What will I get Janis for Christmas?

I don't know what my wife wants me to get her for Christmas!  That's the way it is every year.  I know some things that we need but that would not do as a personal gift from me to her.  Even if it was something that she really needed, that still is not what I'm looking for.  I want to get her something that she wants.  You know!  Something like a toy would be for a child.  She's too practical and conservative to buy something frivolous, just for fun.  Oh well!  I guess I'll have to do what I've done so many times before and think of some unique way to surprise her with cash!  Then she can go to the store and buy what she wants to, which will probably be clothes.  I'm glad that I can do that much anyway, and I know that she will be glad to get the cash.

Speaking of Christmas gifts, let me tell you what I already bought myself for Christmas.  It's a Fender, FM-52E SB, Mandolin.  Yep, a mandolin.  No, I don't know how to play it, but I will learn.  I may not learn to play it like Sierra Hull, but I'll learn to play it.  I found it on craigslist for $100.00.  There's not a scratch on it.  I only had to put two strings on it.  I found others just like it on sale elsewhere for $239.00 (MSRP $339.00).  

Well, I'm happy and Janis is happy for me.  Isn't it great to be blessed and able to enjoy the fun things of life.  I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas.

Visit me at www.janwell.com.

God Is Not Through With Me Yet!

I don't know what God has in store for me.  I am retired, but I hear God saying, "I'm not through with you yet."  I was raised in the parsonage, made a sincere profession of faith while very young, and accepted the call to the ministry while still in High School.  I was active in some form of ministry (counting the years that I prepared for ministry) from High School (graduated in 1961), to my last church (2006), except for about six years.  Let's see.....that's about 45 yrs., minus six, equals about 39 yrs.  Of that, about 33 yrs. was spent in pastoral ministry, four yrs. at Lee University (full time), and maybe 1 1/2 yrs. attempting to preach revivals.  I wanted to be an evangelist, but it became obvious, that my calling was not evangelistic.  My calling was to serve the church as pastor.  I did that, and resigned as pastor of the church in 2006.  I retired in 2007, underwent a medical setback for about two years, was called to serve as associate pastor in 2008 and here I am today.  I am serving as an associate pastor, and have as much to do in that position as I desire, but I'm wondering if that is what God wants me to do for the rest of my active years, or does he have something else in mind.  Yes, that could 'fill the bill' when I say that God says that He isn't through with me yet, but I think it involves more.  I presently have one forceful, driving desire - to play my trumpet.  My interest in music has revived and I have written a few new songs and poems, I have developed a new feeling for the piano, and I have shown improvement in other areas of music.  Could it be that God would have me to be active for him, at my age, using my musical abilities?  I'm not a professional musician by any means, but I do enjoy it, and I do use it in ministry from time to time.  I'm 68 yrs. old.  My mother is 89 and she is still living by herself and taking care of her self.  If that is any indication of my life expectancy, then I may have at least 20, or 21 more yrs. to live.  A lot can be done in 20 yrs.  I still seek to know God's will, and to follow Him.  I want to follow Him closely wherever He leads.  I want the remaining yrs. of my life be more effective in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, than any of the previous years of my life. 

Since this blog is a re-post of a blog I posted about 1 1/2 yrs. ago on another website, I have received a few comments on it.  I want to share one of those now.  "I like your spirit of perserverance! Don't overlook the fact that you have a worldwide ministry over the Internet already. I see you on all these sites. You have a gift of encouragement, among many others. With your openness and humility there's no telling what God has ahead. It will be great." -- Dr. Bill 

You know, I have had a growing interest in different aspects of the internet.  Hummmmm!  Maybe there is something there for me.  By the way!  Check out Janwell.com.