Wondering In Williamsburg

"If It Is Not Broken, Do Not Fix It!"

2012-02-01T12:36:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard the expression, “If it is not broken, do not fix it?” I know you have and we all understand what that means, right? Simply put, if something is working well there is no need to tinker with it and risk the possibility of messing it up! Years ago, Linda and I purchased our first colored television from an individual. It was an older model, but it had a good picture and great sound, so we enjoyed it. At some point, I decided that I could improve the picture quality by “fine tuning” the horizontal, vertical, color contrast and some other items. When I finished “fixing it,” the picture was hardly recognizable. We would have been much better off, if I had never tried to fix something that was not broken.

A lot of things are like that. Sometimes a person hears Dr. Phil make some claim that a little adjusting of a relationship will make it much richer. A tweak here and a nip there is supposed to make a good marriage great! Remember the theme of this article? Messing with a good marriage to make it better sometimes has catastrophic affects. There is nothing wrong with trying to improve a relationship, but it is often best left alone if it is working for those involved.

I have found the same thing is true with a church! If a church is at peace, happy and loving on each other, why mess with it? If that same church is reaching out to the lost in the community with reasonably good success, why risk ruining that ministry? The list could go on, but you get the idea, right? “If it is not broken, do not fix it!” When we start tinkering with the church, we can find ourselves much worse in the end than we were in the beginning! Then, the question can be asked, “how’s that working for you?”

Many peaceful, growing, and loving churches have become frustrated, cold, and lifeless because someone thought they knew something about “church growth” when the truth is that the church belongs to Jesus and He said, “I will build my church!”

2012-02-01T12:35:00.001-08:00

"Range Wars & Church Leadership!"

2012-01-27T07:58:00.000-08:00

I know you have read about the “wars” that were fought between the cattlemen and sheep herders in the wild, wild West. These “wars” were very prevalent in west Texas and other places where pasture was at a premium. Do you know why the two groups could not get along?

The problem was that sheep graze differently that cattle. Cattle will usually only eat the tops of the grass and not get down close to the ground. It has something to do with the physical structure of their mouths, etc. Sheep, however, can (and will) graze to the point of eating the grass right down to ground level, therefore, making it impossible for cattle to graze on the same land. Obviously, this produced a huge problem for the cattle ranchers as they drove their cattle to the market. Many of them, if they did not die from hunger, had lost so much weight their value decreased dramatically.

Also, remember that one would “drive” cattle, but “lead” sheep! The sheep would just keep on eating until there was nothing left unless those in charge led them to a different area. Occasionally, a sheep would wander off by itself in search of food and fall prey to a hungry beast or become trapped in a vine, but others would die in the field from a lack of food. The problem was not with the sheep nor cattle, but with those whose job it was to lead them to greener pastures.

It is not unlike the responsibilities of tending to the flock of God today! God’s people have to be led, not driven! They will stay in the same spot forever unless someone leads them to greener spiritual pastures. Now, that is risky! God’s sheep may resist being led away from a barren, life-threatening area, but that resistance does not lessen the responsibility of those gifted with leadership.

However, if they are not led to greener pastures where life is, they will die in a barren wasteland. Some will wander off in search of food for their souls, but others will remain stagnant and die spiritually. The result is the same regardless!

--- Bill Butterfield
January 27,2012

Always Someone's Son!

2011-12-30T08:19:00.000-08:00

I grew up in the Ohio River valley known as "Billy" Butterfield, the younger son of Tom and Martha Butterfield. When I began preaching, I was always introduced as "Tom Butterfield's son, Bill." It was like I had no personal identity and it seemed that I would always be known as someone else's son, brother, friend or whatever. I must admit when I became a teen, I resented that a bit...no, a lot! It was never: president of his senior class; student body president at Ohio Valley College (University, now); member of OVC chorus, etc...I was always attached to someone else!

Now, fifty years later, it still happens, but not nearly as much. I have had the unique privilege of preaching in (Colonial) Williamsburg, Virginia for the past fifteen years. It is unique for a lot of reasons, but one is that we have tons of tourists every year. We always have a few folk at every Sunday service from somewhere else. Among those who visit our area are families from Ohio and West Virginia who know the "Butterfield" name.

I still have folk who tell me, "Your Dad baptized me up in Monroe County, Ohio back in the 1950s," or, "Are you related to Tom W. Butterfield?" After such comments and questions, I know that I am in for a ten minute conversation about something that happened decades ago. But, something is different now! I enjoy all of those stories!

It is so refreshing to hear folk speak so kindly of Dad and Mom. To hear them share with me stories about the work that my parents did in various locations within a hundred miles of "the Valley." Baptisms. Marriages. Funerals. Revivals. The list goes on and on! All of those stories are a part of the heritage from my parents and each of them brings joy to my heart.

I can only pray that my sons will have similar experiences in their lifetime. Maybe they will hear about their Grandpa Butterfield's preaching or Grandma Butterfield's sweetness. I hope so! I guess there would be no greater joy than for them to complain about hearing stories about their Dad and Mom's efforts, too!

Yes, I was raised as a "preacher's kid" and have no regrets sharing my identity with those who loved me!

Bill Butterfield
Williamsburg, Virginia
December 30, 2011

"Wondering In Williamsburg" Returns!

2011-12-26T08:41:00.000-08:00

After an absence of more than a year, Wondering In Williamsburg is back again! There were a number of reasons why Wondering.... has not been active, but I hope that time restraints, etc. will not interfere again and allow for it to be worthwhile and regular from this point forward. Many of you contacted me regarding Wondering... and I am humbled and gratified by your concern.

I hope that Wondering... can take a bit of a turn from the past by it being used as a means to challenge you to greater spiritual heights. It is so easy to become lax in our exercising of our mind and when this happens we cease to grow! I know it is comforting to read about how "right" one is, but my goal is not to make the comfortable more comfortable, but to challenge each reader to think...really think!

I remind you that anything appearing in Wondering... is the result of my own study, thoughts, and discretion. It is not my aim to be a spokesperson for anyone else, but me! You may not agree with everything you read in Wondering... and for that matter, I would probably be ashamed of you if you did. Sometimes I don't even agree with what I write because I am still a "work in process" and my thoughts can change regularly. I hold no one to what they believed and taught 20 years, weeks, days or minutes ago IF they are still studying and working through the intellectual process. I feel the same way about myself as long as I am studying and growing!

So, with the above re-introduction to Wondering In Williamsburg, I begin again!

Not "bad" kids...

2010-08-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

I have had the privilege during the past few months to serve as leader of young people who needed to do some "community service." None of these young folk were in any serious trouble with the local departments, but had been careless in maintaining acceptable behavior. Things like staying out past the local curfew and misbehaving more than once in the classroom. During the course of time that I have spent with these young people, I have grown to appreciate each of them and to understand a little about their lives and situations, neither of which I will go into in this blog.

The reason I mention the above is because there are two young ladies cleaning our chapel area right now and they are here for the very first time. I wonder what it is that causes folk to behave in a manner that they know will cause them to serve "community service" time. No, it is not because they do not know what is in store for them because these are "repeat offenders!" [Written a bit in jest!]

I surmise that several things contribute to this form of misbehavior. In my humble opinion, one of the most frequent causes is lack of parental supervision and direction. In the cases this Summer, none had a solid family circle. In many of the families, one of the parents was completely absent due to abdicating his/her responsibility or completing their own "debt to society." With such an absence it falls on the single parent to provide a family income, therefore, absent from the home for hours at a time. We all know what happens when children are left unsurpervised!

Boredom! As I write this, school is just beginning for some, but not for all! Children have finished all of their Summer sports programs, vacations have long since been forgotten, and there is little to do except wait for the first school bell in the Fall. Never are the words, "idle hands are the devil's workshop," truer than at the end of Summer! I have some of those that I work with saying, "I am bored out of my mind! I can't just sit at home alone and do nothing!" Guess what? I understand...I really do!

Well, you get the idea! Rather than being super-critical of those who find themselves in some type of "trouble," we should be working to help them survive the lonely days of Summer! It would not take much for you to supervise some "community service" projects or, better yet, provide some type of adventure so that "community service" would not be necessary!

Any ideas? Please, share them with me.

If I Could Do It All Over Again...

2010-03-05T10:53:00.000-08:00

I wonder what it would be like to begin life over again, but with the knowledge one currently possesses! Oh, I know that it is not possible, but I just wonder. What would I do differently since I know how it is going to turn out? Who would I have on my list of friends? What things would I get involved in knowing the headaches that some of them caused? I wonder...

For instance, would I have made friends with "Butchy" Boggess knowing that nearly sixty years later I would always wonder what happened to him? He and I were the best of friends in the first and second grades, but my family moved and I never saw him again! Does he still live in our hometown? Is he married? Did he follow his father's example and become a mechanic? I don't know...I will never know! If I had known that Laura Lytton did not even know that I existed, would I have walked home behind her everyday in the third and fourth grades? Probably not...but maybe!

Would I have run for senior class president in a school that I attended only two years? What about being student body president in the small junior college from which I graduated, would I do that again? If I knew then what I know then, would I have dressed like an African native in an Afro wig and mini-skirt for my senior class play? Would Dave Jordan and I have tried to get into every club in high school during our senior year (and we would have made it if the Future Nurses Of America would have been more open-minded)?

After junior college, would I have gotten married to the bride that has been by my side for the past forty-five years if I had known then what I know now? Would that bride and I have sought two young boys to adopt and love like we do? If I had known the difficult times we would have living in the "fish bowl" of being a preacher's family, would I have put my family through that experience? I wonder...

There are a few things that are certain! I would have done some things differently, especially in those youthful years, but I don't think I would have excluded any of those people who blessed my life during those days. I would have waited a little while to marry, but I would have married the same bride that has blessed my life over and over again. Those two boys would have been included in my life as my two best friends and the joys of my life.

Another thing that is certain is that I would not have made some of the mistakes that I made through ignorance or in rebellion. Most of those things will be taken to my grave forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ and certainly that would not have changed!

I guess if I could do it all again, it would be with the same people, but with some needed changes! I would, also, like to know if you ever wonder about doing things differently. Leave me a comment!

Do You Have A Gold Medal? I Don't!

2010-02-24T12:04:00.000-08:00

The Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia will be over in a few days and most of us have enjoyed watching superior athletes compete for the precious gold medal that is given to the winner. Of the few dozen who will "win the gold," there are hundreds more that tried, but never quite skated fast enough, allowed the puck to get to the net, or missed that difficult move on the ice. I feel for those who tried to "win the gold," but never quite made it!

It is a little like life! All of us want to succeed at whatever we try, if we didn't we would never try, right? Whether we are trying to climb the ladder of professionalism or write that one song that will make our name memorialized forever or be the kind of parent that will allow our children to "rise up and call us blessed!" We all want to "win the gold!"

But what about those of us who fall a hundredth of a second short? What of those that never make it out of the mailroom in the office complex? What of the author whose work is good, but not "that" good? What if I must settle for silver or even bronze or no medal at all? Am I a loser because I did not "win the gold?"

As I sit and ponder what happened in life's Olympics, I must consider how much effort I made! Did I give it my all? Could I have work harder? Could I have spent more time honing my skills? Was I expecting way too much out of myself? These and other questions will make me wonder until the next time I choose to compete!

Remember one thing. You may never wear the gold medal around your neck, but that does not mean you are not a winner! Victory is nice, but trying to win creates the spirit of determination!

"Not everyone wins a gold medal...but everyone can try!"

Who Will Be Number Eight?

2010-02-16T12:13:00.000-08:00

Am I the only person in the world who never heard of becoming an "honorary citizen of the United States?" I hope not! Did you know that throughout our 234 years of existence that we have honored seven people with "honorary citizenship?" I must have missed the day in history class where this was discussed.

The first one to receive such an honor was General Lafayette in 1784. He was selected for the part he played in our Revolutionary War. This was done by a very grateful nation!

It was two hundred years later before the second such honor was bestowed on Raoul Wallenburg (1981) for his efforts to rescue the Jews from the gas chambers during the Holocaust. Again, a much deserved recognition. I do wonder if there were no others during that two hundred years that accomplished something worthy of note, but he was the second one chosen.

The next two where a husband and his second wife. William and Hannah Penn were bestowed this honor in 1984 for their contributions to our nation through their work in Pennsylvania, but I am not exactly sure what those contributions were. Remember, I said that I must have missed history class the day that these things were discussed!

Kazimierz Pulaski was honored as the "father of the American calvary" in 2009, obviously making him the most recent so honored "citizen of the United States."

Even though the above honorees were recognized after their deaths, two were given the distinction as "honorary citizens" during their lifetime. Sir Winston Churchill was designated in 1963 for his leadership during World War II and for his very close ties with the United States during this period of history. The other honoree was Mother Teresa who was given the award in 1996 for her humanitarian ministry among the poor of this world.

I am wondering who will be the next person given such esteem? Where is that person living? What is he or she doing to merit such acclaim? Who will be the one that nominates them for such an award?

These and other interesting questions await answers!

"Last In Line...AGAIN!"

2009-08-05T10:50:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered why you seem to be the last car in line at a fast-food drive through? Now, I know that this is not "every" time, but it sure seems to me it happens a lot! Just this morning, I drove through the golden arches to get my usual unsweetened iced tea and the line ahead of me totaled seven cars and as I waited (patiently, I might add!), not a single car got in line behind me! Is this a conspiracy or what? Is there something that people are trying to tell me that I am not understanding? Of course, not! No conspiracy! No misunderstanding!

My point is that often people come to conclusions about things that happen to them with the same foolish thinking! How many times have you heard (or, have you said!), "Things just seem to happen to me!" The person is bemoaning what is thought to be some miniscule plot to make their life miserable and doing so with success. Friend, you are not being cursed by the "drive through window witch!" Trust me on this one, okay?

The problem is simple. We tend to remember the things that irritate us longer than those things that please us. It may be a part of human nature. I'm not sure! People can recall things that happened to them years ago that was hurtful, inconvenient, or aggravating, but have already forgotten many of the nice things that people have done for them. If I were to keep a record (which I am not going to do!), I would venture to say that most of the time I am not the last car in line at Mickey-D's. Many times, I am first in line and others have to line up behind me!

When you get to thinking about "all the bad things that happen to you," keep them in perspective because they are not as numerous as one may think! I wonder how many will be in line tomorrow morning about 9:45 when I pull up to that obnoxious speaker?

'Hello? Can You Help Us?"

2009-06-16T11:29:00.000-07:00

Imagine putting down $2000 for a vacation "dreamhouse," only to find that it was more of a "nightmare!" Further imagine that you are in a town where you know no one...no one at all! What do you do? To whom do you turn? Add to the confusion the three small children you have with you to whom you promised a wonderful and exciting vacation! I wonder what YOU would do!

On Thursday evening, June 11, 2009, as I sat with my wife watching some television my cell phone rang! Who would be calling me so late on my cell phone? Is there some type of an emergency with one of our grandchildren? All of you know the thoughts that go through your mind when you get an unexpected call rather late in the evening, right?

The voice of a young lady asked, "Is this the preacher for the Williamsburg Church of Christ?" To which I glad said, "It is." "I need help!" was the quick reply. It seems they were in Surrey in a house they had rented and the actual house did not "exactly" look like the one in the brochure. It was not a pleasant situation for these four adults and three children. "Can you help us?" was the next response. Confused a bit, I asked, "How can I help you?" "Can you find us a place that will house seven people?" "Well, there are hundreds of rooms here in Williamsburg and they offer superior service," I proudly stated. I mentioned a few of the places that I thought would be able to handle such a large number and told them how to find them. "Really?" the young mother asked. "Absolutely, I have no doubt that arrangements can be made that will satisfy your needs," I quickly added.

After we got this all straightened out, she asked my name. I told her that I was Bill Butterfield. In the background I heard another lady shout, "Bill Butterfield? Bill Butterfield from Parkersburg, West Virginia?" Again, I said, "That's me!" These folk were from Bearwallow Ridge, Ohio (yes, there really is a place by that name) where my father had preached many times and I had gone with him a lot of those times. (When you are a "preacher's kid," you go to church a lot!) "Do you remember Frank Clark?" "Of course I remember him and told them exactly where he lived." "That's my grandfather!" the young lady shouted. Then I told her that my first girlfriend (the letter writing kind!) was from Bearwallow Ridge!

Well, they spent the night there and talked to the landlord the next day (who happened to be on his honeymoon and was not excited about being interrupted) and worked things out in some form. They met me at the church building on Merrimac Trail the next morning, much to my surprise, to thank me for talking to them and helping them to see things would work out! After they took my picture so they could show the folk back home, they went on their way to see the historic wonders of our little town!

Why did I share this with you? One simple reason! Those of us who are Christians are a part of a much, much larger family! No matter where you go, you will find brothers and sisters in the Family of God eager to help out others in the Family! If you are not a part of the Christian family, you have no idea what you are missing here and hereafter!

Same Order...Different Service!

2009-06-09T09:25:00.000-07:00

I wonder what the difference is? Those of us who call Williamsburg home are blessed to live in a community that is very diverse...very diverse! The diversity seen here is often limited to much larger cities where crossroads of the world meet. Our little town with its streets lined with beautiful shade trees and houses reminding us our antiquity is at the center of the history of our great country. However, it is, also, a place that many foreign students flocked to each year to work in the numerous service projects available. I remember asking one young man, who was thousands of miles from home, why he would leave home to be a waiter at IHOP. His response was simple, "I can make more money here waiting tables during the busy season than I can at home in a year!" There you have it, but that's not my point!

What fascinates me is the difference in cultures. I frequent McDonald's restaurant each day with the same drive-through order: "large unsweetened iced tea with ten Splendas." The window is served during the summer by young adults from the far east who are so different than those who have the same job in the fall and winter. The "summer" crew is polite, courteous, and greet the consumer with a "Good morning!" and a hardy "Thank you for coming!" They will go out of their way to be sure your order is correct. It is very refreshing! However, during the "off season" one gets no conversation, no greeting, and often an incorrect order. It is not very pleasant to be served in such a bland, non-friendly manner.

If I am not mistaken, most of these young adults are about the same age with nearly the same education, but there is a difference! While some are sullen and appear to be angry, the others are smiling and enjoying their opportunities. What makes these young adults so contrasting?

Could it be the influences that have shaped their lives? Could it be the difference in parenting styles? Could it be while one appreciates the chance to improve his life, the other believes the world owes him a life? The answer to the previous three questions is probably , "Yes!"

Is it any wonder that the consumer gets a bit frustrated with some while not so with others? Without the consumer there would be no jobs for these young adults. There would be no places to work...even minimum waged jobs! I know flipping hamburgers all day and getting someone's "large unsweetened iced tea with ten Splendas" is not the same as discovering the cure for some dreaded disease, but it is better than having nothing to do at all, right?

Be grateful for small blessings, at least, until your blessings can be larger!

Why Can't We All Just Get Along?

2009-05-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

As I sit here this morning wondering about the confusion that exist throughout the world, I won dered why can't we all just get along? North Korea has exploded, at least, one nuclear bomb test and fired off three or four "test flights," the Dow Jones numbers rise and fall like a child's yo-yo; critics appear before the president announces his nomination for the U. S. Supreme Court; and, churches on every corner bicker with one another over some matter of opinion! Can we all just get along? Do we have to criticize each other just because we don't cross every "t" and dot every "i" exactly alike?

We are engaged in a significant expansion and remodeling of our church facilities right at the moment. It has been a project that began last September and is just now drawing to a close. I have watched with interest throughout these eight months as the work has been done. One thing that has caught my attention is the precision of the process. As one job is completed, another one is opened up for a different group of workers. Some work in the area of preparation and are replaced by builders and they are replaced by finishers! Today, painters have spotted places that need a bit more attention while others have been applying the finishing touch. One will be cutting a piece of moulding while one is being carried to the third guy who will put it in place! Precision! It reminds me of a finely tuned dance troup who knows each others move and are ready to step in at the right time.

Why can't life be that way?

If folk were less eager to criticize the opposition and more concerned about getting the job done, peace might just break out everywhere. Lasting peace! Politicians have an "unwritten code" that they must not applaud the efforts of the opposing party! Athletes must not congratulate their opponents even in defeat! Neighbors must fine some critical point with each other's lawns! Churches must announce the differences they have with each other! Why can't we all just get along?

Maybe the reason is that we just cannot be wrong about anything! I remember as a child blaming every scuffle that my brother and I had on my brother. I doubt that he was the source of all our disputes, but I was not about to admit my guilt! Do you have any idea how difficult it is to live with the above disposition? If one cannot be wrong about anything, he must always be on edge lest he be mistaken about something. What if the one thing I don't know proves me to be wrong about some practice? It means that I have to ignore the obvious error and plod ahead because I cannot be wrong! How sad! How troubling!

Friends, neighbors and brethren, why can't we all just get along?

The More Things Change....

2009-05-13T11:54:00.000-07:00

Our local bi-weekly newspaper, The Virginia Gazette, has been covering our community and the surrounding area since 1735. It is pretty much a "folksy" type paper full of information that the rest of the world would find useless and probably a bit boring. However, if you live here you want to know what is happening around town and find out from "The Last Word" what the latest complaints are. Today as I perused it over lunch, I began to wonder how much different the news might have been nearly 300 years ago than it is today. No, I did not research this carefully and read the first edition of the paper, but I did wonder about it.

Were the concerns of 18th century much different than in the 21st century? Were their economic problems then like there are today? Were folk struggling to find employment? Were wars and rumors of wars rampant in their world? Were there athletic events that some found interesting? Were there political "issues" being discussed at length on the front porches of Duke of Gloucester street? Did children give reasons for parents to be concerned? Oh, the list could go on forever, right?

I guess my point is, how much have people changed over the centuries? I know our problems have different wrappings, but are they basically the same problems? When I was a young person one of the huge concerns of parents was their young boys "going out behind the barn" and smoking a cigarette, now it is inhaling some mind-altering drug. But, is that basically the same concern? In high school, if a young girl would become "with child," she would be sent to live with an aunt because the aunt needed help, but she would return in about nine months without a child that was given up for adoption. Today, it is the guilt of unwanted pregnancies and abortion that leads the list of concerns for teenagers who are "with child."

One thing is for sure, God has not changed and never will change! That's comforting to all of us who place our trust in Him. We will never have to apologize for what He did, never be embarrassed by some misdeed that He performed, and never have to explain His prejudices toward anyone. What a blessing! Also, God maintains the answer to the guilt for our misdeeds and the cleansing power of forgiveness. Aren't you glad?

So, whether it is the 18th century or the 21st century, some things are different, but some things never change!

"I'll Never Be A Mother...But I Can Wonder!"

2009-05-04T07:23:00.000-07:00

For the 45th time, I am planning a "Mother's Day" sermon and each year I struggle with this task! One reason it is getting more difficult for me is because this is the second year in a row that I will not get to buy a card or send a bouquet of flowers to my Mom. I miss her greatly! As I sat in the quietness of my study checking out sermons that others have preached on this wonderful day of celebration, my mind began to wonder what it must be like to be a mother. No, I will never know because I am a 63 year old man, but I can still wonder!

I read recently some thoughts that others have had about being a mother and found them to be challenging. Here are a few of them:

"It takes about six weeks to get back to normal after having a baby...the truth is that once you are a mother, "normal" is history!" The thrill of birthing a human life must be an incredible experience, but things are never the same again. A mother's time is not her own! A mother's thoughts are always about someone else! A mother's love blooms and never fades!

"You cannot love a second child as much as you love the first one...the truth is the person who said this never had two or more children!" I have known some families with several children and each child seemed to have as much love as was needed. I guess love is something that a mother never runs out of because there is always enough for one more!

"The hardest part about being a mother is labor and delivery...that person has never watched her baby get on that big yellow school bus on his first day of school...nor has that person said good-bye to a son boarding a plane for Iraq or Afghanistan to fight for their country!" The travail of child birth seems light compared to the travail of the heart at separation.

"Your mother knows you love her, so you don't have to tell her...somone has never been a mother!" Trust me, you never quit telling your Mom that you loved her then and moreso now!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

"Take The Detour If You Have The Chance!"

2009-04-22T05:17:00.000-07:00

When you reflect on your immediate past, what do you think? I wonder how many of us can look back at the past decade and think, "Wow! This is as good as it gets!" For the past dozen years, I have been privileged to live and work in Williamsburg, Virginia. I have lived here longer than I have ever lived anywhere in my life. You see, I am a "PK" [preacher's kid] and it was usually "three years and a cloud of dust!" One would think that I would have learned my lesson about preaching, but I am in "my own" forty-fifth year of preaching.

As I drive to my study each morning (a ten mile jaunt), I have the blessed privilege of arriving here several different ways, but without doubt the best way is detouring through "colonial" Williamsburg. This morning I took the detour! Let me tell you about it!

Within five minutes (that's about as long as it takes to take the "detour") I witnessed sleepy-eyed students from the College of William and Mary making their way to that early morning lecture. At the same time, joggers came by on their normal morning routine as they "stay in shape!" As I made the turn onto Boundary Street there was a man power-washing the sidewalks in "colonial" Wiliamsburg. "Power-washing" in the 18th century? Is that not a bit peculiar?

Rounding the corner at Francis Street one knows that he is returning to "a different age!" Historic interpreters, dressed as their forerunners were, are making their way to jobs (gun- making, gardening, serving, and carriage driving) that will allow modern thought take a backseat to historical perspective. Is there anywhere else that one can see beautifully decorated tour buses and ducks drinking from a puddle leftover from last night's storm...all within two minutes? Is there any other place where one can see fifty elementary students dressed in shorts and T-shirts eagerly awaiting someone to step out in colonial garb to tell them "how it was back then?" Three minutes later (if you get caught by a traffic light) be ordering an iced tea from the "golden arches?"

That's what it is like for me to "take the detour" to work each morning! What a community this is!

One more thing. This is like every other village in the country in that we have those who have little good to say about "our town!" They are consumed with modernization, new housing, more traffic, and signs that don't quite meet the specifications. Their disgruntled words can be read each Wednesday and Saturday in our local newspaper (The Virginia Gazette) on the last page called, "The Last Word!" They probably feel better letting others know that they are not happy, so that's all right! The rest of us get a good laugh out of those things that others seem to think will destroy the universe if they are not halted...and halted NOW!

For more than twelve years I have been blessed to live and minister in "our town!" I love it!

I hope you can come by and "take the detour!"

What was it you said?

2009-04-19T14:45:00.000-07:00

I wonder what it would be like if all of us decided that we would do more listening and less talking? Wow! Now there is a challenge for a world where everyone wants to be heard...and heard NOW! I remember hearing my father say, "God put our tongues behind a cage (teeth - bb) and he intended it to stay there!" Hmmmm. Maybe Dad was on to something! He would add, "He gave us two ears and one mouth which should tell us that God wants us to hear twice as much as we speak." Hmmmm, again.

On the Internet news today I read where folk were criticizing our president for listening to some of the leaders of countries with whom we have not had the best of relationships. It sounded like he had committed a crime of some sort the way it was described. All he was doing was listening, is that so wrong?

Have you ever scolded a child for what you perceived to have been a wrongdoing, but found out later that what you "perceived" was not what really happened? Did you give that child a chance to explain? Did you really listen or just hear some words? There is a big difference between "listening" and "hearing!"

My point is that many misunderstandings could be cleared completely if some would only spend more time listening and less time talking! The New Testament writer, James, said, "My dear brothers, taken note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." [James 1:19] That's good advice!

Today, why not make it a practice to listen carefully to what others are saying before you say your first word? It will catch them by surprise and you might just learn something.

Kenny Perry is not an "average" golfer..."

2009-04-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

Most of you know that I have had a passion for golf for all my adult life! I began hitting a golf ball around when I was about twelve, played my first round of golf on a "real" golf course with my cousin, Doug Dotson, when I was sixteen, and have been playing now for forty-eight years! I guess, other than living, I have played golf longer than anything else I have ever done!

Yesterday afternoon I watched on television, along with millions of others, the two greatest golfers in the world battle it out in the Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Georgia. It was classic! No one could write a script any better! While neither of them won the tournament they made one spectacular shot after another for nearly four hours with only three or four "bad" (?) shots!

As much as I enjoyed the prowess of Mickelson and Woods, I was hoping that Kenny Perry would win it all! Maybe it was the older guy rooting for Perry to become the oldest player ever to win the Masters. Maybe it was because I had read some articles about Perry's relationship with Jesus Christ. Oh, maybe it was because I wanted to see someone beat the best in the world! Regardless of what I wanted, Perry came up short in the "sudden death" playoff.

In an interview that I listened afterwards, Perry hinted that he was not in the same caliber as the "stars" of the game, but was merely an "average" golfer! I wonder how anyone could consider himself "average" when he missed winning golf's greatest prize by one stroke. Perry is not your "average" golfer. Believe me, I know!

There must be a certain sense of reality that takes over when one "almost wins!" Those poorly made shots will be replayed forever in Kenny Perry's mind. Though there were only two or three of them, they will never be forgotten! It will always be, "what might have been!"

One thing that stands out in my mind is that Perry understands that golf is a "game," and in no way compares to "life!" The "almost winner" still has his family, health, and, most of all, his relationship with Jesus Christ. With those things he will always be a winner!

"Don't Mess With Mary!"

2009-04-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

Last Friday afternoon I had the privilege of helping to celebrate the life of Mary Chapman. Very few of you reading this blog will know who Mary Chapman was because her circle of influence was pretty localized and limited. Let me tell you just a bit about Mary.

Mary was born in southern West Virginia in 1922 and moved to our little town in 1964. She worked several years at our local Eastern States Hospital and befriended hundreds of people who were confined to these quarters. She retired from her employment in 1987, but not from life! Mary was extremely active in our local church family until her health caused her to slow down rapidly. She seldom missed a service with the faithful help of her two daughters.

But the above is not the "real" Mary Chapman story. You see, Mary had a will about her...a very strong will! Mary knew what Mary wanted and very little would deter from accomplishing that which she desired. One young "robber to be" found out that Mary's desire to keep her purse caused him a bit of embarrassment! That's right, when she was 81 years of age, a young man decided that he would steal her purse, but Mary had different ideas! With a very strong voice, she reminded him, "I have a cane for you and I will use it!" The would-be robber fled "purse-less!" He learned quickly that you don't mess with Mary!

Another time we were having a campaign at church in some of the hottest weather imaginable for the month of May. We were hitting the streets to see how we could serve our neighbors! Mary went out the first day (she was now 82 years old) and worked "like a soldier!" I asked her the next day to stay inside where it was cool and her response was short and curt, "No, sir. I am going out with the others!" Like the would-be robber, I did not mess with Mary.

I wonder what makes the difference in people? Is it heredity? Environment? Teaching? Oh, maybe it is a bit of all three! The fact is Mary knew what she wanted and she went out to get it! The amazing thing is that what she "wanted" was not what many others would want...she wanted to do what God wanted her to do! And, you don't mess with that!

I wish all of you could have known Mary Chapman because you would have been a better person for having done so!

I know I am!

"Being God? What's That Like?"

2009-03-23T08:17:00.000-07:00

I am wondering this morning what it must be like to be God. When you love everyone equally as much whether they are the "salt of the earth" or absolutely rotten, how does that work? When those that are so unlovable often react better than those who profess "their love for everyone," which do you appreciate more? When some folk perform legalistically every small word of a command and others totally ignore the most obvious, with whom are you the most disturbed? Sometimes it must be tough to be God!

After considering the above for a brief few moments, reality surfaced! I "know" what it is like to be God! That's right, I do not have to wonder because I already know! Let me explain...

I grew up hearing folk say that God came to earth in the "form" of Jesus (seemingly ignoring the fact that Jesus IS God!) to discover what it was like to be human. Now, as a child I was satisfied to accept that premise, but the older I got the more I realized that someone had missed a very, very important point. For God to be God, He had to know everything, right? Therefore, He had to know what it was like to be human without having to "come to this earth," right? Oops, the former premise has serious faults!

The fact is that Jesus did not come to earth to find out what it was like to be human, but he came to show us what it was like to be God! Does that not make more sense? I would never have known what it was like to be God without Jesus' demonstration of "God-likeness!" Someone noted, "Jesus put skin on God!"

This demonstration of being godly was highlighted by Jesus' service to others! Even though many equate being "God-like" with barking out orders for others to perform, it really is being on bended knee cleaning up the messes made by others! The custodian cleaning up some human filth is more like God than the one standing tall and telling others what he wants them to do.

So, as I wrote earlier, I "know" what it is like to be God...it is ministering to others!

"Don't Blame The Ostrich!"

2009-03-03T08:47:00.000-08:00

I find adages to be fascinating and enjoy discovering the origins of such. I was wondering a little while ago about the familiar, "Burying your head in the sand." We have all heard this adage and have probably used it to describe someone that deliberately refuses to see the facts in some situation. Often when a person denies that a certain problem exists, someone will chime, "He is just burying his head in the sand!"

The origin of this statement is attributed to the habit of ostriches burying their heads in the sand when an enemy approaches. It is said that they bury their heads because they believe if they cannot see the possible attacker then the attacker cannot see them! Now, that sounds like the practice of a very stupid animal which is the charge leveled against ostriches. It is claimed by some that the brain of an ostrich (and, for the record, all types of birds) is so small they cannot help be mentally challenged. The fact is the exact opposite is true! The brains of aviaries are much larger than other animals' brains when contrasted to the body size of each.

So, why are ostriches given the "credit" for being the source for this adage? It is highly possible that this criticism is attached to them because of their habit of lying on the ground to make themselves inconspicuous to an approaching threat. They do not bury their heads in sand nor in bushes as some suggest! It might come from the way they lower their heads to eat, but when you are shaped like an ostrich you have few other means of eating, right?

My point in today's blog is that many folk, unlike the ostrich, do deny the truth my deliberately concealing it from themselves. It is the old, "ignorance is bliss," mentality! If I don't know what is true then I am not responsible to it! We all know that this is not true! Just because we do not understand the "law of gravity" does not make us immune to its effects, right? Not knowing the speed limit is not an acceptable excuse when approached by a highway officer!

Why do we seem to think that this principle works in other ways? Probably so we do not have to accept the blame for failed efforts. It is this denying of facts that causes marriages to fail, economies to flounder, and countries to be overcome! Not knowing the facts will never excuse poor judgment nor failed attempts!

The same principle applies to our relationship to God's will! Ignorance is no excuse! Since God has revealed His will for us through the Bible, we have no excuse for not knowing what His will is, right? We should make every effort to discover His will for us and, also, make ever effort to share His will with others! Jesus said that it would his word that will judge us in the last day, so there you have it! Ignorance is not bliss!

My friend, keep your head out of the sand so you can see approaching dangers, imperfect examples, and hazardous highways! By doing so, you will be able to see the blessings that come from a life dedicated to God!

"Hey, what about me?"

2009-02-23T10:01:00.000-08:00

In every mixed group of people there are always some very, very special ones, right? It could be that older friend who has such wonderful experiences to share with anyone who will listen and who enjoys sharing those same stories over and over again. Or, it could be that young couple who are beginning their marital journey and everything is new, refreshing, and exciting. What of that recent college graduate who is trying to secure her first employment in a market that is not as strong as it should be and she is worried about where this will lead. The list of people who enrich our lives is endless and each one's story is a precious part of our mental library.

There is one group of people that sometimes go overlook...quite unintentionally! Remember, as a child when we were told that we "should be seen and not heard?" That was a pretty tall order for some of us because we always had something to say...maybe not important to everyone, but, at least, to us. It was pretty frustrating to be ignored by all the "big" people around you, wasn't it? I wonder if we learned anything about that feeling of frustration.

I am blessed to have a lot of "kids" around me every week! Nope, I am not a teacher that is surrounded by children six hours a day, but I do get to interact with a lot of neat children two or three times a week...at church! You see, I am "Mr. Bill" to a pretty large (and getting larger) number of little gals and guys. I try to have something to say to each of them each time we meet if it is nothing more than a compliment regarding what they are wearing. (You can always tell when their mother's let them pick out the "uniform of the day!") But, you always tell them how good they look, right?

Last Sunday morning as I was greeting folk as they left the worship time, one little guy got my attention and I began scruffing his hair, calling him by name, and maybe a little tickling in his ribs. He laughed and went on as I spoke to his father, but he returned for another scruffing, tickling and a "How you doing, Elijah?" As I turned to some of the adults who were exiting, I heard a sweet little voice ask, "What about me?" I immediately recognized the voice, but continued greeting the "big" people, but another "Uh...what about me?" was heard. This time a bit more forceful and a bit louder! I turned and looked down and there stood Stephanie, the sweetest and cutest nine-year-old you could ever meet. Again, with a bit of smile, "What about me?" I knew she was waiting on her weekly hug from "Mr. Bill!" So, what was I to do, but hold up the line and give her a squeeze?

I relate this to you because I want you to consider the children of the world! This is a very tough world into which they have been born. Oh, I know their youthful exuberance does not allow them to know how tough things are for us "big" people, but they will find out...find out soon enough! Please, take some deliberate time for the little guys and gals of this world! Let them know that they are loved, important, and a blessing!

I am thinking of the passage in the Bible that says, "...and a little child shall lead them!" I have learned much about life from the "little ones" and some of those lessons have been difficult, but all of them have been valuable!

Remember, Jesus said, "...of such is the kingdom of heaven!" Wow! He never said that about any of us "big" people!

"I Won't Be Attending This Party! How about you?"

2009-02-16T12:09:00.000-08:00

Have you ever received an invitation to a party about which you were unsure? A party that you were not real sure that you wanted to attend! No, it was not because of the people having the party because you loved them very much. It was not because you did not want to dress up as your favorite character because it was not that kind of an event. The timing fit your schedule and the place was not far from your home. The problem was that you knew the party was going to be a "pity party" for the host or hostess! That's was the only kind of "party" they understood!

I wonder how many of us have been trapped into such a situation? I know you have!

Those who host such parties are overcome by their personal concerns. Those concerns may be health related, financial shortfalls, spousal abuse or abandonment...the list is long and difficult. These folk have known tremendous failures of one kind or another and have been overcome by the enormity of the problem. They never intended to be addicted to "self pity" anymore than a drug addict intended to be taken in by cocaine or heroin. It happened! How? Generally, it started as a kind word or gentle gesture on the part of someone feeling another's pain. That pain is demonstrated once, twice or more and it felt good to the hurting person. It felt so good that more of it was desired and sought. Within in a matter of time it felt so good that only a larger dose of the sympathy would satisfy the individual's need and at that point the addiction to pity was set.

With a loving heart others joined the party and began sharing their sorrow for the host of this "self-pity party!" They meant well, but were only compounding the addiction. What was needed was some "straight talk" regarding overcoming the addiction! But, what does one say?

Jesus asked a man one time if he wanted to get well, even though he knew the man had been lying on a mat for thirty-eight years due to some form of paralysis. Did the man need a miracle for his body? Uh...maybe! Did he need a miracle for his mind? Probably! Jesus simply said with great force, "Get up! Take up your mat and walk!" Straight forward talk! No touching! No spittle made from the dirt! Just...simple instructions to a man that was playing the blame game so common to those engulfed in self-pity! What happened? The man got up and walked!

There are those among us who need no more addictive empathy, but a panacea for their personal feelings of pity! Help them overcome this addiction! Encourage them to seek help for the addiction!

Remember, a "pity junkie" does not need to be introduced to a supplier of this deadly poison!

"I Want To Pray...NOW!"

2009-02-09T12:40:00.000-08:00

I wonder what we would do if a little lad expressed a desire to pray...RIGHT NOW! Would you say, "Well, I guess it depends upon where we were and what we were doing?" Maybe so, but I want to tell you about a very "special" little guy. My buddy, Brady, is probably six years old (I am guessing about his age) and I was privileged to count him among my friends while his father served in the military near Williamsburg, Virginia. At one time, my favorite "Brady story" was him trying to figure our what to call me. You see, most of our kids at church call me, "Mr. Bill," but Brady was torn between "Mr. Churchman" and "Mr. Preacher." I got one or the other of these most of the time!

Just today, I got word from his mother, Montie, about another, much more precious, "Brady story." Let me share it with you.

Yesterday as Brady and his parents left church (they now live in the Atlanta, GA area), Brady stopped them in the hallway and said, boldy, "I want to pray. Now." Remember, the opening question of this blog? He and his parents stopped right where they were, bowed their heads, and little Brady prayed, "Dear Lord, Thank you for Taylor, and Jack, Lee Ann, Thomas (...a pause...) Jefferson, and Martin Luther King. Amen." Now, I don't know Taylor, Jack, or Lee Ann, but they were important enough to Brady to include in a list of some pretty important people.

As I read Montie's note, my heart melted! No, not for Brady, but for the rest of us. We often take prayer for granted and never think of its importance. How many times have you wanted to stop and pray, but decided to go on with what you were doing and bring up this matter in your nightly prayers. Not Brady...he wanted to pray NOW! Isn't that what we need to do? An hour or a few hours may be too long to wait! We may forget what was on our minds, forget the person that we needed to remember, or disaster strikes before the sun sets. When is the "right" time to pray? NOW! Just ask, Brady.

Dear friend of mine, prayer is a powerful display of faith on the part of God's children, but it is, also, a powerful source of strength! Please...please, don't forget to pray NOW!

"It's My Job!"

2009-02-05T11:07:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I wonder why people complain about their jobs! Oh, I understand why a construction worker would complain about working out in freezing temperatures or why a chef would get tired of the smell of grease all day. There are probably some jobs that are a bit boring due to repeating the exact same chore all day long and others are frustrating as you deal with dissatisfied customers. But, why do some seem to complain about a job that is exciting, rewarding and envied by many, many others?

Do you know who Lin Hao is? Think real hard because many of you have heard his name and have seen him on television (or maybe a few who were lucky enough to have seen him in person). Most of the world first saw Lin Hao about six months ago on television! Does that help any? Okay, he was the little nine-year-old Chinese boy that carried a small version of the flag of China during the Olympics. He was dwarfed by 7'6" Yao Ming as they led the Chinese athletes into the stadium during the opening ceremonies. Did you watch long enough to know who Lin Hao was and why he was leading the parade of 639 Chinese athletes?

He was a survivor of the May 12, 2008 earthquake that hit China. The tremors that caused the death of 69,000 people brought Lin Hao the chance to teach the world a great lesson. You see, he was trapped in a primary school building that had collapsed with all the children inside. He struggled and got out of the rubble although suffering a head injury (the scar from the injury was obvious during the parade). However, even after escaping, he went back in and led two of his classmates to safety who were doomed to death unless someone helped them, but in crawled their hero, Lin Hoa.

The story does not end with the rescues! Lin Hao was interviewed frequently during the Olympics and always answered the same way when ask about his heroics. His response was always, "I am the class leader and a hall monitor. It was my job to look after my classmates!" That's it...he was doing his job!

Friends, we need to understand that we all have a job to do. It may not be the most exciting job in the world nor one that will grab publicity, but it is our job! We need to do that job with pride, enthusiasm, and dignity. At a time when thousands are losing their jobs everyday, we ought to be grateful to have a job to do, right?

So whether you go to a school, restaurant, factory, hospital, or construction site...do your job! Why? Because that's what we all must do...our job!

Make today a profitable day of work and you will rest more comfortably tonight!

"Sing And Be Happy!"

2009-01-28T09:25:00.000-08:00

As I sit here this morning and look out of the window in my study, I see gray skies, trees trembling in the wind, and drops of rain falling lazily to the ground. It is not a "stormy" day, but it certainly is not a "bright sun shiny day" either! I wonder how many people see life that way! You know, not so bad, but not that good! I have heard folk say, "I wish it would get cold and stay cold or become warm and stay warm!" They don't seem to like those mediocre days of partly cloudy skies and intermittent sunshine!

This reminds me of the devotional song that says, "If the skies above you are gray, you are feeling so blue..." The encouragement is to, "Sing and be happy, press on to the goal, trust Him who leads you, He will keep your soul."

That is solid advice for all of us! It is when we let our surroundings (weather, confusion, disappointments, etc.) determine our joy that we discover that our trust in God has weakened significantly. I am not a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I am a believer and the son of believers! Behind every cloud is a "silver lining" that shines in the heavenly land! Today's agonies will be overwhelmed by tomorrow's blessings! This moment's disappointments will be overshadowed by the next moment's realities! So, why not "sing and be happy?"

It really doesn't take too long for you to turn a gloomy gray sky day into a bright day of sunshine by just singing a happy tune! Whistle while you work and notice how much easier the work seems to be. Hum a happy melody and notice that the people around you are really your friends, not your competitors.

There is one line in the above mentioned song that is bad advice. It says, "When the dark clouds vanish away then your heart truly can sing." Do we have to wait until the sun shines again before singing? I think not! It is the singing that drives the clouds away and brings back the sun! There is no reason we cannot enjoy life while the raindrops are falling on our heads. If one has to wait until the storm passes by to be happy, he may miss the blessing of trusting in God! My happiest moments are trusting God when there seems to be no reason to trust Him!

"Don't worry...be happy!" There you go! Simple, but profound!

"Old Dogs And New Tricks!"

2009-01-21T11:10:00.000-08:00

"Wisdom is wasted on the old!" I just read the preceding thought and wondered what the author had in mind. It reminded me a bit of a saying that I remember seeing on the side of my Dad's scotch tape holder. It read, "Too soon old and too late smart!" I guess that's about the same thing, isn't it?

As I tried to think through both statements, I came up with only one conclusion. They are both saying that the young need the wisdom of the old, but wisdom is wasted on the old because they won't change their minds or lives, even if change is needed. Hmmmm? I guess that is assuming that young folk would change their minds and lives if shown that change would make their lives more desirable. Is this conclusion assuming things that are basically not true?

Remember hearing, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks?" I am wondering again if that adage is true! How old does a dog have to be before he cannot be trained anew? What determines if such training will be useless? Even if it takes an old dog a bit longer to learn a new "trick," does that mean we should not make the effort to improve his life? What if the old dog resists discovering new "tricks," are we to cease making the effort? I wonder!

There is one thing for sure, the above adages do not apply to humankind. Period. I have seen folk who were well into the sunset of their lives make drastic changes in their lifestyles. They have learned to eat well, exercise more, and live happier even after years of missing all three. I have, also, seen young flexible teenagers who did not change even when shown their lifestyles were detrimental physically, mentally and spiritually. Well, there goes the above theories!

What does that mean for those of us who are trying to help people have healthier, happier, and more contented lives? It means, if you are working with "old dogs," you might want to give up a bit sooner, but if you are reaching out to "young and old people," you never, never give up!

What do YOU think?

The Baton Will Soon Be Passed!

2009-01-12T11:57:00.000-08:00

I wonder what's going through the mind of President-elect Barrack Obama about now! In a week and a day, he will walk into the oval office as the President of the United States of America for the first time. Wow! With a simple, "I do," he becomes the most powerful man in the world! On his shoulders will fall the fortunes of 350 million citizens, plus the futures of billions more. He will control the most powerful military ever known to humankind! He will preside over a budget of thousands of billions of dollars! Mind-boggling, isn't it? How do you suppose he feels about now? Excited? Humbled? Scared? Nervous? Probably all four and many more!

It was interesting this morning to listen to the farewell press conference of George W. Bush as he prepares to return to his ranch in Crawford, Texas. The questions were unlike those asked in previous news conferences because this would be his last as the sitting president. Questions like: Do you have any regrets? What was your biggest mistake? How did you feel the first time you walked into the oval office? Would you do anything differently? Very few of the questions were about current situations in the world because there was not that much time now to deal with them. The wars and the weak economy will be passed on to the 44th president next Tuesday, January 20. He will then pass the ruling baton to another generation of politicians!

My prayer is for this country and the possible new direction that it will take! I am not a prophet and have no crystal ball, but I pray that God's will can have free reign in people's lives. That God's truths will be held in utmost esteem! That the problems plaguing the nation at this point will be resolved and peace can break out throughout the world! That Mr. Obama will be safe and provide some much needed leadership for us all!

I don't wish our new president luck....I promise him prayer! Will you join me?

On With Living and Loving...

2009-01-06T09:02:00.000-08:00

Leo Buscaglia, known as "Dr. Love," once noted, "Don't brood! Get on with living and loving. You don't have forever!" Buscaglia was one of my favorite modern day philosophers years ago. He was not a scholarly theologian, but more of a practical philosopher. When I was in my twenties, I ran across one of his paperbacks on "love" and I read that over and over again until I had nearly digested it all! I finally passed it on to someone else and I hope they gained as much common sense out of it as I did.

When I read the above quote the other day on the website, "Brainy Quote," it spoke to my heart (my heart needed someone to speak to it!). It is so frustrating to brood over matters that are really unimportant in the big picture of life. I wonder how much precious time is wasted by trying to work out that which is unable to be worked out? A lot, I am sure.

You and I need to get on with living because as Dr. Love suggests, "...You don't live forever!" At some point life will cease as we know it and there will be no more time to "get on with living!" Two things are terrible things to waste: one's mind and one's life!

Now, what was it I was brooding over? Oh, well...it does not matter because I have to get on with living and loving!

Why Do People Play Games?

2008-06-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

I wonder how many people think of golf as being "cowpasture pool?" Probably, a lot! I have been playing golf for almost fifty years and have loved every round I have ever played! Well, almost each of them! Is there any common sense reason for hitting a little white dimpled ball toward a flag and then walking a couple hundred yards and hitting it again? Probably not! At least, not anymore than kicking a ball through two stationary poles with a cross bar! Or, hitting a ball with a piece of wood and then running in a circle while others chase you! Or, rolling a big plastic ball at ten sticks to see how many you can knocked down! Get the idea? People don't play games because they make any "common sense!"

People play games for relief from the everyday grind of life! When one has gone to work every morning for 35 years and pushed the same button for eight hours and then returned home at the same time each afternoon...it can get a bit stressful, right? So, relief comes in the form of something "totally different!" A game! Any kind of a game!

What makes "a game a game?" Victories and losses? Rules and regulations? Competition? Imagination? Yes! All of the above goes into making "a game a game!" Isn't that a lot like life? As one said, "We win some, lose some, and have a few rained out!" That's life! We have to play by the rules and use our imaginations to survive! That makes life a game!

So, the next time you drive by a golf course and see some poor old guy about ready to hit that little white ball...resist the urge to honk your horn! That guy might be me and all I am doing is relieving a bit of stress!

Change In Our Lifestyle? It's coming!

2008-06-06T13:19:00.000-07:00

Change! The first word that comes to mind when someone suggests change is, "Ouch!" That's right! Most of us resist change in any form! I have used Colgate toothpaste for most of my adult life and don't want to use any other brand. Why? Because I just don't! I am a Ford person! I have not purchased anything but a Ford product for the past 25 years or more. Is it because it is the best car on the road? Probably not! I just react slowly to change...very slowly!

That's why the coming changes in our lifestyle bother me and give me great reason to wonder how I will react! With fuel costs soaring at a record pace and $4.00 a gallon gasoline almost a thing of the past already, it means that I am going to have to change my driving habits! Slow down a little! Make fewer unnecessary trips to town! Rely on email or telephone communication to keep in touch with my family and friends! Get used to higher prices on every product due to the cost of delivery costs! Yes, change is coming!

Now, I know that I can adjust to these inevitable changes because I have done it in the past! Forty-three years ago today, I gave my heart and soul to a young lady that has been my bride ever since! I gave up a dream of being a high school English teacher that I had planned for in my youth. After five years of peace and quiet, Linda and I adopted two young boys with whom we have shared our lives! What a change! You see, I know I can adjust, the problem is that I don't want to change those things that are such a part of me!

This helps me understand the changes that people have made which are far greater and more difficult than the above. To be a better person some have given up friends, jobs, even neighborhoods! Others have replaced actions that have been a part of their lives for years with new and more blessed character traits! If my friends can adjust their lives so dramatically then I know I can do it, also!

Change is coming! Some "big" changes! So, get ready! It will not be "change for change" sake, it will be "change for necessity!"

You Can Be Too Big!

2008-06-04T11:14:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered how some little things seem to bring some big things to a complete standstill? Often we make big plans to accomplish big things, but some little unforeseen problem brings our plans to a grinding halt!

Just this morning a friend of mine was ready to "head West" to New Mexico. He had talked about this trip for the past few days. He had his route laid out and the directions printed and "ready to roll!" After a couple of hours of picking up around his motor home and making sure that everything was secure, it was time to "hit the road again!" All was in readiness! Well, almost!

You see he had camped in the same spot for nearly two weeks and during that time his 42 foot motor home had sunk into the ground a bit...not a lot, just a bit! However, last night we had a pretty good rain here in the Williamsburg area and the grass was pretty damp. No problem! This big old diesel engine will begin to whine and off we go to that cement pathway!

The engine began to roar, the transmission was engaged, the side mirrors adjusted and...well, Mother Nature won again! All of those thousands of pounds were motionless! Oh, the wheels were turning, but nothing was moving forward...nor backward! That beautiful vehicle just sat there and spun its wheels!

From there it was trying to dig it out...lay something in front of the tires for traction...pushing it was out of the question! Nothing...nothing worked! After a wasted two hours trying to use the combined engineering skills (?) of three, the phone call was made for the big iron horse to come to the rescue! Within five minutes the rig was set and the motor home was set free!

A little water kept a huge vehicle from going anywhere! Just like life, huh?

Some of the biggest and most important plans of our lives are brought to a stand still by unexpected little things! Try as we will, nothing can help! We are powerless!

My friend, when you are powerless don't ever forget that God is powerful! He is all-powerful! The Bible says that He can do more than you and I can even think! That's power!

Old Television at the DAV Thrift Store...

2008-05-14T10:59:00.001-07:00

I just returned from the DAV Thrift Store just down the street as I had some items to drop off. While unloading the stuff from my car I noticed an old (I mean "really" old) television setting in the parking lot. People had gathered around it admiring this piece of antiquity! They searched through some bins to find the "rabbit ears" that surely must go with it! I was amused at first, but then I wondered about the eyes that had viewed this unique piece of furniture.

I wondered when some technician assembled this video antique, probably in the early 1950s, did he ever think that his piece of equipment would end up in a parking lot in Williamsburg, VA? Probably not! The technician is probably long gone and any dreams or goals that he had are now history. He may have taken a great deal of pride in being among the very first people who worked on televisions, but his efforts ended up in a parking lot!

My thoughts went to the number of children that must have laughed with Howdy Doody and Buffalo Bob Smith and Phinias T. Bluster, the mayor of Doodyville! How many little boys had watched the Lone Ranger (and his faithful companion, Tonto) capture the bad guys and save the community once again? Did those folk thrill seeing "Father Knows Best" or "Ozzie and Harriet" as much as I did? Most of us boys had a little crush on Cathy and we never could figure out what Ozzie Nelson did for a living! Oh, what memories!

But, there it sat in the hot sunshine awaiting its fate! No more would it bring laughter and tears to a family gathered around it in the evening. No more sounds of Dennis James callling out the exploits of professional wrestler, Don Eagle. It was doomed to be put in the big old truck and hauled off to be priced and sold...maybe!

Such is life! We are so real, viable and alive, but there comes a time when we are passed over by the newer and more highly technical gadgets of another generation. Our joys, motives, and dreams were all so very real, but now are forgotten and many of our dreams left unfulfilled!

Unlike that old television, we have a wonderful destiny ahead of us if we believe in a heavenly Father! The one that gave his one and only Son for us! If we give ourselves to Him through faith and obedience, we will find our future is much brighter than our present and more glorious than our past!

"Lock your keys in your car?"

2008-05-10T08:33:00.000-07:00

Have you ever felt the sense of helplessness by locking your keys in your car? The moment you hear the door shut there is a clear signal that the keys did not exit the car with you! What if you locked the keys in your car, left the motor running and the CD player blasting today's newest songs? Now, consider how you would feel if this were your mother's car and she was coming out of the store to go home and her keys were the ones you were using! Got the picture?

This morning as I left my Saturday morning hang-out... Cracker Barrel...a young man was standing between my car and a blue Chevrolet. His countenance was suggestive of someone who had just lost his best friend. He was trying to run a stick down between the rubber and glass in one of the car's rear doors. As I approached him, he asked, "Mr., would you happen to have a coat hanger in your car?" Now, in a moment of stupidity, I asked, "Lock your keys in your car?" My first thought was of the answer given by one of the "Blue Collar" comedians, "Nope, just washed it and I want to hang it up to dry! Here's your sign...!" Then, I checked through the stuff in the backseat and under my golf clubs in the trunk, but no coat-hanger! I told the young man that I would go to my office and get one and bring it back to him. "It will only take ten minutes and I will be right back," I added.

Ten minutes later, I pulled back in the parking lot and there was the blue Chevy, but another person had been added to the scene. Yep, his mother! Her expression was one of disbelief that a son of hers could be so foolish as to lock her keys in her car! The words were scarce between them as the young man was sitting on the front bumper and his mother was leaning on the trunk lid. I gave them the hanger, wished them well, and made a quick exit!

I wonder what the conversation was like on the way home? Did the son remind his mother that it was Mother's Day weekend and he hoped she had a wonderful day tomorrow? Did he load her favorite CD? Was their a mutual laugh at the son's expense? Will either of them share this story with the husband/father, so he can remind them of their stupidity for years to come?

Oh, well, I will never know! One thing I do know is that I feel a bit better for having taken a few minutes of my time to try to help out a friend! A friend? Yes! You see, I think a stranger is just a friend that I have not met! It was only a few minutes of time, fifty cents worth of gas, and a little inconvenience, but I have the rest of the day to enjoy the blessings of helping someone who was stuck in Cracker Barrel's parking lot!

It is a goooooood feeling!

Where is "Presidents Park?"

2008-05-03T06:39:00.000-07:00

One of the more recent additions to the historical flavor of our area is "Presidents Park." I must admit that I have never visited this site, but have driven by it dozens of times and have admired it from a distance. Within the park are busts of all our presidents from the first to the current, Mr. Bush. They are made out of concrete and stand 25-30 feet tall. I am told the likenesses are very close and that the sulptor did a marvelous job!

The reason I mention this today is that I overheard a person trying to explain to one of our tourists how to find "Presidents Park." It was the usual turn right, go three lights, turn left, go straight for about two miles...," but then the local guide said, "Or, you could turn left, go four miles and then turn right, on and on." The guide's final comment was, "Either way you are going to end up in the same place!"

I wondered to myself how many times that is the approach to one's relationship to much more important matters in life! What if one were to say, "You date this person and then that one and a couple more...on and on! It really does not matter because you are going to end up married to someone!" Or, what if we were told, "Try out this car and then that one because they are all about the same and will not last too long anyway!" No doubt we would balk at such suggestions regarding a lifetime relationship or six years of car payments, but why are other matters of much more importance taken so casually?

What of one's relationship with God? Are we to assume that finding God is like the "hunt and peck" style of using a computer keyboard? You know, you will get the email written anyway, so what makes a difference how you type it! My good friend, seeking God is much, much more important than sending an email to a friend!

The Bible says that there is only one way to reach the Father and that is through Jesus Christ! It is said that Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life!" There is no other way to God, except through His Son, Jesus Christ! No other way...none! Searching for God is not a matter of guesswork or unplanned action...it is a conscious search for divine leadership!

You may be able to get to "Presidents Park" a dozen different ways, but there is only one way to God!

"Super Cold Vanilla Ice Cream Cone!"

2008-04-27T13:50:00.000-07:00

After church this morning, Linda and I ate lunch at the Golden Corral on ByPass Road as we do quite often. It is not that quiet little romantic spot for two, but it is pretty much a "family affair" for us because we have been going there ever since it opened in 1997, therefore, we know nearly everyone on a first name basis. Anyway, today was a bit different! One of the servers knew that Linda's birthday was yesterday, so she had some of her coworkers sing "Happy Birthday" (Golden Corral rendition) to her. She was so embarrassed, but I loved it!

But, later, a beautiful blue-eyed little girl in a long blue dress caught our attention. She was sitting two tables away from us, but she was just a little doll! As I went by, I spoke to her mother and another lady with her and the little one's face lit up as she smiled! On my way back to my table, the child was eating an ice cream cone. That's when she yelled with great excitement, "Super cold!" That's all, "Super cold!" Everyone laughed at the joy such a little thing could bring into a child's life!

I began to wonder how nice it would be if we all could get so excited over something as simple as a vanilla ice cream cone! Sounds to simple, doesn't it? With so many other more important things in the world, an ice cream cone is just not worth our thoughts.

Wait a minute!

Maybe it is all those other things that are really less important! Those things that we can do nothing to alter even if we wanted to do so. I am so disappointed in the quagmire in Iraq that I wish I could get all those brave warriors home today, but I don't know how to do that and I am not sure anyone else knows how! I cannot change their situation. There are those who are hospitalized with painful terminal diseases that I wish I could heal, but I cannot! Families are mourning the loss of a father and grandfather, but I cannot remove the empitness they feel! The list is endless of things that I cannot do, but one thing I can do is have a "super cold vanilla ice cream cone!" I can enjoy this little bit of life's delight!

Can you take the time today or tomorrow to pause and enjoy the blessings of the present without spoiling that precious moment with thoughts of a regrettable past or a hopeless future? Can you? No, will you?

Hey, Dairy Queen's open right now! Anyone for a "super cold vanilla ice cream cone?"

"Take Me Home Country Roads!"

2008-04-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

John Denver, the horn-rimmed glasses wearing folk singer from Colorado, made his name composing and singing songs about "home." Such songs as "Rocky Mountain High" and "Take Me Home Country Roads" were among his signature renderings. Of course, being a West Virginia (I still bleed blue and gold during football season!), I am a bit partial to the latter song. "Country Roads" is not the state song of the Mountain state ("Oh, Those West Virginia Hills" is the official song), but it has become the most accepted song for the folk up home.

There are not many days as I am out and about here in Williamsburg that someone doesn't ask, "Where you from?" It is a pretty safe question around here because it seems that most of our townspeople are from "some place else!" When I tell them of my roots, I usually get the ancient comments: "Well, you must be one of thos hillbillies that doesn't walk with a limp from standing on the side of a mountain!" Or, the ever popular, "How old were you before you had your first pair of shoes?" I always grin and tell folk that I never lived on the side of a mountain and I got my first pair of shoes when I learned to walk!

"Home" is a pretty neat word, isn't it? We say things like, "Home is where the heart is!" Or, "Home Sweet Home!" And, "There's no place quite like home!" All of those are profound truths IF those are the memories one has of home. However, not everyone can look back on a childhood of pleasant times! "Home" to some conjures up thoughts about abuse, poverty, absentee parents, neglect, and abandonment! That's hard, folk, real hard!

It makes it pretty difficult to convince someone that they want to go to "home and be with God" someday when "home" is not their source of happiness and joy! It's like trying to describe the love of God as the love of a father! What if one's experience of "fatherhood" has been very, very unpleasant? When "home" is a place you could not wait to leave and "father" was the reason you needed to run, our efforts at sharing the eternal joy with God become more difficult!

Try to understand the reluctance of some to jump for joy about something that is so joyous to many! It will do you and them a lot of good if you will try to understand!

Tuesday Is "Senior Citizens' Day!"

2008-04-22T13:26:00.000-07:00

Twice today I was reminded that this is "senior citizens' day" at some of the local stores. First, I saw Doug and Catherine going to Farm Fresh to "check out the specials" and, then I went to one of my favorite shopping places...the DAV Thrift Store! Yes, that's right, I like to shop at thrift stores! So, does my wife! I am amazed at the things people donate to various charitable organizations as many of them are in near perfect condition. Sometimes they still have the tags on them from where they were purchased. Today, the lady cashier, said, "Now theirs a gentleman that knows when to get things on sale!" I had no idea what she was talking about because how can you have a sale at a thrift store. It was "senior citizens' day," again!

As I checked out, I wondered what brought these people to a thrift store! The folk right in front of me spoke very little English, but were fluent in Spanish. Two young girls from the Far East were trying on shoes. Others were shopping for clothes, appliances, shoes, and toys. Obviously, I have no idea why all the others were finding their bargains at the DAV, but I know they were not too proud to shop where they could save a few dollars.

Pride is the sin of the age in my estimation. Pride is the epitome of self-centeredness. Pride's clarion call is, "It's all about me!"

If there is one human characteristic that is completely removed from the traits of Jesus, it would be pride! Never a more humble being ever walked this earth. He had no home...no place to lay his head down...nothing! But, even though he had nothing, he had everything! It all belonged to him! Jesus was a "giver," not a "taker!" He knew the folly of pride and we should discover it, also!

The wise Solomon said that "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall!" Let each of us examine ourselves to see how close pride has taken us to destruction!

The thrift store is just down the street on Merrimac Trail...drop in sometime! (Tuesday is "senior citizens' day!" Pass the word along!)

Is Your "Love Tank" Full?

2008-04-20T13:35:00.000-07:00

Williamsburg is one of those rapidly growing communities here in Virginia! It is not the "small town village" that it was years ago when the Rockefellers decided that history should be rebuilt. In the twelve years that I have lived here the population has increased, stores have sprung up all over town, "New Town" was designed and built, "Main Street" is under construction, and scores of people have decided to call Williamsburg, "Home !"

Now I take no credit for this explosion (nor blame depending upon which segment of our town is being queried), but I must say that it has been a joy to watch it happen! I have never lived in a town where it was so easy to become acquainted with so many people with diverse backgrounds.

But, I wonder how many of our friends and neighbors may be running on "empty!" Dr. Gary Chapman wrote a book entitled, "Five Love Languages," and it he labels each of these "languages." Chapman is not considering the "romance languages" (Italian, French, etc.), but rather the languages that speak love to others. His list is interesting!

1. Words of affirmation -- If your spouse, child, or parent needs to be told they are loved and appreciated, you should provide that language for them. Compliment them. Affirm them.

2. Quality time -- That "special" person may enjoy spending time with you, but the time should be valuable. Going out to eat for an hour is one thing, but spending that hour in meaningful dialogue is totally different.

3. Receiving gifts -- I know it is more blessed to give than it is to receive, but in your mates love language a gift ungiven may represent a lack of love.

4. Acts of service -- If this is your love language and your mate does one of your chores for no apparent reason, then you feel very loved and appreciated.

5. Physical touch -- There is no replacement for the physical touch of the person who loves you! There is a reassurance in that touch that speaks loudly those wonderful words, "I love you!"

Check your "love tank" and, remember, if you are running on empty it will not be long before your love comes to a complete stop! You do not want that to happen!

Send The "Junk" Back To The Sender...

2008-04-18T12:40:00.000-07:00

I wonder how many millions of dollars are spent on "junk" mail? Let's face it, our mail carriers could complete their rounds much quicker if it was not for handling on that useless mail, right? And what of all the "stuff" that is placed inside envelops with your monthly statements? You know, the kind of offerings that you just cannot resist! Why is it not possible for monthly statements to arrive with only one piece of paper inside the envelop with the amount you owe?

It reminds me of all the "junk" that we allow to accumulate in our lives! There are so many, many things that are "add ons" and entirely useless and uncessary. We are forever going here and there to do this and that without reaping any rewards for our efforts. Do we really need to run the way we do? Oh, I know someone will say, "I cannot decide what my priorities are and I am afraid that I might miss something important if I stay at home!" Really?

While we are passing in the doorway, our homes are begging for attention! No, I do not mean the houses in which you live, but your home! I see signs occasionally from a realtor that read, "Home for sale!" Edgar Guest said it best, "It takes a heap of living to make a house a home!" My friend, be sure it is just your house that you are selling and not your home!

I know of some folk who have sold their homes for another case of alcohol or another romantic escapade with the person across the street! There are those who will sell their children's happiness for the cost of a few pills or a chance at winning the lottery! Are all these things really valuable? Are they not just like the "junk" mail you throw away?

It is time that we do something about the "junk" in our lives, right? Get rid of it now and forever more! Straighten out our priorities!

Do like some of us do with our "junk" mail...put it back in that "no postage necessary" envelop and send it back to the sender and let him pay to get his own "junk" mail back! That's right...send the "junk" in your life back to the sender

On The Right Side Of The Grass!

2008-04-16T10:30:00.000-07:00

Williamsburg has an incredible number of quality restaurants which bring many of our tourists great delight! Whether it is traditional food, oriental cuisine, or "south of the border" comida. We have it all! We, also, have all the popular "chain" restaurants and my favorite is Cracker Barrel! I just returned from having lunch at CB and that visit prompted todays' blog.

All of the servers at CB know me and pretty much know what I am going to order when I arrive, especially for lunch. There are a couple of them that don't even ask, they just bring me my iced tea and say they have placed my order! I guess I go there way too much!

But, today was different! They have a new host!

I was greeted by a gentleman a few years my senior and he was very pleasant! The experienced hostess told him where I like to sit and handed him a menu. As we arrived at my table near the window, I introduced myself as did he. His comment was, "I am new here. I just started yesterday and I guess you must be a regular!" I put my arm around him and said, "Welcome to CB! You will enjoy working with the young folk here as they are a nice bunch of 'kids'!" He laughed and told me that yesterday went great and you could see on his face the delight he had in making that announcement to me. We laughed and he went on to seat others.

While eating lunch I thought about how many "seniors" are now going back to work! Oh, I know that we are living longer and have better health care than did our parents, but I wondered why this gentleman had gone back to work. Was it an economical decision? Was it because he was bored sitting at home after retiring? Was he lonely due to the death of his spouse? Did he need some money to support a pasttime? I am guessing, but I think one of the above might have been the reason.

I am seeing more and more "seniors" working at Wal-mart, driving a train at Busch Gardens, volunteering in Colonial Williamsburg and Sentara Hospital, and a number of other places. I think it is great! There is no reason that a person should be put out to pasture because he or she has reached a chronological age that has been determined to be "retirment age!" If a person can and wants to retire, fine, but not everyone desires to quit!

Seniors have accomplished much in their later years! Some have created masterpieces of art and music during their latter years! Others have made incredible discoveries in science and medicine when they were old enough to retire! Still others have vigorously been able to serve God and others with the wisdom gained from a lifetime of ministry!

I had an older man tell me this morning, "As long as I am on the right side of the grass, I am going to keep on working!" The he added, "I don't want any lawnmower giving me a shave every morning!"

Now, get back to work and enjoy every minute of it!

I Missed Another Funeral Today!

2008-04-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

Tommy Palmer's funeral was held this morning and I missed it! Why does that bother me? Tommy was a first cousin of mine and he, my brother, and I have had some real times together over the years. Tommy lived in the little no stoplight town of Trimble, Ohio (that's fifty miles or so from Columbus, I think), but it was always a thrill to go see my Dad's sister, Aunt Ethel and all of her family.

Tommy was just one of those "good old boys!" Every bone in his body was made out of love for family and friends. Tommy was a Christian and in the past few years was the strength of the little church down by the bridge. The days we spent playing down by the creek, in the barn and lots of other places around that little town will long be a part of my childhood memories.

Why should I mention missing Tommy's funeral?

Because it reminds me that a lot of us who live in this area are separated from family and friends! Many of you are here serving in the military or supporting the military in some fashion. Some of you have chosen Williamsburg to be your home for your retirement years. Still others have relocated here due to their careers. Someone said, "There are not too many native Williamsburgers left!" There are a few, but not many!

I wonder how many of us know the importance of developing new and lasting friendships in our community of choice? My wife and I have no family closer than 360 miles from here which means that we don't see our family very often. Our grandchildren are more than 700 miles from here in middle Tennessee, so we only see them a couple of times a year. So, what does one do when he is separated from childhood friends and family?

That's right, you make new friends and develop another family!

Friends are made by being friendly. That's pretty easy! Being friendly is like a magnet that draws people to you. I did not say you "act" friendly, but you "become" friendly! There is a difference...a big difference!

As for family, Linda and I are blessed to be a part of a loving, caring and joyful church family! They are our brothers and sisters! We have a common Father, therefore, we are family. "Sometimes we laugh together, sometimes we cry. Sometimes we share together heartaches and sighs. Sometimes we dream together how it will be. When we all get to heaven...God's family!"

Will you be my "new" friend? Can we be a part of the same family? I hope so!

Life Is A Lot Like "Yellow Taped Barricades!"

2008-04-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered who it is that sets up those yellow taped blockades around a worksite? Have you ever wondered where they went to school to learn how to do that job? Well, I wondered about it this morning!

I had to make a quick run to my local Suntrust Bank which I do about twice a month only to discover that work was being done on an adjoining parking lot. Now, I ALWAYS enter the bank from the same direction because I use the "drive-up" window, but not this morning! Yellow tape! Yellow tape everywhere! I made a u-turn and went back to the main road and entered the area from another entrance only to find more yellow tape. So, down behind the Enterprise car rental office I went so I could drive around the front of the bank and make another u-turn into the "drive-up" window. You're right, more yellow tape! Now, remember, they are working on an "adjoining" parking lot, not Suntrust's! By this time I was ready to use my GPS in order to discover a viable route into the bank, but then I remembered I had returned it. Now, the sad part is that I actually had to park my car, unbuckle the seatbelt, get out of my car, walk the fifteen feet to the bank and go inside to do my two minutes worth of banking!

Oh, I'm not done yet! I thought it was my responsibility to solve this dilemma for all of the other Suntrust customers that would be coming and going throughout the day. What do I do? I drove up to one of the guys working in the adjoining parking lot and ask, "Don't you think it would be possible to move those yellow taped barricades just a bit so the Suntrust customers could get into the "drive up" window?" His response? "Sure, we should never have put them there in the first place! Sorry about that! No one else had called it to our attention. I will go right now and move them." I graciously thanked him and drove back to my office feeling like I had just brought resolution to a universal crisis! I felt real good!

You know what? Life is a lot like "yellow taped barricades!" You try one thing and you are barred from success, so you back up and try something else. If there is more yellow tape on that path, you make a u-turn and try again. Even when you get a bit frustrated, you keep on trying!

Sometimes "yellow taped barricades" are nothing more than an obstacle that can be moved or removed with a little patience, kindness, and thought! Not everyone in the world is trying to block your entrance to success. Sometimes it is just someone's thoughtlessness that makes you feel like the world is working against you! Try a little kindness as it works wonders!

I have to go now because it is almost lunchtime and there may be more "yellow taped barricades" for me to conquer!

Rejecting A Friend

2008-04-13T05:48:00.000-07:00

What would you think of a person who would not open the door to a friend who was standing on his porch ringing his doorbell? Not much, huh? There could be few less hospitable things we could do, right? What if that friend had good news to share with you and wanted more than anything to let you know about that good news?

That's exactly what Jesus is doing at the heart of us all! His words, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock..." Jesus has some very good news to share with each of us and he patiently awaits an open door through which he can step. Again, His words, "If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Imagine that! Jesus entering our lives and sharing His life with us!

One thing is noteworthy in Jesus' statement. The door can only be opened from the inside! I have to open the door of my heart to Him as do you. Jesus is not going to force the door open...He is not doing to knock it down...He is going to patiently wait for each of us to open the door and allow Him to enter.

Could this be THE greatest sin of all? Is there anything that we could do or fail to do that would rival rejecting Jesus? I think not! There are some pretty big sins, but none larger than this one.

When we treat Jesus with indifference (ignoring his knocking at the door) or rebellion (deliberately rejecting his request for entrance), there could be no greater insult to the Savior of us all!

May each of us ALWAYS answer when Jesus, our Friend, comes knocking on the door of our hearts!

The "Titantic"

2008-04-11T09:10:00.000-07:00

Ninety-six years ago this coming Tuesday (April 15, 1912) the "ship that even God could not sink" sank in the cold water of the north Atlantic ocean. More than 1,500 lives were lost that night by an obstructing and insignificant iceberg. Even though the Titantic was 882 feet long, 175 feet tall, and weighed in at 25,000 tons, it was destroyed and people's lives were lost! It was not indestructible!

The world stood in awe as some of the wealthiest people purchased tickets for the Titantic's maiden voyage. Yet, their perceived invincibility failed to keep them warm in that nearly frozen water. What a profiled of destruction!

Many lessons can be learned from this horrible and unfortunate accident! Among the greater lessons that can be learned is the discovery of how people leave the Lord Jesus Christ!

What doomed the Titantic? One thing was pride! "Even God could not sink" this ship is a cry that was heard, but a lesson never learned. A ship that was indestructible was broken part and within a short time slipped into the icy water. This was a shocking revelation to the engineers and contractors of this great vessel. They were forced to face their own mortality as they learned of the sinking of the Titantic.

The same pride that was evident in the making of this invincible ship is duplicated in the lives of those who decide they no longer need a close personal relationship with Jesus. Their ability to survive is beyond the realm of question and falling is not even a consideration. Many Christians see themselves as "having it all together," therefore, eliminating the possibility of apostasy. Satan is waiting for such weaknesses to appear!

Need we be reminded of the words of Solomon, "Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16:18) Or, what of the apostle Paul words, "...who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall." (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Pride might well be the "sin that so easily ensnares" people today!

Welcome To Wondering In Williamsburg...

2008-04-11T07:29:00.000-07:00

This is my first attempt at "blogging!" I am carefully moving into the 21st century and being only eight years late is pretty good for me. I am looking forward to sharing with you many of my personal thoughts about a number of subjects. It is my hope to vary the content of the blog to make it of interest to as many as possible!

Obviously, my first love is God, therefore, many of my thoughts will be about the spiritual aspect of life, but I do have many other interests.

So, today a new adventure that will lead me somewhere...although I know not where!

May God richly bless every effort put forth in "Wondering In Williamsburg!"