Orbit gum will not get you into heaven.

That is the tongue-in-cheek fine print from a TV commercial portraying a certain rapper being relocated from hell to heaven because the aforementioned brand of gum "cleaned his dirty mouth." A rare bit of unintended Truth in advertising, worth both a chuckle and a thought.

More random thoughts from the day/week:

• Proof that God answers even small prayers with unexpected blessings: since my entire family is out of town/country this weekend, I asked God to provide me with people to celebrate the 4th of July with. Three hours later I got a phone call from a friend who only ever calls me back, inviting me to go with him on Tuesday to visit some friends I haven't seen in years.



• Proof that God is providing for our church: our entire paid staff seems to consist of the church secretary, and yet God provides preachers, worship leaders, and Sunday School teachers every week, and I am learning more here through them than I ever have at any other church.



• Conversation between a waitress and a friend of mine after we were unable to fit at the lunch table with the rest of our group after church today:

  Friend: We were going to squeeze in at that other table, but I think we just need to get a separate table.
  Waitress: OK. For how many?
  Friend: Ummm...[counts in head]...eight.

  Numbers are not the goal in a church, nor are they a measure of God's approval. But when 17(!!) people gather for lunch and fellowship (when previously 6 was a crowd), and when extra chairs must be brought out every week for a packed Sunday School class that used to consist of a handful of people, and when people are joining the church out of the desire to participate and serve, I can't help but believe that it is God's doing and that he is bringing us together for a purpose. I praise him and and wait in anticipation to see the work he is going to do!



• Baptism. I can't tell you how many times I have seen baptisms. They are always the same. People in white robes bobbing up and down in that big window above the choir loft. This week we had two baptisms, and God opened my eyes to what a glorious declaration baptism truly is. A declaration to the world of what God has done. A declaration to all men of the faith the baptized has in God. A declaration to the church that the family has grown. And a call to all who hear the splash of water to ask and be told, "what does it mean?" Praise God!!!!