Church Life
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Johnny One Note
I’m probably going to embarrass one recipient of this post, but I guess I’ll take that chance. On second thought, since our son is the one who actually decides when and if these are posted, this may not even make the cut. I’m thinking back to when he was in grade school in Dexter, Missouri. Donna and I tried to attend every activity connected with the school that involved either him or his sister. Like almost every other parent or grandparent who has ever lived, we thought each choral or band performance, athletic event, etc. was very special. I’m not sure what grade our son was in when he had a solo…
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The Most-Forgotten Important Part of VBS
As this is being released, we are right in the middle of VBS week at Central. Our Vacation Bible School runs from Monday evening through Thursday evening and is a true highlight on our church calendar. After 2020, when we couldn’t have VBS and after 2021, where we had it, but tried to “cap” the numbers a bit, it is a joy to see young people everywhere in our building for this special week again! I have “directed” VBS approximately 16 times over the years. I will admit that my job is basically getting amazing people to lead various departments and letting them shine. It always makes me cringe a…
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A Life Lesson From The Beatles’ First Drummer
The Beatles came to the United States when I was a few months shy of my sixteenth birthday. Like many people of my generation (as well as other generations), I became a fan. While I was not as consumed as some people seemed to be about The Beatles, I am aware of some things about The Beatles that might not be of any interest to anybody but me. What I have known for quite some time, for example, is that Ringo Starr’s “given name” is Richard Starkey. I also knew that there was a drummer before him. He was/is known professionally as Pete Best. What I did not know until just recently was that…
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CrazySpeak
Many of us are somewhat familiar with the term “doublespeak.” Some, like me, may assume that we read that word in George Orwell’s book 1984, but, according to some material I recently read, we did not. According to that material, the following words are in 1984: ”doublethink,” “newspeak,” and “oldspeak.” (I’m relying on the material I consulted. I did not take the time to reread 1984!) Somehow, over the years, all of that has sort of morphed into the term “doublespeak.” According to Miriam-Webster.com, doublespeak is defined as, “language used to deceive usually through concealment or misrepresentation of truth.” On a related subject, another website had the following information that I thought was interesting: Terminology…
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Repeated Promises
Think back to when you were little and you were promised something that seemed so big to you: maybe it was an ice cream cone, maybe you got to watch a favorite TV show, or maybe even it was a birthday promise. I’m sure all of us have probably experienced the results of both outcomes: promises kept and promises broken. The odds are good that how you felt (and maybe still feel) about the people who kept promises versus the ones who didn’t were also vastly different. As I have been teaching this quarter in the 3rd and 4th grade Wednesday night Bible class, we have been studying the life…
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The Name Shows The Sin
This is being released on day 8 of 30, but the buildup to it makes it feel as if we are several more days into it. Much of what is being done will be done again later this year for yet another full month, so that fully one-sixth of our calendar is filled with expressions of affirmation and acceptance. It is, of course, “Pride” Month. Rainbows are everywhere, as are more multi-colored flags and logos. Social media is ablaze with all manner of icons and colors and memes meant to show support. Businesses, sports teams, and governmental leaders are bending over backward to show how accepting they are of this…
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A Universal Language
Originally, the title of this post was going to be different from the one you just read. I cannot honestly remember exactly what it was going to be, but I do know that I changed it after I talked briefly with the lady in the picture. Here is some of the “backstory.” Recently, Donna and I were in Cookeville, TN for some end of the school programs, concerts, etc. in which two of our grandchildren were involved – including the graduation of one of those grandchildren from high school. Because of some of the policies of the school and because of his grades, he did not have to attend school as long…
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One Of Life’s Greatest Blessings
I’m spending a lot of time working on lessons for Polishing the Pulpit, which is coming up in a couple of months. Some of my time is spent just sitting and thinking about the topic upon which I have been asked to speak. This week I’ve been thinking, studying, and writing about being an elder’s wife. Now, you may be wondering about the title for this blog post and how it goes along with being an elder’s wife. There are days when I wonder the same thing! After all, it is a fairly difficult position…the wife of a man whose responsibility (along with other men serving in this capacity) is to watch…
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I Came to the Church [A Poem]
[NOTE: I hope every English teacher I ever had will forgive me for my lack of poetry skills! The meter and rhyme may be lacking, but I pray this message still gets across, including to me! –Adam] I came to the Church building on a Sunday morn, all soured and upset with strife. And, wouldn’t you know it, as I came inside and sat down, no one cared for my life. — Oh, some smiled and some said “hello,” but it was clear they were just doing their job. They asked how I was and acted concerned, but I know their ruse–they were just simple words to lob. — I…
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Do You Have a Favorite Pillow?
Recently, two of our grandchildren spent a couple of nights with us. After they had spent a night back at their house, it was discovered that our granddaughter did not make it home with her pillow. When I told her that we were sorry that we didn’t find it earlier, she told me that it was alright because that wasn’t the only one she had. She told me that it was her favorite pillow, but that she slept fine without it. Her response didn’t seem all that strange to me. She’s not the only person in the world who has a favorite pillow. Her “Grammy” also has one that we typically take with us when we…
