November, 2017

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Devotional

Thursday, November 30th, 2017

Product Details

I know what you are going to say (least I think I might): “You really like that Paul David Tripp don’t you?” The answer would be “Yes.” I have recommended several books by him here on my blog: New Morning Mercies, a 365 day daily devotion; and Whiter Than Snow, a devotion on sin and mercy. I read and reread one a week. I’ve read several others by PDT and have not been disappointed by any. His Dangerous Calling may be the best book on Pastoral Ministry I have ever read (get your pastor a copy) and Awe is a phenomenal book on recapturing awe for God.  My latest has been the one highlighted, Come Let Us Adore Him.

I wanted something different this year for Christmas (Advent if you prefer). When I saw this book I confess I went on his track record. I was not disappointed! I did something unique (I think). I bought it in October so I read 2 chapters a morning so I could go through it by the end of the month. During this month (November) I have taken one day (read December 1 on November 1, etc) each morning. Starting December 1 I will read it again for the third time. Each time I highlighted something different. For some books one time through is enough. Not for this one! There is so much meat in each day’s devotional I have this sneaking suspicion even three times through won’t be enough (but I will stop at 3 until next Christmas). To make it even more interesting each chapter ends with Scripture to follow up with and also a what-to-do-if-you-have-children suggestion.

I know it may be getting late for you to get a copy of this book and make use of it, but I don’t think it is.  I’d suggest ordering this book and “get with this program” during the month of December. I believe it will make your Christmas season “pop” a little bit more.

Posted in Book Review, Christmas, Doctrine, Opinion | 4 Responses »

Progress

Wednesday, November 29th, 2017

It’s been awhile since I last showed any pictures of our addition. I believe the last ones I showed were of the outside. Since we are paying cash for the building it has been a slower process for us but it looks like things will pick up. We have been trying to do as much with volunteer work but have pretty well decided that has to change. This time of the year is just entirely too hard to get people to commit to working on the addition. Can there by any busier time than between Thanksgiving and Christmas in peoples’ lives? I think not. Other than the framing, electrical and HVAC you see here, everything has been volunteer work. Stage and insulation (with the latter taking gobs of time) has been a slow haul. Our meeting Monday night changed all of that. We have enough to pay to hire it done, so hire it done we will. Here are the pictures of the inside as it stands right now:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pictures from top left (stage area). Top right (Looking from stage to one of the left classrooms). Bottom left (Looking into the mechanical closet and HVAC above). Bottom right (Standing outside of mechanical closet). The brown you see on that last picture is 4 inch insulation which has to be cut to fit. Long tedious job and we are rethinking that to maybe doing something different and less time-consuming.

I’m excited to see it moving along…even though it is a snail’s pace right now. Soon though the HVAC will be installed, the electrical work will be finished, the ceiling will be insulated, and the drywall will be done.  Our goal is December 31. Check back with me on that one. 🙂

There’s the update. God has His timing, especially in the way of finances. So far, which is a huge blessing, we have had no injuries on site.

Posted in Miscellaneous, Uncategorized | 6 Responses »

Season

Monday, November 27th, 2017

Several things are tip-offs for the Christmas season (not necessarily in order of clarity):

You can start listening to Christmas music and not thought to be a strange person…unless, of course, you observe Christmas in July.  Or you are so prepared for Christmas you have 8 tiny rabbits pulling the sleigh.

Christmas lights appear. Then again…we have had people in our neck of the woods who put lights up long before Thanksgiving. Then again…maybe they never took them down but just chose not to shine them during the hot summer months.

The weather usually turns cold. I’m not knocking on wood or anything but today (Monday) our weather has hit the 60s. I wore a sweatshirt to the office at 5:00 this morning and just a short sleeve shirt in the afternoon. I wouldn’t mind it staying this way until around Christmas. A white one sounds good but then it can go back to being tolerable.

Commercials drive me nuts. Oops, that is all year ’round. Maybe that explains why I watch very little TV. Two shows to be exact (NCIS and MacGyver).

Finally, but certainly not completely final, is the showing of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Last night our local theater, the Tivoli, showed it free to the public. I have it on DVD but watching it on the big screen is just primo. Funny how people are entertained by it. They laughed. Chuckled. Sniffled. Clapped at its ending. I watch it every Thanksgiving but held off this year (and last) to watch it on the big screen. Such good stuff:

To my big brother, George- the richest man in town!

 

Dear George: Remember, no man is a failure who has friends. Thanks for the wings! Love, Clarence

I can’t help but agree. Then again, that type of thinking never goes out of style. Never runs out of days/months/ year.

Is “Wonderful Life” one of your favorite Christmas movies? If not, which one is?

Posted in Christmas, Opinion | 6 Responses »

Plans

Friday, November 24th, 2017

My take on the old adage of “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry” is simple: “The best laid plans of men often go down the tubes.”  I can’t even begin to count (I only have 10 fingers and 10 toes) how many times I have made plans only to watch them fall apart {translated: blow apart}. Don’t get me wrong: I’m not against making plans. I tend to fly by the seat of my pants a lot on a daily basis, but I also know there are times planning definitely needs to happen!

Being a nomad in ministry was never my plan. But it happened. We moved from Grayson, KY (college) to Akron, OH, to Kirkpatrick (Marion),OH, to Massillon, OH, to Fortville, IN, to Danville, OH, to Terre Haute, IN, to Sandusky, OH, to W. Market St in Spencer, IN, to our current address of 563 E. North St to ???? (Well, I hope nowhere else).  🙂 It seems like in a couple of them we no sooner put our stakes down than we were moving our tent again.

There are times God’s plan is clear as a bell, but often it is cloudy at best. Seeing mud would sometimes be clearer. But I do know this: no matter the circumstance, I know God ALWAYS has my best in mind. Always.  Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way.”

My sermon Sunday concludes my short 3 sermon series on “I am Thankful” by being thankful for His Plan. I’m having a special guest Sunday, a dear friend. I don’t want to say “old friend” because he may take that wrong and since he is a Black Belt in TKD…I don’t think so. 🙂  He has some interesting stories to tell about God’s leading when he and his wife moved like a nomad as He opened doors in really amazing ways. Opening one of those doors gave me the privilege of meeting he and his family in 2007. Say a prayer for Ryan (techgeek) Sunday.  Thanks.

Posted in Christian living, God, Scripture look, Sermon Series/Topic, Story, Thanksgiving | 5 Responses »

BREAKTIME!

Monday, November 20th, 2017

I remember my grandfather talking about break time. He worked for USS (when it was still a viable entity) as a welder. He looked forward to breaks. Those were the days before cell phones when breaks were spent laughing and eating. Not like now. Pull that phone out and start texting and maybe take a bite between texts. Grandad used to pack his lunch and I would sometimes be there when he did. Two slices of Roman Meal bread with ketchup only in between them. I’m not sure if it was because of frugality or because he just liked it. I can think of better things to put between two slabs of Roman Meal bread (which I still like a lot) than ketchup. Jo thinks it is hilarious (and makes sure others know) that I sweat (nose and forehead) when I use ketchup. (Note: My uncle (grandad’s son) just reminded me about the mustard-between-two-slices-of-bread sandwich).  Memory is the first thing to go.

Anyway…grandad looked forward to taking some time to ease his tired muscles and joints from the grind of welding by relaxing. He was an avid Pirate fan and would listen to the night games if he worked the night shift with his transistor radio connected to this huge battery by a gumband. (Go look up Pittsburgh-ese for what it is).

I’m taking grandad’s suggestion. I’m pulling away for a few days. I have a couple busy days leading up to Thanksgiving, but the biggest plan is for Thanksgiving Day. The church is serving a dinner from 11-1:00 to the community. We have done it for the last 4 years and each year it has grown. What has really grown…and this is the part I’m directly involved in (Jo does the meal)…is delivery. So far we have over 40 deliveries of Thanksgiving meals to make. It’s a lot of work but a lot of fun. The people pitch in to help. I get to organize and send them out. All the folks have to do is call in for a meal and we will “jimmy John” them their meal.

The best part of the week though is Friday. Janna and Braden will be coming in for the weekend while Jason works on their bathroom. I think that is a pretty good trade-off!! I’d say Jason can take all year but I don’t think that would fly very well. 🙂 They will be here all weekend. Yeah…I will be preoccupied.

I’m going to pre-program my weekend post. It will come out White Friday. (Why do they call it Black Friday anyway? Because you lose all your money?).

Anyway, have a great Thanksgiving. I’m thankful for many things: Jo, Tami, Janna, Braden, Jason, OVCF, my family-at-large, my friends, and for you.  Blessings to all and to all a… Oops wrong holiday.

Posted in Church, Family, Little Bit of Fun, Miscellaneous, Story | 9 Responses »

Patience

Thursday, November 16th, 2017

Okay…before you think I’m going to go from being a friend to meddling 🙂  I want to put you at ease. I’m not going to rehash the age old adage of “patience is a virtue” and stuff like that.

Let me take it another direction.

Several words are used to describe or define what characteristic of God I am speaking about Sunday: longsuffering (the old King Jimmy word) or patience. We like to talk about God’s patience because it speaks of longevity. You know…I can keep doing and doing wrong and God is patient with me. People keep putting off salvation because they want to believe God is patient and even after death His patience will be experienced.

God is a god of perfect love, one with an incredible amount of patience. I should know: I’m typing this. I used to think God was this demanding judge, standing with a paddle in His hand. Psalm 103 paints a totally different picture of God.  That does not sound at all like a God who just can’t wait to get His hands around your throat! Nor does it sound like a God who can’t wait to throw darts at your picture. God’s love for His people knows no limits. And I am thankful for that!

But don’t be fooled. There will come a day when God’s patience will run out and a less favorite attribute will become a reality: His wrath. That is another subject for another day.

I would appreciate your prayers for this Sunday’s worship. Thanks.

Posted in Christian living, Church, Doctrine, God, Preaching, Scripture look, Sermon Series/Topic, Thanksgiving | 8 Responses »

Otherwise

Monday, November 13th, 2017

I used the following poem in my sermon yesterday. I think it says what needs to be said without a bunch of commentary. It was written by Jane Kenyon and was quoted in Alter Ego by Craig Groeschel (pages 151-152)

I got out of bed on two strong legs.

It might have been otherwise.

I ate cereal, sweet milk, ripe, flawless peach.

It might have been otherwise.

I took the dog uphill to the birch wood.

All morning I did the work I love.

At noon I lay down with my mate.

It might have been otherwise.

We ate dinner together at a table with silver candlesticks.

It might have been otherwise.

I slept in a bed in a room with paintings on the walls, and planned another day just like this day.

But one day, I know, it will be otherwise.

Kenyon wrote this poem in 1993, upon learning that her husband, Donald Hall, had cancer. Ironically, it was Kenyon, not Hall. who died a year later after a fierce and swift battle with leukemia. “Otherwise” came unexpectedly. But Jane Kenyon didn’t miss the blessings of God in each day. She learned the art of gratitude.

As I said, no commentary needed. Enjoy the blessing of today!!

Posted in Christian living, Family, Friendship, Miscellaneous, Pick me Up, Thanksgiving | 15 Responses »

Thanks

Friday, November 10th, 2017

Growing up we were taught a number of things. When our girls were growing up we taught them several things. Sadly, many do not teach them anymore. I heard it tonight at a meeting called Owen After Hours which the Owen County Chamber of Commerce sponsored.  I was working the greeting table. And I heard it. And it wasn’t even prompted by her mom.

There is a new mom (and family) whose daughter calls us Mamaw Jo and Grandpa Bill. Okay, she hasn’t quite said those words yet but she does know who we are. She is about 13-14 months old. She is being taught these two things.

What are they?

When you want something you say the “magic word.”  Which is?  PLEASE.

When something is given to you, you say the other magic phrase (2 words). Which is?  THANK YOU.

Forgotten words by many kids. Let me rephrase that. Forgotten words my many adults and children. Does it really take that much breath to say “Thank you” when I hold the door open for someone? I was taught that men do those kinds of things.

Is it too much to say “Please” when you want something? Instead of just “give me” as though someone is entitled to it!

My sermon series over the next 3 weeks is going to take a look at Thanks. Gratitude is fast becoming a lost art. The whole thing with contentment and being thankful for having our needs met is often discarded for the desire for more and of thinking, “This is mine!”

Maybe, just maybe, I can help us to become a bit more thankful along the way. This week is using Luke 17: 11-19 as the basis for “I’m Thankful for His Provision.”

Here’s something to think about, something I read:

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

Posted in Christian living, Scripture look, Sermon Series/Topic, Thanksgiving | 2 Responses »

Dubious

Tuesday, November 7th, 2017

Some memories are, shall we say, dubious. My post today is in memory of one of those dubious anniversaries-ones that remind you of something you are not so fond of.

One year ago today this happened to me.  The date is today. The day is yesterday. So I guess it depends on how you look at anniversary’s as to how you will see this. Doesn’t matter though. It happened and it began a spiral downward in the health department but it also began a very, very slow process of spiritual awakening and renewal (which actually took on a more earnest effort in February.

I wanted to ride yesterday and today but the weather has not cooperated (nor has my life). I was busy from the time I got up to the time I laid my head on the pillow yesterday. Today, we host Dine with a Doc and then Jo and I are taking off for Sandusky, OH to visit her sister. Things are really improving there and we need to help her get a new washer/dryer (and be there for the delivery) and get her duplex ready for when she comes home.

I wanted to ride past the scene and stop for a moment of gratitude for God’s protection. I realize some will say, “Well, if God protected you why did He allow it to start with?” Fair question and all I can say is, “I don’t know. He could have but chose not to.” But I also don’t think He put His finger on the driver and said, “Hit him!” Some people are either just evil or distracted. I consider His protection because it could have been worse. He missed my spine by two inches. I shiver at what the two possibilities are with that. Yes, I just had surgery in July which was required due to a bone fragment laying on a nerve in my spine, but the reality is I could have been paralyzed with 2 more inches. So, in my case, I relish God’s protection.

The saga is ongoing. I suspect they will never find who did it. I am okay with that. He/she has to live with it. Will I ever be back to the way I was? No. Physically, I now have limitations. Mentally, I sometimes relive it and realize how close I came. Spiritually, it began a good process. It still has not been settled with the insurance company (and who knows when that will be? I refuse to get a lawyer.) So it is before me. Or is that behind me?

No matter how you look at it though, it is a dubious anniversary. One I’m grateful to be celebrating. And I can also say I love Jo more today than I ever have. She’s my “knight” in shining armor. I put her through the wringer this past year and she stood solid as a rock. Cried a bit. Okay…a lot. But she stood strong next to me. For that, I will always be grateful.

Jo’s sister does not have wifi so I may be out of the loop for the next couple of days. I’ll use my phone to approve comments but I despise using it to make comments. Please be patient. And thanks for your prayers.

Posted in Cycling, Family, Friendship, God, Health, Miscellaneous, Story | 11 Responses »

Jumbled

Monday, November 6th, 2017

I was looking for the correct word to adequately express my thoughts and mind this Monday morning. I ran several through the “grinder” then realized jumbled is an adequate description.

Friday was anything but my day off.  I think I ran more…okay drove more…than I normally do in a normal work week. Saturday we put our oldest on a plan for Phoenix, which I wrote about here. I haven’t heard from her personally but Jo has seen some pictures on FB (which she has not shared with me. Hmmmmm), but I know she is having a fantastic time.

Yesterday (Sunday) was our Day of Service. Let me rephrase that: it was our Day of UNservice. You read that right. All week long we kept our eyes on the weather report. I let others tell what was coming; I finally looked on Saturday. I’d like to echo Doc Brown in Back to the Future when he said, “Since when can the weatherman predict the weather?” but I can’t say that this time. Oh wait…they were somewhat inaccurate. They said, “Large hail is possible.” Yikes! We didn’t get the hail but to make a long story short, we watched it start to rain Sunday morning and then watched it continue to rain until almost midnight. At times I thought “Oh man! We could have done our thing” but then about that time the skies opened up for 100 thousandth time. We still had lunch with the church we were partnering with (The Connection) then their Associate and I decided we were going to shoot in a different direction. Service like we were going to do is not and cannot be confined to a “special Sunday event.” So we challenged those who had signed up for a certain job to connect with a couple others, contact the people who we were going to serve, then make arrangements to do so within the next two weeks. Within 15-20 minutes all the people were taken. WAY TO GO OVCF AND CONNECTION! To add to that we had some “bigger ticket items” we were going to serve: the Cunningham Dog Kennels (rescued dogs) and Sue Whitman’s Horse Angels (rescued horses). They are both on board with us coming another time.

Sometimes things just don’t work out the way we plan. But that’s okay. Service will get done…just not at the time or the way we thought.

After the “failed” Day of Service, I did come home later and ride 45 minutes inside. My thoughts were jumbled…but I did sleep well last night.

Posted in Christian living, Just Wondering, Little Bit of Fun, Miscellaneous, Story | 4 Responses »

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