There’s an old adage that is typically good life advice: “When in doubt, don’t.” The idea is basically that, if you are confronted with a moral question and you aren’t sure about what to choose, choose not to do it. It’s sort of like saying “err on the side of caution,” but it is good advice much of the time. “Should I watch this movie? I know it has some language in it…” If you’re in doubt, don’t. However, there are other situations in life when maybe we need to take the opposite advice. I want to share one of those with you that has to do with church activities.…

As our frequent readers know, I don’t do a lot of things the “normal” way. For instance, most people engage in spring cleaning or fall cleaning, but as a teacher and mom, I do summer cleaning. I have been going through a lesser-used cabinet in my kitchen that is above my desk, and let’s just say it was past time for a thorough cleansing. Some items I found, I kept. They are still useful, they just needed to be organized better so I can see them and they are readily available for use. Others I ditched immediately in the trash heap. I could see no real value to anyone. They…

Drive around for awhile, or pay attention to online ads for local congregations. Let the messaging really sink in. Sometimes, it is said explicitly, while at other times, it is more implicit. What you will see is that congregations often want to brand themselves what what they are “all about.” You’ll hear clear tones–and undertones–that say… “It’s about you.” This is the “come as you are” church. “We’re casual.” The congregation seemingly boasts about how they are laid back and how their worship and atmosphere isn’t “stuffy.” The programs are meant to make you feel better and you’ll leave knowing you’ve had an “encounter.” “It’s about the kids.” This is…

Have you heard about the stone that could have played a role in an international incident? It seems that a Belgian farmer got tired of a certain stone being in his way every time as he plowed his field. His solution was to move it about seven-and-a-half feet. That “simple solution” turned out to be not quite so simple after all. You see, that particular stone was a marker along the border between Belgium and France. His decision to move that one stone slightly increased the size of Belgium and decreased the size of France. The date on that marker was 1819. One can only imagine all of the negotiations that took place over…

As of 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, the school year was over. Well, except for teacher work day and the 2 hour report card pick up day on Friday. See, that’s part of the problem with earthly things. We think we know when they are ending, but there is always more to do.  At church, in our Bible class on the gospel of John, Ben Smith pointed out an interesting fact about the wrappings left behind in the tomb of Jesus. They were folded and the face or head cloth was laid separately from the other parts. Why? Because they would not be needed again. When God says something is over, it…