Peanut Butter Bon Bons

I just received one of the best gifts that I could possibly receive this time of year. No, I didn’t get enrolled in the "Jelly Of The Month Club" (the gift that keeps on giving all year round) It was much better than that. And No, I didn’t get a $500 Visa Gift Card. (it was even better than that) It wasn’t even a 50 inch, High Definition, Plasma Screen TV (believe it or not, it was even better than that).

So what was this great gift, you might ask? Thank-you for asking, I’ve been dying to tell you!

My daughter Terri just called and said that she was starting to make Peanut Butter Bon Bons, Whoo hooo!!! … What are Peanut Butter Bon Bons? … You don’t know what Peanut Butter Bon Bons are? (I know you were wondering)

Ok, for all of you folks from the foreign land of Ohio and those of you who haven’t been educated in the finer things of life. Peanut Butter Bon Bons are similar to what you would call “Buckeyes” (Isn’t that a football team or something?)

Anyway, let me say that Peanut Butter Bon Bons have always been my favorite Christmas candy. My Mom would always make them for me every Christmas and except for the problem which developed when, much to my chagrin, she would use up my entire stash of Peanut Butter and I would have to go without Peanut Butter for as many as 3-4 hours before she could go to the store to buy another jar, (I know wasn't that awful?) Peanut Butter Bon Bons represent some of my fondest memories of Christmas. (In case you were wondering, my Mom solved the problem in later years by buying her own jar of Peanut butter and leaving mine alone! :)

Terri made her first attempt at Peanut Butter Bon Bons a few years ago. I couldn’t believe it when I tasted them. I tried one, then another… then another… They were… different than what my Mom made. Here, let me try another one… wait a minute… is it possible?... Could they possibly be the best Peanut Butter Bon Bons I have ever eaten? … Maybe I should try another one… Yes, I think they are. Terri had managed to do something that I didn’t think was possible. Her Peanut Butter Bon Bons were better than my own Mothers… They were the best ones I have ever eaten in my life and believe-you-me, I have eaten a bunch of them.

Then last year, she came to Christmas with another batch. She apologized and said that they didn’t turn out very well, and she didn’t have the time (or money) to correct the “mistake.” She figured that if we didn’t eat them, we could feed them to Odie. (Yes I know, you shouldn't feed chocolate to dogs) I'll let you tell that to Odie!

So I tried one, a little bit apprehensive about what to expect, and… wait a minute… let me try another one… is it possible…? I think Terri defied the laws of physics (or at least cooking) and did the impossible… these were even better than her first attempt. What she thought was a mistake, (the center was softer and gooier) actually made them even better.

So now, I can’t wait until Sunday (which is our family Christmas) While the rest of the world waits for Santa Claus, I will patiently wait for Peanut Butter Bon Bons:) Does life get any better than that?

Blessings!

In The Bleak Midwinter

One of my favorite things about this time of year is the music. There is just something incredibly special about Christmas music. Perhaps it is the fact that we only sing it at one time each year, perhaps it is because of the memories that it represents, or maybe it is just because it is so awesome:) Whatever the reason, it is something that I look forward to all year.

Last night was the Annual Christmas program at Oak Grove. I was so proud of the kids and the choir last night. They did such a great job. I know that I am probably pushing the envelope a little bit with these folks, and I know that I am doing things that may be unfamiliar and I am certainly introducing them to songs that haven’t necessarily been a part of their Christmas repertoire, but I had two goals as I entered this season of Advent. The first was to learn about and be faithful to the rich Christmas traditions of Oak Grove and Fountain churches, and the other was to introduce them to the songs and traditions that are close to my heart.

So it is in that same spirit that I share with you today one of my favorite Christmas songs “In the Bleak Midwinter.” As with many of my favorite songs, it is not the best known or most popular, but I think that you will agree that it is very beautiful. Also, if you are not familiar with them, let me also introduce you to “The Choirboys” You have got to love those beautiful rich angelic tones, unfortunately Mother Nature sees to it that they won’t sing those soprano parts for long. Enjoy listening to one of my favorite Christmas songs.

Blessings!

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Well, at least that is what the song says. As for me, the jury is still out on that one. It is certainly one of my favorite times of the year, and I can say that I look forward to it every year, and I have to admit that Christmas Eve is my favorite day of the year, it is also my favorite worship service in the year, so all in all I would have to lean in the direction of most wonderful time.

With that being said, it is also the most stressful, the busiest, the most challenging, as well as emotional time. Everything seems to be compressed into this brief period between “Come Ye Thankful People Come” and “Silent Night.”

Today I have to put the final preparations together for Sunday’s worship services and Oak Grove’s Annual Christmas Program. Tomorrow will be spent ringing the bell for the Salvation Army at Walmart, an afternoon outing with the youth, a graduation party, and finishing the day back at Walmart ringing the bell. So, I guess if it needs to be done for Sunday, I had better get it done today.

I will have to put a little more thought into this most wonderful time of the year thing. For right now, I am holding on for dear life, praying for a quiet New Year:)

Blessings

Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch!

Two days in a row, I’m on a roll now. Let me address a couple of questions that I have been asked.

1.“Have I still been swimming?”

Well, yes and no. I have run into a bit of an obstacle. I have been dealing with bronchitis/ sinusitis/ coughing/ yucky/ stuffy /headstuff / cheststuff (I would call it Hymunglifungli) since about the first of October and that has put a definite crimp in my desire to go out at 7:00AM and swim. But I haven’t given up and I am finally going to break down today and go see a Doctor (Yes, I am actually going to go this time) and see if I can’t get over this stuff once and for all!

2. “How is Andrew doing with his drum set?” (Or how are his parents coping?)

Our little drummer boy is doing very well. He continues to play quite regularly, much to the chagrin of his parents (and the neighbors) He has only broken one small connecting piece which Ben was able to replace quickly over the phone. The replacement piece was metal instead of plastic. I think that the company has had that problem before. He has yet to break a drum head or a stick, which if you watched him play you would be amazed at how hard he hits those things. I wasn’t sure that the heads would survive the first hour, but so far so good.

As for his parents, I think that they are suffering from premature, drum induced hearing loss. Their nerves are a little more frazzled than normal, and they have had to spend $150,000 on attorney’s fees to fight the lawsuits filed by complaining neighbors (Well, maybe I exaggerated on that one:) But all in all they seem to be holding up well.

3. “What are our Christmas plans?”

Oh my, that is a tough question. Let’s see. On the 13th Oak Grove has their Annual Christmas program, the 20th is our family Christmas and Fountains Annual Christmas Program. Christmas Eve we have a 7:00PM service at Oak Grove and an 11:15 PM service at Fountain. Sunday the 27th , after church, we are planning on going to Illinois for a few days and other than a thousand other little things to do between now and then, that is pretty much our Christmas plan:)

Well, Bible study starts in an hour and I haven’t had a shower yet, I better get busy! Have a great day and do something today to bless someone around you:)

Blessings

Ok! I Hear You:)

Ok! Ok! After some significant prodding, I will try to get back in the saddle again and be more consistent with my posts. In reality, it is actually a good thing that I haven’t been posting much lately. As you remember, I started this blog because of the extreme stress that I was under last year with my final year of seminary, a trip to El Salvador and the Commissioning process and writing seemed to provide an outlet for all of that overwhelming stress and frustration. A good friend recently described that sensation this way, “Not knowing whether to scream or puke.” (Boy can I relate to that) In addition it connected me with some wonderful people who provided me with the words and support that I needed to get through what was arguably the most difficult and stressful year of my life.

Now, after our move, we have really begun to settle into our new home and church family and to be honest, right now I really feel in a good place spiritually, physically and emotionally. The churches are going well, lots of things happening, the stress is at a minimum, the challenges are not too great, and life is good. So, I just haven’t felt that compelling desire to sit down and pour out my thoughts.

What I didn’t realize is that there are people who actually enjoyed reading my rambling thoughts and sometimes obnoxious diatribes, and believe it or not, they actually miss it. Who would have thunk it? So, I will do my best to sit down and just get back into the habit of writing and realize that I am truly blessed with a good life and friends who care about me, even when I am rambling and obnoxious, which people who know me would say is most of the time:)

Blessings

Better Hold On Tight!

Have you ever had the experience of simply watching and witnessing as the Holy Spirit works? I very much have been sensing that movement of the Holy Spirit here recently, and right now, I am doing my best to either hold on tight or get completely out of the way.

I have been spending a little time here recently reflecting back upon the last four months that we have been here in Corydon and I see some very exciting things going on. So, this morning I thought that I would share with you some of the accomplishments that I have been witnessing.

Initially we began two Bible studies, one for each church and I was astounded that the attendance at Oak Grove was around 25. That attendance has continued every week ranging at the lowest of about 20 and the highest of 27, with the total attendance at Bible study between the two churches averaging between 30-40 per week. The awesome thing is that many of these people have NEVER in their life attended Bible Study before. (That is good for me because if they don’t have anything to compare it to, they have no idea how unorthodox I really am as a teacher:) Now we have added a third Bible study which meets here at the parsonage on Wednesday morning. This has been a great deal of fun so far and may prove to be my favorite study of the week.

Both churches have also started choirs in the past few months. It has been awesome to watch as people who have never been in choirs before settle into the routine of rehearsals and performance. Last week both churches stepped out of their comfort zone and participated in the monthly Community Hymn Sing, which was hosted by Oak Grove. Both churches did a totally awesome job and the church was completely packed. (Now that we see what that looks like, it gives us something to shoot for)

Oak Grove has even taken the excitement of the choir to a new level and one of the members made arrangements to have choir robes and stoles donated to the church and this Sunday they will sing in their new robes for the first time. How cool is that?

Oak Grove is also the proud owners of new United Methodist Hymnals which had the potential of being a major obstacle and stumbling block. The last time they bought hymnals was almost forty years ago. But instead of creating controversy, it was an awesome blessing, so much so that I am pretty sure that we will be ordering new Pew Bibles next week because “the new hymnals make the old Pew Bibles look so awful” (The Lord sure works in mysterious ways)

Oak Grove and Fountain came in first and second in our ministry cluster Chili Cook-off

Between the two churches they raised over $5000 in their respective annual dinners.

Oak Grove will be replacing the very old picture of Jesus, which is now the focal point of the sanctuary with a very large handmade wooden cross, donated by one of our expert wood workers.

We are working on putting a large cross and flame (The United Methodist logo) on the front of the church. (How radical is that to actually identify our church as United Methodist?)

We are adopting families to help for the Christmas Season, shoe boxes for Children, donating to Community Services, working with Ronald McDonald House, Christmas programs, adding services on Christmas Eve…

Well, you get the picture. Right now I feel a little bit like I am just along for the ride. Most, if not all, of these projects are being driven by laity within the churches. The Holy Spirit is working very hard here in Corydon, I just pray that I can stay out of the way and let God work:)

Blessings

Be Strong!

I know, I know, I did it again, I went a very long time without posting something. To be honest, I wasn’t planning on posting anything today, but I stopped by my blog this morning for the first time in quite awhile and I read the heartfelt, passionate comment left by my good friend Nancy on my last post and she inspired me to begin writing again. I encourage everyone who hasn’t done so already to go back and read what she wrote.

I don’t think that Nancy would mind me saying, but I have known her since I first started seminary and she is someone who I have always had great love and respect for, even though we are different in many ways. (I couldn’t have made it through “World Religions” without her:)

The reason that I was inspired to write today is because what Nancy shared is an example of the daunting challenge and sometimes seemingly hopeless isolation felt often times by myself and most of my clergy friends, as they seek to do the will of God. I read what Nancy shared both with a sense of joy and with a sense of sadness. The joy comes from knowing the great work that she is doing and the sadness is felt as I come face to face with the obstacles that someone who is truly called by God is facing. The most profound sadness is that Nancy isn’t alone in her challenges. I can name dozens of pastoral colleagues and friends who face horrendous situations in churches out of really no fault of their own.

These pastors, just like Nancy, are doing what God has called them to do, and bearing fruits of that effort, often in spite of the continuous roadblocks and barriers thrown up by the leadership of the churches they have been appointed to, and that leadership could be the actual elected leadership or those who simply meet out in the parking lot for the meeting after the meeting.

I was inspired to write today for one reason, and that is the desire to lift up all of those friends and colleagues who are struggling against all odds to do the work that God has called them to do.

When Moses delivered his final charge to Israel before they crossed the Jordan River, he said, ”Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

When Joshua began to lead the children of Israel, the Lord said to him, Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

When David charged Solomon before he built the first temple, he said, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with you; he will not fail you, nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.

I don’t know if you caught all of that or not, but in every one of those passages where the people are told to be strong and courageous, there is also the promise of God’s presence.

It is the presence of God that makes God’s people strong. It is God’s presence that enables you to continue moving forward when you get down and discouraged with what is happening in your life and in your ministry.

The next time you feel discouraged I want you to remember...

“That Noah drank too much, but God used him anyway.
Abraham and Sarah were too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young,
David had an affair and was a murderer
Isaiah preached naked (I wouldn’t recommend that one)
Jonah ran from God,
Zaccheus was too small
AND Lazarus was dead!”

So…
Be Strong you who labor for the Lord!

Be strong all of you who labor in God’s fields in hopes of an abundant harvest
Be strong all you people of God and know that God is with you in this place, and know that God will grant you peace.
Amen!

Stop Me Before I Say Something I Will Regret!

Well, I have done it again, let more than a week go since my last post. It really isn’t that I don’t have anything to say, and I can’t honestly say that I don’t have the time. Perhaps it is the fact that what I really want to say are about issues that as a pastor, I really should let go or at the very least only weigh in on from a theological perspective, even though many of my colleagues don’t follow this line of thinking.

I read with great interest the posts on Facebook and other places of my colleagues in ministry. I think of one colleague in particular who was in tears about their treatment at their current appointment. They were devastated about how they felt abused, and isolated. But as I read what they write, I have to wonder if they share these same views from the pulpit, in conversation and in Bible Study. If so, then I can guarantee that this person is alienating 90% or more of their congregation.

Is it acceptable to hold strong political and social views and be a pastor? Of course it is! Is it acceptable to share these views with others? Perhaps so, but one has to be very careful, and avoid doing so in a threatening way. We have to be pastors to everyone in the congregation, not just the ones who agree with us.

For instance, this person feels very strongly about the issue of homosexuality as both a societal issue and clergy issue. This, of course, is one of the most hotly and fiercely debated issues in the church. I think that I am safe in saying that 80% of the people in this pastors congregation would tend to disagree with the view that this pastor holds. Is it wrong for this pastor to hold this view? No, Should this issue be discussed? Yes

So then, how does one approach it? If a pastor chooses to follow this particular pastor’s approach, then you confront, push it to the forefront, make your position known in no uncertain terms, preach sermons on it, and then have little patience for those who disagree.

In case you haven’t figured it out, this is a prescription for disaster from a pastoral perspective, with you as the pastor being miserable in your appointment, your congregation being miserable, frequent phone calls to the District Superintendent from both parties, and ministry at a standstill.

This is the dilemma that I find myself in. I could certainly weigh in on a variety of topics, from Health Care to the war in Afghanistan to Fox News and I am safe in saying that 80% of my congregations and the people that I know would agree with me almost 100%, (although a lot of the people who read my blog would ABSOULTLY NOT :) LOL Which is certainly alright!

But, I am indeed concerned about the 20% in my congregation that holds differing views. It is difficult to argue about issues that could tend to isolate those that I care about. I am called to be their pastor as well.

So, for now, I am just focusing on preaching the Good News and the Love that Christ has for each of us. These other issues will wait for another day:)
Blessings

That's Blasphemy!!!!

Ok, I have to admit that juggling and preparing for 3 Bible Studies is a bit of a challenge. I am having extreme episodes of Déjà vu, and wondering if I have already told this story or explained about one word or another to this group. But for the most part I have decided that it is ok to retell a few stories:) Besides, I often tell them more for my own benefit than I do theirs anyway:)

Tonight we had an awesome discussion about the “unforgivable sin” of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

“I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." (Mark 3:28-29)

So, my blogging family and friends, tell me, what does it mean to blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? Once it has been done, is it not possible to be redeemed? Is it something much deeper than what we would think of as blasphemy?

As I said, we had some interesting discussion tonight and I would love to hear what you have to say on the subject:)

Perhaps I can complicate things even more by mentioning another passage:

"And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him. (Luke 12:10)

Blessings

New Bible Study Starts Today!

Today we are beginning a new Bible Study. I had a request from a parishioner to have a daytime study which intrigued me and after a little thought I decided to go forward with it. We decided to hold this one at the parsonage, which is a neutral spot so I hope to draw people from both churches, and if nothing else, it means that I don’t have far to go:)

I think that we are going to study 1 Corinthians. I have never done a Bible study on this book and since it is one of my favorites, I think that it will be fun.

I have to admit that I am a bit apprehensive. I don’t know if we will have 3 people or 23. I would be thrilled with 7-10. I will let you know how it goes.

I better get off the computer and get ready, it starts in just 2 hours:)
Blessings!

I'm Just Trying To Eat My Lunch Here!!!!

I sometimes have to wonder what the world that we live in is coming to. I really do try to understand where others are coming from. I struggle to view issues from as many points of view as possible, but I have to admit that I am finding it increasingly difficult to do so.

In about 10 minutes of reading the news this morning (which is always a tremendous mistake for me anymore) I found no less that 4 different articles that made me anywhere from angry to just plain stupefied.

I will leave the political ones out for now, and I won’t discuss the attack on Christmas that I read, I will leave the issue alone, for now, about the conservative group wanting to rewrite the Bible (actually that one irritates me both for what the conservative group is doing and for those on the other side who condemn them, because if anything, as far as I am concerned, it has been my liberal colleagues in academia that historically have been more guilty of selectively interpreting scriptures to fit their own biases. Let’s just say I think both sides are wrong in this one.

This brings me to the article that caused me the most irritation this morning. It was about a 6 year old boy who was so excited about his new camping tool for Cub Scouts (a spoon/knife/fork combination) that he took it to school so that he could use it to eat lunch with. (Quite easy to understand from a 6 year old boy perspective)

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/education/12discipline.html?_r=1&bl

Unfortunately, this action was in violation of the zero tolerance for weapons policy at the school and our little 6 year old camper was suspended for 45 days. Good student, no previous problems, no malicious intent on his part, just a little boy excited to use his new camping tool. (This vicious weapon was discovered as he was eating his lunch with it)

I just don’t know what our world is coming to. I completely understand a six year old boy not having a full grasp and intricate knowledge of the school weapons policy and I certainly understand how he didn’t see this faux pas to be a MAJOR rules infraction, punishable by a 45 day suspension. What I don’t understand, however, is how our school systems have gotten so STUPID that they can’t tell the difference between a malicious threat and a six year old boy enjoying his lunch.

If this is the level of ignorance and lack of common sense prevalent on the part of the leadership in our schools today, then it is no wonder why our student test scores are dropping and why we do indeed find so many kids being “left behind.”

We have a joke around our house about people in $1000 suits sitting in expensive offices making decisions simply to make our lives miserable just so they can justify their jobs. This certainly seems to qualify as one such example!

Wakeup America! Before it’s too late!

Blessings!

The Search for the Perfect Pumpkin...

Today is a special day in the Higdon clan. In just a few hours, 3 generations of Higdon’s will take our annual pilgrimage to the Pumpkin Patch at Huber Farms to pick out just the right pumpkins. We will begin the pilgrimage with a stop at the JayC Food store here in Corydon to pick up a picnic lunch of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and whatever else looks especially good from behind the deli counter. We used to actually eat at the restaurant at Huber Farm, but the salary of a pastor and the rest of the family laid off just doesn’t allow for that anymore for the entire crew. After picking up lunch we will head to the Huber Farm and Orchard, which is a sprawling complex in beautiful Starlight Indiana (You have got to love that name).

Some of the activities that the kids especially love to do are jumping on this humongous pillow of air. I’m sure it has a name, but that is the best way that I can describe it. Another thing that the kids love is hiking up the “mountain” and sliding down the giant slide. Last year Andrew wasn’t too sure that he liked that very much but Mary couldn’t get enough of it. I think that my favorite part is feeding the animals. They have llamas, goats, geese, bunnies (Karen’s favorite) horses, deer, and probably a half dozen other animals that I am forgetting.

After exhausting the kids at the petting zoo, we will head out on the big wagon to the pumpkin patch so that the kids can select the perfect pumpkins. This is of course a great time to read to the kids the annual installment of Margery Cuyler’s book, “The Bumpy Little Pumpkin” which is one of Mary and Andrew’s favorite books. The trip to the pumpkin patch is expected to be rather cool today so I would recommend dressing warm:)

After selecting just the right pumpkins, we return to the farmer’s market and try the warm apple cider, sample the endless varieties of fresh homemade breads and cookies and pick up Karen’s favorite strawberry preserves.

By this point I expect Grandpa to be pretty tired and anxious to head for home where there will be a big pot of soup beans simmering in the crock-pot.

Sounds like a good day ahead! Anyone want to come along?

Blessings

Have Respect For Your Elders!

I saw this video on Facebook the other day and thought it was great. So as a part of my effort to lift up traditional family values, here is my first installment, a lesson on why you should have respect for our senior citizens:)

Apparently a woman was video taping her boys while they were skateboarding, heard a noise behind her and well… I will let you figure out the rest on your own.

I will leave it to my cyber detective to determine if this is real or not:)

(Be sure to listen to the laughter of the woman who was videotaping)

Blessings

"To Run Where the Brave Dare Not Go..."

So I guess maybe you noticed that I haven’t posted anything for awhile. To be honest I have actually seriously thought about discontinuing my blog altogether. I have become so frustrated here lately that I have had to ask myself if this is something that I even want to continue doing.

Let me try to explain.

I see our nation going in directions that are almost abhorrent to me. I watch as our Government spends money (borrowed money) that we don’t have, at increasingly exponential rates without any discussion of how we will ever be able to pay the money back. This debt will be saddled on our kids and grandkids but we are told that there is no other option.

I watch as Congress moves ever closer to a health reform bill that I can see as nothing but tragic for our nation and especially for our young people. What happens to a young person who lives on their own, and is barely making ends meet. They will be forced by our government to buy heath coverage which will be at least $200-300 per month. The young person laughs and says, uhhh I don’t have $20-30 extra at the end of the month! “How in the heck do I buy health insurance.” (Of course we are told that there will be subsidies to help, yeah right!!!) So our kinder and gentler Government says oh that’s ok, since you can’t afford the insurance premium, we will go ahead and charge you an additional penalty of say around $1000. So now our young person owes the government a $1000 penalty, they still don’t have insurance and we all sit back in awe at the wonderful "change" that is coming about in our nation.

Now, since our young person can’t pay for insurance and they certainly can’t pay the penalty, the IRS gets involved as the mechanism to collect from this “deadbeat” young person. They garnishee the miniscule wages that our poor young person makes, they call their employer, check with the neighbors (all standard IRS tactics) abscond with their paltry tax refund, pillage their only remaining $17.76 that they had in their checking account (more realistically knowing most young people, the bank account would be overdrawn anyway so the IRS would strike out there) and otherwise make their life miserable.

Well, since the government has now taken their wages, they can’t pay for anything, they lose their apartment, and their 1986 Chevy Corsica gets reposesed because they can’t make the payments, they still owe the government and they still have no insurance, they end up moving back home with Mom and Dad. (Yeah, like you didn’t see that one coming)

But now they have another problem, this has unfortunately turned into a criminal case (YES, THIS IS IN THE HEALTH CARE BILL) they will now be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in prison and fined $25,000.

This is the lunacy of the health care reform supported, encouraged, loved, embraced, and drooled over by so many of my “friends” and colleagues.

I have tried, pleaded and even begged for a civil conversation over these issues. I have written about it ad nauseam and tried to help my “friends” look at these issues though a different lens if only for a moment.

You may ask, what this has to do with writing my blog? Just after my last post, I challenged something one of my friends posted which was bitter and mean spirited. He agreed with me that it was and in writing his response, which I know was his very best attempt to be fair and magnanimous he said that he had always considered the Progressives to be the adult in the debate. So there you go, my progressive friend, doing the best he could to be fair, can’t keep from calling conservatives, children. Even in a message of reconcilliation we can't keep from calling the other side names.

So honestly, I give up! I don’t want to spend all my time arguing, I also don’t want to spend all of my time writing about trivial, personal things, (as much fun as it is to write about Andrew and his drums) I am not smart enough to reflect as theologically as some of my colleagues that I have such great respect for, and whatever I have to say about these issues that are of extreme importance, I am either made to feel that I am somehow being childish or I am belittled for maintaining the set of beliefs and values that I have accumulated over the last half century on this earth. (Which is extremely frustrating when it comes from someone younger than my own children)

So I have a decision to make, do I give up, crawl into the comfortable cocoon of my churches…
(which is exactly what I have been doing)

Or, do I strike out like Don Quixote de la Mancha, tilting at windmills and striking blows in a quest for chivalry and the values that I believe in...

I know, Don Quixote was a little crazy, and I have been accused of that as well. But like Don Quixote, I also have an impossible dream and perhaps it might be just a bit too early for me to give up.

Blessings

Oh My! What Have We Done?

Next week will be a momentous occasion. Our little Grandson Andrew will turn 3 years old. As we were deciding what to get him, there was really only one thing that came to mind that he truly couldn’t live without and that is a drum set of his very own. First of all let me explain that Andrew is not just an everyday boy who likes to beat on pots and pans with wooden spoons. Andrew is already an accomplished musician.

There is nothing that he loves to do more than drum, much to the chagrin of his parents. He drums when he gets up in the morning, at the meal tables and he even drums when he is asleep. He drums with cool whip bowls and cooking spoons or drinking straws on the table at restaurants. Once, when he couldn’t find suitable drum sticks, he took the legs off his sister’s Barbie’s and used those. The remarkable thing about his ability is that he is actually very good, for a 3 year old. He looks like a drummer when he plays, he acts like a drummer, and if he plays along to music (which isn’t necessary to make him happy), he can even keep a steady beat. (Karen was impressed that he seemed to enjoy playing along to Barry Manilow, Copacabana is his favorite:)

Of course as a Christian we certainly don’t believe in reincarnation, but if we did, there is no doubt in my mind that Andrew would have been a famous drummer in a past life:)

So with that in mind, Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa decided that it was time to put away the childish Cool Whip bowls and wooden spoons and give the boy an official drum set. Yes, you heard correctly, Mom and Dad not only supported the decision but recommended it. (I think that we may need to pick up some ear plugs for Mom and Dad) You have to believe me when I tell you that drumming is this boy’s life and no one knows that better than Mom and Dad and they knew that there is nothing on earth that would make him any happier than his own drums.

So, this Sunday at 2:00, if you hear a very loud excited scream, followed by a loud incessant banging sound coming from around Ben and Crystal’s house, don’t worry, it will only be Andrew taking his musical talent to the next level.

May God forgive us for what we have done:)

Blessings

I Think My Brain Is Cluttered...

This morning I have a bunch of random thoughts floating around in my head so, I am afraid that you will just have to bare with the hodge podge that is my brain today:)

First of all, I am continuing along on my “Swim the Ohio” journey, I have now completed 144 out of the 1023 laps for a total of around 4.3 miles. So far so good! One continuing benefit is that I have also now lost 20lbs since graduation from seminary. It is a slow process and it isn’t like I am working that terribly hard at it, so I am pleased so far.

The next thing that I have been thinking about is Bible Study. I am just thrilled with both churches. We have been averaging around 35 in attendance between the two churches and what thrills me the most is the depth of the questions that they are asking me and each other. We have really been covering a lot of theological ground, and I hope that I am asking more questions of them than I am giving answers. (you may have to think about that last statement for a minute) In addition, I have now had a request to add a third Bible study that would meet during the day. Hmmmm, I better jump on that while the iron is hot, it’s not everyday that people are requesting more Bible studies:)

I am also very excited about the choirs in both churches. Oak Grove jumped on the choir thing very quickly and we have averaged about 9-10 people at each rehearsal. Wednesday night I actually got a chill during one moment that we were singing. I mean, they have harmony and everything:) Not that it is a contest, but I would be happy to put them up against any church choir that I have heard since I have been here in Harrison County, and I have heard several area church choirs.

Fountain was a little slower to jump on the choir wagon. The first rehearsal was just our piano player, her husband and me. But, we persisted and the first Sunday was a duet. Last Sunday we had 5 in the choir and last night at rehearsal we had 6 and I was just amazed at the blending of sound and harmony that they were doing after such a short time of practice. Both churches are very blessed with talented people.

Karen and I are also preparing for an exciting month of October. Our son Ben is running in his first 5K race that he has been training for, we are looking forward to going back up to Seymour for Oktoberfest which is an annual event for us, my sister is coming to visit for the first couple weeks, and we are very much looking forward to that, of course my birthday is October 6th and since I have made it a half century, that is worth mentioning:) We are planning a Pet Blessing service sometime in mid October and when we take my sister back home, we will pick up Karen’s mom and she will stay with us at least through the end of October, and oh yeah there is that little thing called Charge Conference that will involve many meetings through October. Sounds like a busy, but great month ahead:)

So do you get the feeling my mind is a bit jumbled this morning? Yeah, me too! Oh well, I am sure that after I spend the night tonight at the Youth campout at Fountain church, I should be back to normal thinking clearly tomorrow! What? You don’t think so? I know, me neither! But that’s my story and I’m sticking to it:)
Blessings!

Lesson Learned: Some people aren’t even remotely interested in my opinion:)

Yes, I know that this may be hard for you to believe, but I found out in no uncertain terms that not everyone values my charming insight, loveable, sarcastic wit and humble, sage wisdom. :) I was pursuing through Facebook the other day when I ran across a rather long but interesting thread submitted by a friend of mine. Somewhere toward the end, there appeared what I thought was a rather rude departure from the thread, where some guy (actually an MTSO Seminary student) that I didn’t know, seemed to be (in my opinion) bullying a woman, who I also don’t know, but have grown to admire as I have read her Facebook responses. (She is actually the Aunt of one of my “friends”)

Her comment to him was that she thought his critique of the issue he was discussing was rather harsh. Well, let’s see, he used the words Nazi, concentration camp, ghetto, and stated that we as Americans are all culpable in the genocide of the Palestinian people, so I think that those words might possibly qualify as harsh.

Of course me being ready to jump in and help this woman out, (and certainly not having a dog in the hunt) I pointed out to him nicely, (at least that’s my story:) that his words were not only harsh but incendiary and that perhaps he could win more friends and influence more people to his cause if he tried to tone down the harsh rhetoric. I think I have mentioned to you before that if you sit down with me and simply tell me your side, I am much more willing to listen than if you try to beat me over the head with your viewpoint.

Believe it or not, he didn’t seem to find any wisdom in my thoughts, as a matter of fact he didn’t find me wise at all:) (maybe a wise… well you know) He accused me of putting words in his mouth, not reading what he wrote, and basically saying that if I find the use of those words incendiary then it was me that had the problem, he was just speaking the truth.

Hmmmmm so what do you do? Well, I first looked and found out that this young man was younger than my kids. I know, go figure that one, young and already knows all the answers, now there is a combination that you don’t see every day:)

So, being the pastorally and mentorly type I am, I thought. “You know something, I bet he doesn’t even realize that he is being rude and totally insensitive,” and quite honestly, if he doesn’t understand that before he enters ministry, the people in his churches, or perhaps the Board of Ordained Ministry will help him to figure that out very quickly, and usually painfully.

Hoping to save him that potential career ending error, I sent him a message and pretty much just shared with him that he could do much better for both his cause (which happens to be the Palestinian people) and for himself if he dropped the incendiary rhetoric, and actually made an attempt to help people to understand the plight of the people that he was concerned about, that making the people angry who could potentially be allies in the struggle is really not a good idea, and in defense of my friend, shared with him that there is a big difference between the theoretical debates of seminary and the give and take of ideas in the real world and that you can catch a lot more flies with honey if you only try.

Well, our young friend took considerable exception to my fatherly advice, told me that I wasn’t worth his effort to respond, questioned my intelligence (which he may be right on that one) called me several things that I had to go look up in the dictionary (He really is an intelligent guy) and told me something psychoanalytical about me trying to act superior to cover my inferiority complex, or something along that lines. I may have to go look that one up as well, you never know, he may have something there:)

So, I thought of a thousand ways to respond and then decided that no response was probably in order.

Ok, here I go with the superiority thing again, or perhaps he would say condescending attitude, but I really do feel sorry for him. I don’t even know him, but his words were really seething with anger, he responded in a manner that I perceived as anger to the woman who was simply stating her understanding of the issue, he responded to me in anger (And I am certainly not saying that I don’t deserve it) but, past experience tells me that there is always a better way.

I really do wish him the best, he is facing a very long and difficult road ahead, the people in his churches are not always going to agree with him, and somewhere in his journey he will have to learn that lashing out in anger isn’t the best option, and I will tell you that speaking from experience it has never worked out well for me.

Hopefully he will learn these lessons along the way, I know he won’t learn them from me, He thinks I am a……… Well, I will let you fill in the blank on that one:)

Blessings!

Maybe I should hit the reset button...

Yesterday was a very challenging day. To begin with, after I left the YMCA, I had that feeling that you get when you feel like you are beginning to come down with something, but you really aren’t sure what it is yet. (Thank goodness I feel much better today)

Then, when I got home, I had a phone call from someone who was experiencing a personal crisis, followed immediately by someone else whose 18 year old daughter suddenly dropped out of college and moved to Ohio with a boy she just met on the internet. (It is times like these that you understand why some of the animals in the animal kingdom eat their young.) Please keep this young girl and her family in your prayers.

Yesterday afternoon was spent at a car dealership with Terri as she is looking to buy a car. My past experience with these places is that you better hold onto your wallet because they will do everything they can to take advantage of you, and yesterday was no exception. So, a couple of hours later and still no car, we left to regroup for another day.

I am also struggling with the apparent inequity in one aspect of the changeover of insurance as we merge from two conferences into the one Indiana Conference. There is an issue which seems very unfair to those who are on the bottom of the United Methodist pay scale and it seems to be something that will potentially continue to affect those families for years to come unless it is addressed.

Then, last night, in the middle of working on about 3 different projects, the internet suddenly went down. Then I realized that our cable TV was out as well. Uh oh, did the bill not get paid? LOL That was my first thought anyway:) But, the bill was fine, there was some sort of outage in the area, that didn’t get restored until sometime in the night.

So, I am hoping for a better day today, perhaps even a quiet day would be nice. Oh and while I am at it, I will share one joy with you. I mentioned that we had 25 at Bible study last week at the Oak Grove church, well Fountain church, not to be out done, had 61 in worship on Sunday, which was by far their best Sunday since I have been there. In addition, we now have 2 baptisms scheduled. So, maybe I shouldn't hit the "reset button" after all :)

Blessings!

I'm on my way...

Today I officially resumed my quest to “Swim the Ohio.” After a 2 week hiatus because of the maintenance work being done on the YMCA pool, this morning I resumed my journey. I can’t believe what a difference two weeks made in my conditioning, or should I say lack of conditioning. Two weeks ago when I walked out of the pool, I actually felt pretty good. This morning, it was more like, when I dragged myself out of the pool, I thought I was going to die:(

As I was doing a little bit of math on this quest, it breaks down this way: To complete 31 miles I will have to swim 1023 Total Laps, 2046 Total Lengths, 51,150 Total Yards.

So far I have completed 81 Laps, 162 lengths, 4050 Yards. So far, so good:)

If all goes well, I will complete my swim sometime around the first week in December!

Blessings!

The Chubb Chubbs are coming...

Ok, on a much brighter note from yesterday, I was at a friend's house this evening and they shared this video with me. I thought it was really funny and I hope that you can take the time to watch it. For my Star Wars/Sci-Fi fans, count and see how many references to your favorite Sci-Fi movies you can find.

This is definitely a departure from some of my more recent posts! Enjoy!

Blessings

PS: Don't miss the end of the film after the credits:)