The Life of Joseph: Finishing Well

Children's Story: Why are there so many pages in the Bible about Joseph? Joseph loved God and God was with him. Joseph loved people. Joseph forgave his brothers. He got to be 110 years old. He was a good example for us.

Dave Ens www.eastview.org
As a pastor I have the privilege of spending time with people in the last days of life. Christians have this beautiful clarity about God's love at such a time. The sense of shalom and dignity. So beautiful.

Joseph's story ends. Jacob's father comes into the picture. He wants to finish life well. 26% of Joseph's story is about death and dying. 3 chapters. Jacob's life had issues. Before his death he decided to finish well. Gen 48:1-4 Joseph and his sons cane to see him.
Rivalry can take over a team at the expense of the team. Dave's coach dealt with it. He made them run together for 2 hours. If you can't play together you will puke together.

Jacob reminded Joseph that he was here because of God's promises to Abraham. Often we look at individual accomplishments and idolize people. Too much confidence in ourselves.
Life starts with Jesus in the centre of our lives if we want balance in our lives.
Sometimes we think we need to take control of our lives and our spiritual journey.
It is God living through me. Gal 3:29 we are children of God through Christ.
Plans of people would turn against Joseph's family. Ps 146:4 don't trust princes. Trust God.
Are you striving to live on your own strength (Egyptian) or in God's strength? If you say YES to Christ you must say NO the idols of this life. You can't have it both ways.
When you live for Christ you will live with extravagant generosity. Because you know God will bless you. With abundance. You have the promise of God - what are you going to do with it?

You can listen to this series at www.EastView.org

The visits counter says 150 people read this blog every week. I wonder who and why?

Karl Kohut's Last Recital

At the University of Manitoba.
All those years of hard work and study came shining (ringing) (sparkling) through. I love the way he plays that base. So accomplished!
Pieces included:
The Visitation by Paul Chambers.
Ask me Now - one of the best songs ever written for bass.
Fresh and lively arrangements and original compositions. Enjoyable.

Karl's compositions:
The Hourglass - an odyssey through life.
The Double K - Exuberant fun.

Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat - Rainbow Stage

We bought 17 tickets for Justin's 27th birthday.
My impressions and notes:
Very musical and imaginative.
When Potipher's wife tried to seduce Joseph he said: Please stop I don't believe in free love
In jail he sings: Do what you want with me, Children Of Israel are never alone. We have been promised a land of our own. In a dream sequence Joseph is encouraged to keep hope.

The amazing music of Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber 60 voice children's choir was well choreographed

People who saw this production several years ago, say this one is quite different.

Elvis Pharaoh sings about the 7 fat and 7 skinny cows. This was over the top.

JoJo became #2 and got all dressed up.

Those Canaan Days we Used to Know" song did not make much sense. Maybe Joseph and his entertaining dreams were not so bad.

When the brothers show up at Joseph's palace, they say honesty is our middle name.
When Benjamin is found guilty the brothers sing not he - but we are the guilty ones. Show him some mercy Oh mighty One please.
Now Joseph knew they were honest and he introduced himself to them.
When Joseph meets his father his father bows down to him. Then Joseph bows to his father.

May I return to the beginning. The world and I are still waiting. Any dream will do! Such a dazzling Coat of Many colors. There is one more angel in heaven one more star in the sky. Joseph's dreams will never die!

If there is a criticisim it would be that are too many styles of music for one show, but it makes for variety.

Fabulous! Don't miss it. They refer to the Bible frequently so hopefully some people will go home and read theirs.

The Life of Joseph: Say what you Mean, Mean what you Say!

Children's story about Joseph keeping his promises was very well done. Each of the children got candies and a small bag of wheat.

Pastor Delbert Enns www.Eastview.org

The 235 DVBS children made blankets to be send to Africa. Pictures on-line.

What are you willing to do for ten million dollars? abandon family church give away their children?
What if you found a $10 bill what would you do? Give it away to someone as an act of kindness?

A young man called his employer anonymously asking if they needed an honest hard working man. The answer was no, they already have one.

Why should we believe in Jesus? Christ's followers: Say what you Mean, Mean what you Say!
People are walking away from Christ because so many Christians do not. Mean it speak it. People want authenticity and quality.
Integrity is not possible by living a man-made code of ethics. Joseph is proof of that.
4 spheres of life that overlap.
1. Personal
2. Family
3. Work place
4. Spiritual
Unless Jesus is in the center these 4 spheres will not come together.
Integrity is a word that comes from Latin- sine sera without wax.
Potipher trusted Joseph completely. The jailer trusted him.
3 attributes of Joseph s integrity
1. Joseph did not use others for his own advantage. The great depression gave Joseph the opportunity to take advantage of others. Do we enjoy seeing others fail? 600b$ Lehman Bros. bankruptcy gave the Media a big story.
2. Joseph acted with mercy and fairness. Did he? Bring me your money animals and land and he fed them. When the famine was over he gave them their land back and taxed them only 20%
3. Integrity won the respect of the people. They were happy to be Pharaoh's servants. Does your work place integrity give you respect?

I can't be like Joseph? Are you happy satisfied w your life? Ph 2:6 Jesus gave up divine privileges and died a criminal's death on the cross. God elevated Jesus to the highest level. Only Jesus can make you everything God wants you to be.
How do we finish our race well? Jesus gives a new lease on life. The life we have received is for us to give away. Only then will we find it.
Invite Jesus in.

High Seas Expedition DVBS

This is the ship that was built for DVBS. More than 200 kids came to hear the gospel every night during this last week.

Pastor Delbert Enns www.Eastview.org

Discovery Church - Orange Ave Orlando

6:30 PM "Status" Youth Service very informal
Anne Alexander just got back from Cambodia. They spent time with rescued sex trafficked workers, took them to the beach, fed them seafood, and presented then with care letters from the people at discovery Church. It was incredible.
Got a letter back from them that was very encouraging.
Our team saw miraculous things and some very difficult things. Here we are so safe, to hear their stories is hard. A mother brought her 5 year old that had been rescued from the brothel. World Hope International works with this rescue effort.

Is anyone's life different because of meeting together here? Kyle talked about his friend who lost his dad 4 years ago. He had lost his job and quit going to church until Kyle invited him.

Pray that we would live out what God wants in us. We love you Lord.

Sack Improv Comedy Club. The first thing they teach you to do is to quit thinking. That's hard to do because of insecurity we always filter everything we say and do. Today we are talking about Pride.
the cure for Pride, is to do something crazy no one expects you to do.
The pious need nice robes to cover their nudity.
Pride is haughtiness arrogance highness swelling when applied to self.
God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. When we come to place of humility we allow God to sweep us in the direction of his grace and abundance. The beauty of the life he has planned for me. Relinquish ourselves to Christ. Sit with people and be honest share the truth of our brokeness. That gives freedom and beauty.
2 Cor 12 Keep from being conceited. There is a strange paradox with God. To become strong with God we yield to him in our weakness and brokeness. Our strength flows from the heart of God.
Uzziah become powerful and then decided he had the right to be a priest all by himself. That led to his downfall.
In January the speaker took on this ministry position and now recognizes that God is doing something bigger than him.
Don't forget the blessings of God who provides something big.
David said he had a slingshot and God. With that he defeated Goliath. God was his shield.
If you are feeling prideful try living a larger life. God created You for something bigger.
Become a Servant like Jesus. Jesus could have used his skills and knowledge to become a governor or Pharisee. Jesus spent his time with unskilled people and ministered to the outcasts and washed their feet of his followers.
Phil 2:3-11 Jesus sacrificed himself.
Jesus sat with an outcast woman and talked about true worship. No pretense
Stop trying so hard to please the world. Float with the grace of God
Stop trying to impress the world.
Allow God to lift you to new heights.
Songs
When death will be no more your bride will come together and all will be new
You make beautiful things.
Oh Christ be the center of our lives. You hold everything together.

More Star Wars Fans

Fans in Costume

Mark Hamill line up

They have room for only 2,000 fans to hear Luke Skywalker from Return of the Jedi! All these people are in line for a wrist band that will serve as the admission ticket. Some of them have been in line since early this morning for the 2:30 show.

The One Man Star Wars Show

Charlie Ross from Canada does a fabulous one man star wars show with sound effects and all. This is the line up to get into the theatre.
Celebration V - tomorrow The Daily Show's Jon Stewart will interview George Lucas. To get into Celebration Theatre, fans are expected to line up all night. Not me!

We have arrived in Orlando

For STAR WARS

Ethiopia - the land of the Lion of Judah and the Ethiopian eunoch

Certainly the most participatory Folklorama pavilion. 3D surround dancing and freshly roasted and brewed coffee from the land of its origin. Mayor Sam Katz participated in one the dances.
Ethiopian food is THE BEST.
This is the first time the oldest civilisation in the world participated in Folklorama.

The small town of Lalibela in Ethiopia is home to one of the world's most astounding sacred sites: eleven rock-hewn churches, each carved entirely out of a single block of granite with its roof at ground level.

Ukrainian LVIV Pavilion

Alayna's Last Week after 6? years of effort. Bittersweet. All good things must come to an end.

The End of An Era at LVIV

Alayna is doing her last week of performances at Folklorama. If you have not seen her perform, now is the time. There are 3 (6:45 8:15 9:45) performances each night at the Ukrainian Cultural Centre (corner of McGregor and Pritchard)until Saturday.
Later this month Alayna is planing to move to Toronto for her next year of University.

Tonight the show opened with the Dance of the Violins by the Yunisk ensemble. That was followed by a ''famous" soloist and other dances.
The fiddle group Northstar performed several numbers.

The Life of Joseph: Identity Disclosure

Pastor Delbert Enns www.Eastview.org
Welcome
We are at a turning point in the story of Joseph.
We went on a road trip stood on the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial where Dr Martin Luther King delivered his "I have a dream" speech. That speech changed America. It was a pivotal point in the life of America.

Joseph was the 1st born of Joseph's favorite wife and he was sold by his jealous brothers. Joseph could have considered himself a victim. Today we have a culture of victimhood.
Joseph refused to be a victim. He had a dream in the midst of scars. He had the ability to see beyond his circumstances and scars. Gen 45:1 - God sent me to keep you alive. God made me governor of Egypt - not you.

Challenge:
When we are confronted with injustice, our true colors come out. We need a vision 50-20 - God is making things good in spite of evil.
God has the power to transform human evil to divine good.

Joseph means remover or increaser. He was now 42 years old. He removed the pain of rejection. The family was restored. The removal of hostility.
The Norwood family lived a godly Christian life. Their youngest daughter Joy (4)was killed in a hit and run. Could they continue to love God? ''The Heart of Texas". When they found that a family friend inadvertently did it, they forgave. Mr. Norwood prayed for his friend.

The sculptor needs the hammer and chisel. And polishing tools.

We all have scars. How can God use your scars to help others? To console others.
The greatest story of forgiveness is the Jesus story. Father forgive them. Jesus knew that freedom comes for those who believe in him.
Turn my scars and pain into something beautiful.
Phil 2:15 shine like lights without complaining.

Mexico: Folklorama 2010

The sights and sounds of Mexico are truly mesmerizing. The colors and variety of costumes and dancers are amazing! More color and professional action than any other Pavilion! Too bad this is the last performance of the year. If you missed this, you'll have to wait till next year!

Chilean Pavilion

We went there for the Pisco Sour and enjoyed a very good show. The singing group formed in 1967 in Santiago Chile.
The headliner performances came from Polynesian Easter Island, one of the most mysterious places on earth. How were those ancient peoples able to transport and erect those impressive statues there?
The layer cake was exceptional.
Next week there is a Chile Lindo pavilion.

Hungaria Pavilion Folklorama 2010

The Hungarian greeting "lsten Hozta" means God brought you here.
Karpat Hungarian Folkdancers entertains audiences all over North America. Karpat@mts.net
26 Hungarian scientists have become Nobel prize laureates. Budapest University is the oldest technological university in the world.
Excellant food, music, and dance.
Transylvania is part of traditional Hungary. 2/3 of Hungary was given to neighbouring countries after WW1.

Kyiv Ukraine Pavillion

Absolutely First Class in every way. From costumed greeters along the waiting line, to fabulous cultural displays, terrific food, world class music and dancing - what is not to love about this Venue! Certainly a must see! What a way to celebrate Easter in August! More than 200 trained and costumed volunteers help to make this a spectacular event.

Jack Welsh Leadership Summit interview

Leaders need to Energize. Energy is not enough. Spinning wheels does not work.

A leader needs to draw out the wisdom of all the smart people. If 2 or 3 buy into your ideas stay at it till everyone is in.

Authenticity. Candor. Speaking truth. Get feelings on the table. Cut bureaucracy.

Differentiation. Top 20%, 70% Vital people, and 10% are losers.
Pay must be based on value contribution. Sports teams differentiate. Is winning good? You compete for a share of the pie. Candor must be driven in. Conversation should let me know where I stand. Most people spend all their time fixing the bottom 10. Fire them.
The top 20% are A's
They energize. They have a gene that says "I love to see people grow". They celebrate their people. They hire great people. They don't have envy.
B's the vital 70%. Hard working but not as gifted as the A's. The challenge is to nurture the top of the B's to become A's. Use a red pen during the appraisal.
C's are a pain in the arms. Negative. Acidic and disruptive. Antagonize. Boss haters you may have to tolerate them but shape them up because they are smart. Candor is OK. Back Corner Whisperer is someone you need to get rid of. Stop the after the meeting meetings.
The top 20 you pay them all you can. Who are you to evaluate people into 20-70-10? Is there a better way? Tell me if there is.
Could you have grown GE without 6 figure salaries? No.
How does a church compensate their top leaders? Those people made that choice. Outcomes come from choices. Non-profit does not mean non-Performance.

Biggest failure? We act too slowly. We don't want to break the glass because there might be potential fallout. But Fallout happens anyway.
Gridlock happens.

Succession planning. You did it well. How do you pass the baton?
What's the process? Started 8 years before retirement. One of the long shots won in the end. You never know how someone will perform at the next level.

Celebrations. Leaders must celebrate small victories. Every budget has some slush.

Personal. Health scare. Spent 104 days in the hospital because of staff infection. Asked Pastor Bill to "Toss one north for me." (pray)

Did that open up your heart? Open to the next leg of my Journey. I'm going to church all by myself.

Never, ever, ever, give up on somebody. What can happen when God gets a hold of your loved ones. Listen to God's whisper.

Daniel Pink: How to motivate people

Stick or carrot? Eliminate commissions? That's radical. Basic salary and then give profit share at year end.
Often we make wrong assumptions. Humans are semi-sophisticated robots? Not true. Humans are blobs? Passive and inert. Not true.
Our nature is to be active and engaged. Find me a 2 or 4 year old who is inert. There are some things that can make some people inert over time.
What works? What creates enduring motivation? Autonomy Mastery Purpose AMP
1. Autonomy- Management. Not a river tree or mountain. It's technology from the 1850s what are we doing? Mgmt is designed to get Compliance. But we want engagement. Who is your best boss?
Someone who gives you Autonomy over Time, Team, Task, Technique -that leads to engagement.
An Australian SW company has FedEx days where people can invent stuff for 20% of their time
Gmail was a 20% free time project.
How do you make this work?
Create Scaffolding. Help them with a FedEx day. 20% time with training wheels stabilizers. Start with 10% time for cool stuff
AMP
2. Mastery. Someone somewhere is playing a bassoon. Why? Because it's fun. What motivates people to work? The days when people make progress. It is free. Flow is the delicious part of our time when we lose track of time and get positive feedback. It is hard to get them at work. Performance review is bad theatre.
Take your performance review into your own hands. Set your goals at the beginning of the month. Review.
3. Purpose. We are seeing the limits of the profit motive. It is not the kind of thing that makes people race to work. People need to be motivated by Something larger than yourself. Do people use We or They in their conversations? "We" organizations will grow.
Can I change my organization? No. Can I change what I do tomorrow? Everything starts with Conversation. That's what changes the world.

W.L. Gore Global Leadership Summit

2.5B$ @ year sales
CEO Terry
Create the right foundation and values. The Gores learned from DuPont creating personal relationships so people don't feel like numbers.
What's different? Peer based organization to make everyone a success. People are vested to feel part of the whole. On demand hierarchy. Decision making shifts depending or who is best qualified to make a decision based on knowledge.
Ladder vs. Lattice organization everyone connects with everyone else. We don't tell people what to do or where. Leaders have to direct through influence. The energy has to shift to the people.
How do you prevent the herding cats problem> Jake the long term foundation I. Belief in to individual 2. Small teams. 3. All in the same boat. Our success is collective. 4. Long term View - not only profit- are we helping the Community.
How does my idea get funded? Convince others. What is your passion? Peer review process allows ideas to bubble up. The teams decide where they can make the greatest impact. Everyone likes to be viewed as making the greatest impact and gets paid on peer review. People can drive their Passion.
More coaches than bosses. Everyone has a personal sponsor. To help that person grow. To be successful is so important. The sponsor really helps every one. That has been extremely effective.
Maximum 250 people per plant. 18 plants in 25 miles. Small plants allow team work. Collaboration
It is scaleable with a Core set of Values. Beliefs are transferable. Hiring is critical. Spend a lot of time with behavioral interview. Does the person's values fit into your organization?
What is the waterline principle? No manuals.
Waterline the ship analysis. don't drill holes below the water line.
Leadership defined by followership. You are only a leader if you have followers. Because you have unique skills. Spend more time explaining yourself reaching out bringing the culture to life.
What does the CFO do? Stay out of the way. Encourage change while staying true to our Values. Over 50% the associates say they are leaders.

Global Leadership Summit: Dr Peter Zhau Xiao

He did a study of Market Economies with churches vs. without churches.

This is the first time a Chinese Christian has had the opportunity to stand on a world stage like this.
You must lead people in the RIGHT direction.

In the last 500 years the Protestant revolution has been a most significant change.
Now China has come back. Over the last 5000 years China has been the largest economy 90% of the time.
Now China has dramatic economic growth. By the end of this year China will become the 2nd largest economy in the world. Not necessarily taking a leadership position. China has moral and environmental problems. There is no China dream. No moral leadership. There is an American dream. It includes Christian values. That generates respect. China needs to embrace Christian Values.
Thank you for all the Christian missionaries that have helped China over the years. By 1949 there were 1,000,000 Christians. God does not cease working. Mao thought he cleaned China of Christians. There are now 18-130,000,000 Christians in China. Soon China will be the largest Christian nation in the world.
There are only 2 transformations - one with the cross, one without.
America has built a city on a hill, shining the light in Asia. S Korea, Taiwan, Singapore have become Christian missionary sending countries.
China absorbs all cultures. China will integrate Christian culture.
China is chasing the market civilization. Soon they will build on the Christian faith with harmonious love society. Christian entrepreneurs keep one set of books.
China is being transformed by the cross. A Chinese "Mayflower" has set sail. China is becoming a new city on the hill as a light to be a blessing to the whole world.

A leadership that will bless the world.

You are invited to bless this process. We fear change. That's normal. Don't fear China. Help them become mature. God has given us the opportunity to influence China today and bless the future world.

Leadership Summit: Adam Hamilton

When Leaders Fall.
In a survey of 1000s of pastors 30% admitted to sexual impropriety. There is no one size fits all to prevent this. We believe in redemption. How do we deal with this?
4 options:
1. Say nothing
2. Be Evasive
3. Denounce and distance
4. Transparency Grace Openness Integrity and Compassion Trust Consequences. Church exists for broken people. Pray for them. Deal with how we all fail.
Are you going to be a Pharisee? Can you cast a stone?
That's the kind of church people want to be part of. Policies. If it smells like a date it is. Don't do it.

Do the Sex talk twice a year.
We are wired for reproduction. Companionship. We also have the sin drive, and that leads to self destruction. Prone to wander.
Picture sin in the most disgusting terms. The dog roots in the cat's litter box. It's easy to start flirting with exciting co-workers. The moment of the maybe- you play with it in your mind. That's where the slide starts.
Don't let the devil ride, cause he is going to want to drive. Say no.
There are seasons of love in life. That's life.
5 sin resisting rules:
1. Remember who you are - a child of the king.
2. Recognize the consequences - will I feel better later?
3. Stop drop and pray. God please help me.
4. Reveal your struggle to a trusted friend
5. Remove yourself from the situation. Better to enter the kingdom of heaven than stay where you are.
Don't shoot the wounded. Welcome the sinner coming home. God is the God of the 2nd chance. Offer yourself to God. I rededicate myself to you.

Leadership Summit 2010 Football Coach Tony Dungy

Family and mentoring associates is more important than drive. Passion is important, but good family life is more important. Tom Landry was always under control and was a good mentor from afar.
Mentor someone today.
That sounds intimidating. Find out how you con help someone.
Quotes from the Mentor Leader book:
How you do your job has always been more important than what you do.
You don't win on emotion - you win on execution.
Character is tested, revealed, & further developed by the decisions we make in the most challenging times. We have to know what is right and we have to choose to do it.

Who is Christ to you? He came to die for me!

Global Leadership Summit: Jim Collins

Good is the enemy of Great
Why do some Companies move from Good to Great?
To be a Great Nation we must have great social systems.

But How Do The Mighty Fall? If it happens to others it can happen to us. Anyone can fall.
Sometimes an organization can be sick on the inside, but look strong on the outside.

5 stages of decline. Largely self inflicted.

1. Outrageous arrogance to neglect our calling. Just because we have good intentions does not mean we cannot make bad decisions.

Darwin Smith paper company CEO. No social skills. Made the company grow.

The Xerox CEO was magnetic. Inspiring. Never sought the role. An accidental CEO.

Southwest Airlines. Not a normal CEO. He was a weird one. When the going gets weird the weird become CEO. Why do they win? Commitment. Level 5 leader vs. Level 4

Humility makes the difference. That's the data. Do whatever it takes no matter the pain.

2. Overreaching -undisciplined pursuit of more. Packards law - too few good people. Are the seats filled with good people? Get the right people on the bus then figure out where to drive.

3. Culture of denial of risk and peril. Are your teams on the way up or on the way down. Where are you?

Admiral Stockdale "In Love And War". He never got depressed because he never wavered convinced that he would get out. The optimists did not survive. Never confuse faith and facts.

4. Grasping for salvation. Denied peril and they fell. Looking for a silver bullet. It is never a single event. Disciplined people taking disciplined action. Turn upon turn it is a leadership wheel. 5% better each year.

5. Capitulation. It is over. Out of choices and options.

18 visionary companies from 1989 are still going strong as independent companies. Why? They had a reason to endure. They knew why they existed. Driven by purpose beyond money.

4 people in Japan had a vision for quality and raising the living standards.

If we lose our values we lose everything. Consistency and change. Preserve the core and stimulate progress. Have a dream. Big hairy audacious goals.

10 To Dos

1. Do diagnostics www.JimCollins.COM

2. Count your blessings in a spreadsheet and make it at least 100.

3. Ask the right questions. Be interested.

4. How many of our key seats have good people in them?

5.

6. In your next meeting create a list of of all the brutal facts.

7. How many people have a to do list? A STOP Do List is much more important.

8. Define results and milestones. Clicks on the flywheel

9. Double your reach to young people.

10. Have Big hairy audatious goals.

Peter Drucker wrote most of his books after age 85

So never capitulate. Never give in. You will have setbacks. Build a great business. Create your own future. Form alliances. Never give up on your Core Values.

Hybels Leadership Summit

1. Leaders move people from Here to There. That can be tough. Hot vision. People don't want to move There. Crank up the vision. There is bliss on a stick.
To get people to move, make Here sound awful. Dr Martin Luther King made 100s of speeches about we can't stay Here before he made his "I have a dream" There speech. Staying Here breaks the heart of God.

2. It takes Fantastic people to help us move from Here to There. Sure would be wonderful if it would be Automated. Not really. It is a joy to work with fantastic people. 3Cs Character Chemistry Competence Culture - what kind of person flourishes on our team? High challenge, a mission to lay down our lives. Sacrifice is normal at Willow. Attract people who will flourish in your culture. When someone resigns is it relief or sorrow or disaster (vomit)? Ask how would you respond if any one staff members resigned. Sit down with your fantastic people and tell them so. It might get sloppy.
The holy challenge is to assemble fantastic people that fit into you culture.

3. Mile markers and Celebrations. Where on the journey from Here to There are people most vulnerable? You can lose it if not careful. Runners lose it in the middle 3rd. When you see people lose steam refill the Vision bucket. Every bucket leaks. Celebrate every mile marker along the way. What keeps people on the journey is the hope they'll get There some day. Celebrate the 1/2 way There marker. 40% difference between an inspired team member and non-enthusiastic person.

4. Whispers from God. Ask God. What is His script? Start One. Serve pastors. Help, serve, strengthen. God still speaks - he tries to speak to you every day. If you felt God transmitting to you are you willing to make sure your antenna is good? God is on your left, your right, in front, and behind. You don't have to do it alone.
The smartest moves you will ever make will be directions from God's whispers. You are a treasured child of the most high God.
Don't quit.
Step up.
Take the risk.
Apologize.
Make the tough decision.
Get help.
Stop running from God.
Slow down.
Show your heart.
Let others lead.
Feed your soul.
Bless the team.
Mark the ask.
Impact someone.
Come clean.
Embody the vision.
Count your blessings.
Set the pace.
Give your best.
Pray.

Raymond Dueck
204.782.2112
Raymond@V-Bins.com

Folklorama 2010 Sudanese

New Pavilion - interesting food. Enthusiastic Community. They did a demonstration of a bridal dance from northern Sudan. Sudan has 400 tribes and languages. It is the largest country in Africa. They had civil war for 50 years, until the Canadian army stepped in to restore peace and democracy in 2005. It is an oil rich country.

Folklorama 2010 Paraguay

Lots of Paraguayan Mennonite volunteers to run the pavilion including sales of Yarba Mate and the associated paraphernalia. The Paraguayan Mennonite lady that sold the one Paraguayan alcoholic drink was very eager to sell her delicious "Aristocrata" rum.

Performances included the Guarani scantily clad forest dance followed by the Paraguayan national celebration feast. That included cowboys and bottle dancers. This lady danced with a stack of 12 bottles on her head. Everything was well choreographed and professionally performed.

Go see it. It's worth the trip to "The Heart of South America"

Polish Pavillion Folklorama 2010

Good dances, good music, good food. CTV and the Polish news from NYC were there. Don't miss this one!
One of the dance groups has travelled the world and won prestigious awards.

Folklorama 2010 is Here!

WARNING - Whatever you do, do NOT go to the Cuban pavilion. The dancing is lackluster at best, but they have no idea how to operate a sound system. Volume all the way up and the speakers go into a loud wail, with NO music coming out of them. Could not hear a word the MC tried to say and could not distinguish any music. I held my ears shut with my fingers, but my ears are still ringing 20 minutes after the show.

RWB in the Park

Thursday turnout was one of the largest crowds we have ever seen at Assiniboine Park

Fun At The Rodeo

In Morris

Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

Forgiveness - Matt 18:21-35
Riverton Gospel Chapel Pastor Don Brynteson

Mark 4:14 The farmer sows the Word. We are all sowers.
Mark 11:25 forgive so your Father in heaven may forgive you
Mark 2:5 Son your sins are forgiven this is God's Word to as today. God did something at the cross.

1. God forgiving us Matt 18:21-35
Peter asked: Should we forgive 7 times? (3 was considered generous) Jesus said - 77 times. Then he told a parable. the point of the story- we owe a debt to God's judicial system that we can't pay. In the O.T. the Jews were required to make more than 1,000 sacrifices a year of the best of the herd. Jesus is the Lamb of God - God in the flesh - his sacrifice was for us. Without defect. Each animal was accepted by God to atone for each worshipper. Leviticus 4:13 bring a young bull -lots of details about atonement and forgiveness.
Jesus is our priest and our sacrifice. We had a debt we could not pay. Jesus paid. Ps 103:12 as far as the east is from the west so far our sins have been removed. Erased. Gone. Not remembered.
Jesus told the lame man - your sins are forgiven. Heb 8:12 God will forgive when we come to Christ, recognize our sins and identify with Christ. We need to receive his forgiveness and cultivate an ongoing Christian life. I am crucified with Christ and resurrected to live with him. Heb 10:11-14 we are made perfect. If we only sinned once a week for 60 years, we would need to be forgiven more than 3,000 times. Jesus paid it all.

2. We forgive others. Corrie ten Boone was arrested. She managed to smuggle her Bible in to prison. Corrie spoke about forgiveness years later in a church when a former guard came to greet her. She prayed to forgive and God gave her the strength to forgive.
Resentment is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
Forgive and forget does not work. Satan will keep reminding us. At such times pray, Lord I have chosen to forgive help me forget.

Song: Jesus all for Jesus.