THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY

Write About Jesus was very fast-paced and since I was not feeling well before the event, the event itself and then Monday evening at the St. Charles Convention Center with my friend Dr. Arthur Mallory and Governor Mike Huckabee and many other pro-life citizens of our country was almost too much to believe.

WAJ was inspiring, a time of learning, having fellowship and little time to sleep. Of course, it is always fun to be with the clinicians Sue invites to this event. The veterans of WAJ and the new clinicians were a perfect faculty and mixed well with the registrants. It is special for me to watch the interaction of clinicians and registrants, clinicians and clinicians as well as registrants and registrants. We missed a lot of folks who usually attend the workshop, but we met a lot of new folks who became instant friends.

One of the things I shared at worship was that not only should the folks learn a lot about song writing, but they should expect a blessing. The blessing might not come from WAJ, but there should be a blessing. The second thought was that great undertakings usually come from great feelings. The folks attending WAJ should endeavor to obtain great feelings because I believe great songs come from great feelings. Dr. Mark Tolbert, our interim pastor said: "We should say 'Yes God. Now what is the question?'" If you want the blessing and the great feelings, say "Yes God. Now what is the question." The blessing and the great feelings come from God, not WAJ.

I could write a book about Arthur Mallory. He is the perfect serving-leader. He has always been that. He was president of Missouri State University and led that university into an expansion program that made a small college into a great university. After leaving MSU, he became Commissioner of Education for the state of Missouri. He was the best commissioner we have ever had. Parents As Teachers was Arthur's idea. To this day, he says that PAT is the best export Missouri has. I have had the privilege of listening to him and tapping his brain. He knows more about education than anyone I know.

Arthur was the Master of Ceremonies for the Vitae program last evening. He and Governor Huckabee made for a great program. Gov. Huckabee made an excellent speech, sharing many experiences he endured in his bid to be president of the United States. I was impressed by his personality and how he made those around him feel comfortable. Sitting at a table with the governor, Arthur, Sue, and our friends Ed and Janet Watkins was just about as good as it gets.