Have you ever had an idea that sounded good in theory but it was only when you were in the middle of it that  you realized how much work you had signed on for?  This happened to me this past weekend. Because we can no longer have a pumpkin patch on the church grounds due … Continue reading June 23, 2020 →

Mike sent the following story.  As a pastor, I see a whole lot of truth in it.  I wish it wasn't so. "A man was stranded on the proverbial deserted Pacific island for years. Finally one day a boat comes sailing into view, and the man frantically waves and draws the skipper's attention. The boat … Continue reading June 22, 2020 →

Rerun of Daily Devotional June 13, 2017 Last week, Shannon brought home the movie, The Shack.  I cried all the way through it. My favorite part was seeing God played by an overweight African American woman.  And while I have never pictured God like this, it did make me think. Growing up, I saw God … Continue reading June 19, 2020 →

Yesterday, I buried a friend.  Tomorrow, I will bury another friend.  I spend a lot of time in cemeteries.   I spend a lot of time burying people I love.  I spend a lot of time around death.  That's not a bad thing. The vast majority of people I bury are very dear to me.  I … Continue reading June 18, 2020 →

I am white.  I am male.  I like being white.  I like being male. No one follows me through a jewelry store to make sure I don’t steal anything.  Car salesmen and mechanics always address me instead of Shannon.  That’s because I am a white male.  White males run the world. If you look at … Continue reading June 17, 2020 →

George sent the following message.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I did: "Thought you might enjoy this FB post from one of my friends.  Maybe you can use it in a sermon sometime.  Ha-ha." "I was in McDonalds drive-thru this morning and a lady behind me honked and "flipped me off" because … Continue reading June 16, 2020 →

In March, Kirbyjon Caldwell, who leads one of the largest United Methodist congregations in the country, confessed his guilt in conning people in a multi-million-dollar investment scheme.  This bad apple gives all clergy a black eye.  But this sort of thing is not restricted to the ministry. I know an attorney I wouldn't trust as … Continue reading June 15, 2020 →

Rerun of Daily Devotional July 12, 2017 This is my first day back after spending two weeks traveling through New Mexico and Colorado in our travel trailer.  We had a wonderful time. Shannon and I began by going to Santa Fe so that I could eat everything in sight.  I did. The problem is that … Continue reading June 12, 2020 →

One of the fall traditions of our church is the pumpkin patch.  Sadly, two years ago, we came to the conclusion we could no longer have the pumpkin patch after two nights of vandalism.  This did not set well with Shannon. Yesterday, Shannon informed me that she had placed an order for $100 worth of … Continue reading June 11, 2020 →

This past Sunday, I got to see members of our congregation because we had drive-through Holy Communion.  For me, it was absolutely wonderful because the only people I've spent time with these last few months are members of the church staff.  It was good to see some Christians for a change. In fact, the only … Continue reading June 10, 2020 →