I just finished taking an “are you stressed?” survey. It consisted of checking off a list of possible stressors that in your life. The stressor that I was focused on isn’t even on the list. I looked for a blank to “write in” my favorite but could find no place to do that. Computers are so narrow-minded. Even without my focused on major stressor, I think I “failed” the test. “Your score means a significant amount of life change and a significant susceptibility (about 80% probability) to stress-related illness.” I’m feeling sick already. Sleep deprivation is my favorite stress illness. I really hadn’t thought about many of the stressors on the list that I’m facing: retirement, change in work situation, change in economic situation, new family member (come on great grand son), change, change change. I’m having a lot of it. In fact, most of it is good. My office is better organized than ever. I appreciate the beautiful property we live on more than ever. I have finally cancelled all the cable channels I never watch. I have admitted that my wife has been right all along and TIVO is the only way to watch television. I am eating […]
Category: The Spiritual
The Spirit and The Word
My granddaughter and her husband are getting baptized on Sunday. You better believe I will be there. I’ll go for many reasons. When I was “baptized” as a child, it was with family and friends gathered. I, of course, don’t remember that. I had little to do with the decision to have it done. The ceremony was an expression of the hopes and desires of my family and that’s a good thing I was baptized again nearly 60 years later. It was about family again. This time I was baptized and turned around and baptized my grandson at the same time and in the same waters. I remember that one. It’s a day I will never forget. I had been following Jesus for many years but it didn’t seem right that I had never been baptized because I wanted to do it. Some of us thought that little Nicky was “too young” but it was his decision and the years since have proved that it was the right one. He’s proving to be a true follower of Christ. I’ll be there Sunday because we all want our children and their children to know Jesus like we do. We just […]
Church Alive in Acadiana
It’s been two weeks since I posted on this blog. Okay, I heard you, the guy in the back calling out, “Praise the Lord.” I agree. It’s been a great two weeks. I had a chance to appear on a panel at Hope Alive’s Youth Group meeting last Wednesday night. We talked about the challenges youth have in finding summer jobs. It was a great experience for me and, I hope, helpful to all gathered. My blog isn’t the only thing I have let slip. I have a “route” on which I distribute Covenant Spotlight magazines, the first of each month. I normally get it all done in one, or the most two days. I find myself on the 19th of the month with a handful still undelivered. The deliveries I have made have been fantastic. Sunday morning I decided to hit the churches on my list on my way to my home church. Normally I deliver on weekdays to empty buildings. Sunday morning I got to drop by at least a half-dozen churches. In most the worship team was preparing for the service. I witnessed a wide variety of music, environments, and people. There was sameness to the […]
The Value of Acts of the Will – Devotional for Saturday, July 2, 2011
Brother Lawrence noted that there is a great difference between acts of the intellect and acts of the will. Acts of the intellect are comparatively of little value. Acts of the will are all important. Our only business is to love and delight ourselves in God. If I understand him properly in this, I agree. There is, it seems to me, far too much thinking and not nearly enough doing. We are great at deciding what is good; but not too good at doing it. I guess there is too much philosophy and theology and not enough service. It seems we are moving, for example, once again into the political season. There is much discussion about how bad off our country is. It’s really easy to see that we are on a bad path. But there isn’t much being done about it. We complain about our politics; but good people shy away from running for office. We complain about the sin of abortion; but there’s not a lot of adopting going on. There is much that needs to be done; and little being done. It’s easy in reviewing Brother Lawrence’s comments above to skip over the last part. That […]
Divine Purpose – Devotional for Saturday, January 1, 2011
On December 31, 1969, I drove up to the home of Rosemary Nicks. We had met back in October, only briefly and had been dating since I came home for Christmas leave, only a couple of weeks before. I was very casually dressed and when she opened the door she was all “decked out.” She had obviously planned an evening out and I had not. In the 42 years since we have developed a tradition of not going out on New Years eve. It’s still a very significant date for us. On that evening 42 years ago I was coming to the end of the fabulous two weeks I had spent with Rose and didn’t want it to end. So I asked her to marry me. We were married the following May. I don’t recommend two week courtships for most folks; but it sure worked out for me. Thanks Rose. As the New Year begins, we traditionally consider resolutions: diets, more bible reading, a better use of our time. I have never experienced much success with resolutions. I think we would do better to consider our Purpose. For most of us, our purposes in life arise from circumstances. On […]