JOYS OF FELLOWSHIP

Edith and me.

Mary Ellen picked me up for lunch two days ago and introduced me to her friend Edith, a charming Argentinian woman who loves truth. Mary Ellen had give Edith several of my books, and Edith brought a couple to be signed.

Mary Ellen had read the blog about my Pittsburgh Steeler trials here, so she showed up wearing a Steelers stocking hat. Yes, the hits just keep on coming. To humor my dining companions, I donned the cap and look correspondingly sheepish.

Speaking of Pittsburgh Steeler trials, Zack showed up the other day without his usual sweater. Unfortunately, the handsome sweater had been replaced by something far less pleasant.

Good Zender.

Bad Zack.

Here is another nice photo of Kate Horne and me, taken with her phone, sent to me yesterday.

Kate Horne is organizing the conference in Dania Beach on March 1-3.
Stay tuned for conference details, which I'll publish soon after I return home.

I shall now show you a most disturbing photograph, so brace yourself. A friend of mine in Arizona, Kelli Spurgeon, somehow got the crazy idea to cross Martin Zender with Mona Lisa. She sent me an email titled, "Mona Martin," with an attachment. I saw the title and thought, What the ... " Then I opened the damned thing. The fact that I am showing you this attests to a supernatural ability to laugh at myself.

This is terribly disturbing, but terribly funny.

Regena brought a good friend of hers from work home for lunch yesterday: Michele. It wasn't long before we got into a theological discussion about salvation, and free will. Since my paperbacks were lying around, I decided to give her, Martin Zender Goes to Hell. When the topic moved to sin and salvation, I handed her How to Be Free From Sin While Smoking a Cigarette. The conversation was going so well, we invited Michele and her boyfriend Kahni over for dinner.

Man, was that ever a good time. The five of us were joined by Josh and Ashley. There we were, out on the epic God-patio again (how many times has this happened over the past week? many times) discussing the greatness of God and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Waylan got on a fine roll, and the testimony of God's grace poured forth. Kahni and Michele are both tuned in to the spirit of God, and so the discussions were nothing but pleasant and edifying. Things started off around 7:30, and wound down at 11.

Good times, great oldies. Kahni is playing coy.
That's my CLNT in the foreground.

Love and affection; I love it.

In two hours, Waylan takes me to the airport. We are making time to have lunch, and to swing by Dania Beach, the site of the conference in March. I want to photograph the layout, which Kate Horne--the conference organizer--says is gorgeous, and include it in our upcoming announcements.

I soaked up the sun on my last morning out on the bank of the lake with Waylan, sipping our coffees. What a blessing this man has been to me. I can't say enough. I have been so busy here, but also so much in the zone of peace, grace, and love.

There is no better place to be.