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One More Time
One of my favorite people was able to be at worship at Lebanon Road yesterday. For about 3 months, his health has declined, and he knows that his time on the earth is likely quite short. I have kept in touch with him some in the past few weeks and months, but it was not just out of “duty.” This man is one of my favorites. He didn’t always compliment me, but he has always encouraged me to preach the truth. He was able to “speak the truth in love,” and encourage me to always seek that truth. His input in my Wednesday night class was always focused on…
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Motivation for Worship from a Wedding
I have weddings on my mind. Tomorrow, I will be performing the wedding ceremony for a great young couple at the Lebanon Road building. They are both recent college graduates (she in December, he just a couple of weeks ago), and their dedication to one another is clear. I am excited about their future. As I have been preparing for their ceremony (with the express direction, “Keep it short!”), I have reviewed several Scriptures about marriage, and chosen a couple to weave throughout the “charge” in the ceremony. Of course, one of those that I keep returning to is Ephesians 5, where Paul tells husbands to love their wives even…
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Friday Links Roundup: Time with Daddy Edition
Our ladies are having their annual retreat this weekend. That means I get the kids all to myself for the weekend, from this afternoon through Sunday afternoon. (Yes, I will need your prayers!) I am looking forward to the time with the kids, and I hope we grow closer together by our time. I love my kids, and time with them is very precious. While being with them alone is hard work (just ask Leah, since she does it all the time), it is worth the effort and time. We’re going out tonight, and will hopefully have a little time at home tomorrow to play and laugh. ……oh, and to…
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When “Reality” Sets In
I love being a dad! There are days when it is difficult, but, as we look at the “big picture,” it is a very rewarding work. As children age, though, there are certain things that are harder to explain. Recently, my family got in our car and headed toward the church building for our evening worship assembly. We left at about our usual time, backed down our driveway, and started down the street. My two children usually sing or just enjoy the regular sights. On this trip, however, we got a teachable moment that I wish we didn’t have to have. My daughter, age 4, spoke up and said, “Daddy,…
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Thursday Hymn Reflection: "I Need Thee Every Hour"
[On Thursdays, we “reflect” on hymns submitted by our readers. If you would like to add your favorites–no more than 3, please–to our upcoming list, leave the names of the songs in the comments.] Written by a housewife in 1872, the simple words of “I Need Thee Every Hour” continue to bring comfort to many folks each time they are sung. In his book Then Sings My Soul, Robert Morgan gives the Annie Hawks’ own words as to where the poem came from (from page 179): One day as a young wife and mother of 37 years of age, I was busy with my regular household tasks. Suddenly, I became…
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I Love Church Vans!
Sunday and Monday nights, I got to continue an odd “love” I have. We were at the Area-Wide Gospel Meeting in Paducah and, as we walked up to the Carson Center (a performing arts building), there were lots of church vans in the parking lot. When I see that many church vans, I read the names of every one I see. I saw vans from Fulton, Kentucky; Dexter, Missouri; Paducah; and many other places. Whenever we host something at Lebanon Road–and when we used to host things like our youth rally at 9th Avenue–it was my tradition to walk around the parking lot and look at all the congregation’s vans…
