In her editor’s letter in the English Women’s Weekly (24th July 2012) the editor is writing about the unique national characteristic of the Americans, the Germans, the Italians, the Australians and of course the British.
In brackets she says: “clearly these are my entirely unscientific suggestions.” She says that the Americans are hospitable, the Germans are organised, the Italians are effusive and the Australians are chilled.
Long ago I used to live in Bottrop near Essen in the middle of Europe and while I was sitting one day on a bench in the cemetery of Bottrop I ‘received’ help to get organised.
A general outline came to me and has stayed with me until now and will stay with me until I die. All you have to do is buy a ringbinder and paper and write the outline down. Or do it on your laptop. Here is an example of a general outline I used at one stage in my life. We worked as missionaries at that time in Kaikohe (New Zealand).
A. HEALTH
1. self
a. b. c.
2. wife
a. b. c.
3. first child
4. second child
I am thinking here not only about the physical health of the family, but also about the spiritual health.
B. SUPPORT
Prayer and financial support from Germany and New Zealand.
1. Supporters in Germany. Keep up contact.
a. With regular newsletters.
b. With articles in the magazine of the MISSION.
2. Supporters in New Zealand.
1. 2.
C. KAIKOHE (UNITED MAORI MISSION)
1. Church
2. Sunday School
3. Bible in Schools
a. Schools:
b. Training Days
4. Cottage Meetings
a.
b.
D. FURLOUGH
Germany Deputation)
E. PAYING OF TAX
While working in Thailand as a missionary, I cannot remember paying tax, but while working in New Zealand as a missionary I remember paying tax several times a year.
That are very important dates.
F. MEETING THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
In his book UNTO THE HILLS Billy Graham is writing about “The dying words of Christians.” (January 23)
John Knox said this, “Live in Christ, die in Christ, and the flesh need not to fear death.” Martin Luther said, “Our God is the God from whom cometh salvation. God is the Lord by whom we escape death.” And these are the words of John Wesley, “The best of all is, God is with us.”
This is of course only a very rough outline. Make your own, add at any time and delete at any time.
Yes, this is a selfmade diary. I call it my LOGBOOK .
What I like so much about a ringbinder is that you can tear pages out and add pages and keep everything nice and tidy.
I believe the Lord Jesus Christ taught me and told me to make my LOGBOOK, while sitting on that bench in the grave yard and yes, I am a German. And although it says about the Germans that they are organised, all their being organised does not help them if they don’t look into their LOGBOOK regularly and do what it says in there.
I remember once having a part of my LOGBOOK so to speak right in front of me – a list of things to take on a camping trip with the kids to Matauri Bay – and I still forgot to take some things that were on the list. We discovered that when arriving at Matauri Bay. I had to leave the kids at the beach and go back to get the essential things.
