Roy Davison wrote to mention updates on his spiffy Old Paths site. Quite a number of new articles from a new face, Richard Mansel. Read his article, "The Book was Better."

Son Micah sent email saying the week-long music camp was great; he's now in Interface, freshman orientation. So that'll keep him busy until Wednesday, then comes the Real World of Study on Thurs.

Good group this morning at church, 52 present, though we had several of our own that were out. Several weak in the faith.

I was going to head to the office in the afternoon, but after lunch out I hit the sack and stayed two hours in the Deep. By that time it was 6 p.m., so I gave up the idea of working a bit in the office. Here the church meets in the morning only; no night meeting. It's a problem with transportation, most people depend on buses and Sunday service is sloooow.

I've let Cloudburst Poetry slide the last few weeks while I was in the U.S. I didn't make it this past week either. Will have to pop a specially good work of art to the list to make up for it.

Off and running for another great week. Here's for one straight blessing for you this week also.

Son Micah was supposed to have returned from music camp yesterday, and Grandpa and Grandma were to have delivered a new computer to him this morning. I thought either he or Mom might be on the net tonight, so we can have word of how the camp went. No sign of either thus far.

Vicki taught the ladies' meeting this afternoon, here at the house. The monthly meeting rotates among the women's homes, and this month for the first time in a long while it was held at our house. Usually, the host lady also teaches.

Afterwards, we all traipsed up to Jose Roberto and Lea's house where I baptized Ilma. She and Bete had been studying together -- the evangelistic series Glenn Robb and I put together back in 1985 -- and Ilma decided last night before the last study that she wanted to take the plunge.

The water was very cold. I had a bit of trouble talking, though I tried not to let the chill show. Ilma was not so practiced. She cried out after she got in the pool -- it was almost to her shoulders.

I did the baptism putting her head downward rather than laying her in the water backwards. Seems to work so much better and since there is no specific instruction how to do it, I've lately begun placing the face in the water. Any objections?

Well, daughter Leila, age 11, has said for some time she wants to study to prepare her for baptism. And she said on the way home she much preferred the laid-back method. So I'll respect that.

Negligence. That's all I can say. I have been traveling in the U.S. for three weeks, and got my oldest son into college at Freed-Hardeman Univ.

So I repent and resolve to do a better job weblogging from now on.

Forgive me?

On The Encouragement Forum, moderated by YT, there's a special section on Christianity for Beginners, with a very recent, if brief, response to the question, "What does it take to be a real believer?"