Fightin' Friends

Last week when the Senators were in Southern Florida taking on the Panthers, two friends of mine really got into it. I wasn't there to break up the fight so I just let them go at it and get rid of their frustrations.

Chris Neil and Steve Montador play with reckless abandon (which I love) and the accompanying photo caught them mixing it up.

Maybe they were arguing over whether fighting should be banned in hockey. Then again, maybe not!

Hey Chris, you can't afford to lose any more teeth!

GO FISH

This morning's Ottawa Sun cover got me all excited and then I realized it was refering to my nephew, Mike Fisher, and not me. We're both "Fish" but when we're together Mike is LITTLE FISH and his uncle is BIG FISH.

Last night Mike passed his previous record for points in a season when he scored 2 goals and picked up a helper in the Senators' 5-2 win over the Canadiens. Mike now has 22 goals (tying last year's career high of 22) and 25 assists for 47 points. Last year Mike had 22 goals and 22 assists for 44 points in 68 games. This season he has amassed 47 points in 64 games with an opportunity to add to that total in the final four (4) games.

Do I sound like a proud uncle? Good! I am! I'll get to see Mike play in Ottawa against Jordan Staal and the red-hot Penguins next Thursday.

There'll be mixed emotions in that game but "blood is stronger than water" they say.

Greater Riches

Yesterday while perusing some of my old books with my friend and mentor, Paul Collet, I came across a powerful picture(s) in the book C. T. Studd, Cricketeer and Pioneer by Norman P. Grubb.
You can't read the captions above or below the picture(s) so I'll print them here. Remember that C. T. Studd came from a wealthy background and was called by God to give it all up and leave the comforts of home for the mission field.

"Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt."

Tedworth House, Wiltshire, the home of C. T.'s boyhood.

(inset: C. T. in the heart of Africa in later years)

WHAT ABOUT ME?

Note: The BLOGGER ROBBER didn't like the impact for Christ that this picture of C. T. Studd's mansion where he grew up...and the mud hut where he chose to live in dark Africa...was having SO he somehow caused the picture to disappear. I will post it again on Monday, April 2nd.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Impossible? Maybe Not!

The following caption is the latest wording on a sign on the outskirts of Peterborough:

"IMPOSSIBLE is an opinion, NOT a fact."

I'm so grateful to the God of heaven that "impossible" really isn't part of His vocabulary. Of course God cannot lie, go back on His word or be unfaithful. That's impossible!

The scriptures declare, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." - Matthew 19:26 (NIV)

Without this knowledge I'd be afraid to go on. Carol and I live on the corner of Impossible Street and Not a Chance Road but we trust in a God of surprises who has met us at our intersection so many times.

Yes, impossible is just an opinion. God has a better idea. A better plan. I choose to entrust the things which are seemingly impossible to Him. He has a way of changing things...and lives.

Dealing With Autism

Recently Carol and I watched Larry King Live on CNN. He was dealing with the subject of AUTISM and had an excellent panel of doctors, parents of children with autism and others with a connection to this pervasive condition.

Carol and I were especially interested because our son Matthew (11) has Asperger's Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism.

It was stated that back in the 50's polio was considered an epidemic because of the seeming inordinate number of cases. Now, 1 in every 95 boys will be born with some form of Autism Spectrum Disorder and people don't seem too upset or alarmed.

Last night I sat across from a couple who had an autistic daughter who had been able to speak but then lost her language skills suddenly. As the mother shared her heartache with the waitress tears welled up in her eyes and the waitress gave her a big hug. It was sad to watch.

My heart goes out to parents of autistic children because, generally speaking, the public don't understand our children and don't know how to handle them...or us.

Carol and I face the struggles brought about by autism every day and, at times, they are more than we can handle. Without God's sustaining grace we would be overwhelmed. I can't even imagine what it would be like for parents whose children aren't as high-functioning.

Please pray for us and please seek to understand the challenges that autistic children face. THANK YOU!

Camping Out

One of the best blogs around belongs to Steve Camp. I enjoyed his music when he was known for his singing. Now he has one of the most theologically powerful blogs in cyberspace. You need to check it out @ http://www.stevenjcamp.blogspot.com

Here are two quotes that Steve posted on his site:

"Jesus Christ is the sum and quintessence of the gospel; the wonder of angels; the joy and triumph of saints. The name of Christ is sweet, it is as music in the ear, honey in the mouth, and a cordial at the heart… the Mediator of the covenant, the restorer of lapsed sinners." -THOMAS WATSON

"Jesus is the Truth. We believe in Him, —not merely in His words. He Himself is Doctor and Doctrine, Revealer and Revelation, the Illuminator and the Light of Men. He is exalted in every word of truth, because He is its sum and substance. He sits above the gospel, like a prince on His own throne. Doctrine is most precious when we see it distilling from His lips and embodied in His person. Sermons [and songs] are valuable in proportion as they speak of Him and point to Him. A Christ-less gospel is no gospel and a Christ-less discourse is the cause of merriment to devils." -C.H. SPURGEON

Amazing...

Yesterday Matthew (11) and I watched the movie Amazing Grace at a theatre in Toronto. This cinematic depiction of the lives of William Wilberforce and John Newton opened on Friday in Canada at select (which means "very few") theatres across the country. Surprisingly only a handful of cinemas are showing Amazing Grace in Toronto.

It's still too soon to give a well-thought-out review of what we witnessed. Because of my passion for church history, Wilberforce and Newton are heroes of mine and my recent visit to England where I saw their graves only heightened my interest.

Some reviewers say that the film drags on and doesn't capture the viewers attention throughout. I can understand that sentiment yet it was not the case with me.

Ioan Gruffudd, who plays Wilberforce, turned in a stunning, passionate performance. It challenged me to press on with the endeavors I'm involved with even though they may not seem to be fruitful much of the time. One of Albert Finney's quotes (he played the part of ex-slave trader John Newton) is "God sometimes does his work with gentle drizzle, not a bolt of lightning." A profound statement! We too often look for and expect the lightning bolts and are discouraged with the gentle drizzle or our lives and ministries.

In another scene we find Newton stating, “All that I know is I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior." Hopefully we all can make that same declaration! I uttered a loud AMEN at that juncture in the movie.

I'll go to watch the movie again this week. I want to be profoundly impacted more than once. I know the coldness of my own heart and one viewing will not be enough.

Should you see it? YES! Then you can make your own decision regarding the movie. In my own humble (I wish) opinion, the movie was amazing. Just like God's grace!

Following the movie the sparse crowd of 30-40 patrons sat and watched the brief vignettes showing each actor/actress and when a lone piper played Amazing Grace with an accompanying drum corps, we continued to sit in silent awe.

Amazing...

Beloved Brother Brodie

My dear friend Brodie MacLeod is often mocked, maligned and mistreated (by me) on this blog but it's only because he's such a special friend.

He's been a tag-on when I speak about my blog readership as in, "my twelve readers plus Brodie".

When it comes to posting on his The Hope of His Calling blog, Brodie can be counted on for a new article each time the seasons change.

But...let me tell you...Brodie is "a man after God's own heart" and he showed that again today. He called me and invited me to lunch and, yes, he picked up the tab. We had a great time catching up. Seems like each time I told him some news I'd say, "you would have known that if you'd read my blog". Anyhow we traded news bytes over lunch and the hour passed far too quickly. When I dropped him off at the church where he serves as Director of Children's Ministries, Calvary Church, Brodie paused to pray for a number of concerns of mine that I had expressed. What a great, young man!

Brodie, there'll be no more subtle slams from the Pilgrim...until the next time.

I love you, dear brother!

And...Speaking Of Books

Speaking of books, the latest book I added to my library is perhaps one of the most needed challenges to today's evangelical (???) church. John MacArthur pulls no punches when he writes of how Christian truth and doctrine is being sacrificed on the modern-day altar of relevance. His book THE TRUTH WAR needs to be read and thought through!

The margins of the book are filled with meaty quotes taken from the text. If you buy the book and read nothing but these excerpts by MacArthur you would benefit...if you allow the Spirit of God to permeate and illuminate your thinking.

MacArthur takes Brian McLaren to task concerning his generous orthodoxy which is also the title of one of his recent books (McLaren's).

Why have we slipped so subtly into the practice of placing less importance on truth and doctrine and more attention to reaching the lost and skeptical where they're at?

Here's one of those quotes that MacArthur's editors have placed in the margin:

"Uncertainty is the new truth. Doubt and skepticism have been canonized as a form of humility. Right and wrong have been redefined in terms of subjective feelings and personal perspectives."

Do you agree? Pick up a copy of THE TRUTH WAR, published by Thomas Nelson Publishers at your local Christian bookstore! You might not like what you read but...what MacArthur declares needs to be shouted from the housetops.

Books I Won't Give Away

They say you can tell a lot about a man by the company he keeps. Likely true!

You can also get a good "read" on a man (pun intended) by the books he cherishes.

Yes, I've got thousands of books, literally, but there are some that I would never give away. Here's a picture of some that I'd place in that category. "Quite a strange selection", you might say.

From top to bottom, there's:

How God Answers Prayer by George Muller (the book that got me fascinated with Muller's life of faith.)
A Table in the Wilderness by Watchman Nee (In my early 20's this devotional book helped shape me)
Coping by Elizabeth Skoglund (Spurgeon, C. S. Lewis, Amy Carmichael and Hudson Taylor's
coping mechanisms in the battles they faced)
The Pursuit of God by A. W. Tozer - Truly a classic!
Carl Henry at his Best - Quotes and excerpts from one of evangelicalism's great thinkers.
Sadly his scholarship was dismissed by many fundamentalists.
In Retrospect by F. F. Bruce - Perhaps the greatest thinker and writer from 20th century
Plymouth Brethrenism (so called) Great reading!
Chief Men Among the Brethren by Henry Pickering - brief sketches of the leading men who were active amongst the early brethren assemblies. Men like Darby, Kelly, Muller, Groves and Chapman
Bright Days, Dark Nights by Elizabeth Skoglund - Dealing with depression with excerpts
from the writings of Charles Haddon Spurgeon
The Journals of Jim Elliot - Painfully honest journaling by one of five missionaries
martyred in Ecuador in the 50's. Edited by his widow...another great writer, Elisabeth Elliot.

So, don't break into my library with the intention of stealing any of these. THANKS!

A Brand New Season

Please pray for us as we prepare for a brand new season of baseball ministry through EPISTLE SPORTS MINISTRIES. We have been:


ENCOUNTERING
PROFESSIONALS
IN
SPORTS
THROUGH
LETTERS of
ENCOURAGEMENT

since 1975. Please pray that the cards, letters, e-mails, phone calls and personal contacts will be used by God to encourage, challenge and strengthen these ballplayers during the course of the 2007 season.

THANK YOU!

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” – Romans 15:4 (NIV)

I Heard the Voice of God

Please read the following article by one of my favorite authors, John Piper, in its entirety. Don't write him off as having sold out to the School of Extra-Biblical Revelation. He hasn't! Hear him out and then rejoice that God still speaks today. He does...through His inerrant, infallible, changeless Word, the Bible.

Note: Thanks to Tim Challies for making me aware of Piper's article. Be sure to check out Tim's web site. He has been blogging daily for 1238 consecutive days. Check it out at www.challies.com

The Morning I Heard the Voice of God
by John Piper
March 21, 2007

Let me tell you about a most wonderful experience I had early Monday morning, March 19, 2007, a little after six o’clock. God actually spoke to me. There is no doubt that it was God. I heard the words in my head just as clearly as when a memory of a conversation passes across your consciousness. The words were in English, but they had about them an absolutely self-authenticating ring of truth. I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that God still speaks today.

I couldn’t sleep for some reason. I was at Shalom House in northern Minnesota on a staff couples’ retreat. It was about five thirty in the morning. I lay there wondering if I should get up or wait till I got sleepy again. In his mercy, God moved me out of bed. It was mostly dark, but I managed to find my clothing, got dressed, grabbed my briefcase, and slipped out of the room without waking up Noël. In the main room below, it was totally quiet. No one else seemed to be up. So I sat down on a couch in the corner to pray.

As I prayed and mused, suddenly it happened. God said, “Come and see what I have done.” There was not the slightest doubt in my mind that these were the very words of God. In this very moment. At this very place in the twenty-first century, 2007, God was speaking to me with absolute authority and self-evidencing reality. I paused to let this sink in. There was a sweetness about it. Time seemed to matter little. God was near. He had me in his sights. He had something to say to me. When God draws near, hurry ceases. Time slows down.

I wondered what he meant by “come and see.” Would he take me somewhere, like he did Paul into heaven to see what can’t be spoken? Did “see” mean that I would have a vision of some great deed of God that no one has seen? I am not sure how much time elapsed between God’s initial word, “Come and see what I have done,” and his next words. It doesn’t matter. I was being enveloped in the love of his personal communication. The God of the universe was speaking to me.

Then he said, as clearly as any words have ever come into my mind, “I am awesome in my deeds toward the children of man.” My heart leaped up, “Yes, Lord! You are awesome in your deeds. Yes, to all men whether they see it or not. Yes! Now what will you show me?”

The words came again. Just as clear as before, but increasingly specific: “I turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There they rejoiced in me—who rules by my might forever.” Suddenly I realized God was taking me back several thousand years to the time when he dried up the Red Sea and the Jordan River. I was being transported by his word back into history to those great deeds. This is what he meant by “come and see.” He was transporting me back by his words to those two glorious deeds before the children of men. These were the “awesome deeds” he referred to. God himself was narrating the mighty works of God. He was doing it for me. He was doing it with words that were resounding in my own mind.

There settled over me a wonderful reverence. A palpable peace came down. This was a holy moment and a holy corner of the world in northern Minnesota. God Almighty had come down and was giving me the stillness and the openness and the willingness to hear his very voice. As I marveled at his power to dry the sea and the river, he spoke again. “I keep watch over the nations—let not the rebellious exalt themselves.”

This was breathtaking. It was very serious. It was almost a rebuke. At least a warning. He may as well have taken me by the collar of my shirt, lifted me off the ground with one hand, and said, with an incomparable mixture of fierceness and love, “Never, never, never exalt yourself. Never rebel against me.”

I sat staring at nothing. My mind was full of the global glory of God. “I keep watch over the nations.” He had said this to me. It was not just that he had said it. Yes, that is glorious. But he had said this to me. The very words of God were in my head. They were there in my head just as much as the words that I am writing at this moment are in my head. They were heard as clearly as if at this moment I recalled that my wife said, “Come down for supper whenever you are ready.” I know those are the words of my wife. And I know these are the words of God.

Think of it. Marvel at this. Stand in awe of this. The God who keeps watch over the nations, like some people keep watch over cattle or stock markets or construction sites—this God still speaks in the twenty-first century. I heard his very words. He spoke personally to me.

What effect did this have on me? It filled me with a fresh sense of God’s reality. It assured me more deeply that he acts in history and in our time. It strengthened my faith that he is for me and cares about me and will use his global power to watch over me. Why else would he come and tell me these things?

It has increased my love for the Bible as God’s very word, because it was through the Bible that I heard these divine words, and through the Bible I have experiences like this almost every day. The very God of the universe speaks on every page into my mind—and your mind. We hear his very words. God himself has multiplied his wondrous deeds and thoughts toward us; none can compare with him! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told (Psalm 40:5).

And best of all, they are available to all. If you would like to hear the very same words I heard on the couch in northern Minnesota, read Psalm 66:5-7. That is where I heard them. O how precious is the Bible. It is the very word of God. In it God speaks in the twenty-first century. This is the very voice of God. By this voice, he speaks with absolute truth and personal force. By this voice, he reveals his all-surpassing beauty. By this voice, he reveals the deepest secrets of our hearts. No voice anywhere anytime can reach as deep or lift as high or carry as far as the voice of God that we hear in the Bible.

It is a great wonder that God still speaks today through the Bible with greater force and greater glory and greater assurance and greater sweetness and greater hope and greater guidance and greater transforming power and greater Christ-exalting truth than can be heard through any voice in any human soul on the planet from outside the Bible.

This is why I found the article in this month’s Christianity Today, “My Conversation with God,” so sad. Written by an anonymous professor at a “well-known Christian University,” it tells of his experience of hearing God. What God said was that he must give all his royalties from a new book toward the tuition of a needy student. What makes me sad about the article is not that it isn’t true or didn’t happen. What’s sad is that it really does give the impression that extra-biblical communication with God is surpassingly wonderful and faith-deepening. All the while, the supremely-glorious communication of the living God which personally and powerfully and transformingly explodes in the receptive heart through the Bible everyday is passed over in silence.

I am sure this professor of theology did not mean it this way, but what he actually said was, “For years I’ve taught that God still speaks, but I couldn’t testify to it personally. I can only do so now anonymously, for reasons I hope will be clear” (emphasis added). Surely he does not mean what he seems to imply—that only when one hears an extra-biblical voice like, “The money is not yours,” can you testify personally that God still speaks. Surely he does not mean to belittle the voice of God in the Bible which speaks this very day with power and truth and wisdom and glory and joy and hope and wonder and helpfulness ten thousand times more decisively than anything we can hear outside the Bible.

I grieve at what is being communicated here. The great need of our time is for people to experience the living reality of God by hearing his word personally and transformingly in Scripture. Something is incredibly wrong when the words we hear outside Scripture are more powerful and more affecting to us than the inspired word of God. Let us cry with the psalmist, “Incline my heart to your word” (Psalm 119:36). “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Psalm 119:18). Grant that the eyes of our hearts would be enlightened to know our hope and our inheritance and the love of Christ that passes knowledge and be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 1:18; 3:19). O God, don’t let us be so deaf to your word and so unaffected with its ineffable, evidential excellency that we celebrate lesser things as more thrilling, and even consider this misplacement of amazement worthy of printing in a national magazine.

Still hearing his voice in the Bible,

Pastor John

by John Piper. © Desiring God. Website: www.desiringGod.org. Email: mail@desiringGod.org. Toll Free: 1.888.346.4700.

The Leading Comment...ator

All my blogging buddies will agree that receiving complimentary comments on our sites is always an added blessing. Thank you so much for yours...dear friends!

Terry from Canadian Blogger is always such an encouragement. You could read her comment following my Retracing My Steps post but for those who don't do such things, here's what she wrote. She knows my heart and can write her comment with such understanding. I trust that others of you felt that you were along with me on my pilgrimage to England. I certainly sensed your prayers.

Terry (whose real name is Teresa) comments:

"As you do post these "ramblings" when they come to your heart and mind, it is surely like we had been standing there with you when you went on your dream trip. If you posted just a story to tell and were not showing your true feelings at the moment then it would be all so cold and stiff. When you are actually in the joy of the moment remembering what you were feeling as you gazed at those buildings and thought of the thousands of children who had entered the doors and came out of them, actually many of them having been born again because of George Muller, then the story is as fresh as the morning dew.

So delighted are we to be able to read it." - Terry

Thanks, Terry! And, thanks for the celebration that our family had recently! You know what I mean! GOD IS SO GOOD!

Mike and the Boys

Recently my good friend David Kennedy and his sons Jonathan (left) and Colin were the guests of Senators' President Roy Mlakar at a game against the New York Islanders. They met my nephew Mike Fisher following the game (which the Senators won, of course).

Here's a shot of Jonathan (J.D.), Mike and Colin.

Mike has such a wonderful way of making others feel special! Thanks for all you do, Little Fish!

Big Fish

Note: Mike had a lot of family and friends at the game last week and yet he took time to speak to everyone. That's Mike for you!

Retracing My Steps

Tonight as I lay awake in bed my mind went back to the events two weeks ago when I was in Bristol, England. I found myself retracing my steps. It was such a memorable day! Friends have asked what the most significant event of my trip was. I hesitate to say what it was for fear of disappointing the three men who I spent time with...Nathan Betts, Julian Marsh and Roger Steer...but when the taxi I was riding in approached the orphanage buildings that George Muller had built back in the 1800's and the first one came into view...

It's hard to put into words what I felt in my heart. There were the buildings that I had seen so many pictures of. The magnificent gray structures I had looked forward to visiting for over 50 years. The orphanages that housed and fed thousands of homeless boys and girls. The annals of church history opened before my eyes. I got out of the taxi and stood there - gazing, speechless, grateful to God that I was able to be there.

Yes, it was a dream come true! Perhaps many of you find it hard to understand my fascination with the man, the miracle, the monuments to God's faithfulness. I can't explain it. I can only say that my whole life, ministry and way of doing things over the last half century has been shaped by George Muller, the man who simply trusted God.

It amazed me that so many people in Bristol have no idea who Muller was and what God did through him in the lives of so many orphans.

After leaving Ashley Down, I took the bus to within walking distance of The George Muller Foundation where the Executive Director, Julian Marsh, and his staff showed me such Christian love and hospitality.

That was two weeks ago tonight! I have to pinch myself to remind myself that it even happened. What an incredible trip! What a tonic to my faith! What a testimony to a God who still provides today!

As I retraced my steps I had to come down to my computer and post these ramblings thoughts. After all, isn't that what scribbling pilgrims do.

Thank you, Father, for allowing me to make this journey! What a blessing it was!

NOTE: I'm using this photo of one of the orphanage buildings as my desktop background on my computer as a reminder of my journey! GOD IS GOOD!

Quiet Rest Lodge

Long-time readers of Pilgrim Scribblings will recall my site called The Blog Inn. We closed the inn down last June but re-opened it yesterday under the same management but with a new name...Quiet Rest Lodge.

Why not pay us a visit. Get away from the hustle and bustle of the rat race and catch your breath at Quiet Rest Lodge. You'll be refreshed.

I won't be posting every day from my adirondack chair on the dock but I will post as often as possible. You may even hear the call of a loon in the background.

So, go out to the lodge and pay us a visit. The link is shown at the side of Pilgrim Scribblings where my other blogs are listed.

Relax, refresh, rejuvenate!

Becky's Long-Awaited Update

For those of you who have been praying for Becky, she has posted an update on The Faith Expedition site. Please check it out and keep Becky in your prayers.

Pray for her son Kyle as well. She has posted some photos of Kyle and I have included one here.

Check out The Faith Expedition at:

www.chinsup.blogspot.com

Have a great week!

Another Hero Has Gone Home

Yesterday I received word that one of my heroes had been called "home". Roger Bennett, pianist and songwriter, had battled a form of cancer for a number of years and God said "Enough!" to his suffering servant and beckoned him to heaven. Being a piano player myself who loves Southern Gospel music, Roger Bennett had always been one of my favorites. He joins the heavenly "Homecoming" choir made up of others like James Blackwood, Vestal Goodman, Jake Hess and Anthony Burger.


We'll miss you Roger! Thanks for the memories, dear brother!


Here's the e-mail I received concerning Roger:


Legacy Five pianist Roger Bennett died today as a result of complications encountered though his long battle with leukemia. He was 48 years old.


Born March 10, 1959, Roger grew up in Strawberry, Arkansas. In November of 1979, Roger fulfilled his life-long dream of being a part of professional Southern Gospel music when he was invited by Glen Payne and George Younce to join the legendary Cathedral Quartet. Though he would leave the group for two years (1987-1989) to serve as the president of Journey Records, Roger was the group's pianist at the time of the quartet's retirement in 1999.


Following the retirement of the Cathedrals, Roger and fellow Cathedrals member Scott Fowler launched Legacy Five. In 2004, Roger fulfilled another dream (having his own successful quartet) when readers of Singing News voted Legacy Five as the Favorite Traditional Male Quartet.


Although an excellent singer, Roger is best remembered as pianist-- and often a comedian--for the Cathedrals and Legacy Five. Roger received the Singing News Fan Award for Favorite Southern Gospel pianist 14 years in row (1993-2006).


Songwriting was another forte' of Roger Bennett. Many of his songs appeared on the recordings of the Cathedrals, Legacy Five and many others. His writing talent was not limited to just songs, however. Roger was a contributing editor to Singing News, writing "Midnight Meditations."


Roger leaves behind his wife (Debbie), their children (Chelsea and Jordan) and father (Doug). Funeral arrangements are pending.

Persistence Pays...Becky's Back

Dear friends...further to my post earlier tonight concerning our friend Becky, she responded right away to my e-mail and gave me permission to pass along this update.

I'm posting Becky's e-mail in its entirety and would encourage you to visit her blog, get her e-mail address, send her a note and continue to lift her up before the Lord in your prayers.

Becky writes:

Hi David...thank you so much for your continued love and support.

I'm nearing the end of my final year of University (although I have one more year of teaching practicum to go before I'm officially a school teacher). It's been a long haul, and true to any race, the last few 'miles' have been the most difficult. In order to graduate, I've had to take a math course. Since it's been about 25 years since I've done any math other than calculating shopping discounts, I'm really, really struggling. As it looks now, I may need to take the course again in the summer in order to continue on to my Professional Year. I would appreciate any and all prayers in that regard.

As for the 'rest' of my life, Kyle is thriving and things on the domestic front have continued to be disappointing and hard. Last August, I finally got all the pieces to the puzzle and I have made the decision that Kyle and I will go it alone. There are just some things that cannot be repaired, no matter what. Also, financially, things are looking pretty dire for my final year of schooling, but I'm trusting that God didn't bring me this far to abandon me now. I'll need to find a cheaper place to live and that's going to take a miracle. The average basement suite here is about $700/month. That's about $300 more than I can afford. So...again, prayers in that area would also be appreciated. Feel free to pass this info on to any who still wonder how I'm doing. I hope all is well with you. How was your recent trip to England?

Holding Tightly to His Hand,

Becky

O. K. friends...now is our opportunity to show true Christian love and care towards Becky. Let's overwhelm her with our prayers and encouragement.

Note: The picture in this post was taken from one of Becky's earlier posts.

Going Ape

We're having a ball at Great Wolf Lodge. Kids running everywhere! Screaming! Yelling! In and out the door. We are staying with our friends and between the two families there are at least 20 of us! We all went to Swiss Chalet in Niagara Falls tonight.

By the time we left... our waitress was looking a bit haggard. I took this photo after giving her a 50 cent tip. Just kidding! We rewarded her generously for putting up with this noisy crew! Pray for Ape Rill.

Thank to jel at my place for the photo. Don't know if she took it from her family album or not.

Beckoning Becky

Many of you have corresponded with our blogging buddy Becky and we've been praying for her during the very difficult time she's been going through. I e-mailed her again tonight to assure her of our prayers.

Her blog is entitled The Faith Expedition. Please check it out and e-mail her to let her know that you're standing with her.

In Becky's most recent post which was back in June of 2006 she wrote:

It is what I long for...

Not the absense of sorrow

but the presence of joy within it.

Not the absense of pain

but the presence of love surrounding it.

Not the absense of suffering

but the presence of grace above it.

For life without sorrow, and pain and suffering

is also a life without joy and love and grace.

Still believing....Becky

Friends, let's encourage our sister in the Lord and pray for her even if we don't hear back from her. THANKS!

Tuesday We Had Pasta

On Tuesday afternoon we pulled off a last-minute get-together with our Peterborough Petes. We met at Kelsey's restaurant at 1:00 p.m. for lunch and a season-ending meal. I was overjoyed when nineteen (19) of the guys showed up.

I brought along my sons Matthew and Nathan this time. The boys and the Petes were all off school for March break so we were able to meet before practice instead of after. Matthew was out in the parking lot before lunch shooting pix of the guys. I'm posting some of the better ones.

On the front of our final handout for the season I had printed, "REGULAR SEASON WRAP UP WITH PASTA FISHER." Kelsey's served everyone large portions of Caesar salad and a choice of a club wrap or chicken pasta...thus the title of the handout. Pasta Fisher left the guys with a list of things they should NEVER forget. The season ends this Saturday evening in Barrie, Ontario and our sons and I are going to make the trip. It'll be difficult to say my "good byes" after such a rewarding and profitable season.

Ah....next year!

Who are these guys?

Top row left (left to right) - Steve Lock & Tony Rizzi

Top row right (left to right) - Justin Soryal & Justin Caruana

Next row left - Jack Walchessan, Zach Bogosian & Pat Daley

" right - Ian Norrie (stick boy) & Zach Harnden

Next row left - Kris Krolouski & Steve Lock

" right - Pat Daley

Next row left - Arturs Kulda

" right - Justin Caruana

Bottom right - Trevor Cann

Relaxing At The Lodge

Carol, the kids (and some grandkids) and I are enjoying three days at Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, Ontario, compliments of friends of ours who generously picked up the tab. We're having a great time. I'll post more photos later but here's one of me sitting by the fire with a book in hand. Nice place to be! Great thing to do! You know how much I love books!

We'll be heading back home on Friday afternoon but 'til then, I'm putting up my feet and enjoying some R & R...reading and relaxing.

Debra, did you see me this morning as I drove by? I was waving! I crossed the border to visit Benders, Bon Ton, Marshalls and Eddie Bauer.

Terry...thanks for your love and generosity. We're having a ball, why not give us a call!

Be encouraged today, fellow pilgrims!

Bud Blanks 'Em

My nephew Bud Fisher had a great weekend as the Quinnipiac Bobcats won both games and will play in the ECACHL tournament semi-finals this weekend. CONGRATULATIONS, Bud!

The following story appeared on the Quinnipiac web site:

Quinnipiac University sophomore goaltender Bud Fisher (Peterborough, Ont.) was named ECAC Hockey League Co-Goalie of the Week on Monday afternoon. Fisher stopped 42 of 44 shots over the weekend to lift his club to the ECACHL tournament semifinals for the first time in program history with a sweep of Cornell.

Fisher opened the weekend by notching his third shutout of the year and fifth career blanking in a 1-0 overtime triumph. In all, he turned away 23 shots in that contest.

The next night, he bounced back from a tough first period to stop 19 of 21 shots in a 3-2 win over the Big Red. Most importantly, Fisher stopped all seven Cornell shots in the third period, including a late flurry with the Bobcats protecting a one-goal lead.

The Bobcats now move on to the ECAC Hockey League tournament semifinals, where they will face St. Lawrence on Friday night at the Times Union Center in Albany. The two teams will face off at 4:30 p.m. The winner of that game will advance to Saturday's championship game at 8 p.m. The loser will play in the consolation contest at 4:30 p.m.

Library Thing

The site which I'm going to recommend here in this post may not be of interest to some of you but it certainly is to me. It's called LIBRARY THING and it's extremely helpful in cataloguing your personal library. As a dyed-in-the-wool bibliophile, I find this site fascinating. I realize that it will take me months to get all the books in my library listed but I've made a start.

Check out LIBRARY THING at http://www.librarything.com

Enjoy!

Same Desk, Different Man

Here are two photos of the desk of C. S. Lewis. Note any differences? Too bad some of the brilliance of C. S. Lewis didn't rub off on D. W. Fisher as he sat at Jack's desk. Oh well...it was a nice thought! Note: Lewis prefered to be called "Jack". He wasn't particularly fond of the handle, Clive Staples Lewis. Would you be?

You Tube Rendition

Here is the YOU TUBE piano rendition of BASKING IN THE FATHER'S LOVE which I tried to include on an earlier post.

Please excuse my voice at it breaks up a couple of times due to the emotional nature of the subject matter and the means whereby the Lord gave me the lyrics and the melody. I trust you will be blessed.

Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJEiXsqMR2E

The Lord is a GOOD Shepherd

This picture and slogan is presently being used by the mens' fragrance, Old Spice, in an advertising campaign. I found this particular ad on the back page of the current issue of Sports Illustrated magazine. "THIS MAN LOVES SHEEP." I have no idea what the corelation is between shepherds and after shave lotion but that doesn't matter in this instance. I received a strong and moving message in another direction.

It could have just as aptly been used in the evangelical Christian journal, LEADERSHIP, to depict a local church pastor who tenderly and lovingly cares for his mottled and troubled flock.

It also could fittingly portray the "Good Shepherd of the sheep", the One who leads us by green pastures and still waters. The One who restores our soul.

While traveling in rural England recently I was struck by the pastoral scenes throughout the countryside. The predominant farm animals seen grazing the lush pastures were sheep. The beloved Good Shepherd often came to mind.

He, like the experienced sheep herder in the picture, tenderly lifts His sheep who are called by His name, when they are endangered and lovingly places them back in the fold or strongly holds them to His breast until danger has passed. He knows His sheep by name and calls them to His side. We, too, hear His voice and we follow Him. And He gives unto us, eternal life, and we shall never perish. Neither shall any man, mechanism, demon or devil wrestle us from His strong hold. This Man loves His sheep!

Do you love the Shepherd?

"The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never lose it or perish throughout the ages. [To all eternity they shall never by any means be destroyed.] And no one is able to snatch them out of My hand. My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all [else]; and no one is able to snatch [them] out of the Father’s hand." - John 10:27-30 (Amplified Bible)

Basking in the Father's Love

My friends, while waiting for Roger Steer, biographer of my heroes George Muller and J. Hudson Taylor to arrive at the cathedral in Exeter, England on Wednesday, I was sitting on a park bench basking in the Father's love.

These words came to me and this pilgrim scribbled them down while waiting. It was a beautiful, sunny morning and I was sensing God's presence in a refreshing way.

Today (Friday) as I was going over the words of the first verse in my mind, the melody came to me so I had to record the tune with my camera so I wouldn't forget it. If I had a tripod I could have focused the lens of my SONY on the piano keyboard as I played but this rendition will have to do until I get more sophisticated. May God minister His peace to you as you listen.

NOTE: I'm having difficulty downloading the video I took of me playing this song. Please enjoy the words until I can get the audio visuals added. If you know how to do this, please let me know. THANKS!

UPDATE: I was able to download the video to YOU TUBE so you can hear the melody as I played it on the piano. Please note that my voice breaks a couple of times due to the emotional nature of the subject matter and the wonderful way in which the Lord graciously provided the lyrics and the tune. Thanks for your understanding. Be blessed!

Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJEiXsqMR2E

BASKING IN THE FATHER'S LOVE...

Basking in the Father's love,
Beams of mercy from above;
Daily His great promise prove,
I am His!

He has bought me, saving grace,
Given me in heav'n a place;
One day soon I'll see His face,
I am His!

When my ship the storm assails
Then His promise never fails;
He is there 'midst fiercest gales,
I am His!

Soon this journey will be o'er,
And I'm safe on heaven's shore;
There abide for evermore,
He is mine!

- David W. Fisher - March 7th, 2007
On sitting in the cathedral close in Exeter, England waiting for Roger Steer

First Two Goals...First Star

You may not have noticed but Mike Fisher scored two (2) power plays goals in the first period last night and that was all the Senators needed to easily defeat their rivals, the Leafs, 5-1.

Mike was celebrating the return of his uncle from England and chose to do it this way! He was named the 1st star of the game as well! Thanks, Little Fish!

That's 17 goals so far this season. Keep up the good work, young man!

Proudly,

Uncle David (Big Fish)

Stained Glass

My time in Onley, England was certainly memorable. William Cowper who battled much of his life with sever depression yet composed some rich and abiding hymns and poetry wrote There Is A Fountain Filled With Blood, one of my all-time favorite hymns. The last two lines of the first verse read, "and sinners plunged beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains." Powerful stuff!

Some of the best and most meaningful stained glass windows I saw were in the small Church of England sanctuary in Olney. I wish I could have captured the thought and workmanship that went into them to a greater degree.

On the bottom row of one of the windows (pictured top right) you'll notice the great preacher John Newton on the left and his friend William Cowper on the right.

We miss out on so much when we don't appreciate stained glass. Many who grew up in evangelical denominations looked upon stained glass windows as being tied in with more liberal and "dead" churches. Maybe I'm only speaking for myself but I know I did.

These particular windows add meaning and beauty to our faith...don't you think!

HOME...At Last

Well, my friends, I arrived back in Toronto's Pearson Airport around 1:30 p.m. yesterday (Thursday) where I was greeted by my good friend and office colleague, David Kennedy. It was good to be home.

What a memorable trip! What an awesome experience to walk where some of my heroes made history! I even brought back a piece of stone from one of Muller's orphanage buildings and a piece of rock from a stone fence that was being renovated. Great paper weights and conversation starters! To be shown the original book where George Muller himself recorded the details of the very first orphan was quite a thrill that I will never forget.

Now that I'm home (and it sure was good to see Carol and my family) I will be sorting my pictures, posting a selection of them, capturing my reflections as I look back on my pilgrimage and gradually coming to some conclusions.

It was the trip of a lifetime! Everything I hoped it would be!

Spending time with my dear friend Nathan Betts, meeting Julian Marsh and his staff at the Geroge Muller Foundation and getting acquainted with author and new-found friend Roger Steer were such blessings to this weary pilgrim! I can't forget the helpful and hospitable staff at the Cowper and Newton Museum in Olney. They welcomed me with such warmth!

The only downfalls? Split shoes, sore legs and feet from many miles walked on foot, a "floater" in my eye that I will get checked out next week.

The positives? Too many to mention in one sitting! You'll hear them all as this pilgrim relates his progress.

Finally, thanks to all of you who made the journey with me through your faithful prayers, comments and expressions of love! You made the trip that much more special. Terry (from Canadian Blogger) thanks for being my pilgrimage communicator back home when I couldn't post when I needed to. Thanks, too, for rallying our blogging buddies to pray for me. I was greatly appreciated!

And Brodie...are you still with us? It's almost a month since your last post.

Much love in Christ, David

The phostos? A monument of Anglican theologian Richard Hooker in the cathedral close at Exeter Cathedral, and the gravesite of beloved hymn writer and former slave trader, John Newton in the church yard in Olney.

Disrepair But He's Not There

On Monday afternoon when Julian Marsh, Executive Director of the George Muller Foundation, drove me to Arno's Vale Cemetery in Bristol to view George Muller's grave he warned me that this burial grounds had fallen into serious disrepair (see photo) and is being restored. Julian told me ahead of time to lessen the shock of seeing huge trees growing up through old grave and tombstones broken and toppled over. It was like walking through a graveyard on a dreary, rainy Hallowe'en night.

We walked down a muddy incline to Mr. Muller's grave. The area around his tombstone and those of his first and second wife was kept up...thanks for the efforts of the Foundation.

Seeing Arno's Vale reminded me afresh that it's only the decaying body of the Christian believer that is placed in these cemeteries. Our spirits are "absent from the body, present with the Lord".

Thank you, Julian, for taking me to Arno's Vale and for the wonderful hospitality and love you extended to me during my visit.

I look forward to a future day when I can ask George Muller about his life of faith and obedience. My first priority, though, will be to stand before Jesus and fall at His feet in grateful adoration for loving me and saving me.

What a day that will be!