Midnight's sick

11/4/10 Thursday
I’m still working on writing about the Kairos event. It will be a long post when ever it gets done. Almost a short book for so much happened and it is such a significant thing. Meantime I thought I’d take a break and write to you all, let you know what’s happening in our lives. It’s getting cold these days and we are unable to fire up the wood burner for heat because things are in such disarray back there with the new bathroom project still in limbo. I’ll need to contact those who desire to help with that as it was put on hold while we went to Kairos.

Midnight is sick. We don’t know what’s wrong with him, other than the fact he had worms real bad. I gave him worm medicine a few days ago and wonder if that’s why he doesn’t feel good. The worm medicine was old stuff I found in our drawer, probably two years old. He just lays on the outside couch this morning, not getting up and barely moving when we pet him. If he’s the same tomorrow we’ll take him to the vet. Money is especially tight but we do what we have to do. All of the strays we get dumped on us cost, but that’s the price of loving our animals.

Yesterday I went to visit the sheriff about ministering in the jail here in Stanton. He was very open to the idea when I brought it up last month and now that we’re done with the Kairos I figured it was time to pursue it. Met a visiting law man who was waiting for the sheriff and we got to talking. He’d done a few tours in Afghanistan and told me about a chief of police he’d worked with over there. The guy had lots of questions concerning Christianity and had asked him for a bible. Unfortunately our military policy prohibits any kind of conversation in that regard and forbids the passing out or dissemination of religious material of any kind, so he was unable to comply with that request. I don’t have that constraint placed on me and happen to know people who can provide bibles and literature in Arabic and perhaps other dialects as well so obtained the man’s address.

The sheriff gave me a tour of the jail, after we discussed rules and policies concerning ministry activities. When he took me down to the main cell area he introduced me to the guys. John asked if there was any kind of title I wanted to be called by, such as chaplain or pastor, and I said “No, I’m no better than any of them are so they can just call me Bob”. I’m not big on titles and seek no recognition in that regard.

What started out as a simple introduction turned into two hours of me talking with the guys. Much of that time was spent with the first one I’d seen. His dad was sick so I prayed that God would heal him. We discussed why he was in jail, I didn’t bring it up, it was what the guy wanted to talk about. When I prayed for him he just shook and cried. I’m not used to that but probably need to get used to it. There is always such sadness at seeing the destruction of sin in the lives of others and with it an enforced desire to show them the better path in life. I shared with the rest of the guys. One of them knows the bible real good, quoting scriptures, but despite knowing the bible still made poor decisions. Perhaps now he is figuring it out, that a man reaps what he sows. He said he did but told me he’d made this effort to change many times before but failed. So we prayed for him too. There was one young guy there who had no interest at all in anything I had to say, but that’s to be expected, however I’ve seen the hardest hearts turn to gold so will pray for him too.
The Christmas corn is doing well. We'll see if it can beat the freeze

I guess that’s the highlights of yesterday. There is always so much to do and so little of me to do it. Right now I’ve got the ringing ears thing going so wonder if it’s a slowdown coming. It’s never easy around here. I picked a mess of blackeyed peas Tuesday for Gary, one of the older Kairos guys, and he picked them up from Cherie at her work yesterday. There’s a bunch more that need to be picked and a possible freeze on the way. However I must focus on writing about Kairos now. Can’t believe it’s already Thursday and I don’t have it done. Where does the time go? Have to fight to stay moving, the fatigue thing that’s a part of brain injury is always in the way. I’m not lazy, I get tired easy and must push through. Having a hard time keeping going as I type so perhaps I’ll get outside and do some physical work to get the blood moving. Problem with that is once I get going I keep going till I hurt too much and wear out so when I come back in I’m about done for. Need to find a balance here.