Tofu or not tofu

 I have a confession to make. I hope you won't defriend me over this. Here it goes:

I like tofu. Well, sorta.

Now here me out. I lived in Hong Kong for three years. I like fried tofu in SOME Chinese dishes. I also like limited tofu in SOME Chinese soup.

Full disclosure. I will NEVER choose tofu over bacon, beef, or even chicken.

Judge away.

25 Years and counting....

December 5, 1992

 Twenty-five years ago, at First Baptist Church, Vinita, Ok, Sally and I were united in marriage.

Sally's dad walking her down the aisle.

 Looking back, it seems we were just kids, although we had waited longer than most of our friends to get married.

Her parents, us, my parents.

It has been a wonderful journey that God has led us on; to serve Him all around the world.

A moment of quiet in a busy day.

God has blessed us abundantly.

Audrey's 2nd birthday in Vinita, OK.

 He blessed us with Audrey.

Emily, Me, Audrey, Sally in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire.

 He blessed us with Emily.

Our family in Mongolia in 2004.

 He blessed us with being able to see His creation.

Beijing, 2004.

And pray for people all over the world.

Hong Kong, 2005

 We have been blessed to live all over the world, too.

Koh Samui, Thailand, 2005

 And enjoy great family adventures together.

My 1st Anniversary as pastor at Immanuel Southern Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK 2008.

 Then, He brought us back to Oklahoma, we He has allowed us to serve Him at "home."

Emily, JD, Audrey, Sally, Rick, Wagoner, OK 2017

 We added John Ellis to the family last year.

At the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Our adventures will continue.

A continuing love story.

Now, with an empty nest, we will continue to serve the Lord. Continue to fall in love with each other even more every day!

Thank you, Lord, for my wife and family. May you continue to bless us that we might be a blessing to others!

Jewish Messiah

I found the following description of who the Jews are looking to as their messiah:

The Mashiach

The mashiach will be a great political leader descended from King David (Jeremiah 23:5). The mashiach is often referred to as "mashiach ben David" (mashiach, son of David). He will be well-versed in Jewish law, and observant of its commandments (Isaiah 11:2-5). He will be a charismatic leader, inspiring others to follow his example. He will be a great military leader, who will win battles for Israel. He will be a great judge, who makes righteous decisions (Jeremiah 33:15). But above all, he will be a human being, not a god, demi-god or other supernatural being.
It has been said that in every generation, a person is born with the potential to be the mashiach. If the time is right for the messianic age within that person's lifetime, then that person will be the mashiach. But if that person dies before he completes the mission of the mashiach, then that person is not the mashiach. 

What About Jesus?

Jews do not believe that Jesus was the mashiach. Assuming that he existed, and assuming that the Christian scriptures are accurate in describing him (both matters that are debatable), he simply did not fulfill the mission of the mashiach as it is described in the biblical passages cited above. Jesus did not do any of the things that the scriptures said the messiah would do.                                                                        [http://www.jewfaq.org/mashiach.htm]

When I was in Israel last December, I was sitting on the steps of the Church of the Agony just outside the Garden of Gethsemane, looking across to the Eastern Gate. I asked our Jewish tour guide what she thought about the messiah. Her thoughts were extremely similar to the views expressed above.  She did laugh at the Muslims for thinking they could prohibit the Messiah from using the Eastern Gate by putting a cemetery there. She said that the messiah would have supernatural properties and could fly over the cemetery, if he wanted to. She also said that a cemetery wouldn't stop him anyway, as he would not be a levite and therefore not have any prohibition regarding touching the dead.

View of the Eastern Gate with Muslim cemetery blocking the entrance at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

 
Our church prays for Israel and for the Jews that they would recognize Jesus as God's Son, and therefore the Messiah or Mashiach.

World's Biggest Revenue Generating Sam's Club

Fish for sale

Eggs for sale

Shoe Cobbler

Dishes for sale

Don't really know what to say about this one....

Buddhist Temple in Shenzhen

A "Superman" cape, really??

They can't hear your prayers....

Idol storage room

Valiant Try, but fruitless in the end...

Wrong directions

Futile efforts

Street market scene

Narrow street with old buildings

Nothing like a smoking waiter...

Cheers!