SBC 2011

The Southern Baptist Convention in Phoenix is history. It was the smallest SBC since WW2, and one of the hottest (107° by day).


Fortunately, nothing controversial happened. Mundane is good. It keeps us out of the newspapers. Negative controversies are a downer.


I was able to enjoy a vast majority of the proceedings. I also attended five meetings.


I would be remiss if I did not mention the extraordinarily high quality of the schmoozing this year. There seemed to be people everywhere wanting to talk. Huzzah.


My gladness was tempered by the fact Ruth's knee troubles kept her from attending with me. It's the first time in years she has not gone with me.


There's always next year. New Orleans, home of my alma mater, will host the convention in 2012. I'm sure it will be fun.


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Lemons and Me

I love lemons. Always have. As a boy, I would walk a block to Henson's Grocery on South Sprigg Street in Cape Girardeau to buy lemons for a nickel apiece. I still eat them, though they are a tad bit more expensive now.

I've learned a few interesting facts about lemons recently. General Stonewall Jackson was addicted to them. He was rarely seen in public without a lemon in hand to suck on. My great-uncle Vernon was a soil chemist on a lemon farm. One of my favorite songs of all time, "The Love of God," was written while the author was sitting on a lemon crate. I've also been recently told a lemon a day keeps kidney stones away.

All these new revelations about lemons are increasing my love for them. The only possible drawback is damage to teeth enamel, but many say even this is not a danger. For now, I intend to keep enjoying my low calorie, high taste, friend. When the Lord thought of a lemon, He had a wonderful idea.

Ruth to Joplin

Ruth left at 6am to help with disaster recovery in Joplin. As she left, she said, "Pray I will be a blessing." Let's honor her request. Thank you for praying.

By the way, this would be a good prayer for us to pray about ourselves every day. The Bible commends the person who can go through a dry valley and turn it into an oasis.

Carry your own sunshine with you. Be a blessing to all who come into contact with you today and every day.

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A Joplin Story

I must share with you my favorite Second/Joplin story thus far. One of the young men from our church volunteered in Joplin last week.

He helped an older lady who was all alone, rummaging through the wreckage of her home, trying to find valuables. Our member ministered to her until she had to quit.

In their time together, they had each learned the other was a Christ-follower. As they parted, the lady hugged her helper and said, "I will meet you at the Pearly Gates, and will tell Jesus you were the one who gave me drink when I was thirsty, and food when I was hungry."

Enough said.

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Joplin and Second

One week ago tonight, the tornado hit Joplin. Few of us knew that evening how serious the devastation was.

On Monday morning, we had fuller information. Second immediately sent $5000 to Forest Park Baptist Church in Joplin to help their affected families.

As the week progressed, people from Second kept making their way to Joplin to help. This morning the people of Second gave a special offering of over $34,700 to help Joplin.

We also had 192 people sign up to be volunteers to help in Joplin over the next few weeks. We at Second plan to stay on task for the long haul.

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Golden Gate Jail

On this date in 1937 President Franklin Roosevelt pushed a button signaling the beginning of traffic across the Golden Gate Bridge. My great-uncle Vernon Wilcox was in a San Francisco jail at that moment.

Vernon, my Grandma Hill's brother, served as an engineer on the project. On the morning of the dedication ceremony, he decided there would be no harm in his taking a stroll across the bridge before the official festivities began.

Everything went well until he reached the other end of the bridge, where he was arrested for trespassing. He spent a few hours in jail, but was always proud of the fact he was the first to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge.

Uncle Vernon went on to other exciting exploits. He wrote a fascinating book about the engineering work he did on the Alaska Highway.

Weight. No Kidding.

My weight is a topic I like to joke about.  I enjoy the humor it  can spark in a discussion.  I fear my humor sometimes masks how serious the issue is to me, and to millions of others.

After my heart attacks 7.5 years ago, I lost 50 pounds (243 down to 193), and have kept 40-44 pounds off ever since. My weight seemed to settle in at about 200.  I've done well through the years, but lately I feel my resolve weakening.  These days I feel I could eat a doorknob.  I desperately want to eat everything in sight.  My weight is inching up, currently at 205.2, the highest it has been in recent memory.  This is not a laughing matter.  My future, literally, hinges on it.

I have long admitted I have a food addiction.  I say it in funny ways, but it is a serious truth.  I would appreciate your prayers. Only the Lord can solve this juggernaut in my life.

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