"JONAH" . . . . and other things of God!!!

I don't know which stories to start off with first or end on. So many things are happening with so little time to really think about it all.

Lets start off with the 3 Churches and Joel and I. As of Sunday we are offically the Lay-ministers. I don't have a dictionary definition for Lay for those that don't know but to my knowledge (and you can CORRECT me DAD BUTLER) but Lay-people are those that are not ordained or have not gone to school to be a pastor/minister. It is those that are in the church and step up to be a minister when there is not an "offical" one around. My parents for example are lay-ministers as well but have over the years become ordianed by the bishop.

Any way we have started the journay for these next three months of ministering to the three chruches. Can I tell you I already started to freak out. There is just a ton of stuff to lean on God for, to pray about, and to think about. I already feel over my head with one older gentlemen at one of the bible studies. (He just comes to our bible study because his church doesn't have one) Get this: He doesn't believe in dancing, whether to the Lord or other wise (uh-oh), He thinks Rap music is from the Devil (my own words) but he doesn't think we can use the culture of Rap or that kind to reach young people because it is not biblical.

You can imagine how the first bible study went with my parents. There was head butting and what not. I made a new rule in the bible studies, one I learned from our womens bible studies on the ship. If two people can't agree about a subject that is the homework for the week.

You know it really isn't bad that he doesn't believe in those things at all it is when he tells me I am "LESS of a Christ follower" or that "I don't really love Christ" because I do those things or believe those things. That is when it hurts and that is when I struggle. SO pray for me. I need God's wisdom but most of all GOd's love in my heart and forgiveness to love on this Man.

The second bible study wasn't sooooooooo bad (we have three, One for each church) I would like your input. I have until Next Wednesday to study. So a week from this wednesday. We couldn't agree, therefore it is our homework. It is Suicide; is it biblical. But We are going deeper than that. When you are terminally ill and are in so much pain is suicide okay. I said no, the older ladies said yes. I have a disadvantage being that I am young and have a limited prespective for I have not lived a full life and never been ill to the point of wanting to die. So any biblical points of view would be appreciated. I read the book "Same kind of Different as me" And it made me feel even more that suicide is wrong. Read it. It is a great book/tesimony.

Any way I feel over my head but at the same time called to what we are doing and know that it is almost good to feel over my head because I will lean on My Lord and Savior that much more. And I have and gotten some answers that even blew me away from Jesus.

Okay on to a more fun subject. JONAH!!!! Hehehe

Last week my dad came in with a Fish he just caught from the Lake. It was a beautiful fish. My little child came out when Dad brought it in. When I was growing up we would go fishing all the time. My dad being the biologist taught me how fun and fasinating the insides of a fish really are. Did you know that even when a fish is dead that the heart beats for a while after. And that you can see what the fish had for his last supper by cutting open his stomach AND you can see if the fish is a girl by knowing what her eggs look like on the inside. SO much fun I tell you.

When Dad brought up the fish I started being like a little kid again with my biologist dad. I first asked him to cut open the fih so I could see if the heart was still beating. It wasn't. I was a bit disappointed I wanted Joel to see. My next obeservation was that the fish had eggs. They are this pale yellow color. But my next question, which was the funniest of all was what did this fish have for it's last meal. My dad looked at the stomach from the outside and said "it looks like a menow" I was excited and watched my dad cut the stomach open. You wouldn't believe what happened next. Out popped a craw fish or a crawdad or a mudbug (as the Louisianians would know it) and it was ALIVE!!! He looked around stunned and shocked. I mean who wouldn't. I can only guess how Jonah felt when he was spit out of the whale. So we called him Jonah. I was so excited that I asked Joel to come with me so we could set this pour guy free in the lake. I was really suprised with the deadly bacteria in the fishes stomach that Jonah had survived this long. But dad explained it was his exoskeleton that probably kept him alive. Or for all of you: that is his hard shell on the outside with his soft body on the inside. We as humans have it opposite. Our skeleton is on the inside and our soft body are on the outside.

Anyway the following pic is Jonah. Isn't God great for such suprises as this.

We love ya'll. Please pray for us as we continue to walk out this life and our salvation with Fear and trembling.

LOVE LOVE LOVE,
Dess