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WITandWISDOM(tm) – November 27, 2007 ISSN 1538-8794 ~~~~~~~ THOUGHTS: We are so accustomed to disguise ourselves to others that in the end we become disguised to ourselves. - Francois de La Rochefoucauld Source: Quotes of the Day, http://www.quotationspage.com/qotd.html ~~~~~~~ SPECIAL THOUGHTS: Sunday, November 18, at the corners of Palm and Paradise in Grand Terrace, a home was blessed! This was no traditional house blessing with hymns and scriptures repeated. Instead the music filling the air came from hammers, paint scrapers, brushes and brooms, power washers and weed whackers, rototillers and lawn mowers. Seventy friends of His Voice bass, Don Gwinn and his wife Julie, descended on the dusty dwelling. Among this mighty band of Azure Hills Adventist Church members were also the families from His Voice Men's Chorus -- Mike, Tom, Zoltan, Harold, Dale, Anesio, Ron, Nancy, Mario & Linda, Bill & Joyce, all lead by His Voice baritone, Chaplain Sherman Jefferson with his wife Millie. Don Gwinn, the object of this blessed house restoration, has experienced a year of life-threatening illnesses, innumerable surgeries, and repeated setbacks. His anticipated homecoming is a solid answer to prayer. We've attached in our blog a few pictures from the day as well as a picture of Don in September at his present residence at the Reche Canyon Rehabilitation Center. The question hanging in the air for this reporter was why so many busy people would come out on the last weekend before a holiday and work so hard. The answer was easy to find, Don & Julie have been blessing others in their church and community for a long time and their kindnesses just made a U-turn! This Thursday, Thanksgiving Day, Don Gwinn is expected home for the first time in nearly a year. We realize Don will be blessed just being back home with his wife Julie and father-in-law Herb ... but we know this leader of a man will also witness and take note of the blessing that transformed his home on the weekend before a pilgrim holiday. What better way to send holiday greetings and reflect on another homecoming, promised by the Saviour Himself, "Don't be worried! Have faith in God and have faith in me. There are many rooms in my Father's house. I wouldn't tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together!" John 14:1-3 CEV -- By Nancy (the Notetaker) Troyer, 11/19/07 Source: http://hisvoicenews.blogspot.com Submitted by Nancy Troyer ~~~~~~~ THIS & THAT: There was an old cowhand who owned a small ranch in Montana. The Montana Wage & Hour Department claimed he was not paying proper wages to his help and sent an agent out to interview him. ”Just when and how much you pay them?” demanded the agent. 'Well,' replied the rancher, 'There's my ranch hand who's been with me for 3 years. I pay him $600 week plus free room and board. 'The cook has been here for 18 months, and I pay her $500 per week plus free room and board. ”Then there's the half-wit who works about 18 hours every day and does about 80% of all the work around here. He makes about $10 per week, pays his own room and board and I buy him a bottle of bourbon every Saturday night.” 'That's the guy I want to talk to, the half-wit,' says the agent. 'That would be me,' replied the rancher. This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts. Source: Chapnotes, mailto:xanmansa@chapnotes.org?Subject=Subscribe ~~~~~~~ KEEP SMILING: "A 94-year-old great-great grandmother has become the oldest person in the world to earn a Masters degree. She says she plans to continue her education. Everyone is excited for the 94 year old, except her student loan officer." - Conan O'Brien Source: Clean Laffs, http://www.cleanlaffs.com/ ~~~~~~~ TRIVIA: Only 1/3 of seminary students say they want to pastor a church. That trend is magnified by the fact that just 8% of clergy are now 35 or younger. Many are nearing retirement age, and many others are departing for other careers. Eldon Fry of Focus on the Family’s Pastoral Ministries Department has been tracking the trend which he said is readily apparent. "The numbers that are leaving far exceed the numbers in our seminaries and Bible colleges, so it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that we’re dealing with a shortage." He regularly gets calls from denominational leaders who perceive a major problem dead ahead. "For instance, one region said that 80% of their pastors were within three-years of retirement, and had absolutely no idea of how they were going to replace them," Fry said. Experts suggest that churches actively mentor people with ministry skills and help them make it into Bible college or seminary. From: Pastors Weekly Briefing 8/3/2001 Source: SermonCentral Weekly Newsletter, http://www.sermoncentral.com/newsletter_subscribe.asp