Nick’s Walk

Perhaps you’ve heard about the man who spent his life savings on a cruise. He cut his expenses close. He packed crackers and snacks to eat on the cruise not realizing that the fabulous food came with the price of the cruise. We sometimes live our lives that way, ignorant of the bounty that is ours as children of God. I’m not talking here about the sheep on a thousand hills that are His. I am not even focused on spiritual gifts. Let me give you an example. I drove to Butte Larose today to pick up my three year old great grand. My mission was to drive her from there to Rayne. What could have been a tense and painful trip turned out to be the highlight of my day. I tossed my iPhone and iPad into the truck and picked up my grandson. We picked up drinks from CCs. Opened the top. Put on 60s music and struck out. Nicky sang along in the front seat playing with the iPad. Kaydence held down the back playing with my phone. I led the singing, praying I didn’t get an important call, text or email, that no one could […]

I saw “The Help” this afternoon. For those who don’t know, the film looks at race relations in Jackson, Mississippi in the early 60s. Before you hit the delete key, give me a moment. It is a painful look at a period in our history that I remember well. My family was pretty poor, but not as poor as our help. It is painful for anyone of any race to watch because it is so wonderfully accurate. Some will say things weren’t that bad; others may remember it as worse. But deep within each will know the truth It is done with beautiful poignant humor. You need to see it. Not because it is beautifully done cinema which it is, but because those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. We are rapidly approaching a political season in which race will be involved. Don’t deny it. There will be real and substantial differences between the parties. There will be valid differences of opinion. Anything more wouldn’t be fair to the Nation we’ve become and to the one our children deserve. If we ask “What would Jesus do?” We will likely get different answers. What’s important is to seriously […]

I spent the last two days out of touch. It was horrible. I felt unconnected with reality. I considered taking some kind of medication, but there was nothing of sufficient impact in the medicine cabinet. I was irritable and confused. My cable was out. This was serious. Not only had I no TV, but my Internet was messed up…no Facebook, Twitter or email. The cable company finally sent a tech. How busy could this guy be that it took two days to reconnect me? Then after he left I still didn’t have all channels. The Saints kickoff was rapidly approaching. So was the President’s speech, but that didn’t create the same level of concern. Shortly before kick off the cable corrected. The Internet was reestablished. Relief flooded my soul. I felt like I had been through another 9-11. It is horrible to be out of touch. Yet sometimes I go that long out of touch with My Lord. I really need to do something about that. Stay in touch and be blessed. Nick Location:Beau Coteau Pkwy,Broussard,United States

Now that Labor Day is over, it might be appropriate to turn our thoughts to…work. I really have things pretty easy. I work for a living  but most folks don’t seem to know it. I hide it well. I’m embarrassed by the frequency of the “How’s retirement?” comments I get. Some people are such smarty pants. But I can see the reason for their confusion. I don’t go to “work” each day. If I’m not in court I can dress pretty casual. I don’t have a boss, unless you count clients. I “work” out of my house. I do work. Just ask the IRS. So maybe you should take my labor thoughts with a grain of salt, but here they are. 1. Work is God’s idea. He did it for seven days and look what he accomplished. What have you done this week? 2. Retirement is not scriptural.  By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground (Gen. 3:19). If this idea catches on, I think I may have just solved the Social Security crisis. Who says I don’t work???? 3. You haven’t been a good person but work is not punishment […]

(Wives) do not let your adorning be external–the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear–but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 1 Peter 3:3-4 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” Romans 12:1-2 MSG Pornography generates more income than all combined revenues of professional football, baseball and basketball franchises. Millions of Americans are on prescription medications for stress. Americans spend billions on reconstructive surgery, diets, and cosmetics. […]

Growing up in Crowley one of the most impressive families I knew was Dutch. The parents had experienced the tyranny of the Nazi regime. The oldest son is a minister today. This family would be distressed by the state of the church in Europe today, specifically in Holland. Some church leaders in the Netherlands want to transform their small nation into a laboratory for rethinking Christianity. It seems this “rethinking” is already well along. One pastor doesn’t believe in life after death, nor even in God as a supernatural being. He describes the Bible’s account of Jesus’s life as a mythological story about a man who may never have existed, even if it is a valuable source of wisdom about how to lead a good life.” The pastor, Klass Hendrikse is an unbeliever, but in the largest Dutch denomination, he is considered a minister in good standing. As a matter of fact, he is not even unusual. A study undertaken by the Free University of Amsterdam determined that about one of every six Protestant ministers is either agnostic or atheist. Rev. Kirsten Slettenaar, another minister of the church, refers to “Son of God” as a mere title. “I don’t […]

The key to solving any problem is to know what the problem is. Many today believe that their problem is a lack of knowledge. They seek enlightenment. There is great consolation in thinking everything would be all right if I just knew a bit more. But is that the problem? Satan convinced Eve that it was.  “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman.  “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:4-5  Even if we knew everything that God knows, that wouldn’t solve the problem. We would still lack His power and holiness. No, the problem isn’t lack of knowledge. It’s sin. It’s certainly not very popular to admit that truth. It sounds so “judgmental.” It makes one seem “holier than thou.” But it is the problem.  We were created to be in fellowship with God not to be as wise as God. Our rebellion and turning from Him (let’s just say our sin) has separated us from Him.  It’s such a vast separation that we, on our own, can’t close it. That’s where Jesus comes in. So […]

I have been up for hours watching the Weather Channel. Of course we are the big news. All over the world people are feeling sorry for us suffering through this storm. But for us guys who are here and who are experienced with these things, all is not bad. There is lots to be happy about in this situation. It’s cool. This may not be the gumbo weather we are all looking forward to, but it’s much better than 100 degrees. We can watch football all day. Okay, we were going to do that anyway, but now we can do it without guilt. No one can really expect us to be doing yard work and we are not being dragged to Labor Day sales. We don’t have to barbeque. Labor Day is one of those holidays when the guys are expected to cook. We drag out the pit. Stand in the heat over hot coals and try not to burn meat. No one can expect us to do that this weekend. In fact, in our house the nesting instinct is running wild. Rose checked out her cook books, broke out recipes she hasn’t made in years and made an […]