Nick’s Walk

On the first Sunday of 2019 at 9 a.m. at Amana Christian Fellowship, we will begin a ten-week series based on Francis Chan’s Letters to the Church. We will be posting updates on our Facebook page. We will begin each session with a short video message from Francis Chan followed by a discussion of the chapter of the week. Even if you can’t make the Sunday 9 a.m. sessions, I strongly suggest you digest the book. It’s available in paperback, Kindle, and Audiobook. Copies of the paperback will be available in the lobby at Amana, and of course on Amazon and “where great books are sold.” It retails for about $11 but put what you can in the envelope when you grab your copy.  The book is causing a great deal of excitement in the church. This isn’t a study of the letters to the churches found in the Book of Revelations. After Chan finished the book, he realized each chapter was more like a letter. Thus the name.  It is a call for us to “Rethink Church.” It asks: “If all you had to reference was the Bible, what would Church look like? This isn’t about bashing pastors or calling for […]

Recently my grandson got his license. We faced the concerns of all parents and “grands”: safe driving, mature decisions, “where the hell is he?” We knew it was all part of growing up but we were worried. We found out “There’s an app for that.” Life360 is a marvelous app. Like most apps, you can get the basics or you can go premium. Through the app, you will know where the kid is, how much charge is on his phone (we’ve all heard the “My phone ran out of power” excuse.) and how he or she is driving. We know if he speeds, brakes too hard and what routes he takes. It’s marvelous. You can get it at the usual places depending on if you are an apple or android person. (Never thought I would be saying that.) The app is comforting. It addresses our worries. The big surprise is that, although he probably won’t admit it, he feels consoled as well. Hell, it’s a scary and dangerous world out there especially if you are a teenager. It’s comforting to know someone who loves you is watching and will know if you get in an accident or do something stupid…or […]

I got two strong complements today on my new t-shirt while shopping at Wal-Mart. I picked the shirt up at the church to support a campaign aimed at homelessness. It proclaims, “Jesus Christ Lives.” This simple line is truly radical. It means a man who lived 2000 years ago and died, is alive now. It means that death is no longer the last victor; it’s not the end, more like the beginning. It means this one man was more than a man. It changes everything. It’s radical. The complements, “I like your shirt.” came with bright cheerful smiles. I know what you are thinking, “That Nick is some radical, displaying boldly His follow ship of Jesus while shopping at Wal-Mart.” Some of you skeptics might have said something more like, “That doesn’t sound like Nick. He’s no radical.” The sad truth is the whole thing was an accident. I put on my new t-shirt after changing out of my church clothes. I thought of it as something to wear around the house. I had no plans to do anything but work in the yard. Our yard is too big and isolated for anyone to care what I’m wearing. When I needed some add-ons […]

  So what are you thankful for. I am asking you on Wednesday so you can practice. You know you will be asked tomorrow and you don’t what to foul up.  There are lots of ways to foul up: Forget to be thankful for someone present at the “ceremony.” – Look around and say something like “Of course I am thankful for everyone here.” Then go on to the one thing that will knock everyone out.  You want to earn a black belt in thankfulness. Not be able to think of anything – That’s why we are practicing today.  Not appearing genuine. Make sure you practice being authentic. Nothing worse than a fraud on turkey day.  Not appearing to enjoy the procedure. You must play happy and really interested in what everyone else is thankful for. Playing with your phone (including having ear buds stuck in your ear.) This is crucial. If nothing else and you are the only one following this rule, you will be considered a wonderful person and you know you could use an upgrade on your creds.  Not having a well thought out thank you. Of course, this is what it’s all about. I am […]

Alright you “Christians,” can you just give Lauren Daigle a break. She is being criticized for appearing on secular shows and, God forbid, a show hosted by gay. Some of her songs don’t mention God. One of her Christmas songs uses the word “gay.” As in “don we now our gay… People get a life.  Let’s look in the mirror: Do you mention God in every conversation? Better still do you mention Him in any conversation? Do you ever sing or hum a non-Christian song? Are you demon possessed? Do you refuse to go anywhere where sinners might be? Like maybe your house. Let me start the confessions out. Here goes: I listen to music while I swim. Going back and forth in a pool for an hour can get boring. I listen to music to fall asleep. I listen while I work. I love music but can not make a note with my voice or anything else. In heaven, I know I will sing, well like Lauren Daigle, and as a plus play the drums. My playlists include Lauren, Harvest, Don Francisco, Keith Green, Christian artists you know and some you are too young to have known and now […]

As the lights blinked crazily on the dishwasher panel, a sinking feeling started at the top of my head and ended in my nether regions. I knew the thing was broke. That would have been bad enough, but due to an amateur flooring job (performed by me) it is going to be awful trying to get the old dishwasher out and a new one installed. “How will we ever survive without a dishwasher?” I wept quietly into a foul-smelling  dish rag.  I don’t remember the last time we had to do dishes by hand. That’s not that surprising because recently I don’t remember a lot. I have a vague recollection that it was unpleasant. “The Help” movie flashed through my mind. I don’t know exactly why.  I acted pretty courageously, under the circumstances. I started washing everything in sight, knowing somehow that if I could keep the dirties from becoming a stack, I could lick this satanic evil. We do, after all, struggle not against caked on macaroni and cheese but against principalities, etc.  I discovered some very strange things. I kind of like doing dishes by hand. I guess I’m a “hands-on” kind of guy. There is a deep sense […]

Dear Drew: I’ve meant to write to you for a while. I’m afraid the world is trying to mislead you and we can’t have that.  Some people are telling you that you are old and that it’s time to hang it up. Others whisper in your ear that you’re just a kid; that you are only as old as you feel. Trust me they are all lying to you. Listen to me. Half of those folks just want you to keep playing football (the most fashionable thing in their closet is black with gold trim with a big “9” right dab in the middle) and the other half are Falcon fans.  Let’s stick to the facts. You don’t remember this, but you were born on January 15, 1979. Next year you will be forty. For most, the 40th birthday is a “celebration” of being “over the hill.”  According to my friends over at Google, life expectancy for women is 81 years and for men, 76 years. (that’s about right.) For men, the half-way point is 38. You went “over the hill” a couple of birthdays ago. You should be on a sharp decline. If you are, you sure fooling me.  Sure all the exercise […]

I’m a Vietnam Vet. I’m proud of that. I often wear a Vietnam Vet hat and I even have a Vietnam Vet shirt. Living in a patriotic area like Acadiana, I am often thanked for my service when wearing my hat. I am often approached by other vets and we exchange “where did you serve?” inquiries. I enjoy that, bonding even briefly with others who had the experience. I am also sometimes embarrassed and have thoughts that I am a bit of a fraud and that the thanks come 50 years late-talk about mixed emotions. “Vietnam Vet” evokes images and memories of rice paddies, villages full of unidentifiable Viet Cong, one of the hottest,  and dampest places on earth, an embarrassing police action that ended in retreat and defeat. My service was not like that. I didn’t experience any of it. I should not be compared with those who did. Although I was away from home on extended tours for many months, I never set foot on Vietnam soil and served for 11 years. My service was on a relatively safe Aircraft Carrier, the USS Ranger. I didn’t carry a gun or shoot anyone. I worked in a legal […]