In ordinary life we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more

than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer

The Good Ole Times; we have all experienced them. We sit and talk about 'days gone by,' when things were good and life was easier. As we look back, the days become nostalgic; we dream about their return, while knowing all the time of the impossibility.

• I remember, as a kid, playing touch football on the streets of Portland. We would get together like clockwork every day after school; choose up teams and go at it for hours. I look back at those days, and think; those were the "good ole days."
• It seems just like yesterday my daughters would "play rough" with me on the living room floor. We would run around, laugh and have a great time. Sharron would worry that we would break something or that someone (probably me) would get hurt; those were great times.
• I recall, with fondness, the days, as the Divisional Youth Secretary in the Southwest Division, sitting up late at night talking with young adults, often times about nothing in particular; sometimes about serious things. We would laugh and carry on so much that the management, on more than one occasion, would ask us to quiet down and be more considerate of other customers. We tried to comply, but it was difficult.

I guess, as I get older, I value the "Good Ole Days" more. As I reflect back on those special times it brings a sense of purpose and joy about life; I treasure those memories. The only regret I have is that I did not know, or think about, how good those times were while they were happening. I often feel guilty about not recognizing how good I had it at the time. I feel as though I missed out because I wasn’t paying attention. I think, "Shame on me."

Over the past four years, Sharron and I have had the privilege of living in Paradise. Living in the Hawaiian and Pacific Islands has been a phenomenal experience. We have done things we never imagined possible; and going to places that we did not know existed prior to coming to the division. We have met and shared our lives with people that we will treasure for the rest of our lives. The beauty that we have seen cannot be expressed in words or seen in photos. In 33 years of officership we have never, and probably will never, experience anything like it.

The good news in all this is that living in the Islands never lost it novelty with us; we never took it for granted. Sharron would often say to me, as we were walking in Manoa or at Ala Moana, "Dave, we live in Hawaii!" But, the absolute best part is that we knew how special it was while we were there; we knew we were living in the "good ole days."

We are forever grateful to God for the experience. We want to thank each of you for sharing your lives with us; and allowed us to become a part of your ohana. We are better people for having experienced the last four years. I wish there was a better way to say it; but I cannot; so I will leave it with a heartfelt "thank you."

We may physically leave Hawaii; but Hawaii will remain always in our hearts.

God bless each of you. You mean the world to us.

Blessings and Aloha,
d

Good Morning

I will fear no evil, for you are with me
~King David~

I love movie quotes; one of my favorite coming from the movie “Tombstone.” Wyatt Earp is saying goodbye to Doc Holliday, who is on his deathbed. Struggling to say the appropriate words, he simply says, “Thanks, Doc, for always being there.” What a strong statement!

We live in a world of time demands, distractions and multiple priorities. Time, by far, is our most priceless commodity. No matter how you stretch, schedule or maneuver; you have 24 hours in a day, and not a second more. Within those 24 hours, we have a list of numerous tasks that need to be accomplished. As a society, we judge people on how much they accomplish within those 24 hours; so we focus, grit our teeth and bear down to get the job done. If we are not careful, the people we come in contact with become one of those tasks; something to be checked off the to-do list.

We love the White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland. He sums life up for so many when he says, “I'm late! I'm late! For a very important date! No time to say hello, goodbye! I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!”

One of the things I admire so much about Jesus is that he never seemed to be in a hurry. He always made time for people. He never saw someone as a task to be accomplished; but someone to be valued. He always made time to be there. His name, Emmanuel, literally means, God with us. Though his actions, and even in his name, God teaches us the importance of being present and in the moment.

Scripture is filled with examples of the ministry of presence. King David said, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will not fear, for you are with me.” When Moses was giving final instructions to an intimidated Joshua he said, “Do not be afraid or terrified…for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you.”

Think back; who has had the most influence on your life? I am willing to bet that it is someone who spent time with you. They did not look at you as a “check off a list,” but as someone of value. They stopped what they were doing, and gave you some of their allotted 24 hours.

Allow me to be philosophical for a moment. I wonder at the end of life how many people regret not being able to accomplish more tasks; I think few. Rather, people toward the end of life, I believe, tend to regret neglected relationships. People wished that they had spent more time in relationships and practiced the art and ministry of presence.

As you go through your 24 hours today, I encourage you to take a moment, look and actually see those around you; then, be there. Save yourself some future regrets and make a positive difference in someone.

Blessings,
d

Good Morning

I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand,

as in what direction we are moving.
~Oliver Wendell Holm~

Good Morning,

There is something special about Men’s Camp. I am not sure what it is. Generally speaking, men have a difficult time openly sharing with one another. Oh, we can talk in detail about sports, the stock market, and the ever important topic of the weather. However, in settings like Men’s Camp, men tend to let their guards downs, and they actually talk about themselves, their feelings, beliefs, hopes, dreams and shortcomings. And, perhaps most importantly, they are willing to ask other men for their support and prayers.

This past weekend at Camp Homelani was no different; where approximately 100 men at camp to play, eat, pray, eat, worship, share and eat together. Did I mention the guys had a lot of good food? Thanks, Dave and the kitchen crew! The theme of the weekend was "A Soldier of the Line." Topics of the weekend included being tested under fire, slaying giants in our lives, accepting God’s plan for our lives and becoming the man that God desires us to be. Major Joe Posillico, Divisional Commander of the Golden State Division, was the guest leader. He boldly talked to the men about being willing to stand their ground and fight for the right; the things of God. The scripture of the weekend was II Chronicles 15:7, "But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded."

The highlight of the weekend was the testimonies of the men. A recurring theme of the testimonies was a restoration of hope. Several men shared about losing hope; giving up on life and themselves. It was encouraging to hear them say they found a reason to keep going; a reason to fight to become the man God wants them to be; a reason to become a better man. Special thanks go to Major Jeff Martin and the Program Department for all the work, planning and prayer that went into the camp.

I pray that each of you will have a blessed week. Be an encouragement to someone else; it will make their day.

Blessings,
d

Good Morning

June 19, 2008

"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me."
--Coach Jimmy Valvano--

Good Morning,

One of the greatest gifts you can give another is believing in them. It is an amazing thing to have someone instilling confidence in you simply by believing in your character and abilities.

Numerous studies have been conducted showing people tend to rise to the expectation of others. Students in whom teachers have confidence tend to get better grades; workers who have the trust of their employers tend to be better workers. Conversely, it has been shown that people also live down to the low expectations of others. There is actually a name for this phenomenon, called the Pygmalion effect.

The movie and Broadway play My Fair Lady was based upon this principle; where an illiterate flower girl becomes a gracious and dignified woman, because of the belief of another. Toward the end of the movie Eliza explains that Profession Higgins always treated her as a flower girl, but she learned to be a lady because Colonel Pickering treated her like a lady.

Jesus believed in others. Take Zacchaeus for example; the people saw a tax collector who took advantage of them; Jesus saw a potential trophy of grace. He was an outcast from society, yet Jesus invited himself to his house for lunch. Saul is another example; he was viewed by the people as a tyrant and a persecutor of the church. Yet, Jesus saw someone who would bring His Gospel throughout the world. Jesus was a "giver of belief."

Throughout Scripture, God calls us to believe in others. He gives us gifts and talents for the express purpose to build up those around us. He instructs us to pray for and encourage each other.

I look back with gratitude to the people who believed in me. Each of them, in their unique way, saw something in me; and communicated that belief through words and actions, especially in times when I did not believe in myself. When I failed or fell short; they continued to have faith in me. They instilled a holy self-confidence in my abilities and character.

I benefited greatly from such support; I wanted to be a better officer; a better leader and a better person. I began to work harder, study harder and care more for others. I became a better officer to a large degree because they treated me like a better officer. Perhaps this is what Paul had in mind when he wrote the following words to the Philippians.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus (2:4-5).

I invite each of you to find ways to believe in those you work alongside. Look around and "catch someone doing good" and find creative ways to acknowledge and thank them. I challenge you to believe and expect the best in those around you; in doing so, you will infuse them with confidence and purpose. And, the remarkable thing is that you will feel wonderful doing so.

Blessings,
d

Good Morning

Man can live for about forty days without food, and about three days without

water, about eight minutes without air...but only for one second without hope.

-Hal Lindsey-

Good Morning,

Sharron and I spent the Easter weekend in the Marshall Islands. This is the second time that I have had the privilege of doing so; Sharron’s first. What an incredible weekend. We shared Good Friday Services at the Rita Corps, Easter morning in Laura, and had a united service in Rita Sunday night.

Majors Benton and Pearl Markham joined us for the trip. Majors Markham were the first officers to be appointed to the Marshall Islands in 1985. They talked about their first Sunday here; which was held in their single wide mobile home, with ten people in attendance. Sunday night there were over 400 in attendance; and, I had the honor of enrolling 25 Junior Soldiers and six Senior Soldiers.

Major Ben gave the message on Sunday night. He spoke about Overton Clarence, the first soldier in the Marshall Islands, and his undying determination to bring The Salvation Army here. Overton wrote letters to everyone from the General to the Hawaiian Islands Divisional Commander, asking them to send an officer to begin the work. His faithfulness paid off, as today there are over a thousand soldiers in the Marshall Islands. The Army’s work has now spread throughout all Micronesia. It is because of the faithfulness of Overton Clarence and Majors Ben and Pearl Markham that The Salvation Army is in Micronesia today.

It is appropriate that Sharron and I spent Easter in the Marshall Islands. Easter is day of hope, but it is also a day of faithfulness. Jesus was faithful all the way to the Cross. He could have quit any time; however, thank God, He never did. Today we can share a right relationship with God because of His faithfulness. It is because of faithful people like Majors Markham and Overton Clarence that thousands of lives have been impacted by the ministry of The Salvation Army.
You and I may never have the chance to have such a dramatic impact on so many other people. However, God presents us with countless opportunities everyday to make a difference in the lives of others; by sharing a kind word or a gentle response. God doesn’t require great things of all of us; however, He does require great love in little things.

Blessings,
d

Good Morning

Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.
-Billy Graham

Good Morning,

What an incredible weekend! We had 165 people at our annual Youth Councils where we taught our young people to fight. They were taught to stand and not back away; to be bold and not be afraid. Okay, calm down…the fight is not against each other, but against social injustice, poverty, addictions; they were taught to boldly stand for God and doing right.

It seems like every time I open a newspaper I read something bad about a young person. We read about rising high school drop out rates or frightening crime rates involving youth. This weekend ran totally contra to everything that we read today.
Saturday the delegates went to Aala Park and feed the “houseless;” they went to our Silvercrest (senor housing) in Wahiawa and pulled weeds and cleaned up the area; they picked trash along the road side and in the parks around Haleiwa. They proudly wore shirts that stated, I’LL FIGHT on the front. On the back were the words of General William Booth, founder of The Salvation Army:

While women weep, as they do now, I'll fight; while little children go hungry, as they do now, I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, as they do now, I'll fight; while there is a drunkard left, while there is a poor lost girl upon the streets, while there remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight-I'll fight to the very end!

On Sunday I was moved to almost tears (okay, to tears) when I saw them stand up and boldly make commitments to God; determined to become all that God wants them to be.
My thanks go to everyone that contributed to make Youth Councils a success, especially to Captains Neil and Rubina Navarro. Each of you gives me hope, not only for tomorrow, but for today.

While many were at Youth Councils; stating their commitment to God for their future, there was a funeral service for our dear friend Brigadier Adela Acosta in Hilo. She, along with her husband, Bienvenido, served as Salvation Army officers for 29 years. She leaves a legacy of passionate service to God and others. She was happiest, according to her family, when she was serving other people. In The Salvation Army, we use the term Promoted to Glory; and rightfully so, as we believe she is now at the loving side of her Savior. Our prayers are with the Acosta family during this difficult time.

Blessings,
d

Good Morning

Go out into the world today and love the people you meet. Let your presence light new

light in the hearts of people.

-Mother Teresa-

Good Morning,

Sharron and I are blessed with a wonderful family. And, while we may be separated by miles, technologies of today help us to keep in touch. Our niece, Amanda, is a nurse living in Dallas, Texas. Some of you know her, as she was the nurse two summers ago at Camp Homelani. Please pardon me, as I want to do a little Uncle bragging.

Amanda, since being a little girl, has wanted to help others. I remember asking her, when she was about five, what she wanted to be. She said she wanted to be a “victinarean,” as she wanted to help hurting animals. She moved to Dallas after her summer with us in Hawaii to begin her career as a nurse. When it came to decided where to live, she and a few friends, chose a lower income housing unit that had several refugees from Somalia. She wanted to help make a difference. I recently received an email from her, which I would like to share excerpts with you.

Dear Uncle Dave and Aunt Sharron:
It has been another interesting weekend. I am amazed by how the Lord works and stand in awe of what I get to witness to what's happening in this community of refugees. I sometimes imagine myself with my feet kicked back being entertained by the Lord doing His thang. I almost have to laugh because its just so mind boggling and I cannot explain it. All I can do is praise God for His miracles and His love for people.

This Friday night I stopped by a family's apartment to visit. One of the boys, age 8, was covered in a weird sort of skin problem. He had big rashes and raised scabby lesions all over his body. My heart was broken. This boy has no Medicaid and can't afford a doctor or medicine. I came home that night and cried it all out to my roommate and we prayed over this little boy. I called my friend David, who is a pediatrician, and he agreed to see him Saturday night. I brought the little boy over to my house that next night and David checked him out, but wasn't able to make a diagnosis. So, we were frustrated. David remembered that there was a dermatologist that goes to our church and was able to call him that night. This doctor is one of the best dermatologists in Dallas. The quickest way for us to get this boy to see him was to bring him to church. Hallelujah! So, we HAD to bring him to church with us. So, this little Muslim boy not only saw the best doctor and was diagnosed but also got to attend Sunday school that morning. The next issue was the medicine and all of the oral and topical antibiotics and steroids that he needed. We found out he has a severe case of eczema with a staph infection on top of it.

The sermon was about Jesus feeding the 5 thousand people bread and fish. Mark 6:34 "When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a Shepherd….The crowd ate and were satisfied." Neil the pastor had a trunk full of dollar coins and we were each given 5. We were told to do whatever with our money, give it away, keep it, use it to take someone out, add it with someone else. David, the doctor was given almost $60 of coins after the service to pay for the child's medications. This paid for almost half of the cost of the medicine. The rest was covered by another nurse and the doctor.

I am still crying tears of joy over what the Lord has done. And of course am laughing at how He works. Jesus showed compassion on this poor Muslim child and why? I can't answer that. Because of my human flesh I had trouble even touching him. I kept imagining Jesus touching the lepers and holding the sick. I can see Mother Teresa holding sick people who had sores all over their body. I wish I could be as bold as that. Please pray for these people and that one day they would say the name of Jesus as their Savior.
Love, Mander

I think you can see why I am so proud of Amanda. However, that is not the reason for sharing this with you. Yes, I think Amanda is a very special person, but she isn’t. She is normal in very sense of the word; she has good days and not so good days. However, she is making a difference in other people’s lives. She doesn’t do it with fanfare, and will probably be upset with her Uncle Dave if she finds out that I shared her story.

Amanda teaches me, once again, that God does not need superstars representing him. He needs people like you and me; people who are willing to reach out and touch the lives and hearts of others on a daily basis. He needs people who follow the greatest commandment: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself." There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:30-31

To quote Mother Theresa once again, “We can do no great things --only small things with great love.”

Blessings,
d

Good Morning

February 4, 2008

"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.”
Coach Jimmy Valvano

Good Morning,

Next month a team from Territorial Headquarters will be here to review our work over the previous year. During this time, I will give a State of the Division presentation, highlighting some of the events. While the list is not all inclusive, I attempt to give them a flavor of the year. I thought that I would share some of the things with you, as it is really your work that I am highlighting.

I will begin by talking about the trust people have in The Salvation Army. The best illustration of this was someone placing ten $100 bills in one of Hanapepe’s kettles. When I heard of this, I tried to imagine the level of trust that person has in the Army. And, more importantly, how can we live up to that trust? It comes down to the work that you do every day and that work being the best representation of The Salvation Army.

The Kroc Center draws closer to becoming a reality. We will soon be taking possession of 15 acres in East Kapolei. Without going into details, our ability to secure this prime property is more evidence of God being at the center of the project. A ground dedication will take place this spring and ground breaking in the latter part of this year.

We opened an outpost in Arno (Marshall Islands) and Saipan. A new building was dedicated in Pohnpei. It is thrilling to see our people’s excitement about spreading God’s love through the ministry of The Salvation Army. The Chief of the Staff (the second ranking officer in the world) will be touring Micronesia in September. We are hoping that she (yes, she) will open Saipan as a corps and dedicate a new corps building in Ebeye (Marshall Islands).

Our Social Service programs continue to be models to the rest of the Territory in professionalism and effectiveness. Each time I visit one of our programs I am amazed at the number of people’s lives touched; the care that the clients receive; and, the dedication of our employees.

Revolution Hawai’i entered its second year of operation with seven students. Each of the students must raise their own money and give a year of their lives to serve others. The students spend their time focusing on Bible Study, discipleship and service. They learn over the year the importance of building relationships, and using those relationships to bring about positive change in the lives of others.

Last year was more challenging financially compared to the last couple of years. Our overall donations were down; however, it was encouraging to see our kettles were up approximately 8% over the previous year. As the economy slows, we must be ready to serve more people in need, yet with possibly fewer resources. This coming year may be a challenging one. However, I believe we will be ready to respond because of two very important things; 1) God is never in a recession, and 2), the character of our people.

God bless you as you do the business of The Salvation Army by changing lives.

Blessings,
d