I was reading Jenn's blog about her encounter with Santa and it got me to thinking about one of my own encounters.
I'm not sure how old I was but we still lived in the house on Vilven Lane, so I was younger than being in the 5th grade. I can date this because we moved from that house the summer before I started junior high school in the fall of 1965.
I remember it being a typical Houston Christmas Eve. No snow, ice or rain, but there was a nip in the air. The day had been free of clouds and we were all anticipating an evening of going to church for the Christmas Eve service and then the arrival of Santa. Even though we did not have a fireplace, I never questioned how he got into the house and never was concerned about "a stranger" coming into the house in the middle of the night. Ours was a safe and cozy existance, provided for by our parents. We had no reason to be afraid of anything happening and completely trusted out parents to care for us. We knew they would not allow anything to happen to us or the house that would shatter that reality. The best evidence I had of the arrival of Santa was not the gifts under the tree or the stockings being "hung with care". It was the fact that the snack we had left out, egg nog and chocolate chip cookies, was gone. I was so glad to know that Santa and I shared the same love for the same snack.
Anyway...this one particular Christmas Eve, we were in the house doing our "house thing" (I honestly do not remeber what the "house thing" was other than we were in the house). Suddenly, there arose on the house "such a clatter". There was the sound of sleigh bells and thumping sounds of reindeer paws on the roof of the house, accompanied by a deep, rich "Ho, Ho, Ho!" My brother and I ran outside because we knew we were going to catch the Jolly Old Elf in the act and get to see him work his magic for ourselves. The sun was still up though low in the western sky (this should have been our first clue). We ran out the front door. Don't see him. Ran around the house to the back yard. No Santa. Ran back to the front yard. No evidence that we could see. We hollered at Mom and Dad, who were outside, but they didn't know what we were talking about. They checked around the house and looked on the roof but they didn't see anything. I remember trying to get my Dad to get the ladder and climb up on the roof for a closer inspection. There had to be skid marks from the sleigh or hoof prints from the reindeer. Since the house was a small house and there weren't any trees to hide the view, there wasn't really any reason for a closer look. The entire roof could be seen from the ground. It was just the exuberance of a young boy hoping and being caught up in the moment.
Not long after this incident, I met this guy who claimed he was Santa Claus. He asked me if I would like to meet Santa Claus. When I told him 'yes', he introduced himself to me as Santa and stuck out his hand to shake my hand. My first reaction was to return the shake and then it was . . . "Oh, yea, right!" But he insisted. Reality was beginning to settle in. I was jaw-dropping-and-hitting-the-floor crestfallen. I vivdly remember the ache and hurt in my chest. Disappointment does not begin to describe the feeling. Christmas was never going to be the same again. I just found it hard to believe that he was who he claimed to be. I just couldn't really believe he was/is Santa. However, as time has gone by, I've tired very hard to never really let on to him that I was in the "disbelieving zone". The fantasy had to continue in some fashion or form for both of us.
Well, the years have passed and not too many years ago a set of sleigh bells appeared over the front doorway of our house on Hazelhurst in Houston. They hung there for several years and each time someone would enter or exit through that doorway...ching! ching! ching! ching! ching! I am told these bells came from my great-grandparent's sleigh. They are obviously old and have this rich, full sound.
Kind of like that which comes from the roof of a house on Christmas Eve so many years ago, now brought forth in the memory of a middle aged man.
Those bells are now in my possession. They are in a non-descript box on the dining room table waiting their turn to widen the eyes of a young child sometime in the future. They are one of the few things that I really "wanted" from my parents house. As we recently drove home with the "bells in the box", each time we turned, changed lanes or hit a bump in the road, there was a soft "ching" from the back floorboard. Kind of makes you smile and the heart ache less.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Friday, December 22, 2006
Ebenezer Scrooge
That is how I feel.
I am not in the mood or spirit for this Christmas season. Don't know why. I told Amy I think it is because of all the changes going on at work and the events of the past few months at church. No matter how hard I try to "get" myself in the mood, it just does not work. Neither the decorations, music, television specials or seasonal movies seem to have any affect on me. Instead of going to Houston this weekend, I would be perfectly content to stay home and just enjoy being with my wife. Don't really need any presents either.
I feel bad because I have not gotten out any Christmas decorations and I know how much Amy enjoys them. No tree, no lights, no candy canes, no nothing.
I am just not in the mood.
I am not in the mood or spirit for this Christmas season. Don't know why. I told Amy I think it is because of all the changes going on at work and the events of the past few months at church. No matter how hard I try to "get" myself in the mood, it just does not work. Neither the decorations, music, television specials or seasonal movies seem to have any affect on me. Instead of going to Houston this weekend, I would be perfectly content to stay home and just enjoy being with my wife. Don't really need any presents either.
I feel bad because I have not gotten out any Christmas decorations and I know how much Amy enjoys them. No tree, no lights, no candy canes, no nothing.
I am just not in the mood.
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Fall calves - Pt II
* Editors note: I hope we're not starting a pattern.
I have previously mentioned some of the antics of the local bovine popluation on my way to work. It is amazing what I see and keep to myself daily as I drive to work...at 70 m.p.h. Then suddenly it jumps back at you in a memory that gives you somehting to think about. In this case, it was a great split-second image that is just burned into my memory. Nothing profound...just something to share. And, an appreciation for God's handywork in nature.
We had recently had several days of overcast skies. If you are from south Texas, where we are so used to having so many clear days, not seeing the sun for a few days can have an affect on us that is really hard to describe. Listlessness, slugishness, depression (not the major kind), just a generally feel of...blah. On this particular morning, where the season was turning from summer to autumn, the sun had come out, sharp and bright. The temperature was cool and just invigorating. But, there was also extra humidy in the air. So what do you get when you combine autumn, cool nights, warm days, moderate humidity? Fog. Not the kind that socks in (or as Robert Frost would describe as that which comes in on "little cat's paws" - I think that's right, if not close), but the kind that clings to the grass and fields and does not seem to move anywhere. It just stays in one place and disappears as quickly as it appears.
On this day I was driving east on Hwy 97 in Atascosa County nearing the San Jose Cattle Company. About a mile-and-a-half before the main entrance to the cattle company, the road takes a large dip down and then begins a slow climb up past the gate. There is a large oak tree on the right just as you start into the dip. Through the tree, the sun was shining literal beams of light through the leaves and branches. Just past the tree and just off the road, there is a small pond and one of the gates that cattle go through from pasture to pasture. Immediately past this is a small fenced in pasture that the cattle are sometimes forced through. It is a small triangular field in which there is some brush growing. At one time the entire place was clean of brush, but, from what I know, hard times required cut backs on the ranch and brush has been allowed to reaccumulate.
Anyway, on this particular day there was a low grey/silver fog on the ground that came up to about the shoulder (do cows have shoulders?) of the cattle. They were standing among the brush with the sunlight bouncing off the fog giving the upper part of the humidity a golden hue while the rest remained that grey/silver. Some of the cows had their heads down grazing so it looked like some were just without a head. Those that had their head up, chewing their cud, appeared to be taking it all in. The brush was a dark brown that stuck out of the fog and did not appear to have any connection with the ground. It was a moment that, if captured on film, probably would not have the stupendousness about it. It was captured in the moment while driving and the beauty was wrapped in the whole of the area. Having looked at this scene so many times in the years that I have driven back and forth to work, I could almost imagine what the rest of the fields and pastures looked like at that moment.
Just thought I'd share this with you.
I have previously mentioned some of the antics of the local bovine popluation on my way to work. It is amazing what I see and keep to myself daily as I drive to work...at 70 m.p.h. Then suddenly it jumps back at you in a memory that gives you somehting to think about. In this case, it was a great split-second image that is just burned into my memory. Nothing profound...just something to share. And, an appreciation for God's handywork in nature.
We had recently had several days of overcast skies. If you are from south Texas, where we are so used to having so many clear days, not seeing the sun for a few days can have an affect on us that is really hard to describe. Listlessness, slugishness, depression (not the major kind), just a generally feel of...blah. On this particular morning, where the season was turning from summer to autumn, the sun had come out, sharp and bright. The temperature was cool and just invigorating. But, there was also extra humidy in the air. So what do you get when you combine autumn, cool nights, warm days, moderate humidity? Fog. Not the kind that socks in (or as Robert Frost would describe as that which comes in on "little cat's paws" - I think that's right, if not close), but the kind that clings to the grass and fields and does not seem to move anywhere. It just stays in one place and disappears as quickly as it appears.
On this day I was driving east on Hwy 97 in Atascosa County nearing the San Jose Cattle Company. About a mile-and-a-half before the main entrance to the cattle company, the road takes a large dip down and then begins a slow climb up past the gate. There is a large oak tree on the right just as you start into the dip. Through the tree, the sun was shining literal beams of light through the leaves and branches. Just past the tree and just off the road, there is a small pond and one of the gates that cattle go through from pasture to pasture. Immediately past this is a small fenced in pasture that the cattle are sometimes forced through. It is a small triangular field in which there is some brush growing. At one time the entire place was clean of brush, but, from what I know, hard times required cut backs on the ranch and brush has been allowed to reaccumulate.
Anyway, on this particular day there was a low grey/silver fog on the ground that came up to about the shoulder (do cows have shoulders?) of the cattle. They were standing among the brush with the sunlight bouncing off the fog giving the upper part of the humidity a golden hue while the rest remained that grey/silver. Some of the cows had their heads down grazing so it looked like some were just without a head. Those that had their head up, chewing their cud, appeared to be taking it all in. The brush was a dark brown that stuck out of the fog and did not appear to have any connection with the ground. It was a moment that, if captured on film, probably would not have the stupendousness about it. It was captured in the moment while driving and the beauty was wrapped in the whole of the area. Having looked at this scene so many times in the years that I have driven back and forth to work, I could almost imagine what the rest of the fields and pastures looked like at that moment.
Just thought I'd share this with you.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
The Armor of God
*Just some food for thought and introspection.
Ephesians 6:10-17 describes how we are to clothe ourselves with God and His Word to protect ourselves against evil forces. What article of clothing do you see yourself as? Or, while all articles are important, what would be the most important to you?
At this time in my Chritian walk, I see myself as the belt. It does not matter what shirt, pants, socks or shoes I wear...it does not matter if they match or not...I never feel completely dressed unless I am wearing a belt. The Belt of Truth...that which surrounds us...that which holds all the other articles of clothing together neatly (we hope). It is the one article of clothing that surrounds the core of our body. It is God's Word that provides the substance of my heart and soul. It is that one item that provides (for me) security and keeps everything from falling apart.
So...what are your thoughts. Share with me.
Ephesians 6:10-17 describes how we are to clothe ourselves with God and His Word to protect ourselves against evil forces. What article of clothing do you see yourself as? Or, while all articles are important, what would be the most important to you?
At this time in my Chritian walk, I see myself as the belt. It does not matter what shirt, pants, socks or shoes I wear...it does not matter if they match or not...I never feel completely dressed unless I am wearing a belt. The Belt of Truth...that which surrounds us...that which holds all the other articles of clothing together neatly (we hope). It is the one article of clothing that surrounds the core of our body. It is God's Word that provides the substance of my heart and soul. It is that one item that provides (for me) security and keeps everything from falling apart.
So...what are your thoughts. Share with me.
The Fringe
I was listening to Jack Evans, Sr. (on CD) on the way to work today. He said several interesting things. The particular one that caught my attention was his comments about the people who make up "the fringe" of a congregation.
He was giving his talk on a Sunday morning in Bible class at the beginning of a meeting. He was talking about how appreciative he was for all the people who were in the class. He continued by talking about how you can tell alot about a congregations life by those people who attend Bible class on Sunday mornings and on Wednesday nights. I don't think he was talking about the number of people who attend but about who the individuals are who attend. He referred to these people as the core of the congregation, those people who form the center of the congregation, those people who do the majority of the work of the church, those people who you can depend on when called upon, those people who you know will get things done. The rest of the people he referred to as "the fringe" of the congregation. His comment, as obvious as it is, was that you cannot count on those people.
I always see this group as those who stand outside the "inner circle". They want to be included but they don't really make an effort to join in. They are the "one foot in, one foot out" people. They are close enough that we know who they are but not enough to make themselves really known to the inner circle. They are invited to join, shown how to join, encourgaed to join, shown the benefits of joining, but they just do not take the information and run with it. You could almost substitute the word 'participate' for the word 'join' here.
A loose definition of a fringe is something that is on the edge of a piece of clothing. It is decoration that many times just makes clothing look good but really does not have a vitual function with the garment. Part of the definition from a dictionary is: something on the margin of an activity, process or subject matter.
I do not want to be on the fringe of the Church, nor do I just want to look good. In my experience, there is nothing worse than being on the outside looking in and wanting to be on the inside. It looks so good and inviting but, when you are not included, it can be heartbreaking. Why people choose to be on the fringe is beyond me. I know there has to be a measure of self involvement but when people are invited, encouagred, conjoled, begged, offered, told, reminded and they won't join...what do you do?
Speaking for myself...I made a decision (tentative as it was) a long time ago to let God do His work on me and we'll see where it leads. Through may trials, conflicts, triumphs and experiences, I found out that God does not lie, that He always fulfills His promises, always provides, always blesses ...always...always...always. There are not enough blogs to describe His goodness and mercy and fulfillment.
So...what are your thoughts. Share with me.
He was giving his talk on a Sunday morning in Bible class at the beginning of a meeting. He was talking about how appreciative he was for all the people who were in the class. He continued by talking about how you can tell alot about a congregations life by those people who attend Bible class on Sunday mornings and on Wednesday nights. I don't think he was talking about the number of people who attend but about who the individuals are who attend. He referred to these people as the core of the congregation, those people who form the center of the congregation, those people who do the majority of the work of the church, those people who you can depend on when called upon, those people who you know will get things done. The rest of the people he referred to as "the fringe" of the congregation. His comment, as obvious as it is, was that you cannot count on those people.
I always see this group as those who stand outside the "inner circle". They want to be included but they don't really make an effort to join in. They are the "one foot in, one foot out" people. They are close enough that we know who they are but not enough to make themselves really known to the inner circle. They are invited to join, shown how to join, encourgaed to join, shown the benefits of joining, but they just do not take the information and run with it. You could almost substitute the word 'participate' for the word 'join' here.
A loose definition of a fringe is something that is on the edge of a piece of clothing. It is decoration that many times just makes clothing look good but really does not have a vitual function with the garment. Part of the definition from a dictionary is: something on the margin of an activity, process or subject matter.
I do not want to be on the fringe of the Church, nor do I just want to look good. In my experience, there is nothing worse than being on the outside looking in and wanting to be on the inside. It looks so good and inviting but, when you are not included, it can be heartbreaking. Why people choose to be on the fringe is beyond me. I know there has to be a measure of self involvement but when people are invited, encouagred, conjoled, begged, offered, told, reminded and they won't join...what do you do?
Speaking for myself...I made a decision (tentative as it was) a long time ago to let God do His work on me and we'll see where it leads. Through may trials, conflicts, triumphs and experiences, I found out that God does not lie, that He always fulfills His promises, always provides, always blesses ...always...always...always. There are not enough blogs to describe His goodness and mercy and fulfillment.
So...what are your thoughts. Share with me.
I'm baaack!
Sorry it has been so long since I've blogged. Things have been really busy at work, long court days, days off, holidays, being lazy, computer at home it soooooo ssslllooowww... Okay, each separate thing is not really an excuse, but together they just seem to be overwhelming at times. So, to make up, I will try a double blog today. I always have thoughts running around in my head but never really enough to blog about. We'll see what comes out.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Quotes & Sayings
*Editor's note: inspired by Erin
Okay, we have all heard sayings that meant something to us. Those phrasings of words that seemed to consisely explain something or was able to bring an issue into clearer focus. There have been untold numbers of books written that contained famous sayings and quotes. What are some of your favorites? Have you made up any? Some that you tend to live by? Here are a few of mine:
The name fo this blog: TANGAT (There Ain't No Grey Area There). This is kind-of, sort-of borrowed. I started using it in reference to God's Word in that there is not alot of room for debate about certain subjects.
Personal motto: Doing the best I can with what I got (I know...I know, it's not grammatically correct).
For us morning people: Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise (I don't care about early birds who eat worms...I eat cereal for breakfast).
What are your thoughts...share with me.
Okay, we have all heard sayings that meant something to us. Those phrasings of words that seemed to consisely explain something or was able to bring an issue into clearer focus. There have been untold numbers of books written that contained famous sayings and quotes. What are some of your favorites? Have you made up any? Some that you tend to live by? Here are a few of mine:
The name fo this blog: TANGAT (There Ain't No Grey Area There). This is kind-of, sort-of borrowed. I started using it in reference to God's Word in that there is not alot of room for debate about certain subjects.
Personal motto: Doing the best I can with what I got (I know...I know, it's not grammatically correct).
For us morning people: Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise (I don't care about early birds who eat worms...I eat cereal for breakfast).
What are your thoughts...share with me.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Traditions
Traditions within a family are a great thing. They give us a way to celebrate something. They give us continuity and in some small way they say "this is the way it should be". When I was growing up, one of our traditions was the way we began a family members birthday. The family got up early when it was still dark, there were few lights on in the house and we would wake the celebrant by singing 'Happy Birthday' and giving the gifts first thing in the morning. What a great way to start your special day! It was always fun to try and be quiet so that we could "surprise" the birthday person. Rarely worked but it was great fun. I wish we had been able to do that with our girls but it just never seemed to work. At the time they just weren't morning people.
So...what are some traditions you had growing up or that you have in your home now?
What are your thoughts...share with me.
So...what are some traditions you had growing up or that you have in your home now?
What are your thoughts...share with me.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Lists
Okay, it's my turn for a list.
Dana called yesterday and said she was at Target. She had found an entire collection of the television show M*A*S*H. It was cost prohibitive (at this time) to purchase the set. This was one of my favorite shows. When it came on, I was there. I liked the zany characters on the show all wrapped up in the military. One of my favorite characters was Col. Flagg ("the wind"). You'll have to see the show to see what I mean about him.
Anyway...what shows, if you have the money, would you purchase for your home video/DVD libary? Remember, money is not an issue. We're dreaming, so dream big. In no particular order, here's my partial list:
Dana called yesterday and said she was at Target. She had found an entire collection of the television show M*A*S*H. It was cost prohibitive (at this time) to purchase the set. This was one of my favorite shows. When it came on, I was there. I liked the zany characters on the show all wrapped up in the military. One of my favorite characters was Col. Flagg ("the wind"). You'll have to see the show to see what I mean about him.
Anyway...what shows, if you have the money, would you purchase for your home video/DVD libary? Remember, money is not an issue. We're dreaming, so dream big. In no particular order, here's my partial list:
- Star Trek - Classic
- Star Trek - Next Generation
- Star Trek - Deep Space Nine
- Star Trek - Voyager
- Star Trek - Enterprise (I haven't seen any of these!)
- Barney Miller
- Mad About You
- M*A*S*H (of course)
- Northern Exposure
- Night Court
- Frasier (Amy says this is the only television show that makes me constantly laugh out loud)
What are your thoughts..share with me.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
728B
I have many church songs that I hum and sing (to myself) all the time. I have sung so many of our songs so often that I know the words and do not need the songbook. I think this can be said of alot of people. But there are those songs that have become so familiar and speak to us in such a way that they become our favorites. And from among those favorites there is usually one or two that just rise above the rest. There is a God, or as we sometimes call it, 728B, is the one for me.
I like Paul Shero's take on this song. He thinks this song should be the 'national anthem' of the churches of Christ. He thinks it would be so cool, in order to determine whether someone was a member of the church, if we would ask, "728?", and the appropriate response would be, "B!".
I was first introduced to this song in college as a very young Christian. From the first time I heard it, it just spoke to me. The song, itself, is a relatively young song compared to the others that we sing. I know all the words and it sings of the affirmation of our faith, the simple basics of our faith. There is a God, He is alive, our lives are inseparately intertwined with His, we live and breathe and get our very life from Him. Without Him we would die and disappear. The song reminds us of the love that God has for us in that he has always taken care of his people...that He gave His Son. It brings to our rememebrance that God is in control no matter how much we think of ourselves and our accomplishments.
So, we sang that song this past Sunday morning just before the sermon. The congregation sang that song with confidence and assurance. It sounded awesome!! I hope God was pleased.
What are your thoughts...share with me.
I like Paul Shero's take on this song. He thinks this song should be the 'national anthem' of the churches of Christ. He thinks it would be so cool, in order to determine whether someone was a member of the church, if we would ask, "728?", and the appropriate response would be, "B!".
I was first introduced to this song in college as a very young Christian. From the first time I heard it, it just spoke to me. The song, itself, is a relatively young song compared to the others that we sing. I know all the words and it sings of the affirmation of our faith, the simple basics of our faith. There is a God, He is alive, our lives are inseparately intertwined with His, we live and breathe and get our very life from Him. Without Him we would die and disappear. The song reminds us of the love that God has for us in that he has always taken care of his people...that He gave His Son. It brings to our rememebrance that God is in control no matter how much we think of ourselves and our accomplishments.
So, we sang that song this past Sunday morning just before the sermon. The congregation sang that song with confidence and assurance. It sounded awesome!! I hope God was pleased.
What are your thoughts...share with me.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Bells
I was raised in a denomination, the Presbyterian Church. I have to confess that there are two things about that church that I miss: some of the special services (Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Good Friday, Easter) and bells. Yup...bells. One of the things that I love to hear at times are church bells. Sometimes they ring to call people to worship services. Other times they ring to mourn the passing of an individual. Some are designed to play a song, usually a church hymn, with the different tones of the bells. Other times they ring to celebrate good news throughout the country or region.
I love the sound of church bells, expecially in a small community. When I worked in Jourdanton my office was in the basement of the courthouse. Each day at noon, if I did not go home for lunch, and at 5:00 pm I would open my window to listen to the bells of St. Matthew's Catholic Church beal the time. For some reason this is very comforing to me.
At the presbyterian church, the bell hung from a small frame that passed for a bell tower directly over the church office. There was a rope that hung down through the roof, through the attic and then through the ceiling of the office. It was a privilege to ring that bell and there were several of us who made a mad dash to the office after Sunday School to get there first so as to ring the bell. It was, however, always done under the supervision of an adult. You had to pull the rope two or three times before the bell would chime and then we were only allowed to let it ring six times. So there was an art to get it started and then to finish without going over the alloted number of gongs. Why six and why that magic number I never knew.
Wlnston Churchill used the bells in British churches and community halls to notify the citizenry of a victory in battle during World War II. On one occassion, he did not allow the bells to ring and held them back for four days so that they could celebrate two battle victories at once and let the beals ring out extra long as they were great victories.
Bells have been used by other organizations to do alot of these same things. Fire stations, cemetaries, city halls, ships, diners... The bottom line is that bells are and have been used to bring our attention to some important event.
We sing a song..."Ring It Out". It speaks of sharing the message of Christ with others to both "the sinful and the sad" to "give them courage new". Bells, when they are in tune, are sharp and clear and there is no mistaking the sound. God's word cannot be anymore clear than it is in telling us about our relationship with Him. We must be willing to share and share alike with others the good news of salvation. There must not be any mistaking of the message. We must be true to our calling.
What are your thoughts...share with me.
I love the sound of church bells, expecially in a small community. When I worked in Jourdanton my office was in the basement of the courthouse. Each day at noon, if I did not go home for lunch, and at 5:00 pm I would open my window to listen to the bells of St. Matthew's Catholic Church beal the time. For some reason this is very comforing to me.
At the presbyterian church, the bell hung from a small frame that passed for a bell tower directly over the church office. There was a rope that hung down through the roof, through the attic and then through the ceiling of the office. It was a privilege to ring that bell and there were several of us who made a mad dash to the office after Sunday School to get there first so as to ring the bell. It was, however, always done under the supervision of an adult. You had to pull the rope two or three times before the bell would chime and then we were only allowed to let it ring six times. So there was an art to get it started and then to finish without going over the alloted number of gongs. Why six and why that magic number I never knew.
Wlnston Churchill used the bells in British churches and community halls to notify the citizenry of a victory in battle during World War II. On one occassion, he did not allow the bells to ring and held them back for four days so that they could celebrate two battle victories at once and let the beals ring out extra long as they were great victories.
Bells have been used by other organizations to do alot of these same things. Fire stations, cemetaries, city halls, ships, diners... The bottom line is that bells are and have been used to bring our attention to some important event.
We sing a song..."Ring It Out". It speaks of sharing the message of Christ with others to both "the sinful and the sad" to "give them courage new". Bells, when they are in tune, are sharp and clear and there is no mistaking the sound. God's word cannot be anymore clear than it is in telling us about our relationship with Him. We must be willing to share and share alike with others the good news of salvation. There must not be any mistaking of the message. We must be true to our calling.
What are your thoughts...share with me.
Friday, November 03, 2006
Empty Pews
There is an old saying. . . "Idle hands (or is it minds) are the devil's workshop".
The other day I came across a saying I had written in my Bible. It was from a talk that I heard several years ago and it is still so true - empty pews are the devil's opportunity. I could not help but think about how our lives are to be full in Christ. By the same token, shouldn't our buildings be full each and every time the doors are open. We come together three times a week at the building for study, devotional, workship, meals, fellowship... There are so many other times during the week that we have an opportunity to be together and we do not take advantage of them. For those of us who do get together we have an amazing blessing. Though we are not together physically all the time, we are together in thought and spirit. What a blessing is missed by those who come together only so often or just every now and then.
An empty pew is just that...empty. As trite as this may sound, that pew is just a chair but it was designed to hold Christians who come to worship. It was not designed to sit empty! It was made to be sat on, sat in, leaned on, layed on (sleeping kids), cryed in, laughed in, jumped on (carefully), climbed over, rocked back and forth with laughter, grabbed with the aniticipation of one soon to be baptized, held onto to as one pours out their hearts and souls in joy and sorrow... You get the idea. We must make it our goal to fill those pews each and every time the door is open with people who want to richly bathe in the word of God. If there are those of our number who do not want to fill those emplty spots, then we must "go out onto the highways and byways" to find others who are interested in doing so. Those pews should be so full that there is not room for others and we have to move the pews to newer and larger buildings to make room for other pews.
What are your thoughts...share with me.
The other day I came across a saying I had written in my Bible. It was from a talk that I heard several years ago and it is still so true - empty pews are the devil's opportunity. I could not help but think about how our lives are to be full in Christ. By the same token, shouldn't our buildings be full each and every time the doors are open. We come together three times a week at the building for study, devotional, workship, meals, fellowship... There are so many other times during the week that we have an opportunity to be together and we do not take advantage of them. For those of us who do get together we have an amazing blessing. Though we are not together physically all the time, we are together in thought and spirit. What a blessing is missed by those who come together only so often or just every now and then.
An empty pew is just that...empty. As trite as this may sound, that pew is just a chair but it was designed to hold Christians who come to worship. It was not designed to sit empty! It was made to be sat on, sat in, leaned on, layed on (sleeping kids), cryed in, laughed in, jumped on (carefully), climbed over, rocked back and forth with laughter, grabbed with the aniticipation of one soon to be baptized, held onto to as one pours out their hearts and souls in joy and sorrow... You get the idea. We must make it our goal to fill those pews each and every time the door is open with people who want to richly bathe in the word of God. If there are those of our number who do not want to fill those emplty spots, then we must "go out onto the highways and byways" to find others who are interested in doing so. Those pews should be so full that there is not room for others and we have to move the pews to newer and larger buildings to make room for other pews.
What are your thoughts...share with me.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Autumn
Autumn...My favorite season.
After months of hot, sweaty, humid, dank, sizzling, broiling, fiery heat it is so nice for the change. Even if it lasts for only a few months and if we live in an area of the country that peole say "we have no seasons", it is still a pleasant change. The cool(er) mornings and those with a breeze are the best. It is so nice to see and feel the change. It also reminds me that God is in charge. I also think he made the seasons, literally, as a time of refreshing for man. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you (nope, I'm not channeling Gomer Pyle).
Football is in the air. I'm not a football fan , per se, but it signals the end of a period of the year that, temperature-wise, has become almost unbearable for me. Several years ago my body decided it no longer liked the extreme heat. Anything over about 90 degrees is no longer acceptable to me. I'm out there but I don'y have to like it.
It is also a time of anticipation. There are holidays just around the corner, especially Thanksgiving. For some reason I start thinking about Thanksgiving in late August (kind of makes the Christmas season seem tame). The anticipation of a special meal with family and/or friends, a meal that is more than just coming together to eat, a meal that is literally shared with a whole country. Though we all have our separate traditions, the idea of giving thanks is shared together. Though our nation has gotten away from being God-centered I see it as a time of rememberance and thankfulness to our Creator. While we (meaning me and mine) may not say alot about being thnakful on the day other than through prayer and sharing over the meal, our eharts speak volumes as we prepare the meal, the house and the atmosphere as we get ready to come together.
Thanksgiving and autumn. What a great combination! Or as Yakoff Smirnoff used to say, "What a country!" Thank you, God.
After months of hot, sweaty, humid, dank, sizzling, broiling, fiery heat it is so nice for the change. Even if it lasts for only a few months and if we live in an area of the country that peole say "we have no seasons", it is still a pleasant change. The cool(er) mornings and those with a breeze are the best. It is so nice to see and feel the change. It also reminds me that God is in charge. I also think he made the seasons, literally, as a time of refreshing for man. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you (nope, I'm not channeling Gomer Pyle).
Football is in the air. I'm not a football fan , per se, but it signals the end of a period of the year that, temperature-wise, has become almost unbearable for me. Several years ago my body decided it no longer liked the extreme heat. Anything over about 90 degrees is no longer acceptable to me. I'm out there but I don'y have to like it.
It is also a time of anticipation. There are holidays just around the corner, especially Thanksgiving. For some reason I start thinking about Thanksgiving in late August (kind of makes the Christmas season seem tame). The anticipation of a special meal with family and/or friends, a meal that is more than just coming together to eat, a meal that is literally shared with a whole country. Though we all have our separate traditions, the idea of giving thanks is shared together. Though our nation has gotten away from being God-centered I see it as a time of rememberance and thankfulness to our Creator. While we (meaning me and mine) may not say alot about being thnakful on the day other than through prayer and sharing over the meal, our eharts speak volumes as we prepare the meal, the house and the atmosphere as we get ready to come together.
Thanksgiving and autumn. What a great combination! Or as Yakoff Smirnoff used to say, "What a country!" Thank you, God.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Routines
*Editors Note - Inspired by Jenn
I love routines. They give order to my life and allow me to "think" I am accomplishing something. They do help me to get things done in an orderly fashion. But...sometimes they seem so...so...routine!
I find myself changing in life. While my daily routine (what I do in the morning, what I do when I get home, what I do before I go to bed, etc) can be comforting, I find myself wishing for something different. I have begun to examine my life and, having thought alot about retirement lately, I am wondering if this "is all there is". I have plans for retirement (church volunteerism, travel, relaxation, reading, learning to play piano, learning to play guitar, writing, spending time with you-know-who - :). But there are things I have not done and up until now, quite frankly, have not been really interested in: going to the ballet (WHAAA!!!), going to some of the movies with Amy that she wants to see (FLINCH!!), learning to fish again (gotta get over that sea sickness), becoming more involved in local politics (maybe this is a mistake), and a few other things that do not come to mind at this time. Maybe I'm just learning to be more mellow. For sure i'm rambling.
What are your thoughts? Share with me.
I love routines. They give order to my life and allow me to "think" I am accomplishing something. They do help me to get things done in an orderly fashion. But...sometimes they seem so...so...routine!
I find myself changing in life. While my daily routine (what I do in the morning, what I do when I get home, what I do before I go to bed, etc) can be comforting, I find myself wishing for something different. I have begun to examine my life and, having thought alot about retirement lately, I am wondering if this "is all there is". I have plans for retirement (church volunteerism, travel, relaxation, reading, learning to play piano, learning to play guitar, writing, spending time with you-know-who - :). But there are things I have not done and up until now, quite frankly, have not been really interested in: going to the ballet (WHAAA!!!), going to some of the movies with Amy that she wants to see (FLINCH!!), learning to fish again (gotta get over that sea sickness), becoming more involved in local politics (maybe this is a mistake), and a few other things that do not come to mind at this time. Maybe I'm just learning to be more mellow. For sure i'm rambling.
What are your thoughts? Share with me.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Fall Calves
I was on the way to work recently. Along the way, there are several pastures where the cows and calves are out and about. On this particular day, the morning was the first really cool morning of the season. Nice and chilly but not chilly enough for a jacket. One of those mornings that just highlights the changing of the seasons in South Texas.
While driving I was watching the newborn calves frolick and leap and enjoy the start of a new day. It was neat to watch their breath in the cool air, see them kick up their hind legs in play and to just be running around the pasture. They were just running and running and having a great time. They would run towards the fence and stop just short of the barbed wire.
Random thought - isn't it amazing what you can do or see at 70 mph.
I was thinking how nice it was for them to have all that freedom and area in which to run around. It was amazing to see them be going full tilt and then suddenly just stop by the fence. Then the thought hit me that this is all they really know. I wondered it they thought about what was on the other side of the fence. Even though they could see beyond the fence, they were not allowed to continue beyond. How sad!
Isn't it nice to see beyond our life here on earth. Even though we cannot see heaven and even though we are limited in where we can go, we have that hope that allows us to know what is out there. Our joy allows us to "see into the future".
While driving I was watching the newborn calves frolick and leap and enjoy the start of a new day. It was neat to watch their breath in the cool air, see them kick up their hind legs in play and to just be running around the pasture. They were just running and running and having a great time. They would run towards the fence and stop just short of the barbed wire.
Random thought - isn't it amazing what you can do or see at 70 mph.
I was thinking how nice it was for them to have all that freedom and area in which to run around. It was amazing to see them be going full tilt and then suddenly just stop by the fence. Then the thought hit me that this is all they really know. I wondered it they thought about what was on the other side of the fence. Even though they could see beyond the fence, they were not allowed to continue beyond. How sad!
Isn't it nice to see beyond our life here on earth. Even though we cannot see heaven and even though we are limited in where we can go, we have that hope that allows us to know what is out there. Our joy allows us to "see into the future".
Friday, October 20, 2006
Okay (Pt. 2)
Okay . . .Okay . . . Okay !!! No more excuses. I need to get started with this thing.
I have read several peoples postings lately and have felt the urge to respond but have not done so. So many people with so many thoughts, ideas and needs. This is such a good way for people to express themselves and to let others know about events in their lives. It is so cool to have a window open in the lives of others and to be able to share life's experiences with others. I want to use this to share some of my life's experiences with others, to bring others to Christ and to strengthen those who are already in Christ. This is just another way to share our lives and common experiences . . . so, let's share!
*Editor's note: This blog was written and published after the first one as it was thought the first did not publish.
I have read several peoples postings lately and have felt the urge to respond but have not done so. So many people with so many thoughts, ideas and needs. This is such a good way for people to express themselves and to let others know about events in their lives. It is so cool to have a window open in the lives of others and to be able to share life's experiences with others. I want to use this to share some of my life's experiences with others, to bring others to Christ and to strengthen those who are already in Christ. This is just another way to share our lives and common experiences . . . so, let's share!
*Editor's note: This blog was written and published after the first one as it was thought the first did not publish.
Okay (Pt.1)
Okay. . . here goes. I've been threatening to do this for awhile, but I really don'y have a good excuse for not starting. Not having enough time has become too old an excuse and, as I cannot come up with anymore excuses, so. . .here goes.
This is really a neat way to express ones self. Anonymously, but not really. There are so many things we can write about and express ourselves about. This way they can be "put out there" when the mood hits. It can also be edited to fit the needs of those who read it. I hope to use this as an encouragement for those who wish to be encouraged. I don't beleive that I will write everyday, but we'll see... Any who...that's all for now.
See you 'round the funny papers.
This is really a neat way to express ones self. Anonymously, but not really. There are so many things we can write about and express ourselves about. This way they can be "put out there" when the mood hits. It can also be edited to fit the needs of those who read it. I hope to use this as an encouragement for those who wish to be encouraged. I don't beleive that I will write everyday, but we'll see... Any who...that's all for now.
See you 'round the funny papers.
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