People that hang around me know that I have many opportunities to do funerals. That, in itself, is a weird statement. One guy said recently, “You are a killer of a preacher!” Wow! Knowing what you now know about me, that could be dangerous!
I don’t think I have ever “killed” anyone with a sermon. I’ve overheard some folks talking as they left a worship service say, “He was through but he was still talking.” I’m sure they felt like they were “dying.” By the way, what a preacher hopes to hear is: “I could have listened some more but he quit talking!” Have you ever said that after a sermon? If so, you probably even remember some of what was said even though time has passed. View full article »
When I was a young boy, one of my grandmothers lived with us. She told me stories and cooked me the best scrambled eggs I ever ate (they probably had too much salt in them but they tasted awesome). In the afternoon she told me stories and tried to get me to take a nap — I did not like naps then and still don’t. I notice they seem just to happen now!
There were times I remember her sitting in a rocking chair seemingly staring at her hands…catching a nap herself I thought. Years later I realized that she was not always asleep but praying. That reminds me of a story I read about another grandma, her hands and her praying habits. View full article »
Not everyone likes their own cooking. There are some things that I cook that are “tasty” to my liking…some not so much. There would probably be less of me to love (ha!) if I would eat more of what’s good for me and less of what I like, if you get the picture!
A very wise man said the following: “Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction.”* All of us get that! What a great experience to enjoy some “good cooking” and settle down to be totally satisfied with such pleasures. Words can have an even more profound effect on our “inner appetites” of the mind. View full article »
As a pastor, I have the privilege of being involved in weddings. I have done nine weddings in the last two months. It was a wonderful experience with each event having a uniqueness of its own. I prefer the more simple services where the emphasis is on the wedding ceremony and the marriage to come.
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When someone makes the statement, “I believe in God, I just don’t believe in organized religion,” I just have to smile. It’s one of those things, ya know! I’m not quite sure exactly what they mean, but a part of me is saying, “Right on brother!”
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“Everything happens for a reason…”
We’ve all said it: “Everything happens for a reason.” It’s like a lot of other clichés we fling about; it sounds palatable, and well, for some it carries a load of meaning. By now you are probably thinking, “Well, isn’t it true?”
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I don’t go to church because of all the hypocrites…
Over the years of being a pastor, I have heard the above statement more than once. I never take it lightly because there is some truth in the statement. I said, ‘some truth!’ Usually, when I begin to talk with people they have had an encounter (or more) with someone who truly fulfills the role of the ‘hypocrite.’
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