My daughter-in-law-to-be is rapidly endearing herself to our family. She is even impressing Jake and Millie. She intends to take them to the dog park soon to let them romp and play. She’s even going to take them in her car. Wow. There is one little hiccup, though. Since she intends to use her car, Amanda asked yesterday how long it had been since the dogs had had a bath. That’s a tough question. I hated to tell my adopted daughter how I feel about giving dogs a bath. It was a tough moment, but I think I finagled my way out of it quite well. Those dogs are going to be the death of me yet.
It’s baseball season again. Hurray for the Cardinals. I’m hoping for better things this year, but am saddened by the fact they lost two of their first three games. Oh well. I’m a diehard fan, especially of Albert Pujols. I appreciate his straightforward Christian testimony. His exploits on the diamond don’t hurt anything, either.
It’s Holy Thursday. Today we commemorate the Last Supper, Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, His agony in Gethsemane, and His betrayal by Judas Iscariot. Our Savior loved Judas to the end. The first word he said to Judas after the betrayal kiss was, “Friend.” Jesus is a loving Lord worth serving.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Cookie Cheater
You would think a Grandpa could bend the rules a little with his 21-month-old granddaughter without getting caught. Oh no!! Not in your lifetime. When her mom said they were going to Bass Pro Shops, Lilly Ruth said, “Grandpa. Cookie.” Uh oh. Rebekah asked me point blank, “Do you get Lilly Ruth a cookie when you take her to Bass Pro?” I told the truth, and tried to put a good spin on my explanation. Yes, I buy a huge chocolate chip cookie when we first go in. I eat half of it and parcel out to her the other half as we make our way through the store. It’s my way of helping her stay happy. Her mother was okay with this explanation. Whew. She even said she might do the same thing. Hurray!!
It’s holy week. I always try to keep a light schedule the week before Easter. It is the most important day of the year for our churches, and I always want to be my best on Resurrection Sunday. Let’s pray for a mighty day at Second. Also pray for me as I focus my thoughts on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
I’m on target in my reading through the Bible in 2009. I began this second quarter of the year by reading the Gospel of Mark, which many scholars consider to be the memoirs of Simon Peter. I am now in I Peter, and will soon read 2 Peter and Jude, the other New Testament books heavily influenced by Peter.
It’s holy week. I always try to keep a light schedule the week before Easter. It is the most important day of the year for our churches, and I always want to be my best on Resurrection Sunday. Let’s pray for a mighty day at Second. Also pray for me as I focus my thoughts on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
I’m on target in my reading through the Bible in 2009. I began this second quarter of the year by reading the Gospel of Mark, which many scholars consider to be the memoirs of Simon Peter. I am now in I Peter, and will soon read 2 Peter and Jude, the other New Testament books heavily influenced by Peter.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Deep Preaching
Ben Pilgreen just preached as good a sermon on substitutionary atonement as I ever heard. So much for contemporary being synonymous with shallow. Whatever the preaching style, every sermon needs to make a beeline to the cross as quick as possible. It is the essence of our faith. Jesus, thank You for the cross.
I struggled terribly with temptation this morning. To my dismay we had no cereal. When I opened the refrigerator to see what I could substitute for Honey Scooters, temptation attacked me mercilessly. First thing I saw was a huge box of pizza. The battle was engaged. Should I do this? Aren’t there a lot of calories in a piece of pizza? Isn’t something else available? How will I face myself if I indulge like this at 6:20 a.m.? Finally I came to peace with myself. To satisfy my craving, I ate pizza. To satisfy my desire to be able to show absolute self-control in the face of temptation, I ate only one piece. It was good!! No kidding. Tasty breakfast.
Easter approacheth. Pollsters say Easter is the Sunday each year that provides us our best chance to persuade non-attenders to come to church. Invite everyone you have ever had a religious conversation with to be in church on Easter.
I struggled terribly with temptation this morning. To my dismay we had no cereal. When I opened the refrigerator to see what I could substitute for Honey Scooters, temptation attacked me mercilessly. First thing I saw was a huge box of pizza. The battle was engaged. Should I do this? Aren’t there a lot of calories in a piece of pizza? Isn’t something else available? How will I face myself if I indulge like this at 6:20 a.m.? Finally I came to peace with myself. To satisfy my craving, I ate pizza. To satisfy my desire to be able to show absolute self-control in the face of temptation, I ate only one piece. It was good!! No kidding. Tasty breakfast.
Easter approacheth. Pollsters say Easter is the Sunday each year that provides us our best chance to persuade non-attenders to come to church. Invite everyone you have ever had a religious conversation with to be in church on Easter.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Extra Large Undershirts
Yesterday my son and I were folding laundry. I asked him how did we distinguish between his undershirts and mine. He said, “Mine are medium; yours are extra large.” Gee, wow, that hurt. The knife is still embedded in my chest.
I love time spent with college students. The group at the MSU BSU last night was wonderful. College students aren’t impressed with falderal, glitz, and glamor. My being Pastor of a large church didn’t intimidate them. Ties and cufflinks meant nothing to them. All they wanted was unadulterated truth. They cut through the fluff and got to the real stuff. They were hurling questions hot and fast at me about missions. I was firing right straight back. I loved it. Pray God will raise up missionaries out of that crowd. Billy Grady, you are doing a great job. Keep it up.
My father-in-law would have turned 91 today. I miss him. One of the most gregarious people I ever knew, he could talk to anyone anywhere on any subject.
Ruth and I plan to be at the Bellwether tonight for First Friday Artwalk. Come join us. I think you will find it worth the effort.
Within the hour, I hope to finish my Sunday morning sermon manuscript. Pray.
I love time spent with college students. The group at the MSU BSU last night was wonderful. College students aren’t impressed with falderal, glitz, and glamor. My being Pastor of a large church didn’t intimidate them. Ties and cufflinks meant nothing to them. All they wanted was unadulterated truth. They cut through the fluff and got to the real stuff. They were hurling questions hot and fast at me about missions. I was firing right straight back. I loved it. Pray God will raise up missionaries out of that crowd. Billy Grady, you are doing a great job. Keep it up.
My father-in-law would have turned 91 today. I miss him. One of the most gregarious people I ever knew, he could talk to anyone anywhere on any subject.
Ruth and I plan to be at the Bellwether tonight for First Friday Artwalk. Come join us. I think you will find it worth the effort.
Within the hour, I hope to finish my Sunday morning sermon manuscript. Pray.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Star Wars Theology
Today I took grandson Ian to preschool. Our deep theological discussion centered around Star Wars. Ian loves to debate whether or not Darth Vader actually was Luke Skywalker’s father. I sometimes find his arguments unanswerable. He thinks way beyond me. He’s in a different zone.
This afternoon I have the honor of attending a signing ceremony at Rogersville High School. This will be my first time there. Drew Dunton, one of our accomplished high school seniors, is signing a letter of intent to attend Mid-America Nazarene College in Kansas City on a basketball scholarship. I had opportunity to watch him play this year. Impressive. Congratulations, Drew. I had hoped to earn a basketball scholarship, but someone told me I had to be good at basketball for that to happen. Bummer.
Tonight I will do one of my favorite things: speak on missions. I will be talking to MSU students at the BSU building. This is a repeat for me. I did it last month and enjoyed every nanosecond of it. Billy Grady is doing a great job there. Pray God will use me effectively. I will try to look young and blend in with the crowd.
This afternoon I have the honor of attending a signing ceremony at Rogersville High School. This will be my first time there. Drew Dunton, one of our accomplished high school seniors, is signing a letter of intent to attend Mid-America Nazarene College in Kansas City on a basketball scholarship. I had opportunity to watch him play this year. Impressive. Congratulations, Drew. I had hoped to earn a basketball scholarship, but someone told me I had to be good at basketball for that to happen. Bummer.
Tonight I will do one of my favorite things: speak on missions. I will be talking to MSU students at the BSU building. This is a repeat for me. I did it last month and enjoyed every nanosecond of it. Billy Grady is doing a great job there. Pray God will use me effectively. I will try to look young and blend in with the crowd.
Star Wars Theology
Today I took grandson Ian to preschool. Our deep theological discussion centered around Star Wars. Ian loves to debate whether or not Darth Vader actually was Luke Skywalker’s father. I sometimes find his arguments unanswerable. He thinks way beyond me. He’s in a different zone.
This afternoon I have the honor of attending a signing ceremony at Rogersville High School. This will be my first time there. Drew Dunton, one of our accomplished high school seniors, is signing a letter of intent to attend Mid-America Nazarene College in Kansas City on a basketball scholarship. I had opportunity to watch him play this year. Impressive. Congratulations, Drew. I had hoped to earn a basketball scholarship, but someone told me I had to be good at basketball for that to happen. Bummer.
Tonight I will do one of my favorite things: speak on missions. I will be talking to MSU students at the BSU building. This is a repeat for me. I did it last month and enjoyed every nanosecond of it. Billy Grady is doing a great job there. Pray God will use me effectively. I will try to look young and blend in with the crowd.
This afternoon I have the honor of attending a signing ceremony at Rogersville High School. This will be my first time there. Drew Dunton, one of our accomplished high school seniors, is signing a letter of intent to attend Mid-America Nazarene College in Kansas City on a basketball scholarship. I had opportunity to watch him play this year. Impressive. Congratulations, Drew. I had hoped to earn a basketball scholarship, but someone told me I had to be good at basketball for that to happen. Bummer.
Tonight I will do one of my favorite things: speak on missions. I will be talking to MSU students at the BSU building. This is a repeat for me. I did it last month and enjoyed every nanosecond of it. Billy Grady is doing a great job there. Pray God will use me effectively. I will try to look young and blend in with the crowd.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
A Good Wedding Day?
Happy April Fools Day. You know I’m not superstitious, but when I was a young preacher I knew a man who married on April 1. The marriage lasted less than a year, and he never looked twice at a woman again. I wonder if things would have turned out different had he married on April 2. Probably not.
An interesting Quasquicentennial tidbit. Second first met in the Frisco Opera House. Now, 125 years later, Second is starting a church in San Francisco. Frisco was an abbreviation for St. Louis/San Francisco Railway. Small world, isn’t it?
Today begins the second quarter of 2009. This morning I analyzed my Through the Bible reading guide. In January I read Psalms, Proverbs, and Matthew. In February/March, I read Genesis to Numbers, and I Corinthians to Philippians. Today I read in Mark. I begin each quarter by reading one of the Gospels.
Humor helps. A mother was concerned about her second-grade daughter who was walking home from school as a thunderstorm was forming. The mother went to meet her, and saw her stopping to smile each time lightning flashed. Mom asked, “Are you scared?” “No. All the way home, God’s been taking my picture!”
An interesting Quasquicentennial tidbit. Second first met in the Frisco Opera House. Now, 125 years later, Second is starting a church in San Francisco. Frisco was an abbreviation for St. Louis/San Francisco Railway. Small world, isn’t it?
Today begins the second quarter of 2009. This morning I analyzed my Through the Bible reading guide. In January I read Psalms, Proverbs, and Matthew. In February/March, I read Genesis to Numbers, and I Corinthians to Philippians. Today I read in Mark. I begin each quarter by reading one of the Gospels.
Humor helps. A mother was concerned about her second-grade daughter who was walking home from school as a thunderstorm was forming. The mother went to meet her, and saw her stopping to smile each time lightning flashed. Mom asked, “Are you scared?” “No. All the way home, God’s been taking my picture!”
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