In the Zone

Ecclesiastes 3:1 teaches us that there is a time and a season for everything.   This week is our time for Thanksgiving.  Yes, I know Thanksgiving should be an attitude we maintain throughout the year and not one day in November, but I also think it's helpful and healthy to take at least one day out of the year and focus on God's blessings.  Those blessings aren't just material possessions and the presence of family, but also include the hurts and pains and trials you've come through and the lessons you've learned.   For me, the biggest event in our lives in 2011 (so far) was the move from Immanuel Baptist to Gracey West Union Baptist.  It was a whirlwind adventure.  Announcing at one church and town, and moving to another town (6 hours away) in less than a month is no small or easy task.  Yet, God worked in that quick time frame.  Here are just a few things I'm thankful for from that event:   We got a good house, located not far from mo...

It doesn't take long for us to learn dishonesty. My little girl is almost three years old.  I know when she stands in the corner and gets silent, that she's trying to quietly use the bathroom in her pull-up without me noticing.  Now if I notice her in the corner, I ask her if she is using the bathroom. "No," she quickly replies, yet another giveaway. Then I threaten her, usually using candy or something else she wants. "If you are, and you're lying, no Halloween candy for you for the rest of the day." Only then is she honest.  Sometimes. And so goes the beginning of my little girl lying to me.  That, by far, is not the only way she's disobedient.  (Trust me, I have to get after her quite a bit.)  It is, however, a clear example that we learn to lie and be dishonest from an early age. That's why God put lying in the Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:16 says we are not to give false testimony about our neighbor.  Don't say they did so...

I'll admit. I've been transfixed on the Penn State story this week. Everyday this week I've watched a segment on sportscenter about it. I've poured over various twitter updates on the subject. I've read numerous columns. I watched live on Wednesday night as students rioted on campus to protest the firing of Joe Paterno. I have spent a lot of time this week on the Penn State story. One thing has stuck with me as all of this unfolded. The media spent story after story on the fate of Joe Paterno and other coaches on the Penn State staff. Commentators and former players weighed in on what should or should not be done. Students gathered in protest over a coach's firing - a coach who knew about sexual abuse taking place involving children and one of his former assistant coaches. If this were a church instead of a national college football program it would be a much different story and a much different tone. There would be no question about if a minister shoul...

I remember WAYYY back in the early 2000s.  File sharing was all the rage. A co-worker of mind talked about how easy it was and convinced me that it wasn't so bad, since you're only getting a few songs you hear on the radio anyway.  (I'll be honest, like most temptations, it didn't take a lot of prodding to convince me it was "OK.") So, a couple of days later, there I was setting up an account on a file sharing website and finding music online FOR FREE.  I didn't download hundreds of songs, but I downloaded enough, about 30 or so, to fill up two burnable CDs.  (You have to remember, this was pre-iPods.) So for weeks, I listened to my new CDs full of musics I didn't have to buy. I justified it because I wouldn't have bought these songs on my own anway.  Most of it was just one or two songs I liked from a band that I otherwise didnt like. (Remember, pre-iTunes too, so the only way to buy music was on full CDs.) It wasn't long before I was ...

"Hey Elvis," they'd say. "Sing a song." It wasn't meant to comment my non-existant singing ability. Instead, they poked fun at my long sideburns. They reached halfway down my cheek, thus the Elvis quip. Truth be told, I didn't have long sideburns by design. My family simply could not afford frequent haircuts, so often I would go two or three months between clippings. By the time I got a haircut, my hair was quite lengthy in the back and, of course, on the sideburns. It's why today I hate having any kind of length to my hair and have my wife trim it about once a month. I don't want to see it that way again or dare to hear remarks about it. You see, sticks and stones can break your bones but words can sometimes hurt more. Those wounds don't heal as easily as a bone or cut or scratch. Words leaving lasting scars that really never go away. In exodus 20, in the sixth commandment, god says you shall not murder. Jesus takes it one step furt...

Being a parent has opened up my eyes to so many new revelations. I remember when I held my little girl in my hands for the first time.  It was overwhelmed.  I loved this hours-old infant more than anything, yet I had never truly met her.  I would give my life for her.  I realized, in that instant, just how much God loves me. As my daughter has grown, I understand the patience God has with me.  I have to have patience with my own daughter, as she figures things out for the first time, finds her footing on unfamiliar ground and learns a new trait or word or action every day.  Sometimes I just want to go ahead and do something, but I have to have patience to allow her to learn.  God does the same with me. Lately, we've been potty training.  I struggle with it because often it seems my daughter regresses rather than progresses.  For every one time she pees in the potty, there are 100 times she doens't.  And don't get me started on the ...

I remember early in my ministry I was constantly working. Monday thru Friday, I had daily office hours I had to keep at the newspaper, where I worked as a sports writer.  Covering sports also meant you worked a lot of nights.  A LOT of nights.  I covered all the sports in high school, plus a few non-high school sports.  I worked Monday nights at games or on the sports section.  Tuesday nights at games or on the rest of the paper.  Thursday and Friday nights were usually game nights too.  Plus there were Saturday morning and afternoon events.  On top of that, I was serving as a bi-vocational youth pastor.  I had youth each Wednesday night.  Office hours at church on Wednesday and Thursday.  Saturday events (when I wasn't covering sports) and all of my assigned duties on Sunday (including roles in both morning services, teaching Sunday School and weekly Sunday night meetings.) I literally worked seven days (and nights) a we...