Yep, it’s early again. 6:08 a.m. Something has gone haywire with my internal clock. Something foul’s afoot. A new me has suddenly awakened (pun intended).
My assistant Angie asked me if I was worried about preaching the SBC annual sermon. I told her I don’t think so. As the date draws nearer, I sense more of the weight and gravity of it, but I don’t think I’m real nervous about it. Keep praying.
Ruth and I went to see a movie last night. It was touted as a family kind of movie, a romantic comedy. I do love romantic comedies, but this movie was too vulgar for me. Speaking of something foul afoot, there seems to be a deep seated, immoral problem in the Hollywood movie scene these days.
I have now finished six of the ten articles on Missouri Baptist history. Number seven may be done by the end of today.
My first task today is to finish Sunday’s sermon manuscript. I’m preaching about how the gates of Hell will not prevail against Christ’s church. Exciting stuff.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Omni-awake
Office, 6:30 a.m. 63 degrees. Yep, I’m up in the middle of the night again. I think sleeplessness gets a bad rap sometimes. Why do we always refer to it in the negative? Insomnia–non-sleep. Let’s try a positive spin, and call it omni-awake.
Some good things can happen in the middle of the night due to sleeplessness. Many of the ancients would read and write in what they called the midnight watch. In my insomnia, I mean omni-awake, this morning I planned out the introduction to my next Missouri Baptist Convention history article for Pathway. By the way, I’ve completed five of the ten articles. I love history, even in insomnia–uh oh, I mean omni-awake.
I’m a nervous wreck. My computer has been officially declared a tyrannosauras rex. A new one is on its way. I hate change. I have no doubt I will cry at least four or five times over the next few weeks. I can feel the sweat popping out on my brow. This is not good.
Wanting to emphasize comfort rather than style, I had said repeatedly I was not going to buy a new suit to preach in at the Southern Baptist Convention. Wrong. Ruth voted otherwise, and her vote is the only one that counts.
Some good things can happen in the middle of the night due to sleeplessness. Many of the ancients would read and write in what they called the midnight watch. In my insomnia, I mean omni-awake, this morning I planned out the introduction to my next Missouri Baptist Convention history article for Pathway. By the way, I’ve completed five of the ten articles. I love history, even in insomnia–uh oh, I mean omni-awake.
I’m a nervous wreck. My computer has been officially declared a tyrannosauras rex. A new one is on its way. I hate change. I have no doubt I will cry at least four or five times over the next few weeks. I can feel the sweat popping out on my brow. This is not good.
Wanting to emphasize comfort rather than style, I had said repeatedly I was not going to buy a new suit to preach in at the Southern Baptist Convention. Wrong. Ruth voted otherwise, and her vote is the only one that counts.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Family History Mystery
Had wonderful staff meetings this morning. It always makes for a better Monday when we have additions at all four worship services on Sunday. Yesterday was a heaven-sent day. I needed the uplift. I went home feeling everyone had been blessed by having been in church.
Thank you for your kind comments about my preaching the annual sermon for the Southern Baptist Convention. When you chat with a choir member or orchestra member, please take time to thank them for going. They have a huge part of the Wednesday morning session. I think they have been allotted more time than I will have for the message. Amen. Let them raise the roof.
I’ll spend the next 30 hours involved in a huge family history project. I’m not going to tell you what it is. I’ll wait till it’s done and then give you a report on Wednesday. Mysteries are fun. I know the suspense will kill you.
Humor helps. Comments on patient charts. Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year (I assume her right side is tougher). The knee was better yesterday; today it disappeared completely (a sad loss indeed).
Thank you for your kind comments about my preaching the annual sermon for the Southern Baptist Convention. When you chat with a choir member or orchestra member, please take time to thank them for going. They have a huge part of the Wednesday morning session. I think they have been allotted more time than I will have for the message. Amen. Let them raise the roof.
I’ll spend the next 30 hours involved in a huge family history project. I’m not going to tell you what it is. I’ll wait till it’s done and then give you a report on Wednesday. Mysteries are fun. I know the suspense will kill you.
Humor helps. Comments on patient charts. Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year (I assume her right side is tougher). The knee was better yesterday; today it disappeared completely (a sad loss indeed).
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Rebekah's Blog Award
Office, 8:36 a.m. 66 degrees. Slept later this morning. I needed it. I am not a morning person. After getting up early two mornings in a row, I have to pay the piper. I’ll leave soon to watch Ian play t-ball. Herding cats.
I was the first blogger in my family, but am not the best. My over-achiever daughter Rebekah has a scrapping web site www.yeebird.blogspot.com that won a big award this week. She won the Patter Cross Punch Organizer award. You can read about it at www.triplethescraps.blogspot.com. Maybe I could win a dog blogging award based on what I’ve written about Jake and Millie. Better yet, maybe I should compile my writings into a book for dog lovers.
Speaking of Jake and Millie, last night at the Bellwether, one of the paintings was of a dog. The artist, acquainted with my blog, hung the piece in honor of Jake and Millie. They will be available for autographs after I return from Ian’s game.
D-Day was 65 years ago today. Hitler believed his fortifications on the beaches of France would last 300 years. Our soldiers took them down in one day. God bless our veterans and servicepeople.
I was the first blogger in my family, but am not the best. My over-achiever daughter Rebekah has a scrapping web site www.yeebird.blogspot.com that won a big award this week. She won the Patter Cross Punch Organizer award. You can read about it at www.triplethescraps.blogspot.com. Maybe I could win a dog blogging award based on what I’ve written about Jake and Millie. Better yet, maybe I should compile my writings into a book for dog lovers.
Speaking of Jake and Millie, last night at the Bellwether, one of the paintings was of a dog. The artist, acquainted with my blog, hung the piece in honor of Jake and Millie. They will be available for autographs after I return from Ian’s game.
D-Day was 65 years ago today. Hitler believed his fortifications on the beaches of France would last 300 years. Our soldiers took them down in one day. God bless our veterans and servicepeople.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Old Bethel Art
Arrived at the office ten minutes later, 6:14 a.m. Temperature was five degrees colder (49). It feels like March out there.
Melvin and Ella Gateley, from Cape Girardeau (the center of the cosmos), came through Springfield on their way to Branson yesterday. Melvin was the heart and soul of the Old Bethel reconstruction project. He did not take a vacation for over two years as he oversaw the rebuilding work. They brought me an artist’s painting of the Old Bethel site. When our church purchased the original Old Bethel logs for $5000, we gave Missouri Baptists a gift they will cherish long after it is forgotten that Second bought the logs.
Speaking of Missouri Baptists, I submitted two history articles for the Pathways newspaper people to examine. They liked them, and asked me to write two more. Hurray for the home team.
My grandson Caleb is playing in a strings ensemble at the Bellwether Art Gallery for First Friday Artwalk tonight, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. He’s good. He ought to be. He practices incessantly. I’m proud of him.
Melvin and Ella Gateley, from Cape Girardeau (the center of the cosmos), came through Springfield on their way to Branson yesterday. Melvin was the heart and soul of the Old Bethel reconstruction project. He did not take a vacation for over two years as he oversaw the rebuilding work. They brought me an artist’s painting of the Old Bethel site. When our church purchased the original Old Bethel logs for $5000, we gave Missouri Baptists a gift they will cherish long after it is forgotten that Second bought the logs.
Speaking of Missouri Baptists, I submitted two history articles for the Pathways newspaper people to examine. They liked them, and asked me to write two more. Hurray for the home team.
My grandson Caleb is playing in a strings ensemble at the Bellwether Art Gallery for First Friday Artwalk tonight, 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. He’s good. He ought to be. He practices incessantly. I’m proud of him.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Living On Louisville Time
Arrived at the office early, 5:54 a.m. Temperature was 54 degrees. That’s cold, only 15 degrees above the thirties. Why am I up this early? I have no earthly idea. I even had insomnia pretty bad last night. I came on to the office so as not to wake anyone up. Today is Sam’s first day with no school. I wanted to let everyone sleep as late as possible. I was not the first person here. We have custodians and housekeepers who arrive early to have the building ready for the rest of us.
The biggest conversation starter these days seems to be the annual sermon I will preach at the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville this month. We are working on a bulletin insert to tell everyone the times they can hear the choir and me on the internet live that morning. Out of the blue, someone asked if Louisville is on eastern time. We said no, but then looked at each other askance. Googled it. Guess what. Louisville is in the eastern time zone. Our bulletin insert would have listed all the times one hour off. What a disaster that would have been.
Humor helps. This year USA Americans will spend $31 billion on pet foods, supplies, and toys. I hope Jake and Millie don’t sue me for neglect. San Francisco has added the word guardian to the designation of pet owners. Wow. I’m a guardian. Thanks, Jake and Millie, for giving my life meaning.
The biggest conversation starter these days seems to be the annual sermon I will preach at the Southern Baptist Convention in Louisville this month. We are working on a bulletin insert to tell everyone the times they can hear the choir and me on the internet live that morning. Out of the blue, someone asked if Louisville is on eastern time. We said no, but then looked at each other askance. Googled it. Guess what. Louisville is in the eastern time zone. Our bulletin insert would have listed all the times one hour off. What a disaster that would have been.
Humor helps. This year USA Americans will spend $31 billion on pet foods, supplies, and toys. I hope Jake and Millie don’t sue me for neglect. San Francisco has added the word guardian to the designation of pet owners. Wow. I’m a guardian. Thanks, Jake and Millie, for giving my life meaning.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Who is the strongest?
After Sam (age 10) caught the bus to school yesterday, I took the other three grandchildren to McDonalds for breakfast. Ian (age 4) and I got into a bit of an argument. He said he believed Spiderman is stronger than Superman. Well, having grown up with Superman as my number one super hero, I had to disagree. Neither of us was willing to let it rest. I never convinced him. I guess some lessons the younger generation just has to learn on their own the hard way.
Ian asked for ice cream. I told him McDonalds does not serve ice cream for breakfast. I asked Caleb (age 12) and Ian to throw our trash away. A moment later Caleb came rushing back and whispered in my ear, “Grandpa, a boy standing next to the trash can was eating an ice cream cone.” At almost precisely the same instant Ian conveyed the same info. I was dead.
The ice cream was worth it when on about her third bite, Lilly Ruth (age 1) yelled, “Yummy! Yummy!” loud enough for the whole restaurant to hear. A train passed by. Hearing the horn, Lilly Ruth said, “too too tain.” Ian said, “No, Lilly, choo choo train.” She said, “Yeah, too too tain.” He said more vociferously, “No, Lilly, c-h-o-o c-h-o-o t-r-a-i-n.” She said, “Yeah, too too tain.” In that moment I realized how I should have handled the Spiderman/Superman debate. I should have stated my opinion, pretending I was actually agreeing with Ian.
Ian asked for ice cream. I told him McDonalds does not serve ice cream for breakfast. I asked Caleb (age 12) and Ian to throw our trash away. A moment later Caleb came rushing back and whispered in my ear, “Grandpa, a boy standing next to the trash can was eating an ice cream cone.” At almost precisely the same instant Ian conveyed the same info. I was dead.
The ice cream was worth it when on about her third bite, Lilly Ruth (age 1) yelled, “Yummy! Yummy!” loud enough for the whole restaurant to hear. A train passed by. Hearing the horn, Lilly Ruth said, “too too tain.” Ian said, “No, Lilly, choo choo train.” She said, “Yeah, too too tain.” He said more vociferously, “No, Lilly, c-h-o-o c-h-o-o t-r-a-i-n.” She said, “Yeah, too too tain.” In that moment I realized how I should have handled the Spiderman/Superman debate. I should have stated my opinion, pretending I was actually agreeing with Ian.
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