Category: Uncategorized

My pastor handed me a magazine after I met with him this week and was headed out the door. He’s always handing me things. I think he believes I have room for improvement. Silly man. It turned out to be an impressive publication. It has a profession, national look and feel, but is local in focus and distribution. Covenant Spotlight is distributed throughout the Lafayette area in businesses and churches. If you can’t get a copy at your church on Sunday, maybe you should change churches. Okay, that’s a bit severe.  Here are some places that have them. There is, of course, a web-site: http://cspotlight.com/  and a Facebook page. You can even follow them on Twitter.   If you get a chance to pick a copy, you’ll likely see someone you know or have heard about. You might even get blessed. My grandson was excited to see an article about his Sensei Micah at Cajun Karate. Last Saturday I watched his training session, that included workout, self-defense, scripture, positive reinforcement and encouragement. Nicky had trained before at a different facility. He hadn’t gotten that kind of Christian-based training. Sadly, some of us have gotten the idea that a “Christian” business is […]

A few nights ago my wife and I were watching Mrs. Miniver. I commented that the last scene would make great blog material. When I woke up the next morning I found that my wife had transcribed the short sermon from the scene and a copy was on my chair. That’s just the kind of partner I have. I was moved by the sermon because it reflected a nation brought to single purpose in response to an unprovoked attack from an enemy.  I was a bit jealous of folks who found themselves, at least for a time, in a united, single purposed nation even if it took a war to do it. We are, for all practical purposes, at war now. we are under attack but we stay as divided as the east is from the west. Folks on both the left and right nest in their own worlds where no contrary view or thought is permitted. If you doubt it, spend some time on Facebook, not with your normal “friends” but with some folks from “across the aisle.” It won’t be long before you will realize that  you aren’t in Kansas anymore. I know we can’t expect to be one, […]

A life hack is a strategy or technique adopted in order to manage one’s time and daily activities in a more efficient way. There are websites devoted to life hacks. lifehacker.com and lifehack.org or 1000lifehacks.com for example. I came across a great article this morning. It was written for pastors, but applies to all of us, just a few suggestions to make us more efficient. I could be more efficient, a lot more efficient. I have added my own thoughts, as usual. 1. Fill The Gaps With Meaning I have developed the habit of picking up my iphone when I have an idle moment. These include: At a stop light. (happens all the time) When my wife stops talking. (hardly ever happens) When the food takes more than 30 seconds to arrive. When a commercial comes on TV. (more on TV later) When the pastor gets a bit boring. (hardly ever happens when it does I hope people think I am studying my digital bible) When I’m in the bathroom. . . waiting. (use your imagination) I could use that time a bit better, for example: Praying. Talking to my wife. Reading a bible verse. Listen to worship music. Admiring our […]

Thanks to a friend for this. As a Florida fan I couldn’t let the last hit be against the Gators. I had to add something about LSU. Ohio State’s Urban Meyer on one of his players: “He doesn’t know the meaning of the word fear. In fact, I just saw his grades and he doesn’t know the meaning of a lot of words.” ___________________________________________ Why do Tennessee fans wear orange? So they can dress that way for the game on Saturday, go hunting on Sunday, and pick up trash on Monday. ___________________________________________ What does the average Alabama player get on his SATs? Drool. ___________________________________________ How many Michigan freshmen football players does it take to change a light bulb? None. That’s a sophomore course. ___________________________________________ How did the Georgia football player die from drinking milk? The cow fell on him. ___________________________________________ Two West Virginia football players were walking in the woods. One of them said, “Look, a dead bird.” The other looked up in the sky and said, “Where?” ___________________________________________ A University of Mississippi football player was almost killed yesterday in a tragic horseback-riding accident. He fell from a horse and was nearly trampled to death. Luckily, the manager of […]

12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities,against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12 We have much to learn from the Muslim radicals. Before you hit “delete” or try to digitally decapitate me, think about it. The radicals are all out, 100% for their faith. I’m not talking about the ones who are just in it for excitement, or attention or a love of violence. I am talking about the ones who believe every word of the Koran. They believe it’s their duty to kill all the infidels, i.e. me and you. That’s what the Koran demands. The believe to secure eternity they must kill. That’s in their book, too. The so-called moderates aren’t really Muslim at all. They have picked the parts of the faith they like (and there are some positive parts). Some of the “moderates” are cultural muslims. Their parents were muslim. Their friends re muslim. It’s politically correct and economically wise to be muslim, so they are muslim. They are not “sold out” for Islam. They are muslim by default. Christian have the same […]

It’s going to be a fabulous day today, at least it will be weather-wise. As I write this it’s 60 degrees with a high expected of 84. A taste of fall at last. You can almost hear the gumbo pots hitting stove tops and the packs of chicken and sausage sailing across check out counters. There are already leaves on my lawn and we are four weeks into football season. Unless you’re a LSU fan and football season ended last Saturday night 🙂 Fall for me is more about renewal than New Years Day or springtime. It will finally be cool enough to get into my yard and do all the stuff it’s just been too hot to do for months. I have had plans for this first cool day for months. I’m not going to be doing what I planned. A dear friend who is faithful in nursing home ministry called last night. He has an emergency and can’t do his nursing home teachings this morning and tomorrow. He couldn’t find anyone else to fill in. So guess where I’ll be the next two cool  mornings. Nursing homes are “not my ministry.” I’m not comfortable with the residents […]

Luke 7:1-10 English Standard Version (ESV) Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant 7 After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him.3 When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. 4 And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” 6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. 7 Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.8 For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd […]

I few months ago I was headed to church. I was all dressed up, which is rare for me. I was speaking that Sunday. I pulled into my usual breakfast place and noticed that I had a flat tire. Since my knee problems, I have a problem kneeling and being all dressed up was an issue as well. One of the waitresses and one of the cooks noticed my problem and went out and changed the tire. Talk about service. At the risk of showing my age,  I remember when “service” stations would pump your gas,  clean your windshield and  check your oil. Then we went to “full service” options. You could pay a few cents more per gallon and get full service or you could save a bit and pump the gas yourself.  I remember when you could go shopping and get “waited on.” Now you find the dressing room yourself and stand in line to check out. I remember when you needed a service you thought of friends or folks at church who might be in the business of providing the service you required. Now we check on-line or believe the TV ads. I miss getting full […]