carries vastly different meanings…right? In Greek, the word Philia might be translated as like or fond of. I like (philia) my dog or I like (philia) pizza. The word Eros denotes romantic love or sensual desire, as in I love (eros) my wife. Finally, the word Agape denotes unconditional love, as in Christ loves you and me.

For many of us, Agape, or unconditional love is the most difficult type of love to understand. In most situations, we love others because of the love they return to us…in other words, we give with the expectation of something in return. However, true love, or agape love, is unconditional; that means love is given with absolutely no expectation of anything in return. Love is given because of who you are, not what you can do for me. Christ loves us for us, not for what we can do for him.

As Christians, Christ calls us to love (Agape) our fellow man. It is not enough to be fond of, or even to merely accept others. We are not called to “tolerate” others. Instead, we are called to love as Christ loves. Jesus tells us, “My command is this, love (agape) one another as I have loved (agape) you.” John 15:12. We are called to a higher standard, a living example of Christ’s love to our fellow man. As you enjoy Valentine’s Day 2010, pause to remember God’s true valentine was Christ, and His ultimate gift of love (agape) to each of us was a death on a cross so that we might have eternal life. It was Christ’s agape love that held him to the cross. Now that’s love!

But this is Valentine's Day, and so we need not forget those whom we truly love here on earth. For your reading pleasure, I offer this piece of prose...

The Rose and the Leaf

If my love were a rose, and I were a leaf…
separate and distinct, yet connected by necessity.

I would bask in the glory of her beauty,
content to reside in her shadow.

Daily providing strength and encouragement;
collecting sunshine to brighten her day,
and savoring the morning dew as her kiss.

Growing together in love that only time can provide,
until the ravages of time take their toll.

Til that day when age and Mother Nature take their course,
and together we whither and fall,
to take our place amongst those who have gone before.

Only to change and become one once again,
mixed and mingled with the soil of new life,
together always and forever…

If my love were a rose, and I were a leaf…

Happy Valentines Day!

What's this world coming to.....

2010-01-21T14:09:00.007-05:00

I can remember as a child playing on the school playground. My favorite was the slide, because I could pretend it was a submarine and I could go on amazing adventures without leaving the neighborhood. The monkey-bars were fun as long as someone didn't try to knock you off the top bar. The swings quickly became boring. That pretty much left the merry-go-round as my next choice for fun and excitement.

The merry-go-round provided lots of fun and sometimes chaos. It was fun as long as you were big enough to have control...you could muscle the smaller kids to do what you wanted them to...right? But it wasn't much fun if you were on the receiving end. Ever been on a merry-go-round when others had control, and it was spinning around and around, faster and faster, and you couldn't get off for fear of flying off to doom and destruction?

Well, I'm much older now, but there are days when I feel like I'm still on that old merry-go-round, and the big kids are spinning me around and around, faster and faster, and I just want it to stop so I can get off. Is it just me, or does it seem like this old world is spinning out of control? Every day I read my paper... I listen to the news... I peruse the internet, and all I see is pain and confusion... I see people facing improbable situations... I hear the frustration in their pleading voices, and I can't help but wonder...What's this world coming to?

When I contemplate all that's happening in this old world, I can't help but be reminded of the words of Jesus in Matthew 24... You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.

Yes, there seems to be problems all over the world. Earthquakes, tsunamis, famine, wars, mudslides, terrorists...you name it and I'll bet we can find a spot (or multiple spots) on any map where people are suffering. Even is America we can find division and distrust like never before. Historians may have thought that this country was divided during the Civil War of the 1860's... but just look at a U.S. map today and you will see we are divided once again... not North vs. South, but Blue vs. Red. We are a country divided. It's no wonder we want this crazy merry-go-round to stop so we can get off.

So...we could spend days debating the problems, the causes, and the culprits... but that's not the point of this post. It is to offer an alternative... a support program if you prefer. Allow me to offer this little ditty as my two-cents thrown in...

Jesus For Our Time

The Spirit moved and life began,
And set in motion God’s great plan.
In ancient days He led through fear;
In ancient ways, He drew them near.

A lamb, a goat, a turtledove
Would shed its blood to show our love.
Temple barriers, a God apart,
Guiding through a distant heart.

Then Love came down, appeared as Man,
Lived and died and rose again.
Suffered so, for you and me;
Defeated death and set us free.

Modern Man sees Him not;
Says science gave us what we got.
They preach and teach we are alone,
An ancient god we have outgrown.

He loves us still, despite our flaws
And pleads our case before God’s laws.
He lives within our mortal shell;
His spirit there will always dwell.

We need him now, more than before,
This God of Love, we can’t ignore.
Man may rely, secure in mind
That we have Jesus for our time.

Have you ever thought...what if? What if we as a Nation recognized and worshipped God. What if we shared love instead of hate. What if we embraced Jesus for our time...

Twas two weeks til Christmas...

2009-12-09T15:42:00.002-05:00

Twas two weeks til Christmas,
and boy what a mess;
I'm nowhere near ready,
and I'm feeling the stress.

The attic is empty,
the decorations are down;
But they remain in their boxes
while my wife wears a frown.

The tree is still packed
in its un-opened box;
Lights, tinsel, ornaments
are stacked up like blocks.

"I don't have the time,
I'm too tired," I say
"Decorating will wait
I've no time for today."

Meanwhile I thread
my way through my house;
Quietly, carefully,
quick as a mouse.

Around all the boxes
unwrapped gifts galore;
But not bought in malls
nor found in a store.

No traffic, no crowds
no human interactions;
A point and a click
completed all my transactions.

My gifts came to me
from all over the globe;
While I shoped in comfort
in PJ's and robe.

On Postman, on Parcel Post,
On DHL and FedEx...
Deliver my packages
and save me the backaches.

Bring me toys and games
and techno what-is-its
Bring all on my wishlist,
each item and tidbits.

Without leaving my house
you can hear me exclaim;
"I've maxed all my credit!
Amazon now knows my name!"

So me in my Lazy-Boy
and ma with her knitting,
Had a long, deep discussion
and now we're admitting...

Our house is a mess,
we're not ready yet;
For decorations and purchases
that we'd like to forget.

Do you think that just maybe
this Christmas that we
might forget all about
lights and tinsel and trees?

Instead of a toy
or a scarf or a glove,
Do you think, that just maybe,
this year we might give Love?

Christmas all started
when God came to earth,
Immanuel, God with us,
now we celebrate His birth.

Christmas day is fast approaching
and I've still lots to do;
But I send you my love,
Merry Christmas to you!!

Riding for Jesus...to Vietnam???

2009-11-12T11:03:00.014-05:00

Every once in a great while, an opportunity presents itself that has the potential of impacting your life and the lives of others on behalf of Christ. Just a few weeks ago, a Christian Biker brother made me aware of a once-in-a-lifetime mission trip to Vietnam...to travel the historic country, to see the amazing sights, to visit Vietnamese people from all walks of life...to travel over 733 miles from coast to highlands, from countryside villages to thriving humanity-packed cities...all on a motorcycle!

This trip is designed to see the United Methodist Church and our ministry in Vietnam first-hand, to experience Vietnamese culture, to teach and witness the "Good News" of Jesus Christ, to worship with brothers and sisters from the other side of the world and to witness baptisms and renew my own baptism, to engage in ministry with people of villages and emerging United Methodist churches, to be renewed spiritually, and to meet former Vietnamese soldiers and Viet Cong who have given their lives to Christ.

I will be traveling to Vietnam with the Shawnee Valley Mission team of southern Ohio from April 7-21, 2010. We will fly via Cincinnati to Chicago to Hong Kong to Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). Once we arrive, we will purchase motorbikes there, and spend 6 days riding from village to village, meeting and worshiping with Vietnamese pastors and lay people, witnessing and sharing the Gospel of Christ, and experiencing the landscape, culture, and people of Vietnam. The motorbikes we purchase will be donated to Vietnamese United Methodist pastors when we return home, the bikes to be used in their ministry in Vietnam.

I don't mind telling you that I am excited about this adventure. What an amazing opportunity to be part of the missionary work of the Church, and to join other Christian Bikers traveling to such a historic land to be a witness for Christ.

I would ask for your support in helping this mission become a reality. First and foremost, I would ask for your prayers...for me, for the members of the mission team, for the Vietnamese brothers and sisters we encounter, for the United Methodist Mission in Vietnam, and for God to change and renew the hearts and minds of all who are involved in this endeavor.

Second, I would ask for your support (if possible)...in raising $4,000 ($2,500 for airfare, hotels, meals, and misc. transportation...and $1,500 to cover the cost of a motorbike that will be donated to a Vietnamese United Methodist pastor). My church, St. John's UMC will be the collection point for all funds donated to this trip. Checks can be made out to: St. John's UMC - Vietnam Mission and sent to the following address:

St. John's UMC
205 North High Street
PO Box 8
Columbus Grove, OH 45830

Jesus said, "Go and make disciples of all nations..." This is our mission, my mission, and the mission of the church. Help us make this dream mission a reality. Thanks you for your prayers and support.

In His Service....
Gary Ginter

A Chat With God

2009-10-19T08:42:00.017-04:00

A couple weeks ago, our weekly Bible study group got into a lengthy discussion about prayer. While we all agreed that we believe that prayer should be a two-way communication with God that involves both talking to and listening to God, we also came to the conclusion that many feel that prayer is a one-way street. I have a hunch that more often than not, individuals only approach God when they feel they have no one else to turn to...sort of a last resort. Others see God as a kind of Genie in a bottle that exists only to grant our wishes and desires.

My personal belief is that God is no different than anyone else we would comminicate with. His desire is that we approach Him in all situations and at all times. In 1st Thessalonians, Paul advises us, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Since I spend a lot of time driving, I often "talk" to God as the miles drift by. Further, I have found my motorcycle time to be an excellent time to spend with God...after all, with no radio on my bike, my conversations with God reverberate inside of my helmet as I ride.

One other thing... in Matthew 19:14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." What child doesn't desire to spend time with and talk to their parent? We are to place our trust and faith in God...to be obedient to His Will. That requires communication.

And so, in the spirit of communicating with God, I offer this poem for your consideration. It is entitled, "A Chat With God..."

A Chat With God

I had a chat with God last night, a talk long overdue.
About my needs and wants and thoughts; some things I thought He knew.

My presentation eloquent, my list short and concise.
Some things I’d thought He’d overlooked; I gave Him this advice.

I lamented ‘ore my schedule, my precious time so fleet,
And asked if He could meet my needs, then started to my feet.

He listened to me patiently, never said a word;
Then gently, softly, cleared His throat, and this is what I heard.

“My child,” he said, “I’ve given you much more than you can use;
Food and shelter, warmth and life, and things for you to choose.

But two things that I gave you, most important these…
A heart to love, and be loved back, and choice of will, you see.

It’s not my fault you love so wrong, the things that I detest.
Your will is yours to pick and choose; you’ve simply failed the test.

Don’t feel so bad, you’re not alone, for Mankind’s by your side.
I love you child, and I’ll be here, whenever you decide.

I promise I will give you the things I know you need.
So have no fear, I’ll be right here; My Son your case will plead.

He died for you, His choice, you see, because He loves you so.
And I love you too, even more, you see, because I let Him go.

No greater love hath any man, these words should comfort give
My choice, my will, for you, my child is eternal life to live.

Talk to God today. Spend some quality time in conversation with Jesus. But be prepared to listen. He has all the time in the world to listen to you...give Him the same courtesy and be willing to listen to Him. It just might change your life! :-)

Let the Children come...

2009-09-25T10:40:00.024-04:00

I enjoyed a rare experience recently as I was honored to baptize my youngest grandaughter in church in front of family, friends, and God. On Sunday September 20th, (which was also my birthday - talk about blessings piled upon blessings!) my family gathered in our church, St. John's United Methodist Church in Columbus Grove, Ohio, as I baptized 5-month old Jillian Christine Saris. It was a beautifal fall day as my daughter Bethany, husband Matt, and eldest grandaughter Alexa (Lexi) presented the newest member of their family to the family of God.

I wanted to do something a bit different to commemorate the occasion, so during my sermon I presented three perspectives of baptism. The first was from the perspective of the church, or the pastor's point of view. Dressed in my robe, I talked about how baptism is a command of God. "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Matthew 28:19 It is where God forgives us of our sins. It is where we are "buried with Christ and raised with Him." It represents our death to our old self and to sin, and our rising to new life in Christ.

Then I removed my robe and put my suit jacket back on, and talked about baptism from the perspective of a Christian. I shared how baptism is a public act of obedience to the Will of God...how baptism washes away the old and prepares us for a new life in God. It is a sign of repentence for us, and a symbol of forgiveness from God.

Finally, I took off my jacket, loosened my tie and rolled up my shirtsleeves...I wanted to share my thoughts on baptism from the perspective of a grandfather. I talked about how giving your children to God is a confirmation of our love for God and for the child. I explained that giving our children to God is a clarification of ownership, declaring that our children, and our grandchildren are truly gifts from God. I shared that giving our children to God is a commitment to raise our children in the knowledge and with the help of God. And finally, I shared how giving our children to God is a claiming of God's plan and promises for that child.

Allow me to close this post with this observation...God truly blesses those who put their trust and faith in him. Nola and I consider ourselves to be blessed beyond measure. We love our children (Bethany, Ben, and Brittany) dearly and would do most anything for them. We have embraced our sons-in-law (Matt and Matt) and have found them to be caring, thoughtful men who demonstrate love and devoted attention to their families. And we deeply love our granddaughters (Alexa, Kaitlyn, Jillian, and a player to be named in March!) Knowing that as grandparents we are an integral part of their lives and development is both humbling and joyous.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come unto me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14

Let's Take a Drive...

2009-09-04T14:43:00.015-04:00

Seems there has been a lot of talk lately about drivers and how bad their driving has become. Matter of fact, there have been several letters to the editor in the local papers around here bemoaning the dangers of the road due to the poor driving habits of many drivers. Want to sound off about inconsiderate drivers? Here's the place and here's your chance. It just so happens that bad drivers are on my top 5 list of pet peeves!

For those of you who are not aware, I was a high school driving instructor for five years. I worked for a local driving school in Van Wert, Ohio with students in both Van Wert and Paulding Counties in Ohio. Oh, the stories I could tell. Let me just say that is is difficult to teach students the right and proper things to do while driving when the majority of the drivers you meet on the road are doing other things.

My wife tells me that I am a different person when I am driving...that I have a tendency to snarl and frown and mutter unflattering remarks under my breath. I must admit, I do have difficulty understanding why people do the things they do once they get behind the wheel of a car. I have come to the firm conclusion that turn signals must be optional equipment in most cars, and that speed limits are just recommendations.

Like most endeavors, I do have one very memorable event that happened to me while in my driver's ed car with a student. One of the lessons I taught was interstate driving...how to enter and exit interstates, driving at higher speeds, passing other vehicles, cruise control options and so on. My student was a young lady from Van Wert and we were about to enter US 30, a four-lane highway much like an interstate highway. There we were entering the on-ramp, and I'm trying to explain to her the proper procedures for doing so. "Speed up some so you don't enter the four-lane too slowly, turn your left signal on so others will know where you want to go, turn your head back to the left and look behind you (because there is a blind spot behind your left shoulder and you want to make sure the path behind you is clear).

Well, to her credit, the young lady did exactly as she was told. She hit her left signal, she increased her speed, she looked over her left should to make sure her path was clear, and she slowly turned onto the interstate. However, she kept looking back behind her as the car slowly drifted across the right lane, then the left lane, and was heading for the grass that seperated the four lanes. She was oblivious as to the direction of the car, so I slowly reached over and gently grabbed the steering wheel and pulled the car back to the right.

Needless to say, that little episode got me to thinking...what if I hadn't been there...who watches over us...what is the direction of our lives. Just after World War II ended, a US pilot wrote a book about his flying experiences during the war entitled "God is My Co-Pilot". His emphasis was on the fact that God was with him in his plane during every mission against the enemy. It was a divine presence that kept him safe from harm. I recently spied a bumper sticker that stated, "If God is Your Co-Pilot, Switch Seats!"
Bottom line is this...the bumper sticker was spot on...in this life, we face many challenges, including idiot drivers. If we don't allow God to lead, guide and direct us, we too may be heading for the grass between the pavement. He gently nudges us in the right direction, always keeping us in his loving care.

Let me just leave you with these thoughts...please be careful out there. Your driving habits may be sending the wrong signals to those who are trying to do the right thing on the road. But more importantly, trust God to keep you on the right path in life. :-)

Biker Sunday 2009...

2009-08-21T13:17:00.013-04:00

Last Sunday our little church hosted its 4th Annual Biker Sunday and Blessing of the Bikes. While our small country church may never have the attendance and status of the larger churches and their endeavors, we have managed to hit our stride in this community. I find it amazing that God allows us at times to combine our passions in a fun way to reach out into the world on His behalf. It just so happens that two of my passions are my church and motorcycles.

What started out as an idea several years ago, has slowly evolved into a busy, fun-packed and rewarding weekend for the members of St. John's United Methodist Church. Allow me to offer a quick summary of events. We begin with our Sunday morning worship service. On this particular Sunday, it is geared toward bikers. As a rider myself, I preach that morning in my jeans, boots, vest, and do-rag. Approximately one-third of the congregation is dressed the same way. Aren't you glad God accepts us as we are, not as others expect us to be!

There is special music, and a special guest who only makes an appearance this one Sunday every year. His is a puppet named Harley, and we laugh at his exploits as he helps us understand how special each person is in the eyes of God, even if you ride two wheels instead of four. The message may be aimed specifically for bikers but all of us can and should learn a thing or two from them...their willingness to participate, their abundant generosity, and their unconditional humor.

Someone once told me, "when bikers meet, bikers eat" and this group is no exception. Following the morning worship, everyone gathered in the fellowship hall for a delicious meal. After all, a biker needs to replenish in order to prepare for the road ahead. Then, after the meal, those with two wheels enjoyed a charity bike ride designed to raise money for missions. This year, all money raised went to benefit the Rally Point Youth Center in downtown Lima, Ohio...a place where the youth of inner city Lima can come to find protection, education, help, and a little fun.

The day warm very warm and humid, yet spirits were high as the bikers wound their way through the countryside. Our destination this year was the 1st United Methodist Church of Wapakoneta, where Pastor R.J. Davis and his biker congregation hosted us with refreshments and friendship. Then back on the road, with Wapak bikers in tow, as we returned to St. John's for home-made ice cream and a ton of door prizes.

When the afternoon finally came to an end, this message reverberated louder than the Harley pipes..."a good time was had by all!" I pause here to thank God for his provision, for his steadfast love, for his care and devotion to our protection, and for his sense of humor. How often can one expect to have so much fun with so many friends, and combine all that with the love of God. We are already starting to plan for next year, and I can hardly wait until until it's Biker Sunday time again!! :-)

How Grandpa lost his power...

2009-07-24T14:52:00.026-04:00

Have you ever given any thought as to who really controls the world? There are many theories. Some believe that behind every great man is a strong woman. Others believe that man controls his own destiny. Still others think that men are born for a time and a reason. I'm here to tell you that all of these theories are dead wrong. The most powerful force in the universe is...grandchildren.

This summer of 2009 has been a real education for this old man. Recently, I found a few moments of time to contemplate my life and my surroundings. Here is what I discovered during this period of enlightenment.

First, grandchildren can make grandpa's do the most amazing things. I cite as example the following... When was the last time you took your grand-daughter to the local science museum, and found yourself playing the part of fool? Imagine, grown men (with gray hair) climbing in and out of exhibits, crawling over giant blocks, or dressing up in funny costumes just to see a toddler laugh!
Or how about squeezing yourself into the smallest tiny train you can find (not once or twice, but everytime you find a too-small train to ride!), just to ride around in circles for a few fleeting moments...all because the wee one refuses to ride by herself.

Or how about walking around in circles...leading a pony named Sadie who just happens to be carrying your grand-daughter on its back. Do you have any idea what ponies do as they are walking around in circles?? Let's just say a person should'nt wear nice shoes!
Talk about real power...how about facing a hoard of man-eating goats? We had every intention of feeding them some goat food, but soon realized they had an appetite for shirts, shorts, and anything loose! Okay...I know what your saying. You may have risked life and limb just to please these mighty munchkins...but all it cost you was a few dollars for admission, and all your dignity and pride. Well, consider that these same pint-sized manipulators also figured out a way for grandpa to put a swimming pool up in his backyard!
Swimming pool...$140
Cost to fill the pool...$100
Watching kids and grandkids having a wonderful time...Priceless!

The most powerful force on the face of this earth?? The love of a grandchild for a grandparent. Trust me, love like that can and will make you do the most amazing things! :-)

Take me out to the ballgame...

2009-07-08T17:37:00.010-04:00

We were in Cleveland over the July 4th holiday, and just happened to find the time and money to catch an Indians game with my son and son-in-law. While the Tribe may be having a less than spectacular season this year, we did see a pretty good game on this particular occasion. The Indians managed to beat Oakland 5-2.

I thouroughly enjoy baseball. When I was a kid growing up in New Haven, you would find my ballglove on the handlebar of my bicycle. Living in a good sized housing addition, it was usually pretty easy to find enough guys (and sometimes a girl or two) to throw together a pick-up game. The elementary school was only a block away, and there were a couple ballfields available.

As I was watching the game Saturday night, I noticed that one of the Indians best players failed to get a hit the entire game, while a new rookie, recently brought up from the farm team had a couple hits and did really well. As you can imagine, it got me thinking. Statistically, baseball players are not normally consistant in their play. By that I mean even the best players don't do that well at the plate. For example, one of the greatest ball players of all time, Ty Cobb, had a lifetime batting average of .367. Consider that the active leader, Todd Helton of the Colorado Rockies, is 24th on this list entering the 2007 season at .334. Tony Gwynn, who is probably the best hitter of his generation, was a lifetime .338 hitter. For Ty Cobb, this translates to only 367 hits out of every 1,000 times at bat. That means he failed to hit the ball nearly 2 out of every three times at bat, and he is considered one of the greatest of all time.

When it comes right down to it, isn't life a lot like a baseball game? We have opportunities, we get chances to make great plays, or sometimes, we just sit in the dugout and watch. And when we do get in the game, chances are we will fail, or at least mess things up pretty good more often than not. And so, statistically speaking, we are pretty much failures in life.

Ah, but there is some good news. God is on our team, and as our coach, he see potential in us. He allows us to make our mistakes, because mistakes help us grow into better people. He doesn't criticize or complain, he helps us find our faults and find ways to improve our abilities for the next game. He leads, guides, and directs not only on the field but off as well.

I may make lots and lots of mistakes...I may even fail to contribute significantly to my game of life. But I know that no matter how bad my batting average is, God still wants me on his team. :-)

I will raise my eyes toward the mountains...

2009-06-17T10:35:00.024-04:00

A couple weeks ago, my wife Nola and I took a little vacation. We ventured south toward the Great Smoky Mountains to spend a few days with some good friends, to enjoy the beautiful scenery, to relax, unwind, and to ride our motorcycles!

Back several months ago, a few of us were deep in conversation after church one Sunday about the possibility of taking our bikes down to the Smoky Mountains for a little fellowship, a little fun, and a little riding. We went, we enjoyed, we relaxed, we rode, and I even have the t-shirt to remember the trip by.

Three couples, six individuals made this epic journey. We rented a cabin a few miles north of Pigeon Forge (and about 3/4 mile up the side of a mountain!). Two of us trailered our bikes down while the third couple rode their bike all the way down and back. Each couple took turns with meals and such so that no one spent all their time cooking and cleaning. Each couple took a day and did all the cooking for that day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)...that way we had a wonderful variety of different menu choices.
We did experience a bit of rain during our stay. Matter of fact, it rained most of the way down on Wednesday through Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee, and rained Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. However, despite the rain we did manage to see quite a bit of the park, including Cade's Cove and Newfound Gap.

While we had plenty of opportunities to see the sights of the park, we also managed to do a little riding. Our original intention was to ride down to Deal's Gap to a section of highway known as the Dragon's Tail. However, the weather and a convention of Kawasaki crotch-rocket riders nixed our plans. Instead, we logged many a mile in and through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Up and down the hills, round and round the curves we went. We spent almost the entire day Saturday riding...the scenery was magnificent, the weather was wonderful, and the company was amazing.
One last thing I feel I need to share with you. A couple days before we left for our little vacation, I was writing an article in our church newsletter about our pending trip to the mountains. I quoted a scripture from Psalm 121:1-2 - "I will raise my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth."
Do you believe in coincidences? Neither do I. When we arrived at our cabin, we found a mural painted on the upstairs bathroom wall. The content of that mural was Psalm 121:1-2. God does amazing things, even when you least expect it. To the six of us, this was a sign that He was watching over us, even on vacation in the mountains of Tennessee.

To my friends who joined me on this journey, thanks...thanks for your friendship and your love. To my wife who went, even though she refuses to ride with me on my bike, thanks...thanks for allowing me to make one of my dreams a reality, and thanks for being there with me, on this journey and the bigger journey we call life. To God I say thanks...thanks for watching over us, caring for us, protecting us, and for creating such amazing beauty.
Watch for future adventures...you never know where God will take you...:-)

The Call...

2009-05-21T10:04:00.005-04:00

The month of May is almost over, and June is upon us. For all you United Methodist Pastor's out there, June can only mean one thing...time for the annual move. Yes, it's that time once again when the Conference decides who stays and who goes, and so pastors and their families are busy packing, getting ready to transport their entire world to another church, another community, another congregation.

It wasn't so long ago that the expectation of a United Methodist Pastor was to serve a particular church for only two to four years. Hardly time for the pastor and the congregation to get to know each other, much less to form the kind of relationship necessary for successful ministry. Reality and experience tells us that it takes five years to build the type of trust and familiarity to really make a difference in the church and the community. I thank God every day that someone finally figured this out, and that pastors are now assigned for periods of eight to ten years or more.

But for those of you who are moving, I offer this little ditty. God works in His own mysterious way, and everything happens for a reason. When God closes one door, He opens another. So, to my colleagues out there who will be moving in the next couple weeks, I salute you, and I pray for your success in your Kingdom Work.

The Call

The telephone rang, the D.S. said,
"Time to pack your clothes, your bed;
July is near, it's time to go,
So pack your things and don't be slow!"

"Another church, another place
Has need of leadership and Grace.
You've been selected to fill the spot,
So pack and move the things you got!"

"This church is special, so take heed,
And don't forget the things you'll need.
Here's a list, short and concise;
So check this list, yes, check it twice!"

"First of all, a willing heart
Is necessary for new start.
A life within His Will succeeds
With feet that follow where He leads."

"Patience with a listening ear
Will never fail, year after year.
Knees well worn from hours in prayer,
Lifting burdens to His care."

"A mind well versed within the Book,
Helping others to take a look.
A way with words, willing to preach,
Heavenly insight, eager to teach."

"Now thus prepared, be on your way.
Get a move on - don't delay!
No one else can fill your shoes,
So go and preach the Gospel News!"

And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" Romans 10:15:-)

My Mind's Eye...

2009-05-08T08:10:00.005-04:00

Okay...time to be honest...how many of you out there are "Trekkies"? Confession time...I started watching Star Trek back in the late 60's when I was only 11 or 12. For many years I was satisfied with old re-runs, and have seen my share of "The Next Generation", "Star Trek Voyager", "Deep Space Nine", and "Enterprise". Also have my share of the movies (but will admit that some were much better than others). And today, May 8, 2009 the latest version of the franchise will be unleashed upon the public.

I have always been fascinated by Science Fiction. Love those old Hollywood movies of the 50's and 60's...so campy and technically unrealistic, yet thought provoking. But it was Gene Roddenberry who caught my attention with Star Trek. You see, Gene's vision for the future was two-fold. First, he was banking on the premise that YES, there would be a future for man, and two, that it would be better than today.

What I'm leading up to is this...as a poor, finite human being, limited in scope by my own thinking, education, and background, I still realize that there is so much we don't know or can't comprehend. Space is vast, beyond human comprehension. Yet, when the day is done, here we are, stuck on this orb we call earth, waiting for something amazing to awaken us.

As so, since it is Friday after all, I offer this little poem for your amusement and your contemplation. And as you are sitting in the movie theater this weekend watching Kirk, Spock, and the Enterprise hurtle through the cosmos once again, just remember this...you're not alone...

My Mind's Eye

Seek me not, for I'm not here,
I'm off to worlds both far and near.
Seeking, searching, reaching far,
Traveling to the farthest star.

Faster than the speed of light,
My mind's eye looks out each night.
To see beyond th ereach of man,
In search of that elusive land.

To leave behind all Mankind's sorrow,
Pain and suffering; no tomorrow.
All left behind, my mind is free,
No earthly woes to bother me.

But rise with me and take my hand,
We'll journey to that distand land.
Kindred spirits, you and I,
Together always we shall fly.

But back by morning you shall be,
Mortal once again to see;
The world you have, the world you hold,
Is yours again to shape and mold.

But if you ever feel the need,
Just trust your heart and then take heed;
To find and love a friend so rare,
Just close your eyes, and I'll be there.

In the immortal words of Mr. Spock,
Live Long and Prosper

Thank Heaven for Little Girls...

2009-04-30T20:48:00.012-04:00

There nothing in the world to compare with a new-born baby...especially when it's your own grand-daughter. On Tuesday morning, April 28th, 2009 at 6:07 am, the world welcomed Jillian Christine Saris, daughter to Bethany (Ginter) Saris and her husband Matt Saris, and little sister to Alexa Saris. Baby Jill weighed in at 7 lbs. 7 oz. and measured 20 inches long.

While Nola and I were not able to make the trip to Akron in time for the delivery, by the time she was 12 hours old, we were there! So small, so tiny and fragile, yet so beautiful and precious in our eyes. What a wonderful creation of God, and how lucky are we to be a part of her life.

Grand-children are a special blessing. Now don't get the wrong idea, because I love my three children...each is different and unique in their own way....but there's just something about a grand-child that captivates your attention. For some reason, we can't help but carry around pictures of them. We can't wait to drive hundreds of miles just to see them and hold them, even if for just a few minutes. And we can't wait to spend money on them and spoil them.

As a grandparent, I am amazed by these tiny little humans. So fragile, yet so strong with the will to survive. And I am amazed by my children, as I have watched as both my daughter and my son-in-law have become wonderful parents. I am proud of both of them and the love they shower upon both their daughters (my grand-daughters Alexa and Jillian) only make me love them more.

As a parent, grandparent, and as a pastor, I am equally amazed at the precious gift God has allowed us to raise and love. As I sit and hold little Jillian, my mind can't help but wonder...what will she grow up to be? What will she look like? What kinds of things will she enjoy in her life? and what kind of relationship will she have with her mom and dad, her grandma, and her old grandpa??

God has certainly been good to our family. He has blessed us beyond measure, and for that I thank Him and I praise Him. And for my grand-daughters, I especially thank Him. Yes, thank heaven for little girls...:-)

Lord, Bless my Bike...

2009-04-22T08:32:00.013-04:00

Warm, sunny spring days are hard to come by, so you can imagine my excitement when the weather finally turned decent and the call came to "start up your motorcycles"!
I hadn't had the opportunity to ride yet this year, so I was really looking forward to my first ride of spring. The morning started out a bit cool, but soon warmed up and made for a great day of riding.

So, last saturday found me and a few of my friends in the very small Indiana town of Arcola (a small town between Ft. Wayne and Columbia City) for the 20th annual Blessing of the Bikes. This event started 20 years ago with eight motorcycles, and over the years has blossomed into quite an event. This year, approximately 2,500 motorcycles and over 3,000 individuals converged on Arcola to fellowship, visit, and have their bikes blessed by Fr. Francisco (a little priest from India who sounded like Apu from the Simpson's!) The bikes filled up three parking lots around the church, and lined both sides of the country road for half a mile.

I had the opportunity to meet and make new friends, and spend some time with a group of CMA (Christian Motorcyclists Association) members from Albion, Indiana. Matter of fact, two CMA chaplains took part in the blessing program and I was impressed with their willingness to participate and their willingness to be a witness to the bikers.

There were so many bikes, each one different and unique...and so many bikers, also different and unique. Bikers come from all walks of life and I have come to appreciate events like this that bring all of us together for a common cause. This event got me to thinking. Now I know we are not to judge others, but I don't think all 3,000+ bikers in attendance that day were Christians. Yet, here they were at a bike blessing, waiting patiently for the Padre to bless them and their bikes. Is it possible that deep down inside of all of us there is a desire to be known by God, to be recognized by God, to be blessed by God? Someone once said, that inside all of us is a hole, a missing piece that only God can fill.

I for one look forward to any opportunities to reach out and share the love and grace of God. Deep down it makes no difference whether we are Catholic, United Methodist, Baptist, or whatever. God loves us for who we are, not what church we attend or what bike we ride. Riding my bike and sharing my witness is only one way, but it is a fun way for me.

One last thing. As he was blessing the thousands of bikes, Fr. Francisco added this little disclaimer...he said that our bikes would only be truly blessed IF we rode them with care and safety! So, Lord, I promise to do my part to ride carefully and safely...just remember to do your part, and bless me and my bike!

Easter Greetings...

2009-04-07T12:05:00.002-04:00

It was Palm Sunday and because he had a sore throat, five-year-old Johnny stayed home from church with a sitter. When the family returned home, they were each carrying several palm branches. The inquisitive boy asked what they were for. "People held them over Jesus' head as he walked by", was the response. "Wouldn't you know it," little Johnny fumed, "The one Sunday I don't go, Jesus shows up!"

This is one of my favorite Easter stories, for it blends humor with a misunderstanding that we all share. In this day and age, every single one of us finds ourselves caught up in our daily struggles, only to "miss" events that are happening all around us. As I approached Easter this year, I was once again faced with the task of presenting a familiar story from the Bible, one that everyone knows, and many could recite by heart. How do you make an age-old story that everyone knows fresh and unique? After all, it is Easter that defines Christians and the Christian life. Yet, we are so familiar with the story, that we tend to overlook the significance of the event.

For me, the answer was so obvious, I almost missed it. Simply put, you don't. There is nothing to change, no fresh new facts to present, no overlooked observations that weren't recorded or misunderstood. Christ walked purposefully into Jerusalem, knowing he would not leave alive. He bore the weight and humility that only the Roman soldiers could administer, and yet not a word did he speak. He suffered pain and anguish, not only from the beatings and anger, but from his willingness to take my sins upon himself. Yes, he suffered as no man had suffered before or since, and yet he did it willingly because he loved me. And when all was said and done, he defeated death when he rose again, and because he lives, you and I will live also.

As Easter approaches, I have tried to slow down and take a closer look at my family and friends...to look at them with new appreciation and consideration...to examine my life in the context of how I show others that I love them.

Specifically, two events have occupied my thoughts these past few days. First, my son Ben was baptized in his church this past Sunday. Over the past year or so, I have watched with fascination and a parent's pride as Ben has become more involved in his church and in his walk with God. I have seen and heard the excitement in his actions and his words as he describes how God has blessed him, and how he appreciates the opportunities to serve God more. Kinda makes an old man happy, to see his children develop a love and a trust in God.

The second event actually hasn't happened yet. It is with eager anticipation that we await the birth of another precious grand-daughter. Our eldest daughter, Bethany, is expecting most any day now (her actual due date is May 2, but I don't think she'll last that long!) Nola and I have been especially blessed with two amazing grand-daughters, Alexa and Kaitlyn, and can only imagine how our newest family member, Jillian, will impact our lives.

This Easter...slow down, breathe deep, look around, and make sure you don't miss all the amazing things going on all around you. Tell someone you know that you love them. And most of all, make sure you don't miss Jesus when he walks by!! :-)

Just let go...

2009-03-25T15:05:00.002-04:00

A couple months ago, someone from church approached me with a problem, and wanted some guidance. After I had listened for some time to what was essentially a dispute between ex-spouses, my advise was for them to pray and then let God handle the problem. Sounds easy...right?

Several weeks later, this same person came to me and wanted to thank me for my "advice". It seemed that the ex-spouse had neatly backed himself into a corner, and that everything had worked out in favor of the church member. A modern day miracle??

I think most of us will agree that advice is much easier to give, than to accept. We are often quick to "put in our 2-cents worth" in order to help another resolve their problems. But when the shoe is on our own foot, we tend to hesitate, and our desire is to handle our problems on our own. More often than not, when we try to "fix" things ourselves, we end up making a small problem much bigger.

In my last blog, I shared with you how I had made some mistakes at work in regard to the payroll of a couple employees. My first reaction, of course, was "I'll fix it!" As I spent a few nights in turmoil as to my blunder and the consequences, the one thought that kept me awake was this..."Just let go..." For me, the meaning was clear...for once, take some of your own advice, and let God handle your problem.

Well, as you can imagine, again, easier said than done. But today, several weeks later, I can honestly say that I was harder on myself than others were. I feel privileged to work with such compassionate and understanding people. Further, the employees that were affected by my mistakes were gracious in their understanding. The problems have been worked out and I am still alive to tell the tale.

Moral of the story?? "Let it go"...allow God access to your worries, your problems, your mistakes. Oh, you'll still need to face up to your mistakes...we all do. But God will be there every step of the way...to encourage, to lift up, to provide support. And I'll even venture to say that your true friends will be there for you as well. Believe me when I say, I was surprised by all that has happened...and I shouldn't have been. Trust in God...you'll never go wrong. :-)

To Err is human...

2009-03-10T14:39:00.009-04:00

Ever made a mistake? Error in judgement? Forgot or missed something really important? I was recently reminded just how "human" we really are. Part of my job is doing the company payroll. And I learned a long time ago that you just don't screw up someone's payroll. May seem like a small problem to you, but may mean the difference between paying or not paying a bill to someone else. Well, long story short, I made a mistake on not one, but several people's payroll, and now am paying for my mistakes. I don't mind telling you that it is a humiliating and humbling experience to try and explain to someone how and why YOU made a mistake that impacts THEIR lives.

Needless to say I've been depressed for the past few days as I learn to correct my mistakes and cope with the feelings of guilt. The experience reminded me of one of my favorite Bible characters, David. David was an amazing man in my eyes...as a boy he was a shepherd, willing to put his life on the line to protect his sheep. As a teenager, he stood up to a giant when older, better trained and better equipped men refused. He became a great warrior and leader, and eventually became king. Yet, he too was human and was prone to mistakes and errors in judgement.

As king, David could have had anything his heart desired...unfortunately, his desire fell upon another man's wife, Bathsheeba. David's lust led to the murder of Uriah, Bathsheeba's husband, and to the death of his own child from his union with Bathsheeba. You may think that your mistakes only involve you, but all too often many others will feel the effects of our mistakes. David needed to be reminded that he was all too human, and that there are consequences for our actions. Yet, through it all, God reminded David that he was a man after God's own heart...willing to acknowledge his mistakes...willing to ask forgiveness...willing to trust in God to see him through his short-comings.

So where does this leave us? Still human...still prone to errors...still able to make mistakes that effect not only ourselves, but others. But above all, it leaves us at the mercy of God and his amazing grace. His unconditional love says that he loves us, not because of what we can do for him, not because we are prone to mistakes and errors, but simply because we are. He loves us in spite of all our human frailties, and offers us a second chance, time and time again.

Ever made a mistake? It would be in-human not to. But there is hope for us accident prone beings. We are all human, and we will all make mistakes and errors in judgement. Isn't it comforting to know that God will continue to love us, mistakes and all?! :-)

Heroes...

2009-02-26T13:45:00.002-05:00

Just a few weeks ago, the world sat witness as Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger was forced to set his damaged airliner in the frigid waters of the Hudson River in New York City. Amazingly, every person, passenger and crew, was able to exit the aircraft safely and lived to tell the tale. It didn't take very long for "Sully" to receive a new title, that of Hero. When asked how he felt in performing such an amazing feat, "Sully" simply replied that he only did what he had been trained to do.

Perhaps it was just timing, but it seems to me now that this nation needed a hero and "Sully" was the right man in the right spot at the right time. We rally around heroes for in them we see something bigger than ourselves.

When I was growing up, I had my heroes. One of my favorites was a war hero. Sgt. Alvin York was a trouble-maker before World War I started, but became a Christian and a contientous objector after he was drafted. He didn't want to hurt anyone, and was appalled by the idea of killing others. However, when he and his men were trapped and being killed one by one by Germans, he reluctently picked up his rifle and began shooting back. He was forced to kill 28 Germans singlehandedly and was responsible for capturing 132 others. When asked what led him to do something that was against his beliefs, he replied that he couldn't just sit there and watch his friends die, that he only shot back to protect his men.

Since the incident on the Hudson River a few weeks ago, I have been thinking quite a bit about heroes. Most often when we think of heroes we envision men at war, fighting against overwhelming odds, and more often than not, dying in the effort. But heroes are much more than men with guns. Allow me to share with you an example.

A couple years ago I was able to perform a funeral for a member of the church who had been in a nursing home for several years, suffering from heart problems and the onset of Alzheimers. In his prime, this gentleman had been an avid high school sports fan, and for many years, he was the announcer at the local football games on Friday nights. Some considered him the local team's biggest fan. Well, when the football team found out that he had been placed on hospice, they purchased a football with their own money, had each member of the state championship team sign the ball, and a delegation of players traveled to the nursing home to present the autographed ball to their biggest fan. A few weeks later when he passed away, many of the team attended the funeral. In my eyes, these boys were heroes...to a dying man, to his wife, to their parents, their coaches, their peers, and to God.

So my question to you today is this...who is your hero? Who is that person that has touched your heart with duty above and beyond the call of normal men or women? Who do you look up to, and perhaps hope that someday, you can live up to their expectations? The world is looking for a hero today, another "Sully" who is just doing their job, but with amazing results. :-)

Pet Peeves...

2009-02-19T14:19:00.002-05:00

Okay now...fess up! What's your Pet Peeve? Everybody has something that just sets them off. We see others doing the stupidest things and we wonder what on earth they were thinking at the time.

Most of my pet peeves have to do with driving. For those of you who are not aware, I was a high school driving instructor for five years, and I think I can honestly say I have just about seen anything and everything a driver can do while behind the wheel of a car. I have seen people eat food, change clothes, read books, watch movies on portable DVD's, put on make-up, shave, talk on cell phones, text messages, and a few other things I'll not mention here. Talk about multi-tasking!

As far as driving goes though, I guess my biggest pet peeve has to do with turn signals. I have come to the conclusion that most cars don't have them (must have been optional equipment!) Part of my teaching was trying to explain something called 'Defensive Driving' (that is being prepared for anything), but how can you be prepared when the other driver doesn't even know where they are going or what they are doing?

My wife has learned to read the signs - she knows when I've encountered drivers without drivability (that is drivers who have either forgotten everything their instructors taught them, or they just don't care). She claims my jaw clamps tight, my knuckles turn white as I grip the wheel, and my eyes narrow as I watch these accidents looking for a place to happen.

While I still tend to sneer at drivers without drivability, my pet peeves have turned to other interests. As I have grown older and more involved in my church, I can't help but wonder why people don't go to church. Oh, they make excuses. For example, I was working with a group of teens a few years ago and we were talking about church. Every single one of them told me that they like the church services, they enjoyed the hymns and songs, they loved the time we set aside for children, they even like the older poeple of the church. Their only complaint: church was too early (our worship starts at 10:30 am and they thought this was too early?)

Sounds like excuses to me. And the problem with teens using these kinds of excuses now is that they will develop them into a lifestyle that omits corporate worship and a relationship with God.

So...now that I've spouted, what's your pet peeve? Is it people? Actions? Work? Drivers? The girl at the checkout? Professional sports and spoiled players? TV commercials that are twice as loud as the show you were watching? Well, here's your opportunity to shout it out. Yeah, go ahead...yell out as loud as you can. What ticks you off?? :-)

Unconditional Love...

2009-02-13T07:56:00.003-05:00

Well, it's Valentine's Day weekend and you know what that means...let's spend some money! Flowers...candy...a night out at your favorite eating establishment...and don't forget the bling! After all, what says 'I Love You' better than some fancy, shiny, expensive bauble...right?

It's not uncommon at this time of year that our thoughts turn to the subject of love. The retail world has created a whole industry devoted to providing a mutitude of ways to show just how much you care. Cards, candy, flowers, and jewelry are just a few of the ways you can spend your money to prove your love.

For a few moments this year, I ask that you consider another type of love. The ancient Greeks had a great way of defining love. They used three words to express different kinds of love. Philia is a word that usually meant 'friendship' or a general type of love, like between friends or family, or when talking about something you enjoy doing. Eros is used to identify erotic, passionate love as between two individuals who strongly desire one another. Then there is Agapē love, which is unconditional love, or love for another, not because of what they can do or return, but simply because they are.

Since it is Friday, and Valentine's day weekend, allow me to share with you a poem I wrote a couple years ago for my wife. It is a poem of unconditional love.

The Rose and the Leaf

If my love were a rose, and I were a leaf…
separate and distinct, yet connected by necessity.

I would bask in the glory of her beauty,
content to reside in her shadow.

Daily providing strength and encouragement;
collecting sunshine to brighten her day,
and savoring the morning dew as her kiss.

Growing together in love that only time can provide,
until the ravages of time take their toll.

Til that day when age and Mother Nature take their course,
and together we whither and fall,
to take our place amongst those who have gone before.

Only to change and become one once again,
mixed and mingled with the soil of new life,
together always and forever…

If my love were a rose, and I were a leaf…

Enjoy your weekend. Take the time to examine your heart. Tell someone you love them this weekend. :-)

Poetry Friday...

2009-02-06T09:29:00.004-05:00

Okay boys and girls...it's Friday! Finally!! The sun is shining, it's warming up outside, and it's a beautiful day!

I was just sitting here thinking about my busy weekend...(what weekend isn't busy?) Performing a wedding on saturday which is always a great time. I find it amazing to be part of the beginning of new life and new love. Fun, food, fellowship...and someone to share your love and your interests and your time...what could be better?

Well, there is always the flip side of the coin. What if you don't have that special someone to share with? What if love just hasn't found you yet? Or, what if you loved and lost...due to a misunderstanding, or error in judgement, or mis-communication, or whatever...?

Well, since this is Poetry Friday...allow me the space to offer the following...

Desparations' Hope

Pain and sorrow crush the heart
Desparation now a part;
Alone within, darkness descends,
A trail of torment now begins.

Love is lost, spirit crushed,
Heart-felt voices now are hushed.
Hope is lost, dispair my friend,
Wondering when the pain will end.

But true friends see thru tinted eyes,
Asking not the hows or whys.
Love so deep, not understood
Offered oft in bad and good.

An ear to hear and arms so strong
Holds you safe where you belong.
Shoulder firm to lean upon,
Steadfast and sure till fear is gone.

Strength is given, love poured out,
Love is shared beyond all doubt.
Connected now by heart and mind,
Soul to soul evermore entwined.

Seems to me the key to surviving this old world is
True Friends...True friends are hard to find. They are worth their weight in gold. They like you for who you are, not what you can do for them. True friends are willing to lend a hand, lend a buck, lend a laugh, or lend a kleenex.

This weekend, I urge you to spend some quality time with your true friend...even if it's only a phone call or an email. They are there for you...share the love

Your friend...Gary :-)

Groundhog Day...

2009-02-03T14:33:00.004-05:00

Groundhog Day 2009 has come and gone...and according to that little "Whistling Pig", looks like 6 more weeks of winter for us snow weary souls. But I'm not here to talk about varmits...let's talk about life.

Most of you should be familiar with the Bill Murray movie, 'Groundhog Day'. The basic story of the movie is that Bill's character is stuck in time and is forced to relive the same day over and over and over again until he gets something right. As watchers, we are privy to his hits and misses, his triumphs and his failures. And we watch as each morning he wakes up to the same tune on the radio. He tries, but nothing seems to change...that is until he meets someone who makes him think about really changing his life.

There is a scene in another movie that leads my thoughts along a similar path. In the movie 'City Slickers', Billy Crystal's character is having a conversation on horseback with his friend who was caught with another woman and was consequently sued for divorce. As they are riding their horses along the trail, Crystal relates that this 'vacation', this outdoor experience can be a 'Do Over' for his friend... a time to start fresh and to try and avoid the mistakes of the past.

Do you see the similarities? In each movie, the characters had made mistakes and were paying a high price for their transgressions. In both movies, the main characters meet someone who makes them realize they need change in their lives. In each movie, these same characters are given an opportunity that few of us realize in our lifetimes... a "do-over", a chance to try again...an opportunity to continue with life on this earth with friends, family, and even strangers, while trying to avoid the mistakes of our past, knowing that their past doesn't matter anymore.

This two movies are simple illustrations of God's unlimited mercy and His unconditional love. You see, humans love each other for what they can do for each other and for what they expect in return. God loves us, not because of what we can do for him, but just because he wants to. God loves us for who we are, not what we can do.

The best news for Christians today is this...everyday is a Groundhog Day...everyday is an opprtunity to start fresh...a "do over" of life.

Anybody out there want to join me in another day of starting over??

Question of the day...

2009-01-29T08:55:00.003-05:00

Thursday morning and I have snowblowed my driveway twice in the past 24 hours. The good news is that the snow has stopped...but that also means I am back to work.

The first thing I do every morning when I get to work is check emails, facebook and blog postings, and of course, fix the coffee. This morning as I read made my rounds, I found friends in need, family enjoying life, made new friends, and noticed that this life we live is full of challenges.

I have a question for you this morning...but I want you to think long and hard about it before you answer. No trivial blatherings here. Search you heart and answer this...What are you passionate about?

Passion is a funny thing. Most people mistakenly think it has to do with love and sex. But what I want to know is what drives you? What gets you out of bed in the morning? What makes your heart race? Is it a person? Your job or hobby? Your children, grandchildren, dog, or motorcycle?

Today, my hope and prayer for you and that you will take a few moments to think about yourself, your life, those around you, and your passions. I'm guessing, that for some of you, you just may be surprised by the answer! Discover your passion and follow your heart!

In the beginning...

2009-01-28T14:30:00.000-05:00

Welcome friends! Looks like I finally joined the tech age and have decided to create a place where I can leave my thoughts...(just hope I can find them later when I really need them!) Gintzoo's World! A place for friends, thoughts, ideas, pictures, poetry, motorcycles, and whatever catches your fancy.

Allow me to begin this blog with a short poem. Hopefully, you will get the idea. From me to you...

Words

In this age of fast paced things,

of high speed cars and airplane wings,

people say and do most things

without really knowing why.

To get ahead, to leave behind,

to take a road where 'ere it wind,

decisions burden every mind;

we talk but we don't think.

Words are words, we say them now,

when ideas brush across our brow.

We promise anything and vow,

these words are from the heart.

But four small words my mind can see,

from heart and soul I send for free;

These four small words I say to thee,

from me to you, 'Grow old with me'!

Gary 'PreacherMan' Ginter

My advice to you?? "Enjoy life...it's the only one you have!"