SOCPM Newsletter | October 30, 2021

Greetings,

A mostly uneventful week compared to the past few weeks. Which was good gave me sometime to review the of various tasks.

SOCPM Inside the Prison Gate

SOCPM Outside the Prison Gate

The Weekly Note - A Study of the Psalms; Psalm 8:5-7

On the Home Front

On the Prayer Front

Those are the topics for this week's SOCPM Newsletter. I hope you enjoy it.

To Him be the glory in ALL things and Him alone,

Scott Kalas
Soldiers of Christ Prison Ministries

SOCPM Inside the Prison Gate

This week at Dixon seemed, in several ways was like prison ministry days before COVID. 

First, Dixon has water! Still, I almost went without. I try to bring as few personal items not related to prison ministry as possible through the gate. So, last week I started leaving my commissary vending card in the car. Thus, I had no means to buy my usual two bottles of water. Thankfully Chaplain Thomas was at the gate for another purpose, and he gave me the use of his card. He told me it was low but should be enough to get two bottles of water, despite doubling the price from the pre-COVID price of 22¢ to the outrageous price of 44¢ 😱. Dixon is still one of the lowest prices for bottled water I know. That's why when I put $10 on my vending card, it will last me almost the whole term.

Another reason why it seems like old-times happening was eating prison food, 😝. Despite what some claim, not all prison food is yucky, yuk. One has to learn each prison's food, and hopefully, those foods will be several and served on the day you're there. This week I saw scribbled on the menu the stainless steel shield between you and the food and server, 'T/C patty, Fries, Green Beans' My question was, what is a T/C patty? 🤷🏻‍♂️A turkey and chicken patty! 😳 Duh!. Okay, I'll be adventurous; give me a T/C patty and a few fries. No way am I adventuring into green bean territory 🤢. I've forgotten most of Dixon's okay foods and hope to recognize them as time goes by, but T/C patty is doable. A tad well done, but a little tasty. The fries are not so. They're very undercooked and greasy. But that is probably a good thing. It eradicates my usual craving for french fries.

As for class time, the Discipleship class also was like a long time ago, when the earth was COVID free. Guys filed in, a few minutes of fellowship, admin stuff, prayer, intro to and watching the video, a time of discussion, and closing prayer. I've not hit my desired magical number of 20 out of 20 in attendance, but Chaplin Thomas reminded me 100% is an almost unknown occurrence. It happens but rarely. SOCPM has had a few, but a 75 - 90 percent is SOCPM's norm. This week's attendance was 65%. Mot quite my happy spot, but I'm hopeful.

The week of the curriculum 'What Does Revelation Teach?'  The Revelation of Jesus Christ went well. We spent a fair amount of time discussing the importance of knowing God's Word throughout to understand the more difficult books like Revelation fully. Knowing God's Word does not come from silent reading but personally reading it aloud, hearing it read, and of course, preaching God's Word.

Malachi Dads, SOCPM's Christian Living Fatherhood was like old times to but on the ugh side. The class schedule for Malachi Dads is for a 12:30 start to 2:00, but there can be a delay in starting until the headcount is complete and movement is resumed. Because of staff shortages and other factors, the guys didn't arrive until after 1 pm 🙁. The late start falls in line with another prison norm; expect last minutes changes to your plan.

I had an original schedule for this week to be a study of Psalm 1:3-4. However, because of the unexpected, we accomplished only a discussion on Psalm 1:2, and just a peek at Psalm 1:3. Nevertheless, the discussion was praiseworthy despite class time being about 45 minutes instead of a planned 90 minutes. 

Psalm 1:2 reads, but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 'His' being the blessed man' Psalm 1:1 led to discussion similar to Discipleship. To be a blessed man, one needs to get all the nutrients on God's Word, like the tree planted by water getting the nutrients it needs to sustain life.

In summary, I would describe this week as one of unity, united in the food we eat, unexpected change while seeking to know God's Word.

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity Psalm 133:1

Sheridan Correctional Center Lockdown 84 Weeks 🥺🙏

SOCPM Outside the Prison Gate

It was an uneventful week outside the classroom as far as prison ministry goes. I've not heard back from my prison pen pal David, But it's been a little over a week since I sent him my first letter. Prison mail isn't the speed of our accustomed times of communicating USPS, let alone texting. There may be a letter at my church, Redeemer Fellowship, and I haven't received word. Nonetheless, I hope next week I'll receive a letter from David.

This week, most of my prison ministry time was admin, as it is most weeks out of the classroom. Recording attendance, adding new students to the SOCPM dB, journaling some comments about the classes, and printing. I do a lot of printing. In addition to class sign-in sheets, weekly articles, and blah, blah more. I won't bore you with all my admin tasks and time preparing for a class lecture, but time doing prison ministry extends in a fair amount of time outside the prison gate.

It may be time out of the classroom when I'd rather be in the classroom, but I view it as preparing for the harvest to come in the classroom.

The sluggard does not plow in the autumn; he will seek at harvest and have nothing. Proverbs 20:4

The Weekly Note - A Study of the Psalms

This week's Psalm Study was on Psalm 8:5-7

 5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
    and crowned him with glory and honor.
6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;
    you have put all things under his feet,
7 all sheep and oxen,
    and also the beasts of the field,


How I come up with some of my thoughts when reading and studying Scripture baffles me. But the week's Weekly Note on Psalm 8:5-7 brought to mind a documentary series Michelle and I watched several year ago, Planet Earth. Both Michelle and I were fascinated while we were watching it.

I wrote in my greeting that the person behind the documentary series is Sir David Alltenborough, I wasn't able to find any publication stating if would describe himself as an evolutionist but I found nothing saying he was a creationist neither.

So, how did I possibly link Psalm 8:5-5 with Planet Earth and Sir Alltenboroug? I' think it is a honest assumption that the series was hailed by evolutionist or naturalist. I pondered how could one produce a compelling series Plane Earth and continue to not believe in a creator.

Now that I've recalled the documentary series Planet Earth I'm longing to watch it again.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14

On The Home Front

The home front was more yawn 🥱 than stress this week 😰. But Michelle read in the Home Owner's Association document that a home owner's driveway will not be plowed even if only one car is in the driveway brought on some worries 😟. As pleased as I am, I cleared out enough stuff to park the Subaru in the garage; getting both the Subaru and Toyota in the garage before the snow flies is going to be a monstrous challenge.

Wayside Cross picks up from North Aurora on Tuesdays, but their bookings for North Aurora were booked until November 23rd. But in the interim it means trying to consolidate more boxes and buying shelving, and hopefully, bring some final organization to our garage.

There were more home happenings I could share but you'll probably 😴

Despite the garage issues Michelle and I are blessed with our townhome. May we dwell in our refuge with trust and to His glory.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 91:1-2

On the Prayer Front

Praise, Cameron did get the job at Circle K. But, as always, would you please pray for his salvation, continued sobriety, a better-paying serving job in addition to his Circle K job? Cameron, in several phone calls, has mentioned health issues. Would you also pray for his overall health and get the medical and dental care he needs?

With this week's classes, I felt I was hitting my stride, and my thirst for doing more is increasing. However, in my thirst to find more ways to supplement the weekly teachings, I tend to lose my way and spend a lot of time researching. Would you please pray I hear God's guidance to material that will bless the students? Also, would you please pray for my usual prison ministry prayers, bring glory to God, and the harvest and sanctification of students be plentiful?

With the moving and settling in tasks, I've fallen into a routine of looking at my tasks forecast when I begin my day. In my eagerness to accomplish the tasks, I've become lax in my personal Bible study. Would you please pray I will be more disciplined and consistent have the motivation and focus in the morning when my day starts to turn to Bible study? I've had a book, 'More God, Less Crime,' that I've had on my 'want to read' lists for too long of a time. Would you please pray I can discipline myself to set some time aside to begin reading it? And yes, would you please pray I complete all that needs to be done to have the ability to park both cars in the garage before the first snowfall?

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Jeremiah 33:3

Citations

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Scripture

SOCPM - All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

CHS - Unless indicated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from Clarke, Roy H, editor. The Treasury of David: Spurgeon's Great Commentary on Psalms, by C. H. Spurgeon, 3rd ed., vol. 1, T. Nelson Publishers , 1997 are from the New Geneva Study Bible published by Thomas Nelson, Inc., using the New King James Version of the Bible, ©1979, 1980, 1982, Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers.

FDK Unless indicated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from Derek Kidner, Psalms 1–72: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 15, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1973) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

JMB - Unless indicated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from James Montgomery Boice, Psalms 1–41: An Expositional Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2005) is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.TM

WAV - Unless indicated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from VanGemeren, Willem A. “Book 1 Psalms 1 - 41.” The Expositor's Bible Commentary Psalms, by Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland, Revised ed., vol. 5, Zondervan, 2008 is taken from is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

WSP Unless indicated otherwise, all Scripture quotations are from “Psalm 1.” Psalms: A Critical and Expository Commentary with Doctrinal and Practical Remarks, by William S. Plumer, Banner of Truth Trust, 1975 is taken from the Holy Bible King James Version.

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