A fear come true

After years of complaining my mother has gone online. And like Job and his comforters she has got her computer pals with lots of advice but its now a fear come true because its me she is calling as well for help.
And we are doing as sons and parents have done for years talk in two different languages about the same thing but now its not music or hair length or money or my work ethic or that I fish to much but now its computer stuff .
And right now music would be a lot easier than a crashed computer to talk about and less stress full.

Later

Different styles

What a great Saturday to spend some quality time at the tackle shop chatting about fishing. As I looked around I was amazed at the different styles of baits and the colors they come in . I can't wait till I can get out there and do some quality fishing giving them a good try...
But till then I'll keep meeting as I have and will continue too with two other pastors,
and Now here are some different styles for sure in preachers - one is a thinker ( a great theologian ) me I am like the old revival preachers fiery so my Pentecostal pals say and then every group needs a father figure kind off guy and I guess that's the other guy.
Different styles work in fishing and in preaching for sure but there is one style we need to be in tune with and that is our Savior Jesus.

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Hand delivered letters

I am so use to email that I didn't realize that snail prices have gone up, and so now all my old stamps are
inadequate for the job , unless they get some help from penny stamps.
There is something about receiving mail that is cool to wait for and read , like all the duplicate mailings I get from my church's head office. Its too bad they can never figure out there is only one of me not two or three.
This past week my kids liked getting their valentines day cards with $ in them. Mail can be fun until its a Hand delivered letter - which says " I love you and the church but we are leaving for another church......"
I wish the people who get called to move on could see the empty pew they leave behind both in the church and in people's lives.
While Pastoring the rural church is great the challenge is greater in keeping people.
I wish people would take My advice and Stay where they are at ! Because if your thinking of leaving or hearing a call to another bigger church, stay where you are and make that church great and bigger.
Now this will take a shift from a consumer faith to committed faith. BUT IT'S WORTH IT !!!

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5 cents short

Yesterday On my way in for a coffee I grabbed a bunch of change from the car and when I went to pay for it I was 5 cents short - it was a little embarrassing but thankfully the lady counted out five cents from the penny cup and wished me a good day.
That 5 cents got me to thinking how many times have people been just 5 cents short of what I have expected them to accomplish or act like or contribute only to have them come just short of the goal AND was I then willing to dip into my own resources and help them accomplish the goal or send them away empty.
So my coffee cup lesson is this " don't send people away just 5 cents short - help them out, it makes for a better day all round "

Later

Cell phones and parallel parking

This is Tuesday my day to hit the big town and due errands. I don't oppose cell phones ( I have one ) But when someone is talking on their cell as they are pulling out ( from their parallel parking spot ) and
at the same time twisting their neck so they can see. not really being in full control at that moment--
you really hate to be driving - what ever happened to doing just one thing at a time ?
I know its Technology ! And in our church's we have done the same thing instead of doing one thing well we have with technolgy become multi tasked - and as this driver didn't see the danger for the oncoming cars -
we forget we might be creating a bunch of near hits and misses instead
of helping people do the one most important thing - Becoming Like Jesus.

Later

Sunday School Taechers

Part of my duties as a pastor is going to a nursing home and holding a 30 min church service.
Sounds easy enough BUT when singing isn't your thing and they expect lots of singing it can be difficult.
But I am very thankful for a great piano player. So in picking out songs for this service I like to keep em fast, familiar and lively . So we sang "Jesus loves me" which many remembered singing in Sunday school.
And with a clock that seem to take forever to move to the next minute I asked if any of the seniors present had taught Sunday School before and sure three had.
I wish I had some kind of gift to give them in appreciation for teaching in the past.
There smiles made a difference to me.
I ask this : Where do forgotten Sunday school teachers Go ?
With all kinds of days that mark our calendars of events why can't mark another day on the calendar and remember our former Sunday school teachers one day of a year.

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Today I saw a Robin

Its the first week of February and the signs of winter are still very visible where ever you look.
But today I saw a robin a sign of of spring and of better days ahead , days of lawn mowing instead of snow shoveling, days of warm breezes instead of frigid winds and the opening of fishing season !!!!
This past week I attended a class for pastors which is developing us for greater effectiveness.
I wonder as God viewed us through his window in heaven if the sight of eager young pastors meeting toghther gave to him the same hope off assurance the robin gave me of Better days ahead.

later

Old memories and a sad future

The church I pastor in it's past had been part of a circuit deal with two other church's .
Over time they all separated going their own ways because of growth . Which was Good.
So now to keep some kind of 'fellowship' alive we have a combined service 3 times a year in one of the three church's . And the host pastor never preaches but leads the service while one of the pastors will and to make the night complete we have coffee and food to follow.
But the memories held by the 80+ crowd of of a time gone bye makes me wonder what the future holds because there hasn't been much in these last years worth remembering, compared to the stories of revial that these church's had .
The preacher for the night gave a top notch sermon on revival.
And here is why I think we could be in for a sad future - unless we have a God sent revival these rural church's might not be here for another 100 years.
Our altars are bare - our prayer meetings are bare - and our people barely show up!
We Need Revival !

Later