The Amazing Way GOD Works Things Out!!! It all started with donations designated for improvement of the rear parking lot. We had always dreamed of having a nice parking lot in the back to use for a variety of ministries. The Building and Grounds Committee, with Gail Hill as chairman, solicited bids for asphalt construction. Four companies responded with bids ranging from $33,000.00 to $49,000.00. The committee was perplexed by the wide difference in the bids and began to pray about what to do, so Gail called an old friend of the church and former member, Dave Austin, to seek his advice. What we didn’t know, was that God was working through Gail to let Dave do God’s will. Dave Austin has a grading business and many contacts in the construction industry. Among his friends are Jim, a concrete contractor, Willie, manager of Vulcan Inc., and Portland Cement Co., a concrete supplier. After reviewing the bids and doing some calculations, Dave said he was “Challenged by God” to use his talents and contacts to help us. He called Gail and said her call to him must have been God saying for him to get busy and do something. He said we should do the job in concrete and thought sure he could get the job done for about half the cost of asphalt. The committee was skeptical, knowing that a concrete job this size would cost over $100,000.00, and that the designated donation was just under $40,000.00, but we also knew God was working, and we surely did not want to get in the way. Dave showed up the very next day with his bulldozer, skip loader and a rented compactor roller, and started to work. Within days, our back lot had a completely different contour slope and was compacted and ready for concrete. Now, this is where it got really interesting. Have you ever tried to stay ahead of a moving dozer trying to get all the church’s ministries to modify uses of the back lot on short notice. Carden school needed to be alerted, and the Filipino’s were asked to park elsewhere for a few weeks, along with the Wednesday Meal Team, Say Yes, janitors, Varner’s trash pick up, and others. After a short rain delay, the concrete pour was started and completed in one day. A swarm of professional concrete workers donated their time. Our 25,000 square foot lot was covered by 350 cubic yards of concrete, leveled, smoothed, lined and finished. All the costs are in. The job cost less than $20,000.00! Halleluia and Praise God! Other work can now be done with the remaining designated money. A retaining wall can be built, lighting can be erected, and landscaping can be done. God is still working among his people. Another long time friend of the church, Norm Tooman, has given us the poles and fixtures to do the lighting. At a recent work day, many of our people turned out to give their labor to put finishing touches on the project.
Thank you Gail, Dave, Jim, Willie and congregation, and bless you all. There can be no doubt that God is looking down at us and saying “Well done my good and faithful servants”. (Matt. 3-17)

I Was Sick, But Got Well Before I Could Get An Appointment
Another birthday is looming in the near future for Grandpa Dick, and healthcare issues are the center of our attention these days.
          I heard about two patients that limp into two different American medical clinics with the same complaint. Both have trouble walking and appear to require a hip
replacement. Patient “A” is examined within the hour, is x-rayed the same
day, has a time booked for surgery the next day, and within three days, has had the surgery and is home recuperating. Patient “B” sees the family doctor at his HMO after waiting a week for an appointment, then waits eighteen weeks to see a specialist, then gets an x-ray, which isn't reviewed for another month followed by another month waiting -for an MRI to be scheduled. He finally has his surgery 6 months later.
          I can certainly relate to the problems patient “B” faced. When you have a back problem (or any serious health problem for that matter) things go very much like what happened to patient “B” above. My Doctors are the best and mean well, and are trying to give me the best care possible. Hopefully, you have Doctors that have a similar passion to help you get over your current ailment. But try as they may, the system seems to have a built in “hurry up and wait” attitude. If you need a special test, like, heaven forbid, a colonoscopy, for example, miles of red tape unravel before the actual procedure day rolls around. Any pollup or signs of diverticulitus or whatever, could grow to huge complications before anyone gets around to reviewing the test results.
          In the case of back pain issues, which admittedly are very difficult to diagnose and treat, Doctors must use precaution to make sure the proper procedures are recommended and followed. Sometimes, however, we, the poor patients, get caught in the middle of Doctors trying to out guess each other, and the delays go on.
            Pondering these personal situations leads me to put it in God’s hands. I forget sometimes that the Bible says HE knew me before I was, and knows everything about me and is there with me every step of the way. HE will make sure that my Doctors will give me the right care at the right time, and It will be HIS will to comfort me during the process. So our response is to “Praise the Lord” during all the ups and downs of health care, and continue to lift our eyes and keep them on HIM.
             By the way, you may be wondering why there was a different treatment for the two patients in the example above. Patient “B’ is a Senior Citizen------------------------------and Patient “A” is a-----------------------Golden Retriever. Like I said, Praise the Lord, anyhow. Grandpa Dick