Monday, January 18, 2010

Tidbits & Gratuitous Pictures Of My Kids!

Hello All,

Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to speak at the Men's breakfast for Calvary The Brook on Saturday morning. You can listen to that message right here. Later that day, our family had the chance to join the Packinghouse Junior High ministry in Idyllwild on Saturday night. The pictures that are interrupting the text were taken on a beautiful trail near the camp.

Sunday capped off a rare 4 sermon week. Earlier in the week, I spoke to the students of the Packinghouse and then of course, at the Gonzalez center on Thursday night. That message is available here. I am grateful that the Lord allowed me to have the health and the strength, but more importantly, His presence, as several people responded to what the Lord was speaking, and several gave their hearts to Christ for the first time at the Junior High camp. I pray that He will continue to allow me to speak His Word.

At this point in my life, this is par for the course. Each week thus far has been an adventure to
see just how the Lord will provide for our family. Honorariums for speaking, playing drums or leading worship have helped to sustain us while we wait to see what the Lord develops with the church plant that I am overseeing. I have also returned to teaching drum lessons, which has been fun to get back into. The point is that variety is both the spice AND the meat of life currently!

Speaking, no pun intended, of speaking at the Gonzalez Center, the Bible study is going along really well. This last Thursday was our best attended study yet. Technically, we had 23 people, 3 of which were my kids and 1 of which is not yet born, but is making quite an impression! We have been enjoying studying the book of Genesis, as well as the growth of a community. I am hopeful that the Lord will soon move us into a Sunday morning service, but I am not wanting to rush anything. I want the Lord to make that obvious to the entire group. I believe that He is beginning to do just that.

By the way, for those in the Colton area, you are certainly invited to join us! I was asked by someone this week at the gym if this was an exclusive bible study. It is not. It is open to all that do not have a regular place to receive the Word of God and worship. I especially appeal to those of you who have not been in any place for a while or for that matter, ever! Come on out and join us for a Thursday night. We are about to begin the life of Abraham this Thursday and it would be a perfect time to join us. We meet every Thursday at the Gonzalez Center at 670 Colton Avenue in Colton.

Moving from the study to the home front, life has been a bit of a challenge. As many of you
know, we moved into an apartment during Christmas week. A short time later, Renae began to exhibit an allergic resurgence. We tried to remedy this in the usual ways, but found no relief for her symptoms. We talked with our landlord, who graciously allowed us the opportunity to break our lease. At the same time, we asked the lady who was renting our home to begin to look for a new place. This personally pained me, as she has been a faithful renter and was the innocent party in this whole thing. I prayed that the Lord would set her up. Just a few days ago, I found out that God had done just that by giving her a larger place for the same rental amount! I was truly relieved and grateful to the Lord for His faithfulness to her.

Our movement back to our old home in Highland should alleviate Renae's allergies. She never exhibited any allergy problems there, mostly due to a large portion of the house being covered with laminate flooring. Additionally, It will also give us a bit more room, including a garage where drum students can once again come to me. If you are interested in drum lessons, please do feel free to contact me. And, what is truly a gift from the Lord: We'll be paying the same amount for the mortgage that we were paying for the rent in our current apartment! God is good. My last prayer is for our current landlord, namely that they will find suitable tenants that can make a long term commitment to them. I hope that you will pray that along with me.

Moving again is the bad news. This move will bring us right back to the place where we started this journey! Back in 2005, we decided right there in our living room to follow the call of the Lord to Spain. Since then, we have moved 10 times! That is 10 times in 5 years! but this move will allow us to be in a stable place, which will prayerfully translate to a more stable approach to ministry in the Colton area, as well as a return to blogging regularity. I have high hopes for these next few months in both of these regards.

A few final words and this tidbits post will be done:

• Thanks to Joe Lindberg, a faithful Thursday nighter, I am knee deep into gourmet root beer addiction! Until otherwise knocked off the pedestal, my allegiance belongs right here
• Kudos (that is such a weird word...) to my son Caleb, who got caught "doing good" at school and won a special student of the week award! You have got to love his humble face in this picture. This reward entitled him to a free personal pizza from Shakey's, which he immediately proclaimed to be "not as good as Pizza Hut." We have not had pizza hut since we lived in Spain! Good memory kid...or bad pizza Shakey's!

• This blog is on a 20 blog commented streak. For the past 20 blog entries, there has been at least one comment. Don't fail me now people! Just one comment extends the streak...let's keep hope alive! By the way, just so you know, the most commented on blog entry was this.

• Speaking of burritos...there will be no argument here: The best breakfast burrito in the Inland Empire comes from Bravo Burger. Their Egg/Bacon burrito is the best! If you would like to experience this for the first time, my wife and I would be glad to accompany you...not to see you eat one, but simply because we must have another one soon!!

• I am looking forward to Super Bowl Sunday...anyone with a 2,000 inch HD TV and gourmet root beer having a party that we can crash!? Let us know! I am not much of a football fan, but you gotta love the commercials.
That's all for now.

Blessings... To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

7 comments:

Simone Knepper said...

Is Lela PREGNANt???? (unborn child mentioned earlier on in post)
We will pray for all the things you mentioned. I didn't realize you guys still owned that house. AWESOME that you'll be paying the same in mortgage as you would've in rent.
miss you guys!!!!!

Frank And Lela said...

SIMONO!!! No, Lela is not pregnant...I was referring to another Thursday Nighter who is. Don't get too excited there!

We miss you and Jono as well.

Megan said...

frank, this reminds me of a Wierd Al song "Frank's 2000 inch TV.... got a 2 year warrantyyyyy on parts and labor...." eh eh??

Carrie Allen said...

glad to see you back on here!!

Chris Reinhardt said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Chris Reinhardt said...

Oh why did you have to mention Bravo Burger!! I just broke into a cold sweat thinking about those delicious, scrumtrulescent decadent burritos. why frank. why....?

Frank And Lela said...

Yes Chris...they are scrumtrulescent! I am indulging in one right now...hmmm, oh my...(with mouth full) this...is...there are no words! :-)