First Spanish Service...Nice "Birthday" Present!

NOTE: I wrote this back in October...not sure why it didn't post:

Wow, it really happened. Yesterday, we had our first Spanish service at my church, Landmark Tabernacle in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. I am elated. I got to preach and teach the entire plan of salvation to a woman who has come to church a few times before...but this time, in her own language! This is the life, y'all...there's nothing like working with souls. I have interpreted services into Spanish many, many times...it's something I did for years. But actually setting aside time to have services in Spanish--that's a new ball game...and a wonderful "birthday present", of sorts, also. today is the twenty-ninth anniversary of the night I went down in the waters of baptism in the precious name of Jesus! On October 17, 1976, a thirteen-year old boy from a nominally Presbyterian background became an Apostolic Pentecostal. I couldn't even pronounce the name of our religion yet! I can't tell you how thankful I am for the way God has kept me all these years. I'm feeling good and I'm counting my blessings, so forgive me if I seem to ramble--but this is the sweetest life. And in Jesus, the best is always yet to come!
In Love With Jesus,
Troy Fullerton

Literature Deprivation

Arrgghh! Poor me....woe is me! Life's circumstances at times provoke justifiable whining and self-pity. All week, I was anticipating the opportunity to read an essay from my AP on the subject of faithfulness at work. You know how it is when you go to the well and the well is dry...here I was, thirsty for words of wisdom and inspiration, eagerly anticipating a veritable FEAST of heightened understanding and enlightenment---only to find that the lights were never turned on! AYYYYY! What will I DO! I shall be reduced to reading cheap works of fiction by uninspiring, boring authors who have NOTHING to offer to humanity! What a weekend!

I'll get through it somehow,
Troy

This Week Was Not Greatly Improved

Okay, party's over, I guess. Harrumph. My illustrious accountability partner (Steve), in his ever-tactful, brotherly way, indicated that if I don't get a handle on my late-night Internet excursions (the one's that keep me up way past normal bed time and cause me to crash and burn the next day in the area of responsibility)--some restrictions were coming down. And because I don't lie to my brother (or anybody else for that matter), I'm about to get some "iron bars" set---but that's good, I guess.
In terms of everything else...I'd have to rate myself as "so-so"...not the best...and I have to face reality...tired bodies do not good enhance the responsible handling of life. Actually, I'm embarrassed (appropriately, I suppose) to have to face this down. Still, though, I'm glad I will be dealing with it. I need to.
I love my life, my family, my God, my church, my friends...and so much that I'm blessed with. I shudder to think of the dire results that come from slothfulness, according to the Word of God...I don't want to lose the good things God has blessed me with. I'm in business for myself now, so it's more important than ever.

Troy

The Number 17

I like the number 17. I don't know why. I used to like the number 7 best...guess because I thought God liked seven. So when and why the switch to 17? Dunno...but if I'm trying to wait and do something for "good measure", I'll like count to 17...or if that won't be enough, then I'll double it and do 34. I could be stirring something....and I'll think it's "about done", and give it another 17 swirls.
Silly? Perhaps...but I'm finding that consistency and predictability bring tranquility (whoa...that rhymed!). And even though this is a very small thing (and it is, I guess...some would even say it's too trifling to talk about)...I'm looking at it and thinking "why not"? Usually the way we are in one area of our life, we tend to be in others.
I'm some ways, I guess I still have vestiges of my "seven"-orientation at play. I'll often divide small things into seven steps, for example---and I still tend to think that a good list has fourteen things on it (double-seven). Okay, I'm weird...fair enough...but I rather like the way I'm gravitating over to 17. Call it a personal quirk, it's still a "touch-stone" of predictability.

Troy

Get Me To The Church On Time....PLEASE!

Okay, okay, I know. I'm the head of the household and it's my responsibility. NOW...ever try to rush two females? Scratch that...two females with hair to brush and fix, outfits to find/iron...etc? The results are similar to attempting to bathe the average cat.
Here's the scoop. I am determined to get the family to church on time (meaning pre-service prayer) , at least 90% of the time (hey, a ninety is an "A" in school, right?)--but my wife works third shift and often has trouble sleeping, and it's hard to get the rest of the family going. Here's what I think my responsibility in all of this is:

1. Stress the importance of it in daily conversation for a while...get my wife and daughter thinking about this.
2. Ask for their suggestions, then IMPLEMENT whatever they plan.
3. Get everybody moving earlier (even though I don't know so long as they do to be ready) and gently remind.
4. Subtley check the night before to be sure that the things they need are, in fact, available (stockings, hair brush, clean outfits).
5. To pray and seek the Lord for answers and for His blessing on my efforts at the above.

I think our efforts to get there have, in the past, been sabotaged by both disorganization and sloppy time-use habits. We're much better organized now, and time use is getting to be one of my (our) fortés lately, or so it seems...so this should be a self-eliminating problem.

Troy

Summertime Goals

The three greatest reasons for going into education are supposed to be love for the kids, enthusiasm about the subject matter, and desire to make a difference. Who's kidding whom? The three greatest reasons for going into edcuation are June, July, and August. As with anything, however, along with freedom comes responsibility. I must not, cannot, and refuse to waste this summer: too much is riding on the results of it.

My primary goals for this summer are these: to have the property in Wynnewood (both houses) fixed up and sold (or at least on sale), to move to the Quad City area if it's the Lord's will, to have my family's spiritual condition in a state of victory, and to have a teaching position for the fall. In addition to this, I want our organization and use of time, space, and belongings to be trucking along so we can set and meet other goals and be successful in our endeavors. Many of these things are well under way, and I'm pleased.

One of the smartest things I've done lately has been to honestly assess my time use and get my day divided according to my energy levels and responsibilities. Afterall, if you don't know where you're going, then how do you know what to do next? We've been seeking the Lord about whether or not to move, and I think I'm seeing my answer very clearly. We've got the yard very much under way at the Wynnewood property (mowing and such) and are just had a big trash bin set today to remove things from the house where the fire was, as well as other things...to get all the trash removed. I'm actively planning my time use according to my goals...it's been a little hard to get started, but I'm on track now.

Had Bible study tonight with the family...emphasizing daily prayer and Bible reading/study...I love the Lord...this is wonderful. Can't wait to see greater things.

Troy

Time Management

In my assigned readings from Time Management from the Inside Out, I'm gaining some new insight about prioritization. I can essentially boil down what Part Two said by saying that the author thinks we should all determine what is important to us and what our big-picture goals in life are. Then we need to plan activities that will carry us in that direction. Basically, it's not enough to be an efficient planner of time...we have to know where we're going in order to get there. That reminded me of the good things that have come from this acccountability partnership. I am, indeed, moving in the direction I want to go in.
It has been my goal to have a well-established, consistent prayer life. We're having a revival right now at church...and I feel like I've been to Heaven tonight. The church was literally saturated with the spirit of God. I've been in Pentecost for a lot of years, and service like this usually happen at camp meetings or something phenomenal. The point I'm driving at here, however, is that I'm not standing there thinking "oh, my, I've got to start praying." I've BEEN praying. Granted, I still want to do more...but the pattern is there...and I honestly feel like the Lord is answering some of my (and other people's) prayers right now...and that feels so good.
I could go on, but it's the same with other things too...since testing the waters and diving in to being accountable to a mentoring brother, I'm starting to reap the fruits of greater self-discipline, better habits, and more responsibility. I know Steven must get exasperated with me sometimes...I myself get exasperated with me...and I'm SURE not perfect yet. I regularly have to admit to areas where I'm not measuring up. But the point is, we're getting there. We're making progress. And BOY that feels good!

Troy

Domino Effect

Well, Steve...I hate to admit it...but it looks like we may have to re-instate accountability for getting adequate sleep. I admit I haven't been very responsible in that area lately. At any rate, it caught up to me the other night, and I think this is a good time to explore the "domino effect" of having one things out of kilter that causes other areas to sort of "crash".
I find that I have my best weeks and get the most accomplished when there is some consistent (there's that word again), routine regularity. When I get up at roughly the same time, take my medicine at the same time each day, am on track with my diet, get my vitamins at a particular time, and get adequate sleep (which for me isn't really too much...I really don't need eight hours a night), I find that I have even energy levels, feel good, can think clearly, and EVERYTHING else just tends to work. Well, I screwed that up recently...been off my diet, been getting to sleep way too late, and been "out of rhythm" for when I normally accomplish things. That makes it so when I DO have time to do things, I don't feel like doing them, can't think clearly, and can't predict when I'm going to have energy and when I'm going to be crashing.
A couple of days ago, I crashed. Thank God I've got a "cut day" planned into my schedule, because the other night, when I got home from work, I was edgy and couldn't relax, yet I was tired...SO tired...and couldn't concentrate well either. I decided to explore why...and that's when I realized that this whole thing started when I stayed up VERY late on a work night (not just talking to my AP, either) a couple of nights in a row. That, coupled with having my diet and other aspects of my routine all scrambled around made me feel cruddy and all out of sorts.
I went to bed a little early last night. Needless to say, I feel better already. I'll get back on my diet at supper time tonight, and get my vitamins and all back on a normal schedule....I can't stand too much more of this footloose and fancy-free stuff (A.K.A. irresponsible living habits).

Troy

The Painful Side Of Accountability

I don't know of anybody who gets involved with having a mentor or an accountabilty partner who isn't excited about it...or at least looking forward to the good things it has to offer. It seems that accountabilty partnerships go through an ackward stage at first...both partners are trying to feel each other out, both wondering how far to go, and neither one wanting to offend the other too badly. It's okay to take things slowly, to build trust, and to develop a real caring investment in your brother's success--that's all a part of building the relationship--but the real "nitty-gritty" stage, the part of the relationship that actually does the most good is what comes once that initial foundation is laid and you start to know each other's personalities, weaknesses, and quirks. Once you're comfortable enough with each other to ask the hard questions, and to be a little tougher about things, things get serious. It's a little embarrassing to have to admit that you haven't done what you committed to doing, that you've failed to follow through on your assignments, or that you've made the same old mistake...again. It's HARD to have to be honest and tell your mentoring brother about your mess-ups and indiscretions when you know you're going to be reproved, rebuked, corrected, and instructed in righteousness...and that's the way it should be. Whether it's comfortable or not, it's purifying, edifying, and beneficial.
Since being involved in my accountability partnership with Steve, I've got more consistency in my devotional life and being more consistently responsible on my job, and am taking better care of my personal life than EVER before...and that feels good. I'm actually becoming the responsible, in-control man that I always wanted to become--and that really does make it worth it. I sometimes feel sorry for Steve...he HAS to have a lot of patience to work with me. I teasingly tell him he's the "goody two-shoes" that "mamma always loved best"...because it seems like I've always overlooked something...--but the fact remains that it's worth it...we're getting there...and I'd recommend this to ANYone.