A Slower Day - Emerging

Donna Posey has written a super little brief on the broo-ha of the Emerging Church debate. I will admit that my "in" box has slowed on the "emerging" thing and been replaced by someone begging for money for John McCain and for the Republicans to seize the moral ground.

I did watch with great interest Barack Obama's speech last night and as intently this morning listen to Governor Palin. I believe the presidential race has gotten interesting in new ways.

For the first day in six weeks I do not have anything pressing in an unhealthy way. I am sure that some of you that may read this will differ on my need to give something attention, either way - I have had a moment to think.

My Oldest Turns 22

Well, time marches on! How is that for a cliche? I am proud of all my kids Jill and I have been blessed with great kids that pay attention to their spiritual life and know that their relationship to God is a top priority. Dexter, our oldest turns 22 tomorrow, August 27 (the one in pink in the pic). We are not going to get to see him (which will be a first I believe in 22 years)and I am finding that a bit tough. I did have an extended discussion with him today via facebook and we finally found a way to get a present to him in a 24 hour period and 180 miles distance but it is just not the same. He continues to invest his life in to ministry work at Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas and by his own words "loves" what he does. What more can a parent ask of God for their kids. I am blessed!

Inspirational Youth

As I look over the years and review "stuff" from time to time I am noticing a distinct trend. That I am getting older and I find it often energizing (within a certain context) to be around younger more mature youth. A good example of this is this past Sunday at church. Howard Payne is back in session and that always finds us with between 30-40 college students in our services in addition to our normal crowd. Now we are consider a demographically young church with the vast majority of people in attendance on a Sunday below the 30 year-old age group. So, this dynamic with the addition of Tim Stary (the one on the left in the photo)being the Teaching Pastor this Sunday really added a different youthful dynamic. To watch and worship by students willing to worship and praise however they are comfortable, listening and hearing the snickers at remarks by a youthful speaker of the Word is just inspirational. I pray as I get older that I do not get too out-of-touch with what this up-and-coming generation love and bring to the church community.

The college kids in the picture are from our Doer's Ministry to a city housing project. Every week a team of people prepare sack lunches for the residents that otherwise might go a couple of days with a solid meal. Once again, just inspirational to see their eagerness to invest their lives for others.

Warren Obama McCain

I watched (actually bounced - TiVo between this and the olympics, etc) Rick Warren interview Barrack Obama and John McCain this past week. I wanted to read some non-biased reviews of the event and found one via John Henson-Wondering Thoughts at Salon.com. I was fascinated at the entire process as well as the interviews themselves. In our Deep South island we tend to live on - Warren has taken quite-a-few jabs at even having someone like Obama in the church building. Personally I find this baffling. I wonder what we are so afraid of in our Christian circles. If our minds and beliefs can be "swayed" or "duped" by listening to anybody our walk has to be pretty shallow. I personally believe that our faith in Jesus Christ and what He brings to our lives is strengthened by diversity and opened minds. Let us all hold hands, kiss and bask in the love!! OK - maybe I just quoted a Coke commercial - but maybe you get my drift.

Lucille Ball and the Heimlich

I love my wife and one of the most enjoyable traits she possess is the "Lucille Ball Episode" dynamic. You need to know quickly that I really admired Lucille Ball her skills as an actress and the sheer sense of presence that she exuded. Jill loves our dogs (Amos and Grizzly) very much. Often when she gets home she will take them for a walk to the lake through the 200 acre woods, fish with them frolic around looking and pointing out all the deer etc. She loves to create and tell stories to them during the journey through the woods and these are stories that end up having a life of their own and get retold many times over. Grizzly, a mutt of a dog that is very attached to Jill (even though he is technically Dylon's dog) and will protect her or at least give the impression of wanting to protect her and upon her arrival in the drive will run up to her anxious to partake in the "treat" of the day. It has not been uncommon for Jill to purchase some McD's burgers specifically for him on her drive home. (To Jill's credit and Grizzly's waistline this particular trait has ceased.) Last Friday the above home arrival was taking place and Jill had a doggy bone ready for Griz and she swung open her car door and proceeded to toss a bone to Griz. He caught it (via the mouth not his hands) but quickly began to show signs of distress and Jill ran to him in order to help. She sensed that he was choking and began to attempt Heimlich via his throat. Now I don't know how many dogs you have heimliched - as for me the number would be "zero." But I don't know the place for the Heimlich to start would be the throat. She was a bit distressed that he would not let her continue the maneuver and to make an all ready too long story shorter - the bone came up and everyone is happy. I so wish that a camera would have been on the short moments of this interaction - to see Jill wrapping her hands around Grizzly's throat to dislodge the needed obstruction is a very humorous story for me and one of those beautiful - Lucille Ball moments.

Glad,Tired & Frustrated

Here I am in my office on a Sunday at 3:00 in the afternoon. Now, as a general rule this is not normal for me though "normal" over the past 6 weeks is certainly subjective. When you combine my church work (paid gig) in with my community service/involvement and then a little family stuff in between it has been very hectic. As I write this now I will complete a fairly intensive 6 weeks following our final performance of "The Jungle Book." I am GLAD that I have been able to invest time, energy and ability into the past weeks endeavors and many of those endeavors have been fruitful. I am TIRED as my body fights off a summer cold and allergies which tend to rear its head when my body is physically tired. I am FRUSTRATED at what I have not been able to accomplish over the summer months - with the fall just around the corner and so much potential setting in the wings several areas that really needed attention about 4 weeks ago are now in a "do what we can" mode. I was reading a blog from Donna Posey in which she quoted her husband, Andy: "there is no need to pole vault over mouse turds." Now, I don't know about you - but I needed that!!!!!

Levity for Tuesday

My current schedule (and I must admit is of my own doing) is absolutely crazy. Jungle Book is this week at church, University students begin arriving in town next week, our church is preparing for 40 Days of Community, we are remodeling a house for our youth/student ministry (to be completed in two weeks), Dylon has started Band and still working, our Senior Pastor is out of town and Jill and I desperately want to go on a cruise with our Sunday School class in January but I am too worried about my daughter's tuition bill (due in two weeks) to make the reservation.

So, I needed some levity and this was the result!