Returning To Earth

I just got back home. What a weekend! I have not been to a Christian conference in a while and decided to go to Austin and be a part of the Eagles Nest School of Worship and the Arts (ENSoWatA). I admit that I went not really knowing exactly what to expect. I went to relax and I did. It was so great. I got to see old friends and rest in a very comfortable hotel; and the Lord was there too. That's always nice. But I got a double blessing. At first I was not going to minister, but just be ministered to. Then the Lord convicted me of this and so I decided to offer to do a couple of artistic sign expression presentations, which the organizers graciously allowed. So I got to both rest and minister.

God has called me to teach. I have known this for over twenty years, but to the group in Austin I am a sign interpreter. At my home church, they of course know that I do sign interpretation, but they call me Teacher Ellis. To them I am first and foremost a Bible teacher, not a sign interpreter - but to the group in Austin I am the master of artistic expression. I have tried to change this image and bring a more balanced view of my credentials, but have been unsuccessful so far in disueding them from this view of things. Perhaps I should stop trying to do this. Evidently the Lord wants me to wear two hats. My mission is "to reveal the truth." This is, of course, what I am doing in either role. "I just want to be used mightily for you, Lord!"

At any rate, I went back to work yesterday morning - what a drag! After that fantastic weekend high, going back to my job seemed like shear drudgery. But I am glad to be back on earth, and back to the work of serving the Savior. The weekend at ENSoWatA was wonderful and about as close to heaven as I'll get here on earth: seeing old friends and praising the Lord - and if you were there, you know what I'm saying is true.

Rev. Bob Ellis