IT'S NOT ALL EASY...

It's one of those nights I seem to have a lot to blog about. So, let's start with a couple of announcements (thanks for coming today and especially welcome to our guests - please fill out - oops that's another sort of announcement).

I got a phone call Wednesday afternoon and my old friend Lennie Hargett had died. Lennie was an elder at Hamilton when I moved to work with the church there. He helped hire me and gave me the break of my life. He loved mom and dad and when I wasn't dad it disappointed him (me too :)) so our first few years were frankly rather rough. It was me, I was too immature to respect the authority he had over me. Eventually we grew to a mutual respect and finally to love each other. Last time I saw him we gave each other a big loving hug. He and his family are special to me. I'll leave out early tomorrow morning (Friday) to preach his funeral. It is a special little life "we" preachers get to imbibe of - when I got word Wednesday I called his daughter Jennie - the first thing she said was: "I knew you'd call." To know and love to be known and loved...to minister through life to people...to be a part of their highs, their lows...their lives, this is ministry.

I'll leave the funeral for a board meeting for HCU and then return for a very special day Sunday at Spring Meadows. We will be installing (I don't like that word - sounds like our speaker system was broken and we had to install a new one)/ordaining (not my favorite either sounds too much like apostle stuff to me-who am I do ordain anyone)/recognizing (maybe better but still we know them already and if they were already recognized as elders why are we doing it) - so call it what you will, maybe affirming our first eldership. Steve, Carl, Monte, Bud and Tom have much to offer. Once again God has blessed this young church more than we imagined and more than we deserve. These guys as a group were affirmed by over 96% of the participants. That's unheard of in this day. It is good. But it is just another step of beginning for us. Thanks to all who pray for us.

Now for a rough draft of a blogticle (blog article):

It’s not all easy!

He had the spirit of God. His book is probably the best selling book of all time, he wrote most of the book of Psalms that has comforted, calming and challenged millions of people. He was a war hero. His wealth would make you look like a pauper. The image of his masculine physic is considered the gold standard for any man. And, he ruled his nation for 40 years! He was a king. King David. Man, he had it made didn’t he.
See him there on the throne, opulent wealth, adoring fans, sweet background music, slaves and subjects…He had it easy didn’t he.

Well, go back a little and look at what might have been had this young man determined to look on the gloomy side, if he’d decided to only consider the bad breaks – bad break, yeah, he had them.
Dad treated him like the runt of the liter
His lowly job as a shepherd caused him to encounter both a viscous lion and bear (talk about a bad day at the office).
His first wife betrayed him.
His predecessor on the throne used him for javelin practice.
He had a Judas of a son who betrayed him.

You, see, so much of our success depends on what we choose to look at and what we do with what we got. So stop complaining, comparing and "what if" ing and get out there and do, live, fight, advance...yes, all in faith.

So much depends on what we look at … and who we look to! Long before David had other bow before him and call him lord, he had himself bowed and called Him Lord! Long before the maidens of the land lauded him with the pop culture lyrics of their day - he had spent his hours writing songs that would endure the years to His Ruler.

What do you look at...who do you look to?

MOMS AND DEATH ROW...

OK, just being honest here - it used to bug me to read all the quotes from presidents and world leaders in every field who talked about the influence of their moms. I thought it was something of a conspiracy created by either moms or Hallmark or politicians to make them look more "normal (now, there's an interesting thought - normal politicians :)).

I understand it. As long as you have a mom, you have a fan. You can say and do anything and she will love you. I'm sure I'm just slow but that thought never smacked me in the head till the very day my mom died. I knew I'd love something special but I suppose it struck me seriously when I realized I'd lost "my fan". I have supporters, people who love me (and my share that hate me too), people who go out of their way to help me, and folks who admire my abilities. I have a wife I'd die for, two sons who know my love for them, a daughter-in-law who I couldn't be prouder of, a father who gave me a name that I can take anywhere and know it is pure, a sister who thinks I'm more talented than I am, a brother who is my best friend (put that in there just for you Missie), nieces and nephews who are going to change the world, church relations both past and present who have made my "working" life pure joy...but I only had one real fan!

You be a murderer on death row and she'll say: "He was always a good boy..."

A fan...someone behind you...we need more fans in the world. There are plenty of people who will upset your apple cart. Even more who could care less about what is happening in your life. But how many encouraging, truly out of the way, I love you with all my heart and am proud of you, encouraging words are spoken? You and I both know that people have enough sorrow, problems and trouble in life already, enough to keep them worried and solemn and sad. Most folks don't need somebody else to "keep them humble." They need someone to lift them up!

So, who will you be a fan of today? Who will you go out of your way to tell today how much you think of them, the work they are doing, the life they are living, the perseverance they are exhibiting? Who? GO TO IT AND DO IT NOW!

Did you? I know you read this and wanted to – wanted to do something neat and nice and encouraging – a word or note...a deed or quote. One more chance…DO IT NOW! When you do - giving freely, openly and lovingly - you'll make a friend for eternity. DO IT NOW!