ON….WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG?

I was only six or seven when Uncle Henry and Aunt Gerry came down to Friendship, Maine for a visit. It was summertime and Uncle Henry had this beautiful Cutlass Oldsmobile, a gold one with white leather interior, if I remember correctly. It had power windows and a radio with premium sound! There was a stick on the floor and even the steering wheel tilted!

The day they arrived, I had been suffering with such a terrible toothache in one of my back teeth. I remember dad saying to me, “Son, if you go brush your teeth real good it might help.” I did and it didn’t! He then told me to take a toothpick and dig into the cavity, perhaps there is candy or something in it causing the pain! I couldn’t find a toothpick, but I did find one of mom’s sewing needles. So I commenced to diggin’! HOLY LIGHTNIN’ PEEKER! WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION! DID THAT EVER HURT!! I apparently hit a nerve that sent shock waves through my little body! Then I had this real throbbing pain worse than before that lasted the rest of the day! I remember a voice saying to myself, “Don’t you ever let a needle enter your mouth ever again!! I was able to go to sleep that night with an asprin crushed and packed into the cavity.

When I awoke in the morning the pain was gone.

We had a wonderful visit with my Aunt and Uncle Gillen. I remember when they got ready to leave that dad said, “We’ll not be too far behind you because we are coming up to Mars Hill next week!” Aunt Gerry said you should let Stevie come with us and let him stay at our place. He’ll be able to play with Kerry and Sandy! I got all excited. Mom and dad agreed and before long I was jumping into that beautiful Oldsmobile. We didn’t get very far from Friendship when that tooth began to ache again. Aunt Gerry said, If it is still aching when we get to Mars Hill, I’m taking you to my dentist to get that seen to! He may have to give you a needle for freezing! HOLY LIGHTNIN’ SHIVERS!! I said to myself, I’M NOT GOING TO NO DENTIST! I’ve already experienced one needle and that was enough!! I don’t recall the tooth aching again or if it did I just ignored it and I certainly didn’t inform Aunt Gerry!

For many years I suffered with a lot of toothaches neglecting my teeth and not taking care of them properly! I brushed, but certainly not the way I should have. Mom and dad did take me to the dentist when I was in my teens and at that time I had a lot of work done. Cavities were filled and teeth were pulled but, none the less, I always dreaded my appointment day. On the trip from Hoyt to Fredericton to Dr. Wade’s office, I always prayed that the car would break down so I would miss the appointment. Needless to say my teeth have been left in poor condition for many years because of my dread of going to the dentist. Up until this year I continued to suffer from time to time and often just tolerated the pain. I am now 54.

This year all that changed!

Just in the last few months I have made five trips to the Dentist and next Tuesday I go again. I’m not sure how many more trips I need to make to get all this mess resolved. But what I do know, today, is that I have lost a fair amount of days of my life of quality living because of tooth pain! Since these recent trips I have said to Esther so many times, “Why have I waited so long?” Today all the bad cavities are gone and what I notice most of all is that now, with the cold weather, I can go outside in the cold and I feel NO PAIN!! This makes me so happy especially when I am plowing snow!

There are people who suffer so much pain needlessly! It may or may not be dental pain. It could be pain in another part of your body.  It could even be the pain of a broken heart or the pain of mental anxiety or sadly, the pain you feel when you see a family member walking a road to their own destruction with drugs and alcohol.

I remember the song, “What a Friend we have in Jesus” that talks about the peace we often forfeit, and the needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in Prayer.

I want to encourage you today to go to a place where there is freedom from pain! I’m not talking about the medicine chest! I’m talking about going to the One who was born in a Manger over 2000 years ago! His Word says that He came to earth and He suffered such pain and misery. And He did it in our place! He did it for YOU! Did you get that? HE TOOK YOUR PLACE!

I remember in the mid 80’s when Esther was so tormented with migraine headaches. They would literally disable her for several days leaving her so sick and weak until one day Mildred Moore, a lady in our church, came to the parsonage and said to her, Enough is enough! And she prayed a simple prayer saying, “Jesus you already took the pain for Esther when you went to the cross of Calvary and right now we accept what you did for her and we ask that she be healed in Jesus’ Name!” My wife will tell you that she has NEVER experienced a migraine since that day! And that was some twenty-seven years ago!

Here is the key…..You must decide to go to Jesus Christ just like I’ve decided to go to the dentist after all these years. Go with FAITH in His Word and declare it! Go ahead and speak His Word over your situation! “Lord Jesus…You bore this pain in my place and I thank You for doing that for me! And today, by the stripes that were laid upon your back…I KNOW I AM HEALED!!!”

You will be blessed when the relief from pain comes and you will say just like I am saying, “WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG?!”

Ten Reasons I Believe in Youth Camp

Written by Buddy Thompson
Virginia District Youth President

I recently read an article by Tommy Burchfield entitled “Why I Believe in Summer Camps” and it caused me to think back on my many years of camp experiences, not only as a camper, but what have observed in almost 20 years of working as a staff member of our youth camps.  As the school year finally draws to an end, the anticipation of summer vacation by the students cannot be overstated. Summertime fun - with no teachers and homework! Summer offers a large chunk of time to teenagers and children.  But along with the "lazy days" of summer comes a great opportunity to reach out to the real needs facing our Pentecostal youth.  This "opportunity" is what I call “youth camp.”  Youth camp is a prime time to reach teens for God and to solidify the youth in your church.  When I was a boy, camp was not optional – you went to youth camp. J

#1 - Youth Camp Is Evangelistic

I received the holy ghost at camp.  Many of you did, too.  Perhaps the greatest reason of all is the evangelistic impact it can have on the unsaved kids connected to your church. Christian Camping International (CCII) released an interesting statistic not long ago stating that out of all the evangelical pastors in america, 52% met Jesus at a summer camp.  How many of our Pentecostal pastors can say the same thing?  From generation to generation, summer youth camps have provided a way for kids to find a fresh (and often a first) anointing of the Holy Ghost. 

#2 Youth Camp Provides Growth
Youth camp is a training place where teens are "taught" to have fun the right way. Campers "see" that you don't have to be “cool” in order to develop a relationship. Campers "see" and "hear" a camp staff that displays Christ like character in serving without complaining. Campers "see" that those of the opposite sex are persons to respect as brothers or sisters in the Lord. Camp is a place where probably more is "taught" and "preached" through lifestyles than through the sermons.

#3 Youth Camp Provides Relationships
Some of the most long-lasting friendships are made at youth camp. They can start as soon as a camper arrives -- in those first few exchanges when trying to find a space in the dorms! Sharing the experience of youth camp together provides a springboard into a lifetime of fond memories with others. Email addresses, phone numbers, addresses are exchanged…with other Apostolic youth! Those are the kinds of relationships I want our church youth group to have. My friendships from camp are among the strongest that I have.

#4 Youth Camp Provides Encouragement
Do you have any idea how uplifting it is to a teenager to be with other teens who are also trying to live for God?  Campers from small churches get much needed fellowship.  Campers that are struggling find strength among the committed majority.  Campers that face complex issues at home find support among peers that care. After a school year that often includes rejection and ridicule for living by God’s principles, camp can be a tremendous dose of encouragement! 

#5 Youth Camp Ministers to the Entire Person
At camp, the spirit of the camper is nourished and fed with the anointed preaching of the Word of God. The camper's soul -- the mind and emotions -- is ministered to through the teaching of the Word and through small group meetings. The camper's body is ministered to through well-balanced, nutritious camp food (ok, ok – 2 out of 3 ain’t bad!). The group sports activities (basketball, softball, flag football, etc.) As well as individual activities (swimming, camp olympics, etc.) Make up for what lacks in the camp food. J 

(what would a youth camp article be without a shot at the camp food?)

#6 Youth Camp Is Fun
We laugh ourselves silly, play till we are wore completely out, swim in an awesome pool, and even have fun when we think we are bored.  What more can I say?

#7 Youth Camp Gives Momentum
Momentum is what carries a church youth group through to victory. It places the drive and focus back into a weary youth ministry. The momentum I am describing cannot come by the arm of the flesh. It can only come by the Spirit of God (Zechariah 4:6). The Holy Ghost ignites the flame with a simple spark and before you know it, the entire group is on fire for God. Time after time at the camp altar I have seen God put fire back in a lifeless youth group!

#8 Youth Camp Provides Tradition
Camp provides a "spiritual landmark" that every camper feels when they drive up the main road. They see the buildings where they were forever changed the last time they were at the altar. Exodus 20:24 states that if we build an altar, God will meet us there. Something very spiritual happens at a place where you have encountered God. That place becomes forever locked in the archives of your mind. I can still remember the “traditions” of my early camp years.

#9 Youth Camp Provides Bonding
There is nothing quite like the experience of having gone through a youth camp together with not only a friend, but also the church youth group. The bonding and acceptance that takes place tightens relationships within the group as well as the entire group itself. As the group gets closer, individual relationships grow and the love of God is permitted to flow freely. At camp, individuals learn not only to accept each other for who they are, but to truly love and care for each other.

#10 Youth Camp Provides Spiritual Commitments
Since mom and dad (and pastor) seldom accompany campers to camp, that leaves spiritual commitments and accountability up to each camper's own convictions. So, with each camp comes the challenge for each individual to grow with God on their own -- not on the coattails of mom, dad, or the youth pastor. Do all kids successfully meet this challenge?  Unfortunately not, but the overwhelming majority do.  Why keep your youth group from the opportunity just because of a few bad apples in the bunch?  You will be amazed at the growth you will see in most of your group, if not all of them.  Give them a chance to make some commitments that will last.

The long-lasting fruit of youth camp is a proven wonder, year after year. I have seen hundreds of kids grow into strong, committed Christians sold out to God. Will your youth be among that group this year?  The kids in our church will!  Load up…we are going to youth camp!

ON….RURAL QUÉBEC

I am convinced that almost anyone can build up a church in the city! When you have a large population to draw from, growth can often come quite easily. Create the right atmosphere with the right appeal and people will come!! But it takes something special to build up a church in a RURAL, sparsely populated, community!

Our daughter, Michelle, recently sent us a video and simply said, “It’s you dad!”.  

The video is about a couple who moved out of the city leaving behind a thriving city church and took over an old rural church on the verge of closing with only a handful of people. They weren't there very long until everyone left them!! It was like they were left standing alone! There was only he and his wife and the Lord. But they knew that God had called them to this rural community with only a population of 88 people and they decided to stick with it! Sunday after Sunday they would still go to church and the Pastor would conduct a service as though the church was full! One by one they began to lead new people to the Lord and one by one God began to fill the church again. It took some time but eventually they had 130 people in their church. Then the Lord directed them to replant churches throughout the surrounding rural communities. Today there are 13 churches that have been planted or replanted!! All of them are full!!

It is apparent that Esther and I have been called by God to Rural Québec! And it’s been an interesting ride!! Some, whom we thought were “with us” in the beginning turned away! And that’s okay!!  We have determined that this is where God has called us and we are determined to win people to the Lord one by one!! We covet your prayers each day that God will lead us to hungry people in rural Québec! I told our people this morning in church, “Wouldn’t it be a "first class slap" in the devils face if we could resurrect churches in all these outlying rural communities that have closed in the last 15 years! I began to list rural communities within just a few kilometers from us that have closed churches. Brownsburg alone has closed 7 denominational churches in the past 15 years!! I spoke of Harrington, Grenville, Calumet, Saint-Andre, Montebello. And those are just a few of the surrounding rural communities!! In years gone by, some of these communities had strong spirit-filled churches in them and today they are closed. Would you join your heart with ours as we endeavor to push back the darkness over rural Québec?  RURAL QUÉBEC….HERE WE COME!! IN JESUS NAME!!!!!

On....Paying Attention to the CHEVRONS

This is the Word the Lord showed me this morning while in prayer. Being a very visual person, the Lord showed me a “CHEVRON”.  

He clearly said to me, “STEVE, PAY ATTENTION TO THE CHEVRONS!” Since "chevron" is a word that I did not fully understand, I went to the dictionary for it’s definition.

chev-ron /SHevran/    Noun

Chevrons

1. A line or stripe in the shape of a V or an inverted V, often seen on the sleeve of a uniform indicating rank or length of service.
2. An ordinary line in the shape of a broad inverted V-shape
3. A directional symbol directing traffic in a particular direction usually for safety reasons.

Immediately, I understood that the Lord would have Esther and I pay close attention to the road ahead and that there would be clear markings (chevrons) along the way to direct us, especially over the next few months. I saw in my spirit that in the beginning it seemed that the chevrons were directing us to the left and to the right around obstacles like an obstacle course but the further we went the straighter the road became until the chevrons became a straight line pointing us straight ahead.

The definition also indicates an official ranking insignia worn on the sleeve of an officer. The Lord then reminded me of a Word that was given to us back in 1996 that God would place “KEY” people in our lives that would help us and support us in this great work in Quebec. It would be people with authority and wisdom who are sensitive to the voice of the Lord.

There are some amazing things developing as I write.

Then the Lord directed me to two verses of scripture:

Isaiah 42:16 And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them.

Deuteronomy 5:32 Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left.  

In other words we must follow the direction of the Lord and stay on track with Him, paying attention to the chevrons.

Thank you for praying for Esther and I!

On....Re-Aligning for a NEW Season

So Esther and I are sitting here drinking our coffee and bouncing things off of each other that we have heard over the past two weeks. It has been an amazing two weeks!!

In the past two weeks we have been to two Ministers/Missions/Apostolic Conferences plus conducted our very first Young Adults Retreat at the campground. We attended the Missions Conference in Benton, New Brunswick and on Wednesday night God worked me over in a big way!! Then, this past week, we were at the Apostolic Conference in Gatineau, Quebec. Our hearts are full as we review what God is speaking to us regarding a "new season" we are entering. There is a major shift coming to our ministry. We have been in Quebec for 18 years and we have witnessed significant miracles that have boosted our faith in this journey. We are now positioning ourselves for the next 20 year stretch. Little by little the pieces of the puzzle are coming into focus and one by one we are placing them where they belong. We have been speaking with Godly leaders whom we trust for guidance and input and council concerning each and every step we are taking.

In a telephone conversation this morning, two more pieces of the puzzle have come into view and now we want the direction of the Lord to place them exactly where they belong.

At the Young Adults Retreat, our daughter, Estelle was speaking and shared an interesting illustration that spoke to my heart. She has a high-end digital camera for her photography business and she showed us her favorite lens that she absolutely loves. It has the capability to focus on an object, such as a persons face, and blur out everything else that is around it. So the end result is a finely, focused picture of the object with everything else in the background blurred so that it doesn't matter what is in the background...it's just a blur! Her thought was that we need to focus on what really matters and let everything else such as struggles and distractions that don't matter be blurred out! I have shared that illustration several times at our church since then. This morning I received an email with this photo that jumped out at me reminding me again of her words!!

Simple...yet still a confirmation!!

Yesterday morning I shared a message from my heart with our people entitled "Transitioning" and I encouraged the people to come along side of God's plan for our future together. As I gave invitation for those who needed prayer, those who desire to align themselves with God's plan, I was so blessed as a line of people coming for prayer filled the center aisle. As Bro. David Lyons, my wife and myself began to pray and speak into the lives of each individual, God gave specific Words to each of them. It was powerful!

When I awoke this morning I checked my emails and in my Inbox was an email of a prophetic word that was given recently. I immediately felt a check in my spirit that this Word is for us! 

Here are some excerpts from that Word:
"I Am Re-Ordering Your Path So You Can Finish the Race! Do not confuse the enemy's resistance with My assistance! The trauma that you have been in has caused you to stop short. Today is a day to take one simple step towards that line and you will see Me do the rest. Where the enemy has exploded with resistance I will explode with assistance, and through the equipping of My Name you will cross and the victor's cup will be waiting. So arise and shake off the confusion, arise and shake off the doubt, 'cause faith will allow you to take the step that will cause the Heavens to shift in a new way. A New Move. This is a day that I'm causing the movement to shift. I have a new movement that has entered the earth. The sound that is creating this movement is joining the present sound of My troop that is moving in the Earth. Judah (worship and apostolic leadership in My present congregations) will begin to move as I am moving. If not, the enemy will establish himself to lessen the authority of My Kingdom people in the Earth. My new move will not prevent but enhance and open the giving! Stand still and watch as the giving for your next season comes into place. My new move is opening up the way for this giving to be released for Kingdom missions. Release of supply will cause giving to come into place. Judah will come to a higher place in Me, and the enemy will be defeated. It's almost like you got to the end and God is now shifting you into the beginning in a way you've not been shifted before. And you will rerun and cross over in a way that you couldn't have crossed over in the last season. I must narrow your way and refocus that which you need to be focused in. I saw the Lord taking all the distractions and re-ordering it. The Lord said it would take a 40-day process to have it all reordered, but I would be able to get re-ordered so I could see the next end of what He was beginning. The Lord said, I am beginning something that will cause you to be established in a new way, and I'm beginning something that will help My people break forth by leaps and bounds. But I must narrow your focus so that what is now beginning you will be able to see the end clearly. For I reveal the end from the beginning. This is a time that I am activating the seer anointing in a whole new way. I'm going to cause you to see what you could not see in days past. For you have even had awareness of the activity of the enemy, but I am opening your eyes and activating the seer anointing so that you can see that there are more that are for you than there are that are against you. This is a new time, and you're going to see, even though there's been an awareness of the enemy. In this hour there will be such a new strength that will come to My people because this seer anointing will see the angelic activity and will see the presence of the Lord in a new way. So, watch Me as I open your eyes in a new way and cause you to see what you could not see in days past."

To all those who are praying for Esther and I, we encourage you to pray that God will continue to open our eyes to see God's full plan for us and this work. Please pray that God will continue to connect us with "KEY" people and if you have any encouraging words for us, we will gladly accept them!

We will keep you posted as to what God is doing as He unfolds things to us. We have an important announcement to share with you all shortly!!

Blessing to you all!!

Steve and Esther Roach

pastorsteveroach@gmail.com

On....INTOLERANCE

As a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I sign a declaration each year stating that I will not “contend” with my personal views of the scripture to the “disunity of the Body”. What this means is that we all may have our ideas and opinions of what the Bible teaches, but for the sake of the whole Body of Christ (the Church) we will not argue or be contentious because of our personal views of the scripture.  When this type of contentious spirit prevails it destroys the whole body and nobody succeeds! 

One of Jesus’ final prayers was, “That they all may be ONE.” Jesus loved to see people walking together in UNITY. That should be our prayer today! Sadly, the church has been so dissected throughout the years over insignificant, petty, doctrinal beliefs that much of the world looks at us and says, “Why would I want to join the church....look how they cannot get along with one another.”

The spirit of Intolerance is a spirit that we must pray against daily! People’s lives have been uprooted and destroyed because of this demon force that is still rampant today. What we need today is a deluge of the Love of God that brings UNITY!

I remember the day my Uncle Harold Fulton shared a story with me that expresses this thought. He served as a Pastor for many years in Presque Isle, Maine and was full of many incredible life experiences. He also dabbled with mechanics, fixing cars, rebuilding engines, flying airplanes, etc.

He told me that many years ago, when the first gasoline engine cars came around that they were all “rear wheel drive” which meant there was a drive shaft that extended the length of the car from the transmission to the rear differential. The engine and transmission would turn the drive shaft which in turn would cause the rear wheels to turn, thus pushing the car forward. He explained to me that the drive shaft needed a center support because of its long length. Through wear and tear, that center support bearing could become worn out and would need to be replaced or rebuilt. He said you could tell when it was worn out because the drive shaft would knock and rattle as the car would move down the road.  The sound meant that there was too much play (too loose) between the shaft and the support bearing. If the bearing was not replaced, the loose slapping of the drive shaft would literally destroy the underneath of the vehicle and sometimes the drive shaft would simply fall onto the ground leaving the car inoperable.

The solution was to replace or rebuild the support bearing before it got to that stage. So, the mechanic would rebuild the bearing to precisely the exact dimensions to within a few thousandths of an inch. The thousandths of an inch clearance was called the “TOLERANCE”.  Sometimes the “tolerance” would be too tight and he said you would often see mechanics towing a vehicle down the road dragging the back wheels of the car until the support bearing would release its grip enough to allow the shaft to turn freely. Sometimes it was just too tight and it would NOT release and it would break other parts such as the internal workings of the transmission or the rear differential. 

So, if the tolerance was too loose everything would fly apart and if the tolerance was too tight everything would break apart. Either way it would make the car inoperable!!

He likened this to the “tolerance” level in the church. If there is no tolerance, everything breaks and grinds to a halt, and on the other hand, if the tolerance is “too loose” and there are no guidelines to govern us, everything will fly apart! Either way, the church suffers and will grind to a halt!

Much confusion and destruction within the church could be avoided if we would do some general maintenance and get our “tolerance levels” in order. Sometimes all we need is a little squirt of oil (Holy Spirit)! Maybe even a rebuild wouldn’t hurt!

There is a middle ground where the “tolerance” is “just right” and everything works in perfect harmony.

There are two important scriptures that are on my heart today. The first one is, “Endeavouring to keep the UNITY of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3 (KJV) and the other is, “Above all, clothe yourselves with LOVE, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:14 (NLT)

God help the church to get the proper tolerance levels so we don’t grind to a stop or so we don’t fly all apart! Remember, the world is watching!!  SRR

On.....Burning Cars!

1967 VW VAN INTERIOR

In 1975 when was only 16 years old and had just gotten my license to drive, my dad bought me a beautiful, white, 1967 Volkswagen Van. It had a camper style interior with a foldout bed, small sink, small refrigerator, etc. 
It was one sweet buggy! I had it all equipped with my Hallicrafter SR46 CB Radio and a 12 foot whip antenna attached to the rear bumper. 

HALLICRAFTER SR46

In those days, you didn't have a "real" car unless you had a CB Radio with a "whip" and an 8 Track Stereo under the dash. I loved that van! Also, in one of the cabinets I had over 300 "CB Radio Calling Cards" that I had collected. 

8 TRACK PLAYER

I only had the van for a few weeks when I had taken a ride out to Juvenile Settlement. On my way back to Hoyt I could smell a strong gasoline smell. So I stopped the van and went to the back and lifted the engine door. I could see gas on one of the gas lines. It appeared that it had been taped up with black electrical tape to stop a leak. I drove on home and forgot about the gas leak. 

That evening, dad said, "Steve, tomorrow I want you to clean up all the garbage in the garage and take it all to the dump down in Wirral." which was only about 6 miles away. I said I would do it. The next morning I loaded the garbage into the van and headed out to the dump. About halfway there on a long flat, straight, stretch, I glanced in my side mirror and saw what appeared to be flames shooting out of the side air louvers. I hit the brakes, jumped out and started to run toward the back of the van. When I saw the orange flames shooting out from under the van, something told me to run the other direction! So I did! I ran about 20 to 30 feet from the van and there was this huge explosion!! It was the gas tank!! I stood there in shock as my van erupted into an inferno!! 

THE DAY THE VW BURNT

There were no houses in sight, so I continued to run. I knew I had to call dad. I'm not sure how far I ran, but finally I came upon a house and went to the door and asked if I could use their telephone. I called dad and told him what had happened. His first frantic question was, "Are you out of the van?" The question still puzzles me to this day since we didn't have cell phones. HA! Dad said he was on his way. 

When I got back to the van, the fire had pretty much died out leaving nothing but a burnt shell. The fire was so hot that the rear wheels were completely gone. Under the van the aluminium engine was just a melted puddle with four metal pistons lying in the middle of it. My CB was totally gone as was my 8 track player and the entire interior. Only the steel wire and springs of the seats were  still intact. All of the windows were gone! I think they blew out when the van exploded. I was still in disbelief! 

TOWING THE VW AWAY

I can still take you to exact place where it happened. For many months afterward there was a huge black spot on the road reminding me of that dreadful day!! I'm glad I got out of the van when I did!

PS: If dad hadn't made this 16 year old do all that hard labor of taking the garbage to the dump, none of this would have happened!....just sayin'!   HAAAA!

On....My Son Jason

Me and my son!

Well, my oldest son's birthday is today! He turns 37! Some may not know him as our son, however, my educated understanding is that when you spend time raising a child you cannot deny that they are your own. Besides if you look closely you can see that he looks a lot like some of my other relatives! I guess the reason we mostly raised him is because my mom was incapacitated trying to raise my two sisters, Jody and Rene. They were a mighty handful in those days!(and still are) Those who remember will recall mom's name in the weekly church bulletin: "Please pray for Jude". I guess the girls were just the cross she had to bear.

The following are some reasons that I know Jason is our son.

1. Only parents rush their own children to hospitals.
I recall the day Esther and I rushed Jason to the Oromocto hospital after a successful rendezvous with a neighbor kid playing David and Goliath with real stones. Once we got him there, I had to assist the doctor while he stitched Jason's head....well....kinda somewhat like that....I actually stood outside the ER trying to keep from passing out from the sight of all the blood and the super sonic screaming! Esther actually assisted. My mom would have taken him to the ER but was probably incapacitated again with those girls.  

2. Only parents instil the fear of God in their own children.
On this occasion Jason was with us in our car heading toward our home when Esther and I began this foolish bantering about "who could flip who". I declared that I could flip her over the snow bank with one hand behind my back! When I said that, something tripped a switch in Esther's brain and she said in a very deep voice that gave me shivers...."STOP THE CAR!" So I did!....right on the hiway! We both jumped out!...Jason was in the back seat with his eyes wide as serving platters! I came around the back of the car and I whispered to Esther, "Flip me over the snow bank so Jason can see!" Before I got the full sentence out of my mouth I was flyin' head down, legs up, backside down over a ravine somewhere between Fredericton and the Mactaquac Dam! When I finally got back up to the road, Esther was laughing her silly head off saying somethin' like,"There!! Now who can flip who?!" (at the same time doing some kinda Gangnam dancy thingy) After we laughed for awhile, we went over to the car. Jason had locked all the doors and was crying his head off in the back seat...scared to death!! Poor little guy thought Esther had killed his father, I guess! Anyway after much coaxing we finally talked Jason into unlocking the car doors so we could continue on our way. Here's the sad part of the story....Esther and Jason still think, to this day, that she tumbled me over the snow bank on her own. They don't realize that I LET HER!! 

There are other stories that I could elude to about my son Jason but I think you get the photo.... HAPPY 37th BIRTHDAY SON!

OH....and please keep mom's name in the church bulletin for prayer, 'cauze now she's tryin' to raise Jody and Rene's kids.

(DISCLAIMER:  I cannot be held responsible for some of the satirical writing of this particular Blog...it may or may not be 100% accurate)