For those of you who happen by here every now and then I thank you for your patience. My time in front of a computer has been limited (not neccessarily a bad thing - just make time for blogging take a back seat) but it seems that may be coming to a close as doors are opening that have the evident finger prints of God. It would seem that prayers for clarity during this time of transition have been answered and it simply remains for us to faithfully follow. I will leave details for a later time but suffice it to say we have a peace about the new day of ministry dawning for us.

For all of you who have prayed, thank you. Please don't stop! Evey anxious moment we have faced in this time of transition has been made easier by the sure knowledge that you were praying for us.

Watch this space for addtional details in the coming weeks.

Resigned to His Will

Dear Church Family,

It is with a heavy heart that I tender my resignation effective immediately. Due to issues, both personal and professional, within the staff and administrative structure of the church I feel it to be in the best interest of the church to move out of the way in order that the church may continue to move forward. Please be assured that I have not been "forced" out neither is this intended to be "send a message," I simply sense, due to events beyond my control and relationships which are already deeply strained, that moving out of the way is in the best interest of First Baptist Church and my family.

Eleven years have flown by. You have watched my family grow and watched me grow as a pastor. I and my family carry nothing but fond and loving memories of our days spent among some of the finest people in the world. We thank God daily for your partnership in ministry and rejoice in the remarkable, even miraculous, accomplishments with which God has blessed us during this season of ministry. You can be sure there will always be prayers of thanksgiving offered for you and we will eagerly anticipate the glad reunions ahead of us!

Please pray for us as we seek God's direction in the days ahead. It is our belief that He has faithfully, though by difficult paths, brought us to this place. That clear confidence inspires us to believe that His plans for us are good and that we will continue enjoying His good blessing in our lives. We believe the same to be true for each of you. We are already praying for the man God has in mind to come and lovingly shepherd this church.

I leave you with the words with which we began our journey together, "Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding." (Jeremiah 3:15) I still trust His words today; for you and for me.

Respectfully submitted to the Deacon Fellowship, November 15, 2009.


John Nicholson
Pastor

Coffee and Friends

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My esteem of the blessed bean is well known. I fairly gush when people bless me with a bag of these marvels of creation as I relish the enjoyment that is to come my way for days to come. Darkly delicious brews every morning to awaken the senses of sight, smell, and sound (my FAVORITE morning sound is that final "gurgle" of the coffee maker!) make getting out of bed a joy. Combine that with regularly scheduled moments of quietness before my Maker and mornings are something to which I look forward.

Imagine my pleasant surprise in discovering that Lee Gross, a young man I had the privilege of ministering to during his high school days, is working on his masters degree from the University of Vermont and is spending the summer in the Dominican Republic, get this, working with coffee farmers! Yes, I immediately contacted him and asked about coffee. I didn't ask him how he was doing, or if life was treating him well, or even how his mother was doing. No, I dispensed with all the social niceties and cut directly to the chase. Would it be possible for him to procure for me a few bags of those beautiful beans? After all, this was coffee we were dealing with and the summer is growing long in the tooth. Time was of the essence. We could visit later about family, life, and love - maybe even over a cup of the marvelous mud.

After securing his promise of procuring the goods for me I dug a little deeper and discovered an opportunity for people like me to make a difference. There are coffee cooperatives springing to life in poor countries and they simply need customers. It occurs to me that I am one. Granted, I will not be able to afford these premium coffees all the time, after all I have kid starting college and two more to follow soon, but I can treat myself and a few others to some wonderful coffee every now and then and in so doing offer hope to some folks in some desperate places in our world one cup of coffee at a time.

Here are a couple of links for you coffee bean counters out there. Wooden Bike Coffee brings coffee to your door from the volcanic soils of Rwanda and is helping rebuild lives and communities in that devastated nation. The cooperative Lee is working with is Cafe' Alta Gracia. I have enjoyed a shipment from Wooden Bike earlier this year and will eagerly await the arrival of the coffee from the Cafe' Alta Gracia. Perhaps I will let you know about its brew soon.

If you have a moment stop by Lee's place and find out a little about what he's doing down there in the Dominican.

I've got to find a master's program like this!

An Open Letter to T.S. Spivet, Cartographer

My Dear Master Spivet (May I call you T.S.?),

I simply wanted to thank you for a most memorable journey. It seems that your journey is our journey too; all of ours. On the way from "here" to "there" passing through terra incognita, can be and often is, a frightful journey.

You were a most delightful traveling companion. Your attention to detail is remarkable for one so young. It re-awakened in me a similar attentiveness. For instance, I walked past a wooden gate that was two different colors - not from paint, mind you, but from the effect of the sprinkler system hitting the lower half of the gate causing a variant pattern of weathering. Also, the upper hinge was sound while the lower hinge, subjected to the repeated dousings of the sprinkler was full of rust and in need of replacement. Scoffers are even now scoffing at such minutiae. After all, what difference does it make in the world of appointments and schedules and bills and, and , and, (and always another "and.") Not much really, save this; with eyes open again to wonder the world is no longer a passing blur of sound and light. Indeed T.S., there is meaning in it all, if only we could remember.

Some of the folks you met along the way were pretty unsavory. I didn't care for the language Ricky used. The homeless man in Chicago saddened and angered me. Jibsen was a opportunistic jerk, and the railroad bull could have been a bit more genteel with a 12 year old. But when it's all said and done I think you rightly described our lives. There are plenty of unsavory people and unsavory experiences along the way. They make reaching the destination that much sweeter don't they?

I loved your turn of phrase. So often startling in its simplicity and sometimes arresting in its incisive wisdom. Like, "Outside there was that predawn kind of clarity, whee the momentum of living has not quite captured the day." Exactly! Or, "To tell you the truth, I hardly every used pencils. Pencils are for wussies - for those who question the veracity of their stroke." Ha! I'm a pen user too! I often found myself mumbling some comment in response or chuckling at the marvelous wit or, best of all, rolling the words over and over my tongue again to get the full feel of them. I like a man who has a vocabulary and isn't afraid to use it. Although, at times, it mystified me - either from abject ignorance or my lack of experience (i.e. I've never read pg. 28 of The Godfather but you can be sure I will do so - soon!) You stretched my cerebral capacity while also stretching my heart.

I looked for Layton everywhere. Sometimes I couldn't find him. Was he missing or just well hidden or did you just forget him sometimes? It's like that isn't it? Everywhere and nowhere all at once. And then, completely unexpectedly present; painfully present in his absence. Especially when you carry around the heavy load of responsibility whether it belongs to you or not. Those we lose do weave themselves inexorably into all the maps of our lives.

And maps! I can spend hours with a map. It tells me so much and leaves so much untold. It tells me where and only rarely tells me who. But you take map making to a wh

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ole new level! (Mapping the flight of a bat around your backyard - genius! I was left wondering why the bat took the path it did. I imagined a tasty bug here or an interesting echolocation there. Fascinating.) But still the maps don't tell us what we most need to know do they? That's the whole point isn't it? Finding the things not on the map. Maybe better, finding the one thing not on the map. I'm awfully glad you found that one thing, even though there's simply no way to categorize it and file it away.

T.S., I'm pretty sure I will travel again with you again soon. There was so much I missed along the way. Retracing those steps will be a pleasure with you along for the journey. Thanks again for a memorable journey.

Your traveling companion last week,

John

(This was my "brain candy" read for the family vacation. Was I in for a wonderful surprise! Larsen has written a wonderful work that spoke deeply and clearly to me. Not only is the book visually engaging with T.S.'s maps and charts but it is emotionally charged as well, not to mention the intelligent and well informed writing (you will learn a bit about everything from geography to hobo symbols.) Take some time and take the trip with T.S. It's a memorable journey. You can also visit the entertaining website that compliments the book at www.tsspivet.com.)

Papaw's Favorite Poem

My maternal grandfather was a delightful man who regularly walks the halls of my memory. Whether it is the "million-jillion pieces" into which he used to cut my morning toast or the indelible vision of his solitary figure contentedly tending the garden, he is part of the daily fabric of my life. Just this morning my ministry assistant made mention of a pithy phrase from a calendar gracing the kitchen window of our office and it reminded me of Papaw. The phrase was this, "Pessimists are people who need a swift kick in the can'ts." Papaw would have liked this and would have likely launched into a recital of, what I must believe was, his favorite poem, "It Couldn't Be Done" by Edgar Guest. I gladly place it here for your review and my joy-filled remembrance.

It Couldn't Be Done
by
Edgar Guest

Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But, he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn't" but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.

So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, as he did it.

Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one we know has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.

With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.

There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.

But just buckle right in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That cannot be done, and you'll do it

A Unique Moment of Baptismal Celebration

"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

Baptism is always a powerful time of celebration, worship, and remembrance for me. I never baptize without remembering my own baptism at the age of 8 years. I vividly recall each detail of that momentous moment. I remember Charles Langston, my pastor, asking if I had placed my faith in Christ Jesus and my affirmative response. I recall him gladly stating that because of my profession of faith he was baptizing me his "little brother" in the name of the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit. I remember being plunged under the water and the thrill of being lifted again from the water. My life has never been the same. I was a believer before I was baptized and this event served to firmly fix this decision in my life.

Sunday morning I had the unusual pleasure of baptizing father and son together. They had both experienced baptism before but it was simply an exercise in getting wet. You see, they were not believers at the time they were first "dunked." The difference on this Sunday was not the quality of the water or the potency of any words this Shepherd spoke (as opposed to the words the pastor who had baptized them spoke), no, the difference was the condition of the heart of these men. On this day they entered these waters as new men; men who had placed their faith firmly and finally in Christ Jesus as their sole hope of salvation. What occurred in these moments of celebration, as they publicly professed their faith to those who were gathered, was a moment filled with spiritual potency and significance for all.

As each man rose from the waters applause erupted through the sanctuary in celebration of God's mighty and mysterious working in these lives. I am humbly grateful for the privilege of being present at such a moment.

Not To Snow On Your Parade, But...

Several bloggers (Check here, here, and here for a few examples - I got my first news of it from Jungle Mom - she includes cartoons!) are commenting on the delicious, and might I say, frigid, irony of this story. Apparently there is a solid chance that a planned Global Warming protest march in Washington D.C. may be canceled due to, wait for it, SNOW!

Below is a photo sent to me by a friend of another global warming protest in the U.K. Seems to me these guys may have a genuine complaint about a warming planet. Bundle up!

He Made Me Lie Down

The beginning of this new year has been unusually intense for this shepherd and I suppose it caught up with me last week. A personal bout with the flu (a mild case) combined with a daughter who gave it to me (she's so generous!) a son with a fever virus that is going around and another son with a stomach virus turned our house into an infirmary! My Beloved somehow, thankfully, managed to avoid all of the crud-ola and took marvelous care of us all. She is one remarkable woman.

Psalm 23 famously states,

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul."

I personally experienced being made to lie down last week and, I can say with clarity, a restoration of my soul has occurred. It is good to be in the care of the Great Shepherd.

For those of you who drop by here from time to time here's what to look for in the next few days...

• The Monday Morning Message catch up posts. "The Middles: Stories of Faith in Process' will all be posted here in short order. Gideon, David, Jeremiah, and the church have a story of faith in the middle to tell.
• A great story about perseverance. Paul Rokich's story will make you want to hang in there.
• Some thoughts about purity which have been percolating for a while.

It's good to be back among the living.

Is This Idea Picking Up Steam?

Yesterday I read (watched) Mike's post concerning an Advent Conspiracy. (Sounds subversive...I LOVE the image of undercover agents dressed in Santa suits!) And today I received some snail mail concerning the idea of "redefining Christmas" which has been the topic of some on-line discussion over at the Chicago Tribune. I haven't poked around a whole lot but I'm wondering if this idea is one that is growing. I know it's growing on me.

For any of you planning to buy Yours Truly a gift this year I don't need a new shirt, new pair of pants, new tie, or a new trinket to add to my already overcrowded desk. New tools will simply be misplaced by my well intentioned children or misused by my wife's well intentioned husband ;-). New books...well now, let's not get carried away!

Allow me to make a few suggestions for your gift giving this year.

Make Way Partners is taking on the monstrous problem of human trafficking and forced prostitution. Be sure to check out "Mary's crosses" as a way to donate and give!

Play Pumps International gets my award for the most innovative and creative idea for changing the quality of life for people. Their catch phrase, "Kids play, water pumps" sums it up. Clean water and free time for people to focus on other issues like education, labor, creative endeavors.

Voice of the Martyrs gives voice to otherwise un-reported or under reported abuse, violence, and persecution of Christians throughout the world. Have YOU heard about the incredible attacks in Orissa, India? Probably not. You can read about them here and your donation will help some of these families survive.

1 Way Ministries has a simple mission, "Reach the world, teach the Word." JT and his team are helping churches in the U.S. to engage people down the street and around the world. Give them a look and pray about sharing with them.

Mission Team Inc. has a scholarship program for first time mission trip takers. It would make my day if someone gave to this fund! I LOVE to see people take that first step of obedience with missions; it is a life changing moment!

Let me not forget...

The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. I know of no better way to touch more people with the hope of the gospel than this offering. Supporting more than 5000 missionaries who are making a difference in the here and now through medical clinics, water projects, disaster relief efforts, and educational opportunities as well as making a difference in the hereafter with over 600,000 baptisms reported last year. Give so others may hear.

The Alabama Baptist Children's Homes are a constellation of ministries that make me proud to be an Alabama Baptist. Your donation will help transform the life of "throw away" child or an abused youth. The stories of hope and redemption are humbling.

Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief responds to disasters all over the world. Following the 9/11 tragedy, Alabama Baptists, and others like them, became the "preferred" clean up teams because the good people of New York learned they could trust them not to steal the things in their homes (apparently companies for hire had some problems with this...). Southern Baptist disaster relief is the third largest disaster relief organization in the US behind the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. Your donation will make a difference the next time disaster strikes.

There's a short wish list. May your Christmas be filled with giving.

Away for a Couple of Days

For those of you stopping by to pick up the Monday Morning Message you will find it below. I will be away for a couple of days at the Alabama Baptist State Convention. We will celebrate the good things God is doing through Alabama Baptists as well as our role in the larger life of the Southern Baptist Convention.

I am truly glad to say I am an Alabama Baptist! We recently passed a remarkable milestone as a state convention as we have now given over 1 billion dollars through the Cooperative Program. Currently we are engaged in international partnership agreements with Guatemala and Ukraine as well as a stateside agreement with Michigan Baptists. We have one of the most active and respected disaster relief organizations that has responded to floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other disasters this year. As a convention we support three institutions of higher education, Samford University, The University of Mobile, and Judson College. We also have a marvelous children's home system reaching troubled and abused children. And I've not even mentioned the retirement center, leadership training, associational missions support, or our state paper. It is truly remarkable all that we do together as a family of faith.

I'll be checking back in when I return.

For The Want of Seventy Dollars

I could tell he was desperate. Maybe it was just a vibe. Maybe it was the cadence of his speech. Maybe it was the heaviness of his gait. I could tell he was desperate. He needed something and we were his last stop.

I've dealt with these kinds of people before. I know how to handle them. Give them some gas at the corner station and maybe a meal at Mr. Gene's and they'll go away. After all, they are just looking for a handout. It's tough not being callous. Compassion seems remote when so many have abused the kindnesses offered. Either my vision is getting worse or it's just getting harder to see Jesus in them waiting to be served. It's sure not something to get excited about as it usually means another 30 minutes, or more, of my day hearing a tightly crafted and well rehearsed sob-story. But, like I said, I could tell he was desperate.

He had just been released from prison (I'm already reaching for my make believe tissue to wipe my make believe tears) and didn't have any clothes other than the ones on his back. He had court costs due real soon; if they didn't get paid he was headed back to jail. He was looking for a job but there just aren't many around for anybody, much less somebody like him. He just needed $70. He was desperate.

Maybe that was what caught my attention. So often people come through with needs but they are not really desperate, they just want some help. There was something different about this one. He didn't just need help, he was desperate for it. He was willing to do anything for it.

I don't know why I asked it but the question came tumbling out like a baby elephant being born; messy and unavoidable. I asked him, "Are you getting ready to make another bad decision?" The conversation came to an unexpected pause. Usually by now they are out the door on the way to the gas station. He just looked at me. Finally he spoke and said, "You just read my mind. Did God tell you I was about to do something?"

Moments later he was returning from his car with a bandanna and gloves. Laying them on the table in front of me he said, "I had already decided which store I was going to rob. I don't think I need to do that now. I need to take a different road."

With undeniable agreement and unfeigned relief I shared God's plan. We talked about the path he was on and how he could begin making decisions that would lead him down a good road. I heard him talk about injustices suffered as well as punishment earned and paid. I cautioned him about questionable relationships and he readily agreed that things had to change. We looked to scripture for guidance and found truth that made a difference. He prayed and I wept as I listened to this desperate man find grace.

We found him some work. Some honorable work. Hard work. He earned that $70 and came back the next day and earned some more. He walked away in peace. He walked away knowing, that at least this one time, he chose to do the right thing. He walked away a little less desperate and a little more hopeful. He walked away surprised by God's provision. He walked away a little bit different. I am praying he continues to walk with God.

It was all for want of $70 dollars.

Twenty and Counting!

Twenty years ago I said "I do" to this beautiful woman who graces my life with joy and laughter every day. She is a marvelous cook, an unparalleled mother, a natural wit, a well of wisdom, and the one I can't wait to get home to each day. To say I am blessed would fall far short of the mark.

We often laugh out loud at what God must have been thinking when He brought us together.

• I love solitude and silence, she leaves the television on for "background" noise.
  
• I am a constant reader, she reads for survival.
  
• I am a "Good morning God!" person, she is a "Good God, it's morning!" person.
  
• I am self professed nerd, she is a southern lady.
  
• I believe "Gone With the Wind" to be a perfect waste of three hours of film, she thinks it's the greatest movie ever made.

I could go on and on but I'm sure you're developing a picture in your mind. Our lives are rarely dull and our conversations are often punctuated by lively exchanges of ideas. I cannot imagine life any other way!

I am approaching the point at which I will have lived half of my born days with this woman. Funny, but I'm not sure I ever really lived before she came into my life. Sure, I can remember some great moments from my younger years (I had a great childhood!) but they all pale in comparison with the moments I have shared with her. And as I look forward to what lies ahead of us (kids in college, our 2nd honeymoon (aka "empty nest"), daughters and son in law, grandchildren, adventures, etc.) I get that Christmas morning feeling in my stomach. I just can't wait to see what's there for us!

My Beloved, you are truly the treasure of my heart. I thank God for you. Here's to the next twenty and beyond! I can't wait to see what's around the bend!

Monday Morning Message - Thanked

The Monday Morning Message got hi-jacked this week as my church family held a celebration of 10 years of ministry together in my honor. To say I was surprised falls far short. To say I was humbled doesn't even scratch the surface. To say I am still processing all the events would be correct.

My Sunday began as Sunday's normally do with an early arrival to make a short pot of coffee (currently grinding some Venezuelan beans - yummy!) and meet with a group of men with whom I share life. Alas, the coffee was wasted and never tasted as I was unknowingly kidnapped by these friendly hoodlums for breakfast. I say unknowingly because we had enough time to enjoy the meal together and still return for the 8:30 service. Around 8:05 I became a little agitated and began suggesting that we should be making our way back. The only reply I got was, "Have another cup of coffee." It quickly became evident that more than breakfast was afoot here.

After plying me with generous amounts of coffee they loaded me back into the truck for an hour long tour of back roads with nary a bathroom in sight. They thought it to be great fun. My bladder had other opinions of the situation but the time was passed in pleasant company and good stories, not to mention some beautiful sights. (All my tree-hugging readers should come and visit sometime. I assure you there's no shortage of quality forest land around these parts.)

Upon returning to the church I was placed in my office with instructions not to wander without a chaperone. This is highly unusual for me as I normally stick my head into every Sunday School class to say hello and visit for a moment. So, there I sat while preparations for who knows what were being made. Just before 11 a.m. our minister of music simply said, "Make the announcements like you usually do." and walked away. Yeah, right. How am I to make announcements when it's obvious I have no clue as to what is happening!

To make this long story short, the church had arranged an edition of "This Is Your Life" for me complete with friends and family that I have not seen for quite some time. Letters from others who could not be in attendance were read and every word was gratefully received. It was an overwhelming exhibition of a church family's appreciation and love. Gifts were given and prayers offered even as humility settled upon me like a morning dew. I, and many others, left that time of worship refreshed and renewed by God's presence.

I am thoroughly thanked.

A Page From My Journal

Dateline - July 23, 2008 - In the air somewhere over Guatemala.

It is good to be on the way home. This work is joyful but difficult. I miss my wife. I always wonder what challenge she has had to face in my absence. It always seems that she bears the brunt of these trips.

I am drained more than I remember from previous trips. I don't know if that is an effect of a short memory or a maturing view of the nature of this work. It is not about "saving the world" (although that stands as the ultimate goal) it is about doing the small thing God has called you to do and to do it well. I believe we have accomplished this.

There are moments this week I would not trade for anything; moments that will stand vividly in my memory. Likewise, there are experiences I would gladly do without, but I recognize them as part of the cost of ministry. We do not go because it is easy or rewarding. We do not go because of the great memories that are built. We do not go to bring back beautiful trinkets. We go because we are commanded to go. We go because it is an act of obedience, and in obedience, in cooperating with God's plans, we discover that God is able to do far more than we are able.

Lives were changed in Guatemala. There are new believers. There are encouraged churches. There are children with the memory of "Gringos"visiting their community to tell them of God's love. But not only were Guatemalan lives changed, our lives were changed. My daughter will always remember 3 little girls that adored her from the first moment they laid eyes on her. My son will look back on this time where God confirmed direction for his life. I am reminded of the darkness of so many without Christ.

So what is next? As always, live today for Christ and follow Him where He leads. It may be to the "uttermost parts" or it may be across the street. Today.

A Note To "Random"

Dear Random,

I noticed that you took your blog down today. I know it wasn't yesterday because that is when I last left a message. I can only conclude that your latest pain filled posting was, and is, a matter of current grief. What is one to say to someone in this situation? I could offer you platitudes like, "Time will make this better," or "This will make sense someday," but I refuse to devalue the depth and reality of your grief. Instead I can only offer you words of hope from my decidedly, and unapologetically, Christ-centered worldview.

God is there. I understand that you may well be shaking your fist at him in rage right now. I assure you that it is not the first time. As George Bernanos said in Diary of a Country Priest, "Shake you fist at Him, spit in His face, scourge Him and finally crucify Him; what does it matter? My daughter, it's already been done to Him." Shout at the heavens honestly ventilating the heavings of your heart and though it may seem there is a deafening silence returned for your troubles, be assured there is One who hears and knows.

God knows grief. "He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; as one from whom men hide their faces" (Isa. 53:3) At the cross, pain is not eliminated, but it is stared down. If you have difficulty believing that God is truly with us look not to the manger, neither look to the mauseleum, rather look to the cross. It is there that God decisively and with astounding finality says "I am with you and I am for you not against you." He chose to endure the pain. That is something you didn't do but you are discovering, much to your dismay, that pain has been thrust upon you univited. Imagine inviting it. This is exactly what God in Christ has done. He knows grief.

God is with you. Though you may desire Him to be far from you He is, in fact, very near to you. Scripture states, "The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." (Psalm 34:18) It is entirely up to you to decide whether to turn toward Him or away from Him. He will not force Himself upon you, even in this your moment of greatest grief. He is far too much a gentleman to force His love upon you. Even so, He patiently and longingly waits to comfort you. "So long as there is pain the Comforter walks beside us." (Calvin Miller)

Random, please know that there is one shepherd who prays for you during these days. Your voice will be missed. I hope to hear it again joined to the chorus of those who believe.

Blessings in your grief.

John