SOCPM Newsletter | September 24, 2022

Greetings,

SOCPM Inside the Prison Gate: A long term comes to an end.

SOCPM Outside the Prison Gate: Refreshing, but not all idle time.

On the Home Front: Hoodie season on the patio and staycationing with my bride of 14 years.

On the Prayer Front:  All things family, SOCPM, and more

These are the topics for this week's SOCPM Newsletter. I hope you enjoy it, despite my lack of an editor. Michelle would like to edit my newsletters (I think she has a deep-seated desire to be an English teacher with a red pencil in hand), but her work voids the time.

Mailchimp no longer allows users to send at a specific time unless they upgrade. I can't justify the expense, so please accept my apologies if the send times vary from newsletter to newsletter.

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

Scott Kalas
Soldiers of Christ Prison Ministries

SOCPM Inside the Prison Gate

It took 24 weeks, but I completed what is usually a 14-week term at Dixon. However, Sheridan is in quarantine once again. So, If I have an opportunity to finish the last two weeks before teh start of a new term at Dixon is in God's hands.

I usually take a three-week break between terms to do Inside the Gate prison ministry, but since COVID, as it has been for most, nothing has been usual. So if Sheridan does reopen before October 21st, the planned start of the next term at Sheridan, I'll forgo the break and try to teach the last two sessions.

With quarantines and other lockdowns occuring more frequently, I'm debating extending the terms to 16 weeks, thus allowing more make-up weeks. A 14-week term would consist of 12 weeks of the primary curriculum with two weeks of bonus classes.

I currently have 45 bonus classes in the SOCPM library. But with the additional two weeks, I want to increase the bonus class materials, mainly in Christain Living. In the last SOCPM Newsletter, I wrote how SOCPM had added Alistair Begg's Truth for Life to the SOCPM ministry partner family. In the last two weeks of Christian Living classes at Dixon, we heard a two-part message, 'A Workd to Fathers.' The teaching was on Ephesians 6:4. and was well received.

However, I've learned over the years that SOCPM students are highly interested in creation and evolution. So, it is with a joyful and grateful heart that SOCPM has added Creation International Ministries to the ministry partner family.

Lord willing, Sheridan will reopen before September 28th, and I'll be able to squeeze in the last two chapters on The Heart of a Father and the eleventh and twelfth messages of What Does Revelation Tach? Part 1.

SOCPM Outside the Prison Gate

One of the reasons I take a three-week break between terms is to refresh, but it also allows me to do a lot of administrative tasks. One is enhancements to the SOCPM database. A SOCPM ministry partner and friend, when I shared the delight of the database, asked if all this was necessary. Of course, I respect his accountability on my stewardship of SOCPM, and I'll admit that there is some overkill, but being in the IT field for over twenty-three years, developing the database is also a hobby.

But it has a lot of value in helping an unorganized person organized. I won't bore you with all the stuff I see as fun in the database, but I'll begin looking for articles to supplement the What Does Revelation Teach Part 2 messages and review and possibly replace the articles for The Heart of Man Part 1 in the upcoming weeks.

When I find an article, I save an entry to the course profiles. Thus, when I need to print the articles each week, they're only a couple of clicks away. Versus, in my gift of disorganization, I get all flustered 😵‍💫 😤 trying to remember what article I would use for what message and where I saved it on my computer.

But it is also true the programmer geek in me still lives. 🤓.

On the Home Front

Fall is here, aka hoodie season! If you know me, Fall is my favorite season. I love the Fall colors, the crisp air, and the comfort of chilling in the nighttime with a hoodie to keep me warm. Especially as the temperature drop near freezing. Who needs a jacket? Real men wear hoodies. 

This Fall will be especially nice as I plan to grill a few dinners on our little Smokey Joe and then, after the tum- tum has been satisfied, relax with a glass or two of wine, meditating on what God has taught me, asking did I glorify God or myself? What is God teaching me, and how can I use it to glorify God and not myself? 

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. Psalm 86:11

It's past the one-year mark of Michelle and me being in our townhome, and I thank God each day for His blessing. In a phone call with my son Cameron this past week and as I turned on our court, the happiness of pushing a button, watching the garage door rise, and pulling into the garage. It is even more of a blessing on those occasions when I'm coming home from my day at Dixon, have done the grocery shopping, and once I've pulled into the garage, my lovely bride opens the door to our home and welcomes me. 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17

The last week of September will be staycation time for Michelle as she enjoys a week of PTO (personal time off - I guess vacation days are a thing of the past). I've assembled a list of activities, some of which I hope she will find as possible a fun time. But like me, that's one of the many reasons we get along o well, is we're home bodies and just having a staycation staying home will be fine too. If Sheridan were to open up, I would use next Friday to get one of the many lost weeks in, but it is unlikely Sheridan will open.

I will also use my term break to take a break from the SOCPM Newsletter. I don't expect anything to happen, especially Inside the Gate. So, until October 22nd, happy chill time (staycationing with my lovely bride, grilling, wine sipping in my hoodie on the patio meditating on God's blessings, but all to His glory.

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31

On the Prayer Front

Cameron - Praise God, one of Cameron's health issues, a blood clot, was successfully treated. Continue in prayer for his other health issues. Pray for the salvation of Cameron and his friends, Hunter and Amy. Permanent sobriety for Cameron and Amy.

Michelle (aka my lovely bride) - She has a relaxing staycation.

Self - Praise God's endless blessings. God will open the door for me to do fundraising in the four remaining community groups and other venues. In addition, I desire to do a Bible study during my break time at Dixon and Sheridan next term. Please pray for my discernment in God's will in choosing a study. Finally, praise my discipline continues to exercise on the treadmill and drink smoothies, but I'm still struggling with unhealthy snacks. Pray God will give me the self-control and remove the desire for snacks

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