Expect

Some people miss out on blessings because they are not expecting them and therefore do not appricate them as blessings when they come.

Blessings come in many forms some big but most are small. A small blessing that is recognized, appreciated, and has gratitude expressed for it can lead to even more blessings. Expect today that God will bless you in some way and then begin looking for the blessings - they will be there.
ENJOY

A Muslim Christmas

Some years ago the church I pastored sponsored a refugee from Sudan. She had been involved in teaching people with disabilities their rights. She had been imprisoned several times and the third time would mean death so she fled her country.

Even though she is a Muslim she attended our church services and even worked in the church nursery. Her first Christmas with us she gave me a Christmas present because Muslims honor Jesus as a prophet. That was a break through for some of our members who were uncomfortable helping a Muslim after 9/11.  I was looking at that gift the other day remembering her progress following her arrival in Louisville. She is now a citizen, a graduate of Sullivan University and a teacher.  

Christmas Trappings

I love Christmas along with all its trappings. It is a time for families to gather and celebrate the birth of a child that was more than an infant in a manger. My favorite part of our Christmas celebration is the Christmas Eve service and then my darling and I go home and enjoy our unique Christmas traditions.

Soon and all too soon the trappings of Christmas will be put away for another year. and nothing will be quite as bright and colorful. Yet the memories of this Christmas will linger in our minds and hearts. The baby Jesus is cute but now we must make the most of Christ as we prepare for Resurrection Sunday.

Now is the time to Love God - Love others as Jesus taught and spread the word to one and all. Christmas is all about spreading the Good News of God's gift to the world. Merry Christmas!

True Wealth

Wealth is a relative thing and it does not always involve money.
I have noted that some people are enjoying what ever they have and so are wealthy.
Others have much but it is never enough and they do not enjoy it and so they are poor.

People with true wealth have an attitude of gratitude and enjoy life as a blessing.

As we celebrate the birth of Jesus let us give thanks and enjoy this Christmas give of life and new life in Christ.


MERRY CHRISTMAS

Very Funny Ads

I came across a web site for some very funny TV ads from all over the world.
Some European ads are a bit one the edge?

HERE

Enjoy

ICE

I am iced in today all plans canceled
Revised plan sit by the fire and read

NASA Space Success

Since Voyager 1 was launched on 5 September 1977, and its sister spacecraft, Voyager 2, on 20 August 1977 I have followed their journeys. The NASA probes' initial goal was to survey the outer planets Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, a task completed in 1989. Then they were dispatched towards deep space, in the general direction of the center of our Milky Way Galaxy..

After 33  years the probes are still working and sending back information. They have reached the edge of our solar system and will soon cross the boundary into interstellar space.

All I can say is AWESOME! 

Boswellia Sap

The Boswellia tree is a scraggly tree that grows in India, southern Arabia and Somalia. It can be tapped like a maple tree to collect its sap but there is a big difference between the two saps. The maple is sweet and runny while the boswellia is sticky and pungent.

The wise men gave Jesus some of the hardened sap from the boswellia and it was an expensive gift that is also known as frankincense. It has several uses one of which was for burials and the other was as incense in temples all over the Middle East.

Today we use many different fragrances’ make us and our homes smell better. I usually receive some as a Christmas gift and apply it every day. It was a good gift on the first Christmas and it still is.   

Star Trek Values

I started watching Star Trek on day one of the TV series. I still enjoy watching tapes of the Original series. Often the story line involved some or all of the main characters to “Beam Down” on an alien planet with a few crew personnel from the Starship Enterprise. Any one who follows the show knows that at least one crew member was not going to make it back.

The “extras” were expendable while the stars of the show had to be around for next weeks show. Being hired as crew on the Enterprise was a dangerous job. From week to week you didn’t know if you would live through the show. Of course with alien makeup you could return as something else.

In real life we are all expendable on this earth and for each of us there comes a time when by misadventure, illness, or old age we are recalled by our maker. It doesn’t matter if we are president or pauper when it comes time for us we leave this life as we came in. Our souls are worth an equal share to Jesus no matter who we are. One of the thieves hanged with Jesus was saved and each one of us who calls on Christ is saved. Rich or poor on earth we have the same value in heaven. 

Private Christianity???

Christianity must never be identified with our private version of it, still less with our own social and economic background, that we assume is right.

Being an Americian does not make us a Christian. 
Too many of us forget that point and assume that all Christians must look like us. 
 There are Christians all over the world and most of them are not 
Americans and can never be. But thanks to be God who saves us all, 
we are all united under God's care and we are all one in Christ.

A Christian may make his or her religion a kind of projection of what we know. How can we think that all Christanity has to be like the church we belong to?

In 1Corinthians 9:19-23 Paul writes that he became all things to win others to Christ. He tries to find common ground with everyone to bring them to Christ. We can take this to heart and accept that faith in Christ works in all cultures.

Three Kings?

There are things we think we know about the bible because of art, songs and movies or plays.

I was at a clergy meeting last year when one of our number gave out a Christmas Bible quiz loaded with trick questions.

One question was: "How many kings visited Jesus in the stable?"

Sadly - most of us answered 3. Well you know the song, "We three kings of orient are."

Actually the bible does not say kings. It says that "Maji" or wise men came looking for Jesus. It does not say kings nor does it say how many wise men there were though the word is plural. They brought three kinds of gifts so we assume one gift from each wise man but you know all about assumptions.

In addition to that it was pointed out that the bible never says Jesus was in a stable, only that his crib was a manger. Which could have been brought in to a house to be used as a crib. Yet every Christmas the stable is part of the scene. 

Overwhelmed?

One can feel overwhelmed by all the economic news on a daily basis. Not enough investment and too much debt. Should taxes go up to bring the debt down or be kept low to spur on the economy? We hear many experts saying opposite things and that causes us to worry. Fear and pessimism could easily grip our souls.

To over come the overwhelming fear our focus must be to center ourselves on our faithfulness to God. When we do that then we will keep our personal physical and financial house in good order. Be prepared for any possibility.

We have seen that the world economy can be put in to collapse and natural disasters can create havoc all around us at any time. Fire, flood, winds and ice can create conditions that make us feel helpless. The life that is without spiritual strength will falter while the one who is centered in the spirit of God will strive through anything.

Kentucky Colonel

I received my commission as a Kentucky Colonel in the mail today.

This happened all because I sent a Thank You note to the governor after receiving a from letter congratulating me on my election as Mayor of Bellemeade.
 Now I need a new frame.

Amnesty

Amnesty is something that a lot of people do not like. Well they don’t like it when it is applied to other people. It doesn’t seem fair that it lets people get away with something that I can not get away with. Amnesty differs from a pardon in that a pardon grants release from punishment while amnesty forgets the crime. A governor or president has the power to grant amnesty to people convicted of a crime and sometimes even before they are convicted. President Ford granted former president Nixon amnesty for any crime he may have committed during his time in office. I did not like that at the time.

There are times when amnesty makes sense as when a violation of the law is committed for a good cause. Other times it happens for political reasons. I am happy that God grants me amnesty for my past sins. I do not have to earn it for it is part of grace and forgiveness in Christ. 

ENCOURAGEMENT

One of the early followers of Jesus was a man of the Hebrew tribe of Levi that provided the priest of Israel. His name was Joseph and because of his goodness and kindness the disciples gave him the name Bar Nabas which in English has been slurred to Barnabas. “Bar” is the Hebrew word “Son of” and the word “nabas” means “encouragement.”

Joseph the son of encouragement sold a piece of land and gave all the mone to the church and this act encouraged others to do the same. Joseph the Levite became known in the church simply as Barnabas and led Paul on his first missionary journey.

Today we need more sons of encouragement in the church.

Youth Sunday Evidence

I once served as a Pastor for a Christian Church in Texas with an interesting youth group. Once a year they held “Youth Sunday” where they did everything in the service. Usually, but not always, the youth group simply followed the regular order of worship. One year they went a little crazy.

In school the seniors had been studying Roman history and modern day legal systems. This juxtaposition created an idea for Youth Sunday. They became very secretive about their plan though I was in on it. They recruited some of their school friends to help and the results were memorable.

On Youth Sunday the congregation arrived to discover “Roman Solders” Standing guard at all the doors, except the alley door. Our youth group members quietly ushered everyone to enter the catacombs via the alley door. The fellowship hall had been decorated like Roman underground tombs.  That is where they were worshiping when the Roman guard burst in and arrested everyone.

As Pastor I escaped but the board chair and one elder was put on trial for being a “Christian” and therefore a traitor to the government. The elder was found guilty and ordered to be hung on a flaming cross. The pompous board chair was acquitted for a lack of evidence.

If you were accused in court of being a Christian would you be convicted?

Alone???

In this impersonal world, we may sometimes feel as if we are only a number. It becomes easy to feel lost in a crowd or be at a party but alone in the corner. The other side of that personality coin is to be so involved with our selves that we have to be the center of attention where ever we are.

At the center of our being is a deep need to be noticed and important to another person. We are not designed to be totally alone all the time. Even when we feel alone Jesus reminds us that God knows the number of hairs on our head and we are never truly alone. Our spirit longs for connections with God and with those around us. Be at peace and open your spirit to the Holy Spirit and feel the presence. 

Recharging

Repeatedly the Gospels tell us that Jesus would leave his disciples and go off alone to pray in solitude. Solitude requires separation and seclusion from everything and everyone in our life.  The example Jesus set reminds me that I need to get away by myself from time to time to be alone with God.

Solitude is difficult for me and easy for others. Yet in those times of solitude I have found blessings and renewal. If Jesus the Son of God needed solitude for prayer in order to recharge  his spirit how much more do I require the same kind of spiritual recharging.  

First Day of Advent

Today is the First Sunday in Advent and I have been meditating on the meaning of that word. Mathew, Mark, and Luke describe the birth of Jesus as a human boy. The Gospel according to John tells us about the ADVENT of God coming to live with us.

I have been enchanted by the power of words since I learned how to read. When I learned in English class how to diagram a sentence and name its parts, nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs, I was enamored by the various uses of words. Though in some ways I was like the boy when asked by the teacher, “What is a synonym?” he replied, “It’s a word you use in place of another when you can’t spell the first one.”

The English translation of the Gospel according to John says, “the WORD became flesh.” This is so much more than “W-O-R-D” it is an expression of power. While it is an accurate translation it does not quite bring to us all of the power of the original Greek text. What is translated as “Word” in English is “Logos” in Greek and carries a lot more information. The more accurate phrase would be, "The power of God became flesh."  During the season of Advent - from today until Christmas Eve - we prepare our spirits to celebrate this most powerful event. 

May your Advent 2010 be a blessing for your spirit.

Worry - Worry - Worry

Money or the lack there of is a source of worry for a great many people. It is most understandable that a person with no income except charity has good cause for worry about where the next meal with come from. The other side of the coin is that the wealthy also wind up worrying about money. They worry about losing it or some one stealing it.

How much is enough so that we have what we need to live but do not need to worry about money? Contentment with our life is to me a good goal. At a time when we had very little income we understood the value of tithing and giving to those in greater need. Charity, contentment, and clarity all come from recognizing that our life is a gift from God and that sharing it with God’s other children in love is the goal. Love God, love others, and love self in that order and money worries go away.

Bent Out of Shape

Life sometimes leaves us bent out of shape. As it rains on the just and unjust alike life happens to us and we experience disappointment or rejections. An illness comes and leaves us weak and arthritis becomes our daily companion. A close death leaves a vacuum and grief overwhelms us. People we thought were trusted friends betray us. There are days we can't find the strength to get up and move ahead. We wonder if life is worth living or not.

Jesus once told a crippled man "to rise take up his bed and walk." After that it was his choice. He could lie there and keep begging wondering if he had been healed, or he could get up and walk.

We too must make a choice. We can stay in our despair or with God's help we can get up and get on with the life God has given us. That is often very difficult but the key is making the choice and seeking help from God  as well as others. Choose to focus positive thoughts on God's gifts to you and how you might best use them. 

Like the wood of a bentwood rocker you can be bent into shape instead of out of shape.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving

Everyone

Listening to each other

Communication is often difficult because we misunderstand one another and respond too quickly. The response is then misunderstood as well because it was about something different than we think we said. So often we don’t have all the details and assume information that is not correct. This process is exacerbated when we can not see each other face to face and ask the right questions. It is important that we can ask one another, “What do you mean by that?” and elicit an explanation. Done with respect it will enhance our communication.

I believe that my opinions are correct or I wouldn’t hold them.  However I have been known to change my opinion when presented with new facts. In listening to the variety of opinions in our community I can learn and serve the community better. So can we all.

Blatant False Advertisement

We received our December issue of the Smithsonian yesterday.Near the back was an advertisement that shocked me! The claim was that a coin for sale that was minted by one of the three kings that attended the birth of Jesus. The title reads: "Discovered: Three kings silver coin from the time of Jesus's birth."


It turns out that the coins are silver drachmas minted by the Persian King Azes II who ruled between 35 BC and 5 AD. He did not travel to Jerusalem to see Jesus. There were no "Kings" that went to see Jesus. The Gospel according to Matthew says that some Maji [astrologers] from the East. It was a song. "We Three Kings"  that made them kings. We don't know where they came from as east could mean anywhere across the Jordan river.


If the seller presented this as they should have as a "Persian silver Drachma from about 35 BC," it would not sell as well as linking the coins  to Jesus' birth. As they say there is a sucker born every minute.

The Eighth Day of Creation

The book of Genesis tells us that God created the heavens and earth in six days and rested on the seventh.

Now comes the eighth day and we say what happened next? At that point the book begins to tell about human activity but we also learn that God was still busy overseeing creation perhaps even adjusting things a bit here and there.


Astronomy tells us that new stars are constantly being created so one might conclude that God is still working on creation even now. One would not want to limit God's activity so we can not say that God has stopped creating after the sixth day. As a matter of act the bible only says that God rested on the seventh day. 




This of course brings up the idea that perhaps God has created other beings in other places in God's image like us.  They may not look like us but still have the spirit with in them. We have to say we don't know but that it is a possibility.

Living the Bible

Saint Origen who lived from 185 to 254 AD and was Bishop of Alexandria was trying to live by the teachings of Jesus as literally as possible. I is said that when he read in Matthew 19:12, “There are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven.”  he took it quite literally and castrated himself.

Later on in his Christian life he became a preeminent theologian of the Christian Church and was an ardent advocate of the figurative interpretation of the scriptures.

If you try to take everything in the bible literally and live by it you can make some grievous errors in interpretation.

End Times?

The “End-Times” are a lot of fun to speculate about but we can never really know for sure. The idea begins in the Gospel according to Mark 13:26-27 with the promise of Jesus for a dramatic return but an added injunction in verse 32 states that no one but God knows the day and time.

Over the last 40 years I have listened to many preachers predict the coming last day and some still do. The prophecy book of Revelation has been quoted and miss-applied so many times I have lost count. I remember in 1999 the air waves were full of doom for the world when mid-night of December 31^st came around. What a big flop that was.

Speculation abounds as to what the last days will be like. Almost each generation since the time of Christ as applied the events of their times to the signs of the last days. So many evil leaders of countries [like Hitler] have been called the “anti-Christ” over the centuries and it wasn’t true. People are reading into the scriptures the things they want to see.

I believe that one day Jesus will return as promised and the faithful church will be taken up. I am ready for that day if it comes in my life time. It may come in my life time and it may not only God knows that. I am also very much aware that my personal last day will come, as it comes to all of us. I have faith in my Lord Jesus for that last day as well. One of the two events will happen to me and it doesn’t matter which one for my faith in Jesus prepares me for both.

We Christians need to be living a Christ like faith that keeps us ready at any moment to meet our Lord. If we do that it won’t matter if the Judgment day comes for all of us at once or our individual last day comes first. Our focus should be living the way of Christ in love rather than living in fear of the punishment that will come to those who do not live the way of Christ.

True Friendship

My blogs and Facebook allows me to click a computer button and make “friends.” I have made a lot of “Internet Friends” over the years most of them I have never met face to face. I read their blogs and they read mine and we establish a connection. On the old Journalspace I made that connections with some dear people whose writings touched my heart. I have only met one of them face to face and what a delight Summerwind turned out to be.

On a personal level I make a lot of face to face connections that can be considered friendships. They are people I know and like but they come and go in my life so that their friendship is tenuous at best. They are important but it is not a heartbreaker when they are no longer in contact.

I make a few really close personal friends whom I love dearly and would miss if they disappear from my life. Some of them have taken many years to touch my heart in that way and others made the connection in an instant. A true friend is a friend for life in my book and even though we have distance between us that connection is strong and powerful. I am much the better person for these friendships.

What Harm Can It Do?

Small choices can often make a big difference;
Enjoy this

It Is Fundemental

My darling and I are avid readers sometimes we each have more than one book working. Our idea of a pleasant outing is to spend the afternoon in a big book store. It is not so surprising then that our darling daughters are both in love with books.

At bed time they always requested that I read to them. I would read a bible story and then from one of their books. Then I would make up a story for them. To my great surprise they have remembered those stories better than I do.

Reading is fundamental to a developing mind so as adults we need to do everything we can to encourage young minds to develop a love for reading books,  papers, and stories.

Trail Ranger

I was on Duty as a Volunteer Trail Ranger at Jefferson Memorial Forrest today. We were way back in the forest scoping out possible new trails for hikers.

In an area where he should not be was a 12 year old boy on a motor bike riding rough shod through the forest. He knew he was caught and it was not his lucky day. We took his picture and his bikes picture and told him if we found him or his friends there again citations would be written and the motor bikes confiscated.

ATV's sure mess up the forest.

November 11 @ 11:11 AM

Most of the World War I vets have died and the memory of that great war is fading into history fast. So November 11 at the eleventh hour and the eleventh minute carries less and less meaning for us as the end of World War One or the war to end all wars. We now know it wasn't the end of war.

The name of the day even changed from Armistice Day  to Veterans Day to honor all  veterans.

We are still making veterans every day so hug a vet today and say thanks.

AAADD ???

Recently, I was diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D.
Age Associated Attention Deficit Disorder.

This is how it manifests:

I decide to water my garden.
As I turn on the hose in the driveway,
I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.

As I start toward the garage,
I notice mail on the porch table that
I brought up from the mail box earlier.

I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car.
I lay my car keys on the table,
put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table,
and notice that the can is full.

So I decide to put the bills back on the table & take out the garbage first.
But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox
when I take out the garbage anyway,
I may as well pay the bills first.

I take my check book off the table,
and see that there is only one check left. 
My extra checks are in my desk in the study,
so I go inside the house to my desk where
I find the can of Pepsi I'd been drinking.

I'm going to look for my checks,
but first I need to push the Pepsi aside
so that I don't accidentally knock it over.
The Pepsi is getting warm.

I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold.
As I head toward the kitchen with the Pepsi,
a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye.

They need water.
I put the Pepsi on the counter and
discover my reading glasses that
I've been searching for all morning.

I decide I better put them back on my desk,
but first I'm going to water the flowers.
I set the glasses back down on the counter,
fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote
someone had left it on the kitchen table.

I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV,
I'll be looking for the remote,
but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table,
so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs..

But first I'll water the flowers.

I pour some water in the flowers.
Quite a bit of it spills on the floor.
So, I set the remote back on the table,
get some towels and wipe up the spill.

Then I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:

the car isn't washed
the bills aren't paid
there is a warm can of
Pepsi sitting on the counter
the flowers don't have enough water,
there is still only 1 check in my check book,
I can't find the remote,
I can't find my glasses,
and I don't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done,
I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day,
and I'm really tired.

I realize this is a serious problem,
and I'll try to get some help for it, but first I'll check my e-mail.

Winter CSA

We have been involved in Community Supported Agriculture for years ordering food direct from the farmers that produce it. We pay them before they plant and then receive our percentage of the harvest - what ever that may be. We take some of the farmers risk but we receive really fresh organic food for our table. YUM what a difference that makes in taste and nourishment.

I just ordered our Winter CSA and we will begin to receive our produce at the end of November. I love supporting Local Farmers and eating the best and freshest foods.

Aging Changes

Less than a hundred years ago the average life span was less than 50 years. It was extremely rare for a person to live past a hundred.

That has changed significantly! There are a lot of people who pass the century mark. This has created a problem for funding Social Security and Medicare. Interesting is the fact that Social Security and better health  is one of the reason we live so long now. Now age related problems that once killed us are treatable so that we can endure them.

Will we one day be able to extend our life span past 200 years?

How many people can this planet sustain?

Election Results

The election is over along with all those hateful ads.

 

As for me I am starting my first full term as Mayor of Bellemeade Kentucky. It is a four year term that gives me some time to thoughtfully consider the future and plan. A community of less than a thousand residents is easy to govern but has all the ups and downs of any other government.

 

One has to know that you can not please everyone and some of the things a leader is required to do to enforce the law will be resented by those who break the law. For the most part it is very minor infractions that cause neighbors to complain to the mayor about another neighbor. Parking cars on the grass seems to be a big deal here. Late night party noise is another.

 

I am more concerned that we provide the needed services and stay within the budget and income available to the city. I like a safe, friendly and calm community.

Old and New do not mix

Jesus said that you do not put new wine in old wine skins nor do you patch old cloth with new cloth.

I am discovering that you can not mix old electronics with new electronics. My new 2010 DVD/VCR does not work with my 1994 RCA TV. 

Now I must get a converter box so that the old will converse with the new.

So Jesus was right even in modern times.

Political Beliefs

Did you know that all politicians believe in the resurrection of the dead?


Because?



Apparently on every November the second the dead arise and VOTE often many times.


So now you don't have an excuse for not voting.

Language Love

When my daughters were young, one of our favorite activities was reading. At bed time there was a bible story, one of their books and then story time where I made up a story for them. To this day they both love books and my youngest is in love with words and language. Her blog name was  Lolaphilologist.

 

How important it is to teach our young children to love to read and be curious about life and all of God’s creation. When you understand how to use language to express yourself your world changes and you are the agent of that change.

 

Political Reflections

The past two years that I have been Mayor of the City of Bellemeade Kentucky have been an interesting learning process for me. As a pastor I learned a long time ago that I can not please everyone and that is even truer in the political arena. Too much for some citizens is not enough for others.

 

On Tuesday we vote for people to fill OUR government positions. It always has been a messy process. There was vote buying in Athens and that has not changed. Even when candidates are trying to be civil special interest groups often put out scare us ads that most of the time are out and out lies.

 

Sorting through it all takes effort but for the sake of the country that is what we need to do on Tuesday. The MOST important thing is for each of us to actually get to the polls and VOTE!

Supporting Heroes

As a volunteer Fire Chaplain for Lyndon Fire District I traveled to Independence Kentucky for a seminar for Emergency Service Chaplains. On Tuesday Police, Fire and EMS Chaplains gathered for this all day seminar presented by an organization called “Supporting Heroes” whose aim is to provide instant support for families when someone dies in the line of duty.

It often takes months and even years for insurance and government payments to kick in. Supporting Heroes provides an immediate check for $3000.00 and an experienced planning team to help sort through the process and make sure that the needs of the family come first. Most of the team are people who suffered the same Line of Duty Death in their own family.

They also help the departments involved render proper honors while respecting the wishes of the families.

If you want more information check out their web site at www.supportingheroes.org

 

Reshaping God's Commands

How easy it is for us to slip into our own way of applying the words of Jesus. So many people read into scripture what they want it to say and ignore what it really says.

 

Many are the examples of people who do evil and rationalize the blame on someone else. It is an old story and a new one every day. Some one else sins are worse than mine so I am ok. We must think we are going to be graded on the curve so we point out everyone else.

 

Life is all about our own journey through it. If we fill it with love, forgiveness and blessing then that is what we will have. Today I need to be a blessing for others, to love others and to help others. I practice random acts of kindness and focused love. There is no room for hate.

Lurid Temptations

A woman came to  my church office seeking counseling to overcome a certain temptation. It was one of those lurid temptations that so many people have from time to time. She had never acted on the temptation but was bothered that she even had it and that it was making her crazy in her fantasy.

 

We talked for a while and as she began to leave she turned and said, "This has helped me a lot and what has been the most helpful is that you don’t despise me for what I told you about my self."

 

All of us sin and I know that. My sin and her sin may have been about different thoughts and actions but sin is sin and is all the same. Sin is what ever separates us from a loving relationship with God. She felt forgiveness from God for her sin that day and so did I. 

Letting Go

We raise our children to be independent adults and then we are in shock when that is what they try to be.

The teenage years are all about cutting the strings that maintain control and then it is time for us to let go.

Difficult stuff letting go.

NO! {yes}

A certain Kentucky Senator said a LOUD NO! to the stimulus bill.

Then gave a quiet yes to spending a lot of it in Kentucky.

Wonder what that says???

I know some of these people

Taken from A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg

luddite

MEANING:

noun: One who opposes or avoids the use of new technology. 

ETYMOLOGY:

After the Luddites, name taken by textile workers in England during 1811-1816 who destroyed machinery that was displacing them. They took the name after one Ned Ludd, whose identity is not clear. Ned Ludd is said to have destroyed, in a fit of insanity, a knitting frame in 1779. In response to the Luddites, the British parliament passed the Frame Breaking Act which made the destroying of knitting frames punishable by death. 

The Captain Sings

The Captain Sings the Alphabet

Amazing Frogs

Perhaps not what you think

I am talking about my Horn Frogs at Texas Christian University.

I am not much of a sports fan so I am shocked to discover that TCU is number 4 in the nation in collage football. Amazing When I went to TCU a winning season was when we actually won a game. Now they are undefeated. Amazing Frogs!!!

Two Connections

A woman was talking to her friend holding her new cell phone telling her friend how it had everything on it. It’s my plan for the day, my directions for how to get there and has connections to all my family and friends.

 

 Her friend held up her bible and said It’s has my plan for life, my directions for getting to heaven, connections with God’s people and tells me how to love my neighbor.

 

We live in two world’s one physical and the other spiritual and we need connections to both.

 

This is Sunday the Lord’s Day so make your connections.

Perfect Day

This was a wonderful day!

The weather was perfect to be outside and I spent the day at Jefferson Memorial Forrest serving as a Trail Ranger guiding hikers around the trails.

Oh yes and the fall colors in the forest are awesome. I am a happy man.

The Last Time

The last time I visited my father at his house we discussed old times in Lamesa, Texas. During the course of the conversation he said, “The whipping [his word mine would be beatings] I gave you made you the man you are today.”

 

I glared at him for a moment trying to comprehend what he said. I told him that it was my mother’s faith that did that not his beatings. I then got up and left and never returned. It is sad that he honestly believed that.

 

Over the course of  the last ten years he alienated all six of his legal children and none of us are speaking to him. He will likely die alone in the nursing home wondering why no one comes to visit.

 

All six of us tried to reconcile with him many times but he kept up his verbal beatings until we could no longer take it. It is a sad state of affairs’ but he brought it all on himself again and again. He has no memory now so there is no making up with his children.