In 1911 the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre in Paris.  It was two years before it was recovered – to everyone’s relief.  But what is truly amazing is that during those two years more people came to see the empty spot where the painting had hung than had come to see the actual panting in the previous twelve years. Continue reading →

        A man was invited to the home of some friends for dinner.  The food was wonderful – except for the apple pie.  It wasn’t terrible, but it just didn’t measure up to the rest of the meal.  Even so, the guest went out of his way to find some good things to say about the pie.

Later, the man visited the home again and stayed for dinner.  Continue reading →

          Don’t you just love this time of the year?  The temperature is dropping, the days are getting a little shorter, and the leaves will soon be changing colors.  When you walk outside, it is actually refreshing.

Of course, we know why it’s like this – God set the process in motion.  As the Earth moves to a different location, things change.  The sun is always there – shining – but the Earth moves closer and further, closer and further.  And seasons change.

Your life is like that, too.  Continue reading →

          H. T. Webster was a famous newspaper cartoonist.  He once did something to amuse himself, but he ended up discovering something.

He picked twenty of his friends and sent them congratulatory telegrams.  None of them had actually done anything outstanding for which they should be congratulated, but to each one he sent a one-word message, “Congratulations.”

He thought that was funny, until a few days later Continue reading →

          OK, I’ll admit it.  Sometimes we “professional” ministers think a lot more of ourselves than we should.  We aren’t always as enlightening or inspiring or thought-provoking as we think we are.

Case in point – Alexander Maclaren was a well-known preacher in England in the 19^th century.  Continue reading →

     I found J. Allen Blair’s insight (in Living Consistently) challenging.  He recalled a friend who visited a lighthouse and asked the keeper, “Are you not afraid to live here?”

     The keeper replied, “Not at all.  We never think of ourselves.”

     The surprised visitor said, “You never think of yourselves!  How is that?” Continue reading →

I can’t teach.  I can’t deac.  I can’t ush.  And I definitely don’t do dirty diapers.  There’s nothing I can do at church!

Really?

Who came up with the idea that there are only a few things that you can do in and through the church?  Who came up with the idea that if you can’t do certain “noticed” things, it’s OK to just sit back and soak?  I can assure you, it wasn’t God!

Over the past few days I’ve been reminded of that.

Saturday (while taking some time to honor our church’s widows) a number of people came to wash cars while others decorated, cooked, and served a meal.  Not your “usual” ways to serve in the church.

And today nearly 40 people came to sew – that’s right – sew!   Continue reading →

After a pitiful attempt to blog through our church website’s blog, I’m going another route.  We’ll see how well this works over time.

Should be interesting.

Jay