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Tuesday, May 20th, 2025
Celebrations are meant to be shared by all.
After a trip to Ohio that was uneventful getting there, we had a great time celebrating the graduation of our only grandson from high school. His current (and so far only) interest, Cameron, also graduated. We endured over 400+ students graduating and (sadly) very poor acoustics which did an injustice to all the speakers, to see him accomplish something which not too many years ago seemed so far out in the distance. After getting to share a meal on Saturday night at Roosters (his and my favorite when there) with Braden, Janna and Mike, and Mike’s son, Andrew (who graduates this coming Sunday), we had a very full Sunday afternoon and evening. It was in downtown Columbus and I am so glad Mike drove. He knew where he was going and it was nice to be along for the ride. After a Monday morning breakfast at IHOP with Braden and Cameron we headed back home around 9:15. Plans were to be home by 1:30 or so. That was until we got stuck in a 1-2 hour wait due to a wreck not quite 4 miles ahead of us. It took us almost 1-2 hours to go 4 miles or so, until I was able to get off the Interstate (due to it being closed completely) and get around the accident. All in all though, we made it home in 6 hours which is just 2 hours longer than normal. Jo and I went to the local ball fields to watch some of the kids play last night and when we got home we were beat. But it was one of those “good beats.” I slept almost until my alarm went off at 3:30.
For my reading this morning I was in Nehemiah. The people of Judah had made their way back to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon with the blessing of Cyrus, the king of the Medes-Persians. Ezra, the priest, was with the first wave. But the report of the devastation of the walls surrounding Jerusalem reached Nehemiah and he was so distraught that King Artaxerxes noticed it. Nehemiah petitioned for, and was granted, passage back to Jerusalem. There were those who intended to rain on Nehemiah’s parade, but one word from the king changed all that. Ezra brought spiritual reform; Nehemiah brought physical reform. In this case they went hand in hand. And along with Nehemiah’s work came both trouble (by outsiders), but also a celebration for being back and being able to rebuild the walls. While not all were happy and did not celebrate this milestone, Nehemiah did and he invited the people to do so.
I think it would behoove all of us to find things, events, and especially people, to celebrate. There is enough doom and gloom in the world without adding to someone’s angst. Praise and encourage others. Find the good in others and celebrate that. As Proverbs 20 says, “Wise words are more valuable than much gold and many rubies.” (V.15). It also says, “A gossip goes around telling secrets, so don’t hang around with chatterers.” (v.19)
There you have it. “Celebrate good times come on!” (cue song). 🙂
Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: Celebration, Friendship, Graduation, Leadership, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Opinion, Reflection, Story
Wednesday, May 14th, 2025
How many times have you heard “Pride goes before the fall”? A million. A zillion? If you have heard it only once you know it is very true.
I was struck this morning as I read the Scripture that was the focus of Everyday Gospel, reading how relevant that saying is. Here is what the Bible says: ‘“He (Uzziah) did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his father, Amaziah, had done. Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who taught him to fear God. And as long as the king sought guidance from the Lord, God gave him success.” (2 Chronicles 26:4-5) Verse 15 says, “His fame spread far and wide, for the Lord gave him marvelous help, and he became very powerful.”
But then we hit verse 16 and the hammer falls:
But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord his God by entering the sanctuary of the Lord’s Temple and personally burning incense on the incense altar.
When confronted by the priest, Azariah, King Uzziah raised the incense burner to strike him and when he did leprosy broke out on the forehead. He lived in isolation the rest of his life.
I hate reading those words “But when he had become powerful, he also became proud, which led to his downfall.” His success contributed to his demise. I don’t think I need to ask how many times we have seen this in our day and age. A CEO gets too big for his/her britches. An entitled executive has an agenda. (Does Bud Light ring a bell?) A pastor gets too pompous in his “empire” and with all the “yes” people around him, he has no checks and balances. Embezzlement. Misuse of funds. Sexual charges (of all kinds). An entitled athlete finds himself mired in scandal or not so high on the leader board as he/she once thought they were.
Tragic events happen when pride rears its ugly head. I’m not saying there isn’t a good type of pride. A young man did a fine job giving the communion meditation this past Sunday. Rightfully so, his parents could be proud of their 17 year old son. But even something as beautiful as that can be turned into a moment of ungodly pride by the father of lies.
Let’s keep our feet on the ground, our head out of the clouds, and our heart beating for the Master. Pride is ugly; humility, although much harder to maintain, is the key.
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Tags: Christian Living, Humility, Leadership, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Pride, Reflection, Scripture look, Story
Thursday, May 8th, 2025
Have you ever heard someone say, “I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer?” Well, probably not because they are usually talking about someone else and their inability to “get it.” So here is an honest confession: I know I’m not always the sharpest knife in the drawer. I can pawn it off these days to my age (72) or to my lack of knowing the “now” lingo of this current generation. For example, our youth pastor has just begun mentoring our part-time Children’s Ministry Director and has tasked her with “glowing up” a couple of the youth classrooms. Say what? What in the world is “glowing up?” By a process of elimination (including my mind) I figured out that it meant “to make the classroom come alive, to not be stodgy and cold.” Truthfully, it needs it, but “glowing it up?” (Rolling eyes emoji here).
But I digress. Let’s go back to my original statement: I am not always the sharpest knife in the drawer. There is usually someone smarter than me; someone (most often) more media savvy than me; someone more up-to-date and relevant than me.
But then I started thinking this morning: do I really care? I came to the conclusion, Nope I don’t care. What made me think about that this morning? I was reading 2 Chronicles 1 and Proverbs 8 this morning. The passage in Chronicles is where Solomon is taking over as ruler for his father, David, and in 1:7 God asks him, “What do you want? Ask, and I will give it to you!” I seriously doubt I or many in this day and age would answer as Solomon did: “Give me wisdom and knowledge to lead them (the people as numerous as the dust of the earth-v.9) properly, for who could possibly govern this great people of yours?” (v.10). God’s answer is classic: “Because your greatest desire is to help your people, and you did not ask for wealth, riches, or fame , or even the death of your enemies or a long life, but rather you asked for wisdom and knowledge to properly govern my people-I will certainly give you the wisdom and knowledge you requested.” (verses 11-12) Oh…He also gave him wealth, riches, and fame. Sadly, Solomon couldn’t handle it.
I’ve always been impressed by Solomon’s answer and have wondered what I would ask for. I hope at this stage of my life and maturity I would still ask for wisdom and not say, “Live a comfortable life financially and be able to travel anywhere I want (which I don’t want to do anyway).” I hope I would still seek wisdom. Pr. 8:10-11 says, “Choose my instruction rather than silver, and knowledge rather than pure gold. For wisdom is far more valuable than rubies. Nothing you desire can compare with it.”
Okay, time for you to answer: what would you choose to ask for?
{Note: All Scripture from the New Living Translation}
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Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Knoweldge, Leadership, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Scripture look, Wisdom
Tuesday, May 6th, 2025
Temptation to do something wrong is always “there.” So is the temptation to do something mischievous. I know you thinking, “Who me? Do something mischievous?” Yeah, I know what that’s like. I have those times too.
Something I read today about a teacher who lined her students up to go to lunch and they always jockeyed for the front of the line spurred my thinking. One day she switched it around and those in the back where the ones who went first. That got me to thinking about being snarky and mischievous. More mischievous than anything. You see…it is always a joke, especially in a church, how people jockey for the back row. I have one (Gail) who stands in a crowd all her own. She immediately goes to the front row. Like me, she knows distractions abound when you have others sitting in front of you. I prefer the front row. But I digress. Most people (except the really spiritual ones like Gail and me 🙂 ) head for the back rows. Now, here is where the little mischievous boy in me comes into play. I have been tempted-and so far I have resisted-to suddenly stand up to preach and change directions. Go to the back of the room and make people turn their chairs around. Can you imagine the moans and groans and the words reserved for Pastor Bill? It’s not possible to do that anymore since we have a camera set up in the back for our live stream, but oh…the fun I would have! Or the mutiny. Take your pick. 🙂
That teacher had to teach her class a lesson in “me first, you second” vs “you first, me second.” Jesus did the same. He once taught that the “one who wants to be first must be last.” There is something to be said and something that happens when we learn to put others before ourselves. When I was a kid I was taught J–O–Y– is Jesus first; Others second; Yourself last. In our get-ahead world, imagine the difference it would make if we all had this attitude. Others Before Self.
Jesus came to start a revolution (“I did not come to be served, but to serve.”). Maybe it is time we picked up on it.
And yes, I published this before Gail was able to put her .02 worth in. But I know Gail: she will forgive me. 🙂
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Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Humility, Jesus, Joy, Kindness, Leadership, Lifestyle, Love, Mercy, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection
Monday, May 5th, 2025
During Spring Break about 15 of our people went to east Tennessee to help IDES (International Disaster Emergency Services) with cleanup and rebuilding homes caused by flooding from Hurricane Helene. They were supposed to give a presentation of their work on April 6th but ironically, we had to cancel services that morning due to extreme flooding in our area and a RED travel advisory (only emergency vehicles were to be out). So we rescheduled it for May 4th (yesterday). As the people spoke about the one item that stood out to them, I noticed what I thought was a theme that wove its way through each one: the opportunity to serve. There were variations of that to be sure, but several of them came right out and said it: “I wanted to be a Mary not a Martha. I wanted to listen to people.” “I wanted to serve in any way possible, even if it meant shoveling gravel” (said by a young lady who was not strong-looking by any stretch). Several others related how they simply wanted to serve these people. One even mentioned how the lady’s whose house they were building served them a hot meal every day. I guess you could say, “The served being the server”?
In his May 5th devotion in Everyday Gospel, the author, Paul David Tripp, began his devotion with this little gambit:
Grace transforms us from being those who live for our own glory to being those who find joy in living for the glory and fame of another.
In this case, it was David’s passion to build the Temple, but God in His wisdom told him that he was a man of war and a man of peace was to build the Temple. That man of peace was Solomon, his son. David’s words to his son were, “MY son, I wanted to build a Temple to honor the name of the Lord my God.” (I Chron. 22:7) David did his part in helping build the Temple by gathering materials needed for the building. He commissioned men to use their gifts to build the Temple. He solicited the help of others in getting the lumber for it.
Put plainly: David wanted a building that would show off the magnificence of God. It really wasn’t for him to have a lasting legacy of “Look what David built.” His sole purpose for building it was the honor and glory of God to be spread. What a great purpose for our lives!! What a great challenge for today, for every day. Live my life to bring honor and glory to God. And you?
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Humility, Leadership, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Purpose, Reflection, Servant's Heart, Service, Story
Thursday, May 1st, 2025
“Don’t send a boy to do a man’s job.” That is the phrase we use when something is challenging and it is going to take a little extra to get the job done. (or we jokingly use it when teasing someone about coming after us).
That is how I felt as I read I Chronicles 10-11 this morning. Chapter 10 is fairly benign-the death of Saul’s sons and the death of Saul himself (by suicide). But chapter 11 opens a whole new chapter as David takes over as king. What is interesting about this chapter is instead of lauding David’s feats, it spends time talking about David’s mighty warriors. He had the mightiest warriors called the Three. The leader of the Three was named Jashobeam the Hacmonite. It says he once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. Next in rank was Eleazer son of Dodai. He and David held their ground in the middle of a barley field and beat back the Philistines. This was after the rest of the Israelite Army had fled.
David was also surrounded by his 30 Mighty Men. One, Abishai, used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. He was the commander of the 30. Another of the 30 was Benaiah son of Jehoida. He killed two champions of Moab (giants?). Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. Once, armed only with a club, he killed an Egyptian warrior who was 71/2′ tall and who was armed with a spear as thick as a weaver’s beam. He wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.
Feats like this make us think Marvel-Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, etc. But these men were not armed with superpowers. No machine or pill or something that made Marvel comic book heroes was present in these men. No, in fact, they had nothing of the sort. What they did have is found in Psalm 89:13-14- “Powerful in your arm! Strong is your hand! Your right hand is lifted in glorious strength. Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne. Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.” (NLT) There are multiple passages in Psalms where God’s strength is on full display. I’m reminded of a song I like to listen when I work out. It contains the following lyrics: “Evil is his name/Oh the Dragon’s rage!/Who can save us from his war flame?/ Knight in shining armor won’t do/Jesus, Lamb of God, is His name/Indeed He came to our rescue/We cry victory! Victory! The Dragon’s lost this war!” (“Victory” from Ashes of War by Shining Light Music-2025) (You can find the song on YouTube and Spotify. Be forewarned: it is not tame). 🙂
God has not promised an easy life. He has promised HIS strength to get through every battle of this life. May you experience His Victory today.
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Tags: Christian Living, God, Lifestyle, Opinion, Reflection, Scripture look, Story, Victory, Warfare
Wednesday, April 16th, 2025
Unknown people are often the ones we need to learn about the most and take lessons from.
For example, Katherine Wright. Chances are pretty good you may know someone by that name. But not this Katherine. Recently one of the men in the church gave a communion thought on Katherine. You may be more familiar with her brothers-Orville and Wilbur-who invented, built, and flew the first successful airplane in the early 1900s. Because of their prominence many, perhaps most, have never heard of Katherine. Yet in their successful endeavor of building a “flying machine,” Katherine was vital to their success. While they concentrated on the details that brought them success, Katherine was quietly behind the scenes essential to their success. You may be thinking, “But I’ve never heard of her!” Exactly! That’s my point. She kept their bicycle shop going (her brother’s source of income), left her teaching job to nurse Orville back to health after a plane crash, and managed the details of their growing fame.
Katherine is a perfect example of someone who knows their role and fulfills it. Up front or behind the scenes, it takes all kinds of people to do essential things. In this case helping her brothers reset travel. (Do you think they envisioned air travel today back in their early days? I think not). Anyway, Katherine chose her spot and filled it with grace and service. We have people like that today who do just that. For every up front people who likes/desires the limelight, there is someone behind the scenes doing the camera work, the script writing, the sound board, the live stream, fixing communion (in a church setting), teaching a kid’s class while the adults are meeting, and a myriad of other tasks. My wife is one of those people. Every week she makes me look like I know what I’m doing by typing and showing the Power Point during my sermons. She has been doing this for more than the 19 years we have been here. She knows me like a glove and even when I mess up, she covers me.
She is just like the ONE we celebrate and remember this week as we head toward Resurrection Sunday. This week is often called Holy Week because it is the last week of Jesus’ earthly life. From His entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey to His crucifixion and resurrection one week later, His whole life was one of being a servant. He showed us how to a servant throughout His life; demonstrated it the night He washed the disciples’ feet; then willingly laid down His life on the cross. For all for us. We could ask for no greater example than Him.
Follow in His footsteps. Serve, even if it is in the shadows. “There is no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
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Tags: Christian Living, Humility, Jesus, Leadership, Lifestyle, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Resurrection, Serving
Monday, April 14th, 2025
Start With Why. That is the name of a book by Simon Sinek that sits on my desk saying, “Read me! Read me!” 🙂 After reading multiple books on leadership for the first two months of the year, I needed to take a break. Sinek’s book was one that hit the “put off till later” batch. From the back cover are the following words: “Any person or organization can explain what they do; some can explain how they are different or better; but very few can clearly articulate why. WHY is not about money or profit-those are the results. WHY is the thing that inspires us and inspires those around us.”
As I have mentioned in previous posts, I am rereading Glynn Young’s Dancing Priest series. I just finished Book #3 and have started #4. In Book #3 (known as the Dancing King) Michael Kent-Hughes has assumed the throne of England. But not before efforts were made by adversaries to thwart that happening. In Book #2 an almost successful attempt was made upon Michael’s life, as well as his pregnant wife, Sarah, and their unborn baby. We were introduced to Michael’s brother, Henry in Book #1 and saw him take a more active role in Michael’s life in Book #2. As part of what was known as The Violence where the attempt was made on Michael’s and Sarah’s lives, Henry life was also affected. In his effort to know more about his brother, Michael found out Henry had been a practicing homosexual but had taken part in a church’s Exodus Ministry. As Michael learned more, the priest of St. Margaret’s church said this to Michael: “The struggle became worse once the two of you had met. He found that, far from rejecting him, you had opened your arms to him. He described it something like this, that all of his adult life he had people who wanted him for his wealth, for his position, for what they thought they could get from him, or for his body, but that you, the brother he had forced away so many years ago, you wanted him simply for himself. At first, he found it hard to believe. Then you invited him to stay with you in San Francisco. And he discovered that you loved him with a heartfelt, brotherly love, and asked nothing of him other than to be with him.” (p.120)
All that to say: people know when we are with them to get something or to just be with them for them. The WHY question is huge. I guess I can’t really stop people from wanting something from me, but I can make sure my motives are pure when I am with others. It should not be for what can they give me or what I can get from them, but to simply enjoy their friendship and presence. I love being with people who want nothing from me but to my friend and visa versa.
How about you?
{There is more coming from Book #3 but you really ought to read the whole series} 🙂
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Tags: Christian Living, Friendship, Generosity, Humility, Kindness, Leadership, Lifestyle, Ministry, Motives, Opinion, Reflection, Story
Tuesday, April 1st, 2025
I can remember as a kid taking advantage of April 1st, aka April Fool’s Day. Playing tricks on people until they realize what day it is always brought laughs (or being beat up). 🙂 Because I was so lovable and kind I was able to avoid the latter. Seriously, most people, when they realize the day lay aside their frustrations and join in the fun.
But being a fool or being called one is not anything to brag about. Below are just a few of the verses from Proverbs that have a very common theme: fools.
“Therefore, they must eat the bitter fruit of living their own way, choking on their own schemes. For simpletons turn away from me (wisdom)- to death. Fools are destroyed by their own complacency.” (1:31-32)
“Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.” (12:15)
“Wise people think before they act; fools don’t-and even brag about their foolishness.” “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.” (13:16,20)
“Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.” (17:28) Abe Lincoln: “It is better to keep your mouth shut and thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt.”
“The mouths of fools are their ruin; they trap themselves with their lips.” (18:7)
“Don’t waste your breath on fools, for they will despise the wisest advice.” (23:9)
There are more. Here is something for you to consider doing. Beginning today, read a chapter of Proverbs a day. By the end of the month you will have read through all of Proverbs. Take a pencil, pen, or highlighter that won’t bleed, and underline as you read. Find one verse each chapter to highlight for that day. When you read through the book again, use a different color highlighter and look for a new verse. Oh…look for the verses that talk about fools. Happy reading! Happy growing! And while you are at it, determine not to carry today’s joke beyond April 1.
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Tags: Christian Living, Foolishness, Fools, God's Word, Lifestyle, Opinion, Reflection, Scripture look, Speech, Story
Monday, March 31st, 2025
We make decisions every day. From turning the alarm off (who wants to listen to that!) to then deciding whether to heed the alarm’s call to get up, to taking a shower, to fixing or eating breakfast on the run, the list is endless. Some mundane. Some life-changing.
The Bible is filled with characters who made major decisions. For example:
- Samson who decided to follow his lusts instead of being obedient to the one whom his mother promised him to (God). While Samson knew some victories (usually brought on by his anger or his strength) his life is also a story of missed potential. He played with fire until the fire didn’t just singe him, it burnt him and consumed him.
- Ruth decided to be submissive to her mother-in-law by following her back to Jerusalem. As a Moabite woman Ruth could have stayed home and remarried one of her kind. But she chose to honor Naomi and in the process met Boaz, the man she eventually married. As a result she is in the lineage of Jesus. She had Obed, who was the father of Jesse, who was the father of David.
- Then there was Samuel who was promised to God even before he was born, but made the choice to follow God at a young age. A few words: “Speak, your servant listens” changed the trajectory of his life. His entire life was spent as a prophet in service to God. He anointed Saul until that became a monumental mistake and then was led by God to anoint David as the next king of Israel.
- Saul was “head and shoulders about everyone else” in physical stature, but his obedience factor was bad. Really bad. He spent more time disobeying God and blaming others for it than he did in being a godly king and leader.
- Then there is David, the “man after God’s heart.” Perfect? Not by a long stretch. Who doesn’t know about his adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband ordered by David? But David was also a man who admitted his sin and sought forgiveness. (I’d like to ask you to read Psalm 51 at this point). David shows us humility, and repentance, and that there is hope for even the worst of us.
We all make decisions-some good, some bad. Proverbs 16:9 says, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” Proverbs 14:2 says, “Those who follow the right path fear the Lord; those who take the wrong path despise him.”
Choose wisely (cue up Indiana Jones in the last crusade when he finally handles the cup of Christ). 🙂
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Tags: Choices, Christian Living, God's Plan, Leadership, Lifestyle, Opinion, Reflection, Scripture look, Story, Surrender
