OVER DUE

When I prepared my sermon for today at a church near by, I had thought it would be
a serious sermon on having things being over due in our life's. Little did I know that
the sermon turned out being full of humor. I think it was God's gift of lifting the loads
some carry day by day. We all are over due at times of saying, "I love you.Or, listing
without talking so we hear the pain and problems that other's carry. And then there
are times when we're long over due in helping others in some way.
I found myself sharing some funny stories that hit home in the hearts of those there
today. I doubt I could ever preach the same sermon again. It was God's tailor made
sermon for the people to whom I preached. Maybe it was a sermon that was long
over due. There are no Do Overs at times.

I'VE BEEN SHOT!

The local news paper needed my picture to go with an article that will be in the
paper soon. The picture on my blogg is what I asked them to consider making
use of for it. They may want my better side, my back. They may want to shoot
me. They may wonder why I am not as good looking as they thought I might
be. We shall see.
It is a real honor to be asked to send in information about myself and what
I read. I love reading and I love to read about what other's read about. When
someone ask me why I spend so much time at Barnes & Noble reading and
sipping a cup of coffee, I tell them that it's because I like to read and I like to
be with people. All I can say is, I hope the one's who have coffee with me will
treat me nice after they have read what I have to say. I hope I don't get shot
again!

JUST THINKING.....

I've been giving a great deal of thought to how I need to be a better husband, father,
brother and neighbor. For the most part, I think I do pretty well with these people
in my life. I just feel that I could do better, far better. Maybe I should ponder this
thought for some time rather than make a snap judgement. After all, I don't want
to dismiss the matter and be done with it. This is something that I need to fine-
tune with great care.
For example: How can I spend more time with these people? How can I express
my love and concern for these people? And, how can I remove the things that
trip me up and leave me (and them) wondering why I said what I said or why
did I do what I did? Couldn't I have been more sensitive? I wonder what they
think when they consider these things. Is is good or is it bad? What would they
tell me to do to make things go better?
I'm just thinking about these things. Now I have to do something to improve
my relationships with people who mean so very much to me. Just pondering
won't get the job done, will it? It takes taking action. It takes change. It takes
intentional moves on my part for the thinking to become more than that. I
think I will get started very soon and see what comes from it.

WINDING DOWN

The busyness of several weeks is winding down this week. I will soon be finished with
writing sermon study materials for small groups, an article for the memorial service
for my twin, and an article for the local newspaper. All of these things have taken a
great deal of time and effort on my part. Yet, it is a very high honor to have been asked
to do these things. I have no regrets as things wind down.
For things to wind down, they first have to wind up. These things wound up in my
face all at once it seems. I was overwhelmed that they even asked me to do them.
After all, I'm talking about God's Word, my twin brother and what I like to read. I
could of taken several paths getting to where I wanted and needed to be. But I sought
to stay on shorter paths that would take less time and effort. I could of said and done
so much more. I could of gone on and on. There are times when the less said is the
best said. As I'm winding down on my work, I'm wound up with excitement that I
might say something that will encourage others, help others, inform and inspire
others in some small way. What an honor to try to do such a thing.
When my life is winding down, I sure hope that it has been able to make the lives of
others better, happier and closer to the heart of God.

"I;m Gonna' Wash....."

While watching (and listening) to Bro. Bard preach at the 8:15 service this moring my
mind wandered ( I confess it) to his gray beard and gray shirt. I got to thinking maybe
he had decided to "was this gray right out of my beard...." and that's why his once white
shirt was now gray. After the 8:15 service he baptized several young people by immersion
in our pool. I saw then that he still had the same gray shirt on as he dunked dozen's of
our children and youth. When he came back out to preach a few minutes later he had
on a white shirt. I think it's a miracle because God must of said, "I'm gonna' wash this
gray right out of his shirt..." thus, a really sparkling clean (dry) white shirt. Wow!
Then I saw a man with really a pretty sweater on with a very small purple design on
it. I asked him if he had spilled communion juice on it. "I'm gonna was this stain right
out of my sweater..." I told him to put a band-aid on it and no one would notice the
stain. He told me to get lost. I was just trying to help him go and stain no more....