Few Thoughts
9-28-2018
LOS ANGELES DISTRICT
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A Very Wonderful Los Angeles Greetings to You!
The other morning while we were running someone by my side said,
“Check out the Harvest Moon!”
From that moment on we all began giving our thoughts as to what the “Harvest Moon” really meant. One guy said that as the sun would rise in the morning the moon would change colors to show some orange and yellow. Another man said, it’s something special that only happens once a year with the positioning of the moon in the sky. Someone else said, it’s just a saying that farmers used back in the old days. So we looked it up. After all, that’s what cell phones are for, right? The Full Moon does occur every 29 days, but the time for harvest only happens once a year. And when the moon is full around harvest time -- and especially the two days after the Full Moon -- the farmers had some extra “light” to complete their work. On the night the moon was full, the sun would be setting just as the moon was rising, thus, extra light. The two days after the Full Moon, the sun would rise as the moon was still high in the sky giving great light for farmers to see. This is something I knew way back in high school, when we preferred mountain climbing up glaciers high in the Andes the day or two days following the Full Moon. Back then we didn’t have great flashlight power; but early in the morning when the ice on the mountain was still frozen and hard, we’d begin our ascent. Donning the crampons and with a Full Moon shining down on the ice and snow, it was as clear as day. But of course, you don’t want the Full Moon when going alligator hunting! Too much light.
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ENCOURAGEMENT:
The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called ‘woman’, for she was taken out of man.” For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and they will become one flesh.
(Genesis 2:23-24)
The two becoming one. Sometimes in wedding ceremonies we light the Unity Candle. Other times we do the Mixing of the Sands. I have seen the Tying of the Knot, and so much more. There is something special about the Holy Matrimony that I just love.
Often times when I would be doing some premarital counseling, I’d ask the couple as the days were approaching for the wedding ceremony,
“Are you two nervous?”
This really did become one of my favorite questions to ask all couples. The reason being, if they answered,
“Yes”,
I would then ask them w
hy they were nervous?
If they answered,
“No”,
my response was always the same:
Since you say, “No, I’m not nervous, I’m telling you, that you’re either lying, or you aren’t taking the marriage life too seriously!”
I remember, with great clarity… I was scared to death. I was beyond nervous. The woman I was about to marry was going to be with me for life. She was
“bone of my bone,
flesh
of my flesh”
and we were to become
“one”.
This was the biggest decision I was ever making. Bigger than buying a new car. Bigger than picking the right college to attend. Bigger than entering the right vocation. Bigger than deciding where to live.
Leslie was going to be my wife… for a long, long time. I was making a HUGE commitment. I was scared to death.
“What if…?
And now, more than 33 years later, through ups and downs, God has blessed me. He continues to bless us. And we have cleaved to each other. And we ARE cleaving to each other. I thank the Lord for my wife whom I still date. And, no… we don’t’ usually do those fancy dinners. I simply still do what we did way back in our college days. Our first date was this place in Ocean Beach near PLNU where they served New York Style Pizza for 99 cents. Perfect for college students who had no money. They were huge slices all for only $.99. But as we started to date, Taco Bell became our favorite place to hang out. Once we were married, we still always looked for Taco Bell. And, believe it or not, as we drove away from the church on our wedding day on July 6, 1985 from Porterville, CA, we headed north on Hwy 65 to the 99 and entered Bakersfield. We decided to spend our first night in Bakersfield before continuing on south to San Diego where I had an apartment. Once we checked into the hotel, we walked on over to Taco Bell for our first meal as a married couple.
Last week after church on Sunday, I was preaching in one place while Leslie was doing a concert and preaching in another church. Since the service I was preaching in had finished earlier than hers, I made my way over to listen to Leslie sing and share; and then together we went out to lunch. You guessed it: TACO BELL! And here is my beautiful wife. I love you Leslie! By the looks on her face, perhaps I should NOT be taking her to Taco Bell!
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North Coast Churches:
Last week I was privileged to be with our pastors and leaders on the North Coast area: I love these guys, and we had some great fellowship and opportunities to cast greater vision for the district and further ministries. Thank you Pastors for inviting me to join you: Duane Armstrong, Chad Bohi, David Hutsko, Ken Lewis, Doug Pittam, Shay Stewart, Wes Thompson, Mark Valadez, and Brent Wylie. We met in the Youth Building of the Pismo Beach New Life Church, and what a great time we enjoyed together.
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District Car:
On Sunday as I was driving up the desert to attend two appointments in two different churches, I glanced down to see the mileage marker of the car. And lo and behold -- after 3 years and 1 month in this car -- I realized something of great significance. Check it out and see… and as you do, please notice that I did pull over to take the photo.
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Lone Pine:
I was blessed to preach and install Lay Pastor Doug Wilson, and his wife Sherry, in this church on Sunday. I just love coming up to this area. There is something special about the mountains for me, especially with Mt. Whitney in the background. The people here in Lone Pine are all just wonderful.
May the Lord bless the days ahead for this beautiful church!
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District Pastors' Day
Tuesday, October 23
8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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Please join us for a special day of training with Dr. David Wilson, General Secretary
at our Santa Paula Church located at:
3452 Ojai Rd.
Santa Paula, CA 93060
*Note: Lunch will be provided.
Please contact the District Office to RSVP by
October 12th
so that we may have a headcount for lunch.
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L.A. District
Christmas Dinner
Monday, December 3, 2018
6:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Temple City Immanuel Church
9953 Las Tunas Dr.
Temple City, 91780
*Details to follow
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L.A. District
Women's Retreat
February 22 - 24, 2019
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“You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down." Isaiah 45:8
SPEAKER: JANINE METCALF
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Please be in prayer for the following retired elders:
- Rev. David Allen Hawkins - had heart surgery
- Rev. Clifford Schoeltz - is on hospice (also, please pray for his wife Nancy, as she is very tired and is his sole caretaker.
- Rev. Habib Alajai – is home but in and out of the hospital as he receives care and blood infusions quite often.
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I’ve been doing a little more thinking recently on the subject of death and eternal life, than usual. Perhaps, it’s because I’ve either been involved in a few more memorials than normal or that I’ve just gone to observe and thank the Lord for the precious lives He has given to us for these shorts years we are here.
On Wednesday of this week we lost Pastor Doug Ernest (retired elder and pastor here on the LA District). He and his wife Sandy have served the Lord faithfully for so many years. He passed away in his home in Lake Isabella, and was a member of the Ridgecrest Church. On the same day two others that I know of who are connected with families at NewNaz lost parents (the Bonds and Estes). Last week I was able to make it in time to the graveside service for my aunt who passed away earlier in the week as you can see pictured below.
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Yet, we all know that as we grow older, just as the Apostle Paul described in II Corinthians 4, our bodies are just like tents we use for camping. They aren’t built to last forever. Praise the Lord! Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, and he/she who believes in Him will not perish but will have eternal life! I believe this statement to be true. There is much more to life than we can see this side of heaven. There is so much more God has prepared for us. And right now Jesus is building a place… many places, dwelling places for you and me.
I am ready, are you?
I love you and I look forward to seeing you very soon. Keep in tune to district news. There’s a lot happening and you don’t want to fall behind. See you soon!
Greg A. Garman
Los Angeles District Superintendent
Church of the Nazarene
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