GLOW LITTLE GLOW WORM!

The slow growth (and always a struggle) from ME AND MINE to GOD AND HIS.

From my flesh to my Spirit.

From my very human and very natural centripetal mind set "me and my agenda" to a centrifugal mindset of God and His agenda!

The Lord says ... "Thy will be done!" ... and I still say "my will be done!"

Struggle and growth!

The painful process of growing into a truly converted Disciple. Spiritual growth cannot be, and should not be measured by academic increments. Learning is good ... but let's not leave it there.

How much we know is one thing.

How much we do, quite another. (God's book of Believers WORKS!)

The immature Christian has always sought a balance of comfort; a place to sit, a place to listen, a place to think ... and much to learn.

However God seeks an un-comfortable growth; a time to move into the uncomfortable. A time of testing your faith. A time to move into His world of pre-ordained and personalized opportunities. Action! Wow!

I dare you!

Find darkness somewhere and illuminate it!

Remember we don?t just have The Light, we are The Light!

May you shine today!

CHECKING IT OUT

I guess it's sort of an "our" thing. As I drove my new (used) Xterra SUV into Barrio Pedregal the kids had to check it out. Some were visibly disappointed as they hoped I would get a Hummer or red Jeep.

I've only driven Mexico a week now, and everywhere, the kids want to check out the "new" car. Comments and advice flow ... "no dents in this one!" "Why didn't you get a red one?" "von, You need to change tires." "Sure is clean inside!"

The car is newer by 38,000 miles! And clean!

When you have a close family of several hundred kids, they all have their ideas. I'll admit they take good care of me ... if I slump and my belly sticks out, there is someone who will remind me by patting my belly. Up and down make-shift stairs or tire stairs, there will be one or two kids there to "help" me. They'll even get me coffee. I feel like a Saint!

Well, thanks to many of you, I now have my car, and it's paid for. The State is happy because I've paid the taxes. The Insurance company is happy because I have new insurance. The border bureaucracy is happy because I paid for a special pass to return in the fast lane ... and the kids are happy because I'm back.

The crash and roll-over is past. Evidently God wanted me stay in ministry a little longer. Feels like I'm starting over.

By way of updates. Maribel is awaiting her critical and major heart surgery set for November. Little six "sixty" year old Eleas is in the hospital, in a pretty weak condition. Six year old Elizabeth has had the tumor removed from her mouth and now we are waiting to see if it was cancerous. The staff in our orphanages are happy because the kids go back to school next week!

GOOD NEWS TODAY!

I was in a good mood this morning as I headed out to check my mail. Ahh, one of those nice California mornings: the sun was out and a nice breeze blowing. I opened my mail box to see what I had. What goodies were inside?

I quickly cleared out the bulk mail and advertisements, then separated the bills.

Ahh, here's a small personalized letter for me. First class stamp and Addressed to Erhardt Von Trutzschler. My name and address were typed on the envelope. A real letter. I wondered who it could be from. I quickly opened it.

On the top of the stationary was a beautiful picture of a group of shade trees ... and a banner across the picture that read "WIN A PRE-PAID CREMATION!" along with the contest rules. (Contest only applies to those who haven't been cremated before.)

The letter read "Dear Erhardt, For a variety of reasons , more and more people are choosing cremation over traditional funeral and burial arrangements. And the numbers are growing every year!"

Oh Joy! A letter like this sets the soul singing! Especially if you are over eighty years old. Nothing personal of course. Von, inexpensively, reduced, granulated and compacted into a simple, yet beautiful urn ... I wondered, does the Urn come free with the ... er ... burn?

The contest instructions are vague on this. It's true, an Urn would look nicer on someone's shelf than, say, a coffee can with my name duct-taped to the can. That would look a bit tacky!

Yep! I entered the contest. Hey! What can I lose?

THE DIFFERENCE A DOLLAR MAKES

There are no street lights where we work in the canyons of the poor. After our activities last night, I was slowly driving the dirt road winding up the canyon, heading home. My lights caught two boys along the road walking home, I flashed my lights and stopped, the two boys came over to my car.

I asked them how they liked the program, Daniel said he won a dollar. Then I asked Pablo if he won anything. He smiled and said "I won a dollar too" "Pablo", I asked. "What are you going to do with your dollar?" Most kids will reply, "I'm going to the store end buy Pepitos (little bag of potato-chips with chili) Teens are always hungry.

When I asked Pablo what he was going to do with his dollar ... without hesitation, he said "Give it to my mom".

"Give it to your mother?" I replied. "Why are you giving it to your mom"? His answer was simple ... "Because we need food!"

It was just matter of fact. Pablo, at 12, realizes the facts of life.

I can't imagine a conversation like that, a mile north in the USA.

Boy the difference a fence makes. Things change when you and your family get real hungry. And honestly, many in Tijuana are real hungry!

Pablo started to leave, I called him back ... and did what you would have done, I reached in my pocket and pulled out a few more dollars and gave them to Pablo ..."Give these to your mom too.