Thanks for spending the money and manpower to tell us, not once but three times, what we already knew from the rattling and bouncing of our vehicles.
Is it too much to ask you to actually solve the problem?
I guess if you can’t amaze us with the outcomes, you can always astound us with the obvious.
Hmmm. [click to continue…]
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Ladieeeees and Gentlemen! Boys and girls of all ages! It’s the ultimate prophetic showdown since Elijah and the prophets of Baal!
And I’ve never been so nervous in all my life.
In that corner, at 3 years of age and weighing in at 35 pounds or so, from McKinney, Texas, it’s Laura Kate Wiley.
In this corner, at 53 years of age and weighing in at none-of-your-business, from Mobile, Alabama by way of Lubbock, Texas, it’s yours truly.
I come armed with a theological degree and lots of really useful ministry experience. She comes armed with a Big Picture Story Bible and can sing from memory all four stanzas of “Joy to the World,” the Doxology, and another two dozen hymns and praise choruses.
But this throwdown isn’t about lyrics or words or theology. It’s about boys and girls. And what’s coming home from the hospital in July.
See, about a year or so ago I “prophesied” that all the rest of the grandchildren would be boys – and that it would take that many boys to keep up with the one her mom calls the Big Sasster. So far… so good.
After Baby Cohen (boy) came Baby Shepherd. Check. [click to continue…]
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A Fable about leadership, teamwork, unity, and of course, honey…
It was a lovely morning in the Hundred Acre Wood, where Christopher Robin’s friends lived and played. The bees were abuzz making their honey (and You-Know-Who knew just who it was for).
Kanga had already gotten an early start on motherly things, while Roo was playing close by.
Piglet was pacing about his tidy home saying “Oh Dear, Dear, Dear” because he knew something Important was about to happen, but he couldn’t quite remember what it was.
Rabbit was tending his garden, nervously glancing around for signs that he soon may be bounced by Tigger.
Eeyore was a bit confused as he chomped on a thistle because he couldn’t think of anything to be gloomy about.
Owl was remembering the time to no one in particular that his great uncle Waldo on his mother’s side did something famous because it happened on a lovely day such as today.
And Winnie the Pooh? Being a Bear of Very Little Brain, he was sitting at the Thotful Spot, thinking. And wishing for just a bit of honey, because as everyone knows, bears think better when their tumblies aren’t so rumbly. And there’s nothing like honey to take the rumbly out of the tumbly.
This was no ordinary day after all. This was the day of the Grand Celebration. They weren’t quite sure what they were celebrating, but everyone had agreed that today would be a fine day to celebrate it. [click to continue…]
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(With humble apologies to the Mary Stevenson Estate)
One night I dreamed that I was dipping my feet in the dog’s water bowl
And walking the lonely journey across my patio,
Leaving wet footprints along the way.
Soon I noticed tiny little footprints appearing behind mine.
[click to continue…]
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“Thank you for calling TOPO Services International. This is Brenda.”
“Hi, Brenda, this is Andy. Have we spoken before?”
“Quite possibly, sir. I do get around. And I have only been at TOPO for a couple of weeks. Now how may I direct your call?”
“Let me talk to Human Resources.”
“I am sorry, sir, but everyone in that department is out to lunch this week. I am taking their calls for them. How may I help you?”
“I hear you’re taking applications for heroes. I thought I’d check it out.”
“That is correct, sir. We have permanent and temporary positions available. Are you currently employed?”
“Well, sort of. Would I have to relocate?”
“Not at all, sir. That is what’s so wonderful about working with TOPO. You can continue to do whatever it is you were doing. We initiate the hero program in the comfort of your own lifestyle. By the way, what is it you do?”
“I’m a professor, coach and consultant, and manage a couple of Christian nonprofit organizations. And I used to be a pastor.”
“Excellent! That has some real possibilities, especially now that you are no longer a pastor. There are some questions I will have to ask, however.”
“Fire away. But when you’re finished asking questions, I’ll still be a pastor at heart.”
“Of course, sir. First question: Are you a victim?” [click to continue…]
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A couple of years ago I played around with the idea that maybe there are spiritual gifts – those unusual abilities that are so beyond-the-natural they had to come from the Holy Spirit – that aren’t mentioned in the Bible. The possibilities included gifts such as the gift of dogs, cough, receiving, and criticism. You can find the whole list here.
Good news, friends! The SGC (that’s Spiritual Gifts Commissary for you uninitiated) has announced a fresh, lively shipment of new models for 2011. I feel most certain you know at least one person with each of these. And who knows? Your search for understanding of your own supernatural endowments just may end right here.
Here in no certain order (except alphabetical), are ten MORE spiritual gifts you won’t find in the Bible… but maybe-just-maybe, when the Spirit (or something) is moving, you’ll see these manifestations: [click to continue…]
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If you know my oldest-by-five-minutes daughter at all, you will eventually have the ex-Thanksgiving Conversation (XTC for short). Carrie’s growing frustration is that in the rush to jump from Halloween to Christmas, the world has turned on Thanksgiving
If you decide to hang your holly before you’ve baked your turkey, it may be a good idea to keep it to yourself. Otherwise, if “Baby A” finds out about it, you may get The Look. Or worse, execution-by-XTC.
So when we caravanned from Texas to Alabama this weekend for Thanksgiving, to Carrie, it was all about giving thanks. And when we attended the Baptist church in Millry Sunday morning, Carrie became a shouting Baptist when Brother Billy talked about Thanksgiving being the Forgotten Holiday.
“Amen! It’s about time!” she shouted.
Yes, I mean shouted (though she may take issue with my choice of terms).
Still a bit edgy and armed for early-Christmas bear, this led to more conversation. How can we teach people to value Thanksgiving? How can we turn the tide of obscene Christmas shopping, at least until the cranberry sauce is back in the fridge? What can we do to capture the true meaning of what may be America’s most important holiday?
Deep stuff, friends. Insight needed beyond my little pea brain. This calls for the wisdom of Solomon, the intelligence of Einstein, and the people skills of Bill Clinton.
“You’re in luck,” I proclaimed to the fam. “It’s time to go over the river and through the woods!”
“But we’re already at Grandmother’s house,” said Cassie.
“Different river, different woods!” I exclaimed triumphantly. “It’s time you met Bobo Brown.” [click to continue…]
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What the Founding Fathers said to the lawyers:
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
What the Lawyers said to the Judges: [click to continue…]
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It’s a universal problem, I suppose. In more than 30 years of church work, one of the most common refrains I have heard (and generated, I’m sure) is, “I don’t like my pastor.”
I’ve heard it from every conceivable angle. Staff members who feel like they’re working for an isolated jerk. Church members who miss – or are tired of – the old guy. People who can’t stand the new guy. Heck, I’ve even met pastors who didn’t like themselves.
Little did I know there is a counseling hotline available for people to call for advice or to vent their frustrations. It’s called, appropriately enough, the “I Don’t Like My Pastor Hotline” – or “Idle Miff” for short.
Idle Miff is run by a guy named Big Al, who will only give his first name. His only other known credential: he was once a pastor himself. Rumor has it that Big Al has a gift for cutting to the issue… and cutting to the quick if he has to.
And for the first time ever, Big Al has agreed to an exclusive interview. Be amazed, friends.
Be amazed, too, that Big Al probably weighs about 130 pounds dripping wet.
It’s a busy day at Idle Miff, and Big Al, as always, is working the phones alone. Mondays are always his busiest day, he says, “for obvious reasons.” So we’ll just have to be OK to catch him between hotline calls.
Not a problem, says I. It’ll be fun to see him in operation. [click to continue…]
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If you’re in church leadership, you know the challenge of weekly developing an experience that’s creative, energetic, uplifting, anointed (gotta be anointed), and most important of all – as cool as the church down the street.
It’s a daunting task.
Fortunately, the folks at Northpoint in Atlanta have produced a resource that will change your life and revolutionize your church.
Or at least give you a laugh, as they spoof themselves.
Check out the video below, follow the easy-to-understand template, and you’ll be renting your city auditorium in no-time, just to keep up with the masses who are flooding in.
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