I know I need to forgive him, but I just can’t… I will never forgive her for the things she has done. How many times have I heard such phases? Or more importantly, how many times have I muttered such things to myself? There are a few topics that I deal with in sermons that always seem to be relevant and near to people’s hearts. Forgiveness falls in that category. Relational brokenness unfortunately appears to be the rule instead of…
I confess. I am uncultured. It is true. I just watched Gone with the Wind for the first time last week. That reveals the truth. I am just uncultured. I am in change mode this year in that regard. We are going to watch as many of the movies that were awarded with the Best Picture Oscar as we can this year. Gone with the Wind won the Best Picture award in 1939. I was so impressed with the…
I have several essays that I have saved that were done before I started blogging in earnest. I thought that I should include some of them in this blog before they get lost in the shuffle. Here is the first one: It was composed in 2005. I Got To Hold a Baby Today: A Reflection of 12 Hours of Ministry October, 2005 (Note: This series of ministry events began unfolding on a Friday morning, around 11:30, and were completed around…
Today is January 19th, and I have already attended three funerals this year. Hopefully, that rate will slow down soon. Today’s service was for fallen Arlington, TX police officer Craig Story. He was killed in the line of duty last Wednesday. Hundreds of officers traveled from all over Texas to support his family and department. I accompanied our Honor Guard from the Granbury Police Dept. to today’s service. All of the traditions of a police funeral were carried out today…
When a student commits a major infraction at school in Granbury these days, they are sent to the Behavioral Transition Center. I have to say that the members of the faculty at that campus really are prompting behavioral transitions for the kids entrusted to their care. The program is well-structured, and the teachers are exceptional. When I was a hooligan in high school, the administration was not interested in transitioning behavior. Such sophisticated phrases were not on their radar screen. Corporal punishment, however, was…
One of the latest trends in the church planting movement is the development of satellite congregations. Large churches find a meeting place in a neighboring area and plant a satellite location. Here is where it gets interesting: The new locale receives the Sunday service via streaming video from the Mother Church. In other words, there is not a real live preacher or worship leader present. I do understand that the video quality is exceptional. Time will tell if such a strategy is going…
I talk to myself on a very regular basis. But I am not crazy in the least. I know this to be true because I don’t answer myself. My mother always told me that a person is not crazy unless he answers himself. Why would I not believe my own mother? She was a credible person. Honesty is always a good policy. I suppose I do sort of answer myself because I carry on entire conversations with myself. There is not…
I have been observing the saga that led to the termination of Texas Tech’s Head Football coach, Mike Leach, since it all started right after Christmas. I will always be a loyal Tech fan. A lot of fans are outraged at the manner in which he has been treated, so it is with great caution that I weigh in on a subject that is close to the hearts of many. There is not much doubt that the player Leach is accused…
If you live in Green Bay Wisconsin, early morning single digit temperatures during the winter months are just part of another day. But we live in Granbury, Texas. We are not accustomed to the arctic chill. We are really just a bunch of sissies, when it comes to cold weather. Well…maybe I should speak for myself. A friend posted the following status update very early this morning on facebook: Single digit temp… wind gusts at 30… morning run doesn’t sound…
I attended my first funeral service for 2010 this afternoon. A young 42 year old man passed away rather suddenly after a brief illness. He was a volunteer firefighter in Granbury, so that was my basis of association with him. I have served with his wife on several community related projects. You would think a veteran minister would become accustomed to attending and officiating at funerals. But they are never routine. I hope that never happens. When I reach the point that…