BUSY BUT BLESSED

When I stood before Chris and Katie last night to share a short sermon, I wasn't real
sure what I was going to say to or about them. Before I knew it, I was speaking about
how Katie loves to knit. Knitting takes patience, time and a pattern to produce the
finished product. Marriage must have the same skills if it is to succeed. I think and I
hope I got my point across because I left everyone in stitches.
This was one of the best wedding ceremoines I've ever conducted. It was a delight
from start to finish. One of the delights of the ceremony was getting to hear our
daughter sing a solo while I served Chris and Katie Holy Communion. Although I
was exhausted last night, I enjoyed serving Communion at the 8:15 service at our
church this morning. To top all these things, it was good to hear Bishop King at
a District service tonight as well as the choir from a small church where my youngest
brother plays the piano for them. I've been busy but I've been blessed. I just hope I've
been a blessing to someone in Jesus' name.

FAVORITE THINGS

After performing at a wedding Saturday night, I have to be up early to serve Communion at
Church Sunday morning at 8:15. These are two of my favorite things to do as a Pastor. If I
were to take the time to count how many times I've done both things, it would take awhile.
The truth of the matter is, it's been awhile since I last did either. So, it's good to be back to
doing them once again.
September has been busy for me. I preached three times at a revival and then once at a
small church last Sunday morning. Now I'm performing a wedding and serving Communion
all in the same weekend. I will be serving Communion to the couple I marry Saturday night
and then I'll be back at Broadway where I was as Pastor for five years, several years ago.
So, I will be doing a few of my favorite things with a few of my favorite people. What a
blessing.

A GOOD SPIRITUAL SOAKING

This morning when I went to see my two best buddies, Barnes & Noble, I had no intentions
of buying a book. I simply wanted to sneak a peak at some books and magazines. But when
I walked out I had bought a book. I bought, Living the Message: Daly Help for Living the
God-Centered Life by Eugene Peterson.
This 378 page book has daily Scriptures to study as the daily Scriptures study the reader.
He has a way of digging down deep into the text and then taking that text down deep into
one's soul. This small study will have a big impact upon my spiritual walk as I read page
after page. The trouble is, I'm like a child at Christmas I can't wait till then. I have to get
a head start on things. I bought a book last year to read this year but I had it read before
the end of 2006. I will have this Living the Message read before October is finished. I
know I that this daily help will help me without a doubt. What are you reading along with
The Bible that feeds your soul? Let it soak in deep and wide.

AN UPDATE ON THE DATES

Well, the weekend has come and gone. I preached four times within the past few days. The
three night revival was wonderful. There was a great spirit throughout the services each
evening. I met many people who knew my father when he pastored Whiley's Chapel so
many, many years ago. Dad had told me I would love the people there and he was right.
This morning I was back at Sugar Grove to preach my 12th sermon for them since I've
been back in Bowling Green. We love this small church in a big way. They people are
always so gracious to us.
I am very tired after all this running back and forth and all that was involved with it. But
I'm spiritually refreshed from having these opportunities given to me. It is always an
honor to preach anywhere to anyone. I hope I get to do it again soon. This weekend I
perform a wedding in Nashville so that means going there two times to accomplish this
task. I look forward to having this high honor of marrying a cute couple.
A number of months ago I thought that these days would never come. Now that they
have, it's hard to believe that four of them have come and gone. It's hard to believe
that our daughter and son have birthdays next month and that my oldest brother turns
even older in October. My, how times flies!

OUTSTANDING.

The first revival service went well last night. I was very well pleased with the attendance
and the response of the people to the spirit of things there. The music was good and the
preaching was outstanding. Which is to say, I stood out in front of the pulpit rather than
behind it. I didn't use any notes whileI preached so that I could have good eye contact
with the people. I hope to be an out standing preacher again tonight.
Wiley's Chapel was one of my dad's first churches in he early 1930's. There were a few
elderly people present last night who shared stories with my wife and myself that kept
our full attention. Dad must of made an outstanding impression upon these people because
they bragged and bragged about him. This doesn't catch me off guard at all becasue he
has served the Lord and the people in outstanding ways through out the years. It is an
honor to follow in my father's footsteps in preaching where he preached so many years
ago.
The one thing that troubled me was that I was told by two of the elderly people that I
look just like my dad. Hey! Dad is 95!! I guess I'm a clone of John Coomer. "Like
father, like son", they say. That's ok with me. I could look like one of my other brothers
and that would be bad. Very bad! Right, Harold?

REVIVE US AGAIN

A woman from a small country where my father pastored several years ago has been after
me for years to preach a revival at their church. Well, tonight I begin a series of services at
Wiley's Chapel. I have spent hours and hours in prayer to know what to say to these dear
souls. I have searched the Scriptures and asked the Lord to lead me in in leading them in
the way God would have me to do.
I have hundreds of sermons that I can turn to but I feel led to preach a sermon I've yet
to preach. I must admit that this sermon has helped me in my own spiritual walk over
the past days. I find myself coming back to it whenever I turn to something else. My
mind is made up that this is the sermon I must preach tonight. I'm preaching about
things that we fail to use and are the worse for it. The greatest thing is the gift of grace.
"God's Grace Is Still Amazing" What amazes me is the way we fail to allow Amazing
Grace to transform our lives. My prayer for tonight is that someone will take God's
Amazing Grace and allow it to soak into their soul and remove whatever it is that
should be discarded.
It is a high honor to be invited to preach. I do it, not for myself, but for God's
glory. I just ask that lives be touched where they need a Divine touch during
these services. May the Lord "Revive Us Again."

DANCING WITH THE DOGS

We are in the process of having new flooring placed in our Living and Dinning rooms. What
is so funny is to watch the dogs walking on the new floor. Their paws sound like they are
tap dancing with the stars. They can't tip toe through the room without us knowing right
they are at that very moment. The trouble is, now my wife will know when I sneak in
the Living room to take a nap on the couch. What will I do?
There is much work to be done to get things back in place. All three dogs look at us as if
to say,"why are you doing this again? Will it ever end!!!" I wish I knew the answer myself.
I do know that it will be a big improvement after it is all done. For now, I'll just sing, "I'm
Walking the Floor Over You" as I walk through the room. Hey! I wonder if I can teach
the three dogs to dance to that!

A LASTNG IMPRESSION

I was trying to tell my daughter something I had read in the morning newspaper when all
of the sudden she started laughing. I wondered what I had said or done to get her going.
I was trying to tell her about a Tattoo artist who had died in Louisville. But before I said
who it was she said, "Tattoo Charles! Did he die?" That's when I said, "He died of a
sudden issue." I meant to say, "He died of a sudden illness." What amazed me was that
she knew his name at all. She then informed me that her brother had gotten his tattoo from
"Tattoo Charles" several years ago.
When I took the time to read what the newspaper had to say about "Tattoo Charles", I
was impressed what all he had accomplished in his life. This man has left alot of
lasting impressions on a lot of lives, our son's included. It's only a tattoo but it lasts for a
long, long time.
All this makes me wonder what kind of lasting impression am I making on the lives of
others, not with a tattoo but with the words I speak and deeds I do. What kind of
lasting impressions are you making? That's the real issue, isn't it? And, it's no laughing
matter.

"YOUR MOVE"

I finished reading When the Game Is Over, It All Goes Back in the Box, by John Ortberg
this week. I wasn't looking forward to the conclusion of the book because it is so good. I
know that this book won't go on the shelf to draw dust. It is one of those books that I will
read many more times. Ortberg has a way of saying serious things in funny ways. While
you are laughing, you find yourself taking a look down deep in your soul. Often I found
myself thinking, "why didn't I think of that?"
As I read the pages of this book I found myself remembering the games I've played with
my family throughout the years. I can still see my father and siblings sitting at the table
playing Monopoly. Most of the time dad was winning. He was so serious about a game
that went back in the box after it was all over. At 95 he stillplays Scrabble that way, so
watch it if you ever play against him.
This book gives some great guidance in how to win and how to lose. It also alerts us to
the fact that we need to know what's worth keeping and what's not worth much at all
in life. It's your move.

WHO CHANGED THE CHAIRS?

This morning I went with my wife to have some blood work done. As we were walking
into the waiting area, she wondered why they had rearranged the chairs. She said she
didn't like the way they were. As different people came in, they were saying the very
same they she had said. I told the 6 or 7 others there (only two men) that it was to
get people to talk to one another. well, it worked! They were talking to each other
about how they didn't like the new arrangement at all.
Isn't that the way with most of us, we don't like change? Even I find myself sitting
in the same seat from Sunday to Sunday. I double dog dare anyone else to take my
seat! Routine is what it's all about. This morning my wife discovered that the old
has become new and even though she didn't like, she still sat down. So did. Since
I hadn't seen the chairs any other way, I like them just the way they are. And, I
double dog dare anyone to go and change them. That includes my wife unless she
changes my mind. That's one thing that hasn't changed for 38 plus years. Why
would she go and change things now?

THANKS FOR THE THANKS

As I was walking across the parking lot of the place I'd been, I heard someone calling out
my name. When I stopped to see who it was, I realized it was a member of the church I
last pastored. We hadn't seen one another for a long time. After we greeted one another,
I asked about her son. Without asking for it, she started thanking me for the influence I
had on him over five years. She said that he even still talks about me from time to time.
When she told me that he's 16 now, I couldn't believe my ears!
This dear soul didn't have to thank me for helping her son. She could of talked about
a number of other things but she wanted me to know that I had done some good as
their pastor, especially for a little boy. It makes me feel good when I learn that my
ministry and my life has helped someone else. I'm sure you feel that way too whenever
someone pats you on the back. I thank God that I've planted some seed and the harvest
if shooting forth from it. I'm sure you feel the same way whenever you can say or do
something to influence others. To God be the glory.