Wives and Daughters

OK - here I am after two weeks and ready to post. I really can't try to rationalize why it has taken so long but I will drone on a bit about my schedule. My time here at our church, which also happens to be my paying gig has significantly increase. And, at the same time as I roll-off several of the boards I currently serve on and/or reduce my involvement I still struggle a bit with the best and maximum use of my time. Meetings, planning sessions and operational discussions tend to take their toll on the hours within a day.

This weekend I had a great time with Jill in the metroplex. I am a big fan of the Hotwire.com ability to get a 4 star hotel for almost a hand-shake and we hit that on this little trip. A great stay a the Hyatt Regency and if were not for the $30 breakfast I let myself get sucked into our total outlay would have been negligible for the overnight excursion. The primary purpose of the trip was for Jill to speak at the end-of-the-overnight "purity" event for Erica's (my daughter) youth group. I will just be upfront at how proud I am with both of them. Erica has developed a great group of kids at a start-up church in Justin, Texas. Justin is a town just north of Ft. Worth and right behind the enormous-gihugic (gie-huge-ic) Texas Motor Speedway just off of I35W. Their little church meets in a work-out gym. As you can see her group is diverse and really loves and shows that love to Erica. One can tell she loves them and is authentically concerned for them and their families. I am so proud that as she works part-time within this ministry and that it is one that pays dividends far beyond the monetary remuneration (I think that is a word - I'm also sure Kirk or someone will let me know if it is not.)

At the dinner Jill told stories and encouraged kids and their parents to be aware of the various personalities that exist within the family structure. Then, as we are aware of those personalities let our spiritual selves rise to the top and let great things happen in our lives. Jill is good - I know she is my wife and the love-of-my-life but she just has a way of connecting with people and letting that quick relationship speak to people and the needs at hand.

God has blessed me - may God bless you too!

Discussions and Friends

In my current situation related to work I find myself attending a great of meetings. I have learned quickly that if you wrap some of them around a food component that their "enjoyable quotient" rises significantly. I will readily admit that I love discussions and all they can bring including knowledge and growth both intellectually and spiritually. Friendships and the Internet are amazing sources of dialogue. Donna Burns Posey, Lisa Camp, Paul Irby and Kirk Scott are four of my favorites. Each deal with issues and create some great prose that I personally think could easily rival the national writings of many less eloquent though read more predominantly in cyber-world. And now my brother Barri is on the blog-world. He just started but I know will not lack for something to say. I see each of these most regularly on Facebook but true joy is when they take a moment to think and pen their thoughts.

Finding ways to express ones-self and put it out for all to learn and grow (whether right or wrong) is tough. I am going to rest here a bit with Kirk for a moment. Kirk and I met while in High School and oddly enough slapping Whoppers together at the local Burger King - as we attended different High Schools here in the gateway to the Texas Hill Country. Our bond was quick and as recent little get-togethers have shown, long-lasting. Kirk has an absolutely beautiful family (as you can see by the posted picture). I find myself missing strong healthy long-friendship talks about nothing and everything. Kirk lives smack-dab in the middle of the Texas Hill County (Austin) which is just a bit too-far a drive for a dinner and/or lunch together.

This moment of rambling about a great friend really shows the need to quality relationships in our lives whether it be sittin' in the chair beside us at church or at a keyboard thousands of miles away in Florida.

I just love friends and discussions!

A Smile and Mother Teresa

I was thinking today of authentic Christianity - what that looked like and specifically what my part would look like. Some were talking to me of my wife Jill and how she has the ability to light up a room with a smile and great banter. Then I found the transcript of Mother Teresa's acceptance speech related to the Nobel Peace prize of 1979. This is only a portion of the transcript - but it is poignant. Enjoy - be blessed!

And so let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love, and once we begin to love each other naturally we want to do something. So you pray for our Sisters and for me and for our Brothers, and for our Co-Workers that are around the world. That we may remain faithful to the gift of God, to love Him and serve Him in the poor together with you. What we have done we should not have been able to do if you did not share with your prayers, with your gifts, this continual giving. But I don’t want you to give me from your abundance, I want that you give me until it hurts.

The other day I received 15 dollars from a man who has been on his back for twenty years, and the only part that he can move is his right hand. And the only companion that he enjoys is smoking. And he said to me: I do not smoke for one week, and I send you this money. It must have been a terrible sacrifice for him, but see how beautiful, how he shared, and with that money I bought bread and I gave to those who are hungry with a joy on both sides, he was giving and the poor were receiving. This is something that you and I - it is a gift of God to us to be able to share our love with others. And let it be as it was for Jesus. Let us love one another as he loved us. Let us love Him with undivided love. And the joy of loving Him and each other - let us give now - that Christmas is coming so close. Let us keep that joy of loving Jesus in our hearts. And share that joy with all that we come in touch with. And that radiating joy is real, for we have no reason not to be happy because we have no Christ with us. Christ in our hearts, Christ in the poor that we meet, Christ in the smile that we give and the smile that we receive. Let us make that one point: That no child will be unwanted, and also that we meet each other always with a smile, especially when it is difficult to smile.

Leading or Walking Along Side

I find myself in a place within ministry that is fairly unfamiliar territory in my current church position. As I think, pray, seek to understand it is definitely a new place for me. Now, I have been in the 2nd position on a church staff before where the Senior Pastor has left the church and the church (the people) look to me for accomplishments of task but here at Southside it just really seems different. One significant difference is probably that I am 10 years older than the last time this took place and 21 years older than the first time this dynamic happened. Our church is just a wonderful grouping of people wanting to talk, share and minister to others and themselves but at the same time really open to support its paid staff in either leading or walking-along-side of them on this spiritual journey.

Currently we are preparing ourselves for the Easter season. Our facilities have been built and designed to hold 150 people (in a traditional sense.) Our Easter preparations are going to be for 800+ it looks like and this is going to take some work, planning and admininininining. (That last word is probably not a word.) This is kinda cool to see people light up at reaching out to others that have either never consider their spiritual life or it has been a long time sense they consider spirituality. I am looking for myself some inspirational "stuff" that will help me help others in this process. "Unchurched" that is, don't know if I really want feedback on "The Shack".
My daughter, Erica's church is doing a bit of a study on the book Unchristian so I am in a read of this literature. Just finishing up "The Shack" and it challenged me in many ways and yes, I found it enjoyable. If you are reading or have read this, give me your thoughts.

American Idol - What are they thinking!?!

I will admit I am a watcher, laugh er, "ooo & ahhhher" of American Idol. I still just get baffled at the personalities, talent (or lack there-of) that gets placed on national TV. Even watching the judges (whom do appear a bit less drunk this year) gasp at what comes out of someone's mouth is just very humorous to me.

Now - let's get a bit philosophical. Knowing full-well some just want the attention, let's skip over them and look at the ones that honestly have a perspective of themselves that is not shared by the mass public. What are they thinking? Am I so in my own little paradigm that my understanding of their perspective is not rational? For me to laugh, sometimes giggle for minutes, stop then giggle again and still just not believe that someone can have such a poor, clear understanding of their abilities in vocalization.

Well - now here I am questioning being philosophical over American Idol. I need a break and my desk certainly needs some attention.

Finally Back

Since mid-November the holidays have been all over the place along with additional "happenings" that kept sucking up time, energy and sometimes a spirit but 2009 is here and I think I'm ready. Just a couple of thoughts then I hope to be regular at this blogging stuff beginning next week. This Sunday our church says "good-bye" to our lead pastor of almost 7 years. He has been an amazing component to the literal transformation of a Family of Faith here in Brownwood. He (and Becky) will certainly be missed by many, including myself.

Our family just got back from a Christmas Trip/Vacation to Wichita, Kansas where my second father and mother (my wife's parents) live. After the initial travel which also happen to be on Christmas Eve following a candlelight-worship-communion service we arrived at our destination at 5:00 AM and I was TOAST! Thursday was physically rough but emotionally very rewarding. It snowed while we were there, we celebrated Dylon's 17th and Erica's 21st birthdays which was a joy. We got to rekindle some great family moments, worship at the church were Jill and I were married almost 25 years ago and just had a great time. The pictures are of that little trip. I know that Christmas for Christians is about the birth of the Savior and I don't want to minimize that at all - but, how wonderful it was to love, laugh, travel, eat, play and worship with family during this season. I am Blessed!

Hitting the Deer - Again!

We have been back in Brownwood now for right at 10 years. Hard to believe but true. This past weekend I finished one of those 3week marathon's of "to-do's" and "events" and "pressure-to-perform related activities" that needed immediate attention every moment of your waking day. So I was thinking - and had been thinking about a myriad of topics I wanted to blog about and give some sharp-tongue dialogue during this holiday oops - Christmas season. But alas, my morning today started early with Dylon needing to be at the band hall by 7:00 AM. Did I mention it also happens to be 25 degrees here just north of the equator {I am sure there is some sarcastic words about global warming I could inject but I will forgo that} and I am exhausted after the previous three weeks (referenced above) and picking Dylon up at midnight last night from a basketball trip? Well, needless to say my response time is probably somewhere equal to several gallons of liquor entering my body during a short period of time. [Once again that sarcasm may be leaking out.]
Results, I hit my 10th deer during my 10th year. Where has the time gone?

Has Been Awhile

I have missed thinking in a mode that gets my thoughts together in such a manner that I could post them here. But, when I think I could not have more of those proverbial "irons-in-the-fire" there I go and blow myself up! We are smack-dab in the middle of our 6th community-wide musical at the Lyric with The Sound Of Music this year. We moved the normal summer production to the Christmas Season (or Holiday Season if you prefer - I'll leave this thought for another post) when our Director, Dr. Nancy Jo Humfeld took a temporary teaching position in Switzerland during the summer this year. It has been a challenge to say the least, but we have had great crowds and a good show. They are to be congratulated. There are five more performances - if you are in Central Texas this weekend you should drop in and see us. http://www.brownwoodlyrictheatre.com/

To ad to the holiday season our Senior Pastor here at Southside resigned this past Sunday. Jerry has been a real source of strength and love for our family of faith now for almost seven full years. He will be missed.

Then - it is the Season. Jill and I and the quartet I sing in has not taken on as many singing and performing gigs this year for obvious reasons. But, that has not stopped the partying!!! Partying is such a goofy term for me - but it fits.

I ate an Eggroll

The holidays are here - ready or not. The past several weeks have just been an absolute whirlwind for me. We completed our 5th annual production of Handel's Messiah with a great crowd and very satisfying performance. Dr. Greg Church was our director this year along with Dr. Allen Reed as our organist. Once again I got to see a collection of regular people from churches all over our county come together and produce something extra-special. My hat (for what it is worth) is off to Dr. Church and Dr. Reed.

I went to the Texas State Volleyball championship to watch our Lady Lions compete for the first time ever at this event. This little journey snatched 8 hours out of my Saturday but was well worth seeing them play. They took home the "runner-up" trophy but wow - they have my respect and admiration.

At church we completed our 40 Days of Community with our Celebration service and then one last "re-cap" this past weekend. I don't know if I needed much encouragement to see the need for community in our lives but this certainly did reinforce my thoughts on the subject. To have people come together, grow, study and see the life of Christ in one another is so very healthy in our spiritual walk.

Today I got up early, did my morning rituals and proceeded to walk out the door. As I did it hit me - Thanksgiving is this week. Wow! Now, we have been preparing for this for several weeks. Getting the house repaired, buying food, thinking about menus, talking to all the family coming in from all over the country and then five days prior to the event it just all the sudden seems to be happening. So on the way to the office this morning - I had an egg roll.

Why are some people afraid of Dialogue?

I don't know if my ripe age of 45 is the cause of this current frustration or the simple truth that I know I know more now than I did 20 years ago and that is it seems I never know enough! I found this music video of the music group Chicago singing a song entitled "Dialogue." The song (or at least the music video) is not-so-hot but the concept of listening to each other, respecting and giving legitimacy to another differing viewpoint is important - if not essential to healthy communication.

There appears to me to be almost an overriding fear that giving any level of credence to divergent thoughts somehow diminishes what people believe to be true and just. Today - this is a real struggle for me. Really!! Can you tell?

Your thoughts - please share abundantly!!!

Here is the video I referenced along with a much better Chicago number. I love that group!

Post Vote - Racism?

Within the Christian arena - mostly Evangelical sector, this election was a pretty tough one. Now when I say that - many evangelical Christians will say to me "it wasn't tough on my part!" Here at the church I minister and pastor in I found our diversity amazing. We are a middle of Texas-Southern Baptist roots-mostly white family of faith and yet though the majority of those that call this their church family were obviously McCain-Palin supporters (I add Palin because she was/is loved by many) the number of those that would come up to me and express their appreciation of my defense of Obama's Christian Faith - was significant.

I never came out, publicly in support or against either of our candidates. I believe this to be a personal and private decision on my part and though ridiculed by several for this position I stand by it and say, "you just need to get past this."

Where I find myself now is in an analytical mode especially when it comes to the post election of Obama. Though I never and I mean never heard the "race" issue come up among friends those inside and outside our church, I am concerned about this now. There have been several articles written about the large gains within the young evangelical community supporting Obama and the appreciation they had for our new president and what attributes and perspectives he brings to the office. We tend to be allowing a bit of smugness and irritation to manifest itself in the way of racism. Not racism of the "burning cross" or segregated bathrooms, water fountains, etc...... But, racism of the jokes-lifestyles-choices. I hear people quoting conservative commentaries on President-elect Obama and how they are enraged to be challenged on a comment they made and its perceived racism.

I will not go into the scriptures that speak to the encouragement of human equality and the role that plays in the Christian's life. I'll let you head over to Crosswalk.com and do a little study. You can easily tell that I am not a "hot-button issue" guy that believes the defining attribute of a "true" Christian is their stance on abortion and homosexuality. There is a big picture to the life of Jesus Christ and what the Bible is communicating from God to us on this earth that needs to be discerned and observed. I would pray that our emotions and "upbringing" do not rule our spirit and desire to be a Christ-follower.

I still have a great deal to learn.

Ranting Again

I will admit that it took me a bit to get to the original author here - but I did. John Henson's bloged this on October 22nd and which led me to Todd Rhoades and then finally to Gabe Lyons who co-authored the book "unChristian." The survey was of non-Christians aged 16-29 years old that were asked, “What is your current perception of Christianity?”
91% said anti homosexual
87% said judgmental
85% said hypocritical
78% said old-fashioned
75% said too involved in politics
72% said out of touch with reality
70% said insensitive to others
68% said boring
64% said not accepting of other faiths
61% said confusing

Here is Gabe Lyons in an interview.

What are your thoughts?

Politics-Worry-Spirituality

10+ years ago I remember my response to the election of Bill Clinton. I was devastated - seriously my stomach was hurting and I had a painful headache. I remember it very clearly, I even remember talking with Jill about the horror of the coming years and all of the evil that would be coming our way. Now, I jump ahead to the 21st century and my reflection on politics-its place in our spiritual walk and thinking in my own personal life. It's different - profoundly.



I will say that I have grown weary of "the news." I am tired of hearing about polls - their validity vs. distortion. The on-going rationalization from people as to why we should be looking at a particular candidate from a particular perspective. Oh, and one of my particular favorites "he's lying!"



Well - now that I am a ripe 45 year-old husband, father and U.S. citizen that has a mind of his own and desires spiritual "stuff" in my life and for people to discover spiritual "stuff" in their own lives my perspective has a different slant. I honestly believe that we Christians can not let whomever our fearless leader of the United States may be dictate our faith, beliefs and relationship with God. As a point of historical reference - we see (at least in the printed records) Christians much stronger in their walk with God during periods of trials and struggles. Scriptures speak of how our faith is manifested through our response to "hard times" whatever they may be.


Talking this morning with a co-minister we pondered many a thought on this issue. In John 19 and the first part of verse 11 Jesus is speaking to Pilot, after being arrested and taking to him - Jesus says: "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above..." Matthew Henry comments on this verse in this way: "As reminding him that his power in general, as a magistrate, was a limited power, and he could do no more than God would suffer him to do. God is the fountain of power; and the powers that are, as they are ordained by him and derived from him, so they are subject to him. They ought to go no further than his law directs them; they can go no further than his providence permits them."


Now most will view Matthew Henry as a conservative theologian and thus my reason for using his quote. God is in control - irregardless of the head poobaaa of the United States' views on issues and society. Our ability to have an authentic personal relationship with God should not be determined by anyone else.


So, though I am tired of the news - I am going to try and not let it dictate my daily walk and desires within my spiritual life and what it brings to me and those that I come into contact with on a regular basis. Scriptures teach it's not healthy. I pray I can learn something today!

Impacts of People - Don Martin

Have you even had one of those people come in-and-out of your life that just seems to leave a significant impact but - you just can't seem to put a finger on "why" they are leaving that impact? Then - the light bulb comes on. Well, Don Martin is one of those people for me. Don was my Chemistry teacher in High School (class of '81), he was a coach in Football, Basketball, Golf and probably others. In educational circles Don completed his little 50+ year stint as the superintendent of schools here in Brownwood. He hired people and placed them into positions that would eventually lead to the Brownwood ISD being one of the most recognized districts, not only for sports but specifically in educational instruction in the State of Texas. After retiring from education he (and his wife Betty w/ other partners) proceeded to invest what was probably a sizable amount of money into our historic downtown district in the area of fine visual arts. Then after a period found out that he had cancer in the brain.

The impact for me (other than the obvious) clicked today as I attended his memorial service, read the scriptures he loved and taught, sang the music of the church he enjoyed and listened to stories and impacts that he was a part of and made. Don lived his faith in ways that were subtle but obviously very significant. One does not often get to meet genuineness in the form of people on this earth that have invested in one's life (and others) in those formative early adolescent years as well as transitional adult years in positive and productive ways. Don Martin was one of those people.

I left the service today inspired to be an honest, authentic man of faith that desires to let the Spirit use him. Now, there is a legacy. Thank you Don!

Cool Weather & Soup

It is October in Texas and that usually means you do not know what the weather will be from day to day. I know that last night we received 2.5 inches of rain and I did not even see rain in the forecast. I looked forward today (via my iPhone weather planner) and noticed that on Sunday the high temperature is to be 69 degrees. I am ready for soup! Thursday I am preparing our Women's Lunch meal that will include a potato soup with cheese, scallions and fresh veggies from a chicken broth base. Where has the year gone?

Jim Brickman and Weddings

I get the privilege of playing at my sister-in-law's wedding this weekend. She has given me freedom to select the music literature for the event. She also provided some selections she loves (at my request) by Jim Brickman. I must say I have a similar simplistic style of playing as Mr. Brickman though I obviously am not on the same "playing field" so-too-speak.

So, I got my iphone out (as close as I will probably get to a Mac) and downloaded a rump-full of selections from Mr. Brickman. As I was going through some old post - this music in the background, I found myself pictured in a soap opera, you know with the music playing upon every dramatic moment. Give this a try - find some of Brickman's music (I have provided a sample here) and look through some old photographs. You'll feel the love - I promise. Oops! Now I sound like a politician. What could you do with 700 BILLION? I just have to go now!!!!

Satan's Candy Bar

On my way home from this past Weekend in Dallas my plans included meeting up with my daughter Erica for a bite of dinner as she was traveling back to UNT and I on to Brownwood. I was up early (6:30) for the first session of the day and missed breakfast for obvious reasons. Then wanting to get away just a touch early from the TASB conference I skipped lunch, went to another session and headed out. I was STARVING - I found a bag of these mini-Heath bars, a candy from my teen years and I was hooked. I could not stop eating them, on and on and on and on!!!!! By the time I reached the restaurant for dinner I had consumed well over half of the bag. The chicken-taco-salad I was eating was not going to compensate for the 10,000 calories (my estimate) I had nibbled through.

I was engulfed by fear to get on the scales Sunday morning - I just knew I had allowed the Prince of Darkness to infiltrate me. Three (3) POUNDS!!! In a matter of three days and after being rather attentive to eating - 3 POUNDS! I am on a cleanse now. My sister-in-law's wedding is in four days and I am determined to lose the 3 + 4 more.

Why am I so vain???????????

Well this is something!

My good friend Paul Irby has a blog - though his post at times may be few and far between (he has a specific post about this dynamic) and he is on a delicate romp about this one and I must say that I agree with him. It is well worth a read and research. with a daughter that has talked of ministry within churches I have started seriously researching the issue of women in ministry from a Biblical-Historical view point. My extended family (on my wife's side) have so many women gifted and used of God I often wonder and find myself pondering how they might be used if more evangelical Christians viewed women in ministry a bit differently.

I will not rail on Lifeway Stores here - I'll let Paul do that for me. I will say this that Paul is a very well-educated West Texas Baptist Boy (his entire life) that lives in Abilene. Check Paul Irby out here.

Variety!!!!

This week is going to be one of the most variety-oriented weeks of the year for me. A bit like my television viewing. I will readily admit that unless I am watching an episode of "Seinfeld" for the 40th time or "I Love Lucy"- either would not be uncommon for me, I have to really "watch" or do the Tivo pause thing when necessary to really get the gist of what is taking place. Tonight's TV viewing included the ending of a Hepburn movie (Jill's favorite time in front of the TV) then "Dancing With the Stars," "Prison Break" and "Boston Legal." None of these final four have excessive redeeming qualities but they do get my mind off of the day to day thoughts that will engulf my thinking process.

The "variety" I referenced in my title this week includes; my paid gig (church work) topped with a 50's variety kick-off party (complete with sock-hop dancing, hot-rod cars, watermelon seed-spitting and Dr. Pepper drinking contest) for our churches' campaign - 40 Days of Community event. This event is simply defined as a time for us as a church community to see/experience how we as a family of faith can accomplish our spiritual lives better together. I will also attend a state-wide school board convention in Dallas, help cast 50 in our community musical production of The Sound of Music, pray for my daughter who collapsed in a 5k run in Dallas this past weekend (and ended up at Baylor Medical Center's emergency room) and seriously review the needs of our historic downtown district here in Brownwood. And to top it off I have been taking a rather humorous trip down memory lane looking through old high school pictures of plays and school friends then posting them to a class web site while having a spirited email conversation with a great friend from my teen year's job at Burger King. All in a week!?! There is a great deal going on - but at least I am not in a funk today. Go figure!

Growing-Spiritually

Donna Posey has a most interesting post from last Thursday (that I just now read.) Over the past couple of weeks it seems as though I have just been in a "funk" in regards to spiritual stuff happening in my life. I certainly have a desire for something spiritual and actually even long for it but, there is just something that I can not put my finger on. I guess Donna's post has got me thinking along with another friend of mine John Henson. John seems to be in a place that really deals with the "living our life" indulging in spiritual actions stuff. Rick Davis also has an approach that I often find my self looking at and (though it almost always takes me multiple reads) getting some good stuff. But all of that to say this: Yesterday during our worship we sang a song entitled "You Are" by Mark Roach.
I had a comment from one in the service that "Morning Star" (referenced in the song) was a common name for Satan (found in Isaiah.) I giggled, then looked up the Revelation reference 22:16 - and had a little text-message conversation with him about the song and the "morning star" lyrics. WOW finally challenging myself on something spiritual and it is this?
Growing Spiritually - I just don't believe that we can simply give a common phrase or saying to bring some one out of this state of being or lack there of. Moving forward in our spiritual life has to be a choice-process-intentional to see growth and significance.