The Water Was Warm, The Air Crisp, And The Fellowship In The Spirit Amazed Me! 

Bringing Bits And Pieces Together

This is how our backyard looked late this Sunday afternoon. You see, I've been gathering up bits and pieces from everywhere in anticipation of the construction of a garden shed for my wife. I was going to get started last spring, but there was always something else that needed to be done. Cheryl, my wife, snapped these pictures so we wouldn't forget how it looks when a project is under way. I know, it faintly resembles the scenes you've been watching on the news from down south. Disaster, natural or manmade has the same appearance. We were called away early this evening or I might have finished the south wall(might is an operative term, and one to be taken very lightly when it comes to the time I make available for "personal" projects)had there not been a phone call requesting both of us for an unknown emrgency. Everything was okay, that's the good news. In the backyard everything is about the way you see it in the picture. The door does swing on it's hinges, and that is a plus. I have this thing about doors and windows, when they look just fine to me they don't work quite the way they were intended. Oh, they open and close very well, depending on how you hold your mouth and utter the magic words. Sometimes I think God has this enormous sense of humor as we go about the tasks of working our little piece of the anthill. If you happened to read the previous entry on my blog you would enjoy knowing that the alarm failed this morning and I was walking into the church at 10:25. Just in the nick of time! Another person I spoke with today got there around 11 and didn't come in because she realized she was running late and didn't want to; well you know. Did everyone have a day like that or just this corner of the world? All in all I must admit the day has been good. Sitting here tonight I would also admit that it wasn't what I expected, and that too is good! I'll see if I can get it all together tomorrow and make the pieces of the disaster come together in a shape more befitting a "garden shed" for the wife. I envision a place of quiet repose where she can pot plants and look out the window at the things she is creating with God's help(I could use some of that when it comes to building). Happy Sunday, and I pray your week coming up is a joy in every way! God bless, Preacher.

Expecting Someone?

This is by far one of the cutest pics I've run across in ages! It says so much about how we live our lives. The picture(this is for me, I have no clue what others may see)shows anticipation, homecoming, curiosity, wonder, and companionship in the shared observance. I've raised a lot of dogs. In the files of pictures I have of them some come close to this(for me some are better but in a different light and not black and white)element of surprise I felt and then after studying it I saw more. Tomorrow is Sunday! Some of us wait patiently for the hour of worship to arrive. Others will bustle about preparing for the journey to "church" amidst a mixture of emotions. There was a time in my preaching career where everything on Sunday morning was about me, and my wife had to get the children(five at that time)all ready to go. We were on separate schedules. These days there are no little ones around except for the occasional grand and they're usually ready before I am. I try to get to the church at least half an hour before it begins, but most Sundays I don't get there until 10 after 10. That seems to be the appointed time no matter how I try to change it. Maybe that is just God's time and I'm more or less flowing within it's confines.
Would it not be great if we could have the anticipation that these two have looking out the window when we get to our place in the morning's worship? Perhaps it's been awhile and you're not entirely comfortable. Perhpas the kids were not cooperating as they should and you came close to calling off the morning sojourn to the services. It really makes no difference what your reason for not attending on Sunday might be, the truth is if we aren't there we aren't able to share in the mystery of faith that our hearts long for so deeply. It could be just another day in your life, or it could mark the beginning of a beautiful relationship that we all truly need. I think of the child's companion at the window watching, waiting, or just plain curious. I wonder which of those will be my emotional bent in the morning. I look forward to being in the midst of the Body of Christ as everyone prepares their own hearts for the time spent of offering ourselves to God, receiving His sustaining Word, and seeing the expressions on the faces of folks I know so well as the hour unfolds. In faith we worship each day the living Savior! Sunday is an opportunity to share it with friends and family. I pray your Sunday is a "good one!" In Christ's Love, Preacher.

It's Good To Feel The Sunshine

 
I love to photograph old barns! It must have something to do with growing up around the farm and learning to love the old buildings which were a wonder to explore. Each one was filled with secrets, and all of them were new to me. Some of them smelled really bad, and others smelled of the "life" that one encounters everywhere in an agriculturally based environment. The barn I chose to show with these notes is not one that I have photographed(I borrowed this from an unknown photo buff somewhere "out there" on the net months ago)but it is one with which I can strongly identify. During the "barnsiding" craze of a few decades ago many buildings with this general appearance were torn down and sold off to folks who wanted the rich, downhome look for their homes. Of course it was only utilized after being subjected to the most rigorous of procedures to remove any and all vestiges of scent that might linger and betray the wood's origin. The old milking barn was my favorite place to explore. By the time I arrived on the scene it was no longer used for it's intended purpose, it had become a "birthing barn" and a home to the many cats that seemed to proliferate around the place. It was the permanent shelter for the small herd of sheep we had, and a roosting place for many wayward chickens that had given up the comfort of the coop for a more "wild" way of life(we still found their eggs)but, most importantly, it was the place of choice for birthing. Calves, pups, chicks, lambs, kittens, and the occasional foal were all in the habit of bringing their young into the world beneath the sagging lofts amidst the stone walls that enclosed the lower portion of the barn. It was there that we watched in awe the miracle of new life happening before our eyes. Perhaps one of the first great lessons in life was taught by those moments when we would gather around and watch an animal give birth. None of them were ever thought of in any light that would not give voice to God's "gifts" to each of us. I know some of the kittens didn't just wander off, it took me until I was about 12 to figure that one out. By then they were of less concern, and I dutifully promised not to share that particular piece of knowledge with younger cousins because it would have devestated Sherry or Marie to think of our beloved "gramps" bagging them up on his way to the creek. It was a great life! Later on each one of us had to make decisions along those lines, but it was far more personal. For most of us(thankfully)that was before the age of debate over the "right to life" and "right to choose." Interestingly enough, most of the young women I know today, the ones in their late teens and early twenties are "pro life" women to the core. Maybe that's because their mothers were too! When it comes to the poitics of choice, I find it heartening that there are fewer and fewer voters out there voting against life. Maybe those other children were never raised to voice an opinion. Just thinking about that old barn tonight, and wondering if it is still standing. God bless, Preacher. 

The Spirit As An Unruly Beast

Turmoil in our lives can be the result of a variety of influences! Tonight my spirit was torn between anger and sadness. It's a very personal thing, and one that may be of value if shared. The anger in and of itself is of no benefit to anyone, but from the perspective of sadness you may hear my thoughts and find comfort at some point in your life when you are forced to wrestle with your spirit. I have a son serving in the army. I am very proud of him for his service to our country. I love him very deeply, and yet, on December 12, 1999, following the deaths of my parents(dad on July 1st - mom on August 1st)he chose to disown me and be adopted by his stepfather. At the time he was 21 years of age and nothing I could do or say would disuade him. He chose a course of action in conjunction with his mother and her husband Ken,(the stepfather who was chosen as "father" for my son,is now dead as the result of a heartattack)to go through the court proceedings and was "legally adopted" thus taking on a new last name, and a new persona(can you do this just by changing your last name). Tonight I found myself in the midst of continuing to clean up the affairs of my parents. If you wonder why it has taken so long it is because '99 was a not so good year and it took me 'til '04 to really dig into the task of cleanup. What is left are the personal belongings that must be gone through(when I say 'must' it is a choice, and one that my conscience would not permit me to do otherwise)and sorted. At the center of my wrestling tonight were the bank books which I had not previously examined. My father was a kind and generous man, a good man, and a firm believer in God and His only Son, our living Savior, Christ. Dad started saving for my son's education when he was born in '78. In '83 he had set aside $10,386.63, according to the books. He continued this until my son graduated from high school at which point my father and I both encouraged the young man to "get an education." What followed were years of my son taking advantage of his family, spending the college fund without ever so much as passing a test, and then continuing to live as though there were no need to succeed in life. I pray today that he has matured in the military. I pray daily for his safety in Iraq. I pray for his children and his wife. My wife and I are not allowed to see the children from his marriage, but we do have a blessing in our 4 year old grand daughter, she is so cool, and her mom seems to like both of us. This is the daughter that my son has no time for, either. So you see, there are times when the spirit must be wrestled. I look for peace, and pray for a time when I will fully understand the "why" of how this all came about. I know that there is little that I can do to change the circumstances. What I do is "Press On" in faith and trust that in God's time my spirit will return to the calm place that helps me get along the best. When we are hurt there are two directions our hearts can go. One is as unfruitful as the other. Be it sadness or anger, if we allow these emotions to control us we have ceased to be at peace with the life we live. Tonight, as with every night I seek the peace that comes from faith in my Savior and the healing power that is found in God. Life is never "easy" but we can learn to not let it be as hard as we might make it. Let God be God, and someday, I submit, we will see very clearly the purpose which now evades our comprehension. God bless, Preacher.

Inspiration Is Everywhere For Those Who Seek It!

I had to share more of Jean's pics with you tonight. Her eye for the "right" shot is truly a blessing.

Having A Sense Of Humor

There is a time and place for everything! It's good to know that even in the worst of circumstances some folks out there can find some small portion of life in which there is a gleam of mirth. Katrina's devestation has planted a mission team deep within the area marked as "disaster." The house they have established as home base had to be completely shoveled out. It was filled with mud and debris! Sleeping in outdoor gear and cooking over open fires, men and women in ministry to their fellow human beings are now working overtime hours helping wherever they are needed. As time becomes available in schedules new folks arrive and others leave to return to the reality of homes safe from the devestation that they have witnessed first hand. The stories are emerging across the nation as these weary travelers return home, back to their jobs, and as one man put it so succinctly, "Back to a world that is not so real!" The most devestating effect a cataclysmic event such as a hurricane has on people is the spiritual, mental, and emotional shock that they go through. Humor is a way of combating the horror, the fatigue, and the loss. One writer mentioned rescuing a cat that looked more like a rat and had little life left in it. His description of the rescue left me with a smile on my face and a note of hope for all of those who have gone through, and continue to go through the horrendous task of putting everything back together. It will never be the same, and maybe that is a good thing. Perhpas it will be better, and that would be good as well. The best thing, however, is knowing that no matter how large or small the impact on lives, in response to the adversities encountered in life we have individuals who will stand up, step forth, and pitch in to make things better. Where our mission teams go they take faith and wrap it up in smiles filled with the warmth and love that our God has given us to share. This is "not" a plug for you to pull something out of your pocket to help, it's a request for your prayers. Send them out tonight, tomorrow, or often throughout the day. We have a whole lot of peoople who are in need, and the best thing we can offer is a spiritual boost to their moral as weeks turn into months, and the months, inevitably, turn into years, as a portion of our nation recovers from nature's insistence on it's own way. We will recover, and we will be better for having done just that! In the midst of it all let us give thanks that it was no worse than it was, and move forward in faith. In Christ's Love, Preacher.