Good Samaritans Can Still Be Found

My wife and I were working at our country home and decided to quickly run into town to buy gas for our lawn mower to finish the day's chores. Since I was working outside, I had on a pair of shorts with no pockets which I normally do not wear. I grabbed my wallet, keys and the gas can and off we went.

I stopped into the Casey's in Jerseyville, IL and took my wallet out of the center console of the car, swiped a credit card and put the wallet on top of the car (no pockets! Argh!). After making sure the gas can was positioned securely in the trunk, and with great purpose, I drove out of Casey's and back to work at home.

I'm sure you can see it coming. The wallet flew off of the car and onto State Street as I drove along in happy oblivion. Here is the amazing part of the story; an employee from Casey's, Vicki, was just then going home after her shift and spotted the wallet. She picked it up, took it home and spent the time to look up my telephone number and call me at home. When we received the call, I didn't even realize that my wallet was missing!

Uncharacteristically, for a notorious cheapskate like me, I had a lot of cash in my wallet along with three credit cards and a company calling card. You know how all of that stuff accumulates. I went into town and retrieved my wallet. Vicki would not take any reward money.

In the news, we hear about Drive-by shootings, Tractor-trailers running over other cars, America's Most Wanted criminals and a daily roll call of atrocities. Rarely do we hear about a good-hearted Midwestern woman in an All-American town living the life that we have all been called to live. I don't know if you consider this a newsworthy article, but I consider it a reaffirmation in the goodness that surrounds us. Quietly, without fanfare or fame, making a difference in the lives of others and inexorably, like a river flood, overwhelming the evil in this world. Thank you, Vicki, for being who you are.

Praying

One of the realizations, through God's grace, I came to gain a better understanding about this past week at Camp Ne-O-Tez, is how fiercely God guards the avenue of prayer between Him and His creation. When I gave a class the opportunity to pray silently, I was asked how I could know if anyone was actually praying. That's when it hit me. No one can make anyone pray and conversely, no one can KEEP anyone from praying.

Prayer in the schools gets a lot of play from legislatures mandating a "moment of silence" to reflect, gather one's thoughts or pray. Corporate prayer gets a lot of press with the separation of church and state being pounded to death from every angle.

Amid all the opinions and controversy God has created the opportunity which cannot be denied people or compelled upon people with a strength so mighty He can STILL be reasoned away as uninvolved if it is so chosen by any particular individual to do so.

Maybe Later Ministry

Watch it; It's brutal

Camp Ne-O-Tez

Wow! what a week. From July 13th through the 19th I got to experience Camp Ne-O-Tez, which is located south of St. Louis near Desoto, Missouri and Washington State Park. I'll write more later, but here is their website.