Nick’s Walk

I recall the playgrounds of my youth, not very fondly. I always hated it when it was time to play some kind of team sport. The two best athletes would just naturally be the team captains and they would take turns picking their teams. I was always the last picked. I was an awful klutz and a terrible athlete, really  not an athlete at all.  I read an article this morning calling for the banning of that practice in school. The author commented about how it permanently harms kids, like me. You would think I would be in favor of such a ban, but I don’t think I am. I would be sensitive to the situation for my own kids, grandkids and such, but I think that horrible practice had an overall positive influence on me. I was the first kid in my graduating class to join up. Vietnam was going on. All those other big tough kids ran off and hid in college. Not me I joined the Navy. Not the marines, the team picking experience motivated me. It didn’t make me insane.  Lot of my motivation in life that led me to success in college, and law […]

We are fond of saying that we have “seen the light.” I wonder how often that expression really comes with a true revelation. In fact, the experience of the light doesn’t begin with clarity of vision, but with blindness. Consider Saul of Tarsus, who would become Paul. His encounter with Christ began with being knocked off his horse and experiencing a time of blindness. When a bright light suddenly comes on in a dark room, we shield our eyes. The experience is too much. We have to be accustomed to the light. I believe there is a purpose in that sequence especially in spiritual matters. When we experience Christ, we need to be overwhelmed and blinded for just a bit. In order to see clearly for the rest of our days, we need to experience a time of blindness to all we knew before and become accustomed to seeing things in a new way. Christians, true followers of Christ, see the world completely differently from everyone else. We should be considered “different” by the world; because we should be different. There is a current “christian” philosophy which teaches that we need to be more “acceptable” to the world. The basis […]

Today in south Louisiana we’ll find out who the real LSU Tiger fans are. For someone like me, who is a Florida Gator fan, it’s been a long year. All this talk about the game of the century and the team of the century. Going out everyday to a sea of purple and goal. Well the “team of the century” stunk up the Superdome last night and turned in the worse performance in BCS history. Never before has a team been shut out in a BCS bowl game (national championship or not).  Not only was LSU shut out but they only crossed the 50 yard line once only to be pushed back a few plays later and eventually fumble the ball. I texted my grand daughter who was there throughout the game. I wanted to be there just to give her a hug. She was crushed. This morning I don’t think I’ll face a sea of purple and gold or hear talk of dynasties. But I will run into a few real fans. I think I’ll give them a hug.  A real fan sticks with you when you fall. He loves you when  you stink. You real LSU fans. […]

Sunday was a great day at church. The Spirit was moving and much kingdom business was done on an individual basis. The Spirit was moving so much that the Pastor never got to complete his sermon. This isn’t completely unusual. In fact, it happens quite frequently. That’s often a good thing. I’d rather have the Spirit than a full sermon any day. We did get a hint at the sermon and it seem like it would have been a good one. Pastor proposed these New Year Resolutions. The good thing about New Year Resolutions which are proposed on the 8th day of the year, is that you don’t feel bad that you’ve already broken most of them. I don’t know what Pastor intended, but this is what I would have done with these. Here they are, with my comments, of course:   I will carry my own Bible to church every Sunday. This is a good one. I carry my bible because my iPhone is always with me. Sometimes I even have my iPad. I have bibles on both. But I don’t get much credit for this. Even when I’m diligently following the discussed scripture, people think I’m checking my Facebook page or my […]

16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.  18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore

Listen to My Own Little World Most of us would benefit greatly from a fresh perspective, a healthy dose of reality. Most of the world woke up this morning concerned about survival. Their biggest concern isn’t a Saints or Tiger victory. They need food for the day, shelter for tonight, health care for that mysterious pain they have tried to ignore for weeks.  Most of us don’t worry about the source of our next meal. Our concern is whether we will have the restraint not to overeat. We know where we will sleep tonight; we’re only worried that it’s not as big or as new or as pretty as someone else’s place. We complain that government has messed up our health care, without being thankful for our access to any level of heath care. Most of our problems are problems of perception, not issues of reality. We aren’t thankful enough for what we have and aren’t aware enough for what others lack. Click on Matthew West above and listen to him sing. If you don’t come away a little bit ashamed, then shame on you. Time for a dose of reality. Don’t you think? We are truly blessed and […]

39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give it up for me, you will find it. Matthew 10:39 One of the hardest lessons to learn is that to really gain something you have to let it go. Tightly gripping something in your hand kills and smothers it. The war hero is a hero because he’s let go of his life long ego. Living is not the most important thing. The Christian is really following Christ when He lets go of his life. Then he really starts to live.  With the grip comes the illusion of control. If I hold on to something I believe that I can make it what I want it to be. It will do what I tell it to do. That might have some value  if we had any clue as to what to do. We are clueless. We can’t direct our lives because we don’t know what’s best for us Let go.  Let God. It’s more than a wise saying. It’s the only way to live.  Nick

It is very early in the political season and I’m sick if it already. We have seen one after another Republican presidential candidate rise  and fall. I still haven’t seen the man or woman I really want to be the next president. I guess the reason I’m sick of it is I want everyone to say what they really believe so that I can decide who really believes what I believe to be the truth. Stop telling me what you think I want to hear. We are killing folks telling them what we think they want to hear. Politics has gotten to be a mess and so has the church. We are so concerned about preaching what people want to hear; that we are not concerned enough about preaching the truth. The goal of politics is for us to have an opportunity to select those to lead us who will make the best decisions for our country. What good is there in finding someone who has the best chance of winning, if we won’t be any better off once that person is the winner. We are so concerned about filling our pews that we forget the goal is to […]