Friday, October 29, 2010

Brotherly Fun


My favorite brother was up from Louisiana recently.  We had a very good visit together doing a variety of things, one of which was some "glass time".   Here he is shooting pictures of the moon (in daylight) using the Celestron C8 on a Vixen Porta Mount and his Nikon DSLR attached directly to the scope via a T-Ring.  We went out later in the dark and he was able to take some nice shots of the same target.  And, he wore a shirt to match the scope - which I thought was very kind of him.  If you look really close, his watch also matches.  He has always been a snappier dresser than me.

Family matters.  The older I get, the more it matters.  We had a good visit together, although I was a bit busier than I would have liked to have been.  Sharing these moments together meant a lot. 

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

His Eye is on the Sparrow



I shot these pictures this past Sunday, October 3rd. My intention was to practice using a new way I have of hooking my Nikon D40 up to my telescope. For these shots the camera was attached to an eyepiece which was in a diagonal which was in the telescope. In order to do that, I had to remove the lens from the camera (which lens was dropped and broken!) and in its place put a "T-Ring". Another metal ring goes between the
"T-Ring" and the eyepiece. The telescope was a Celestron C-8 and the eyepiece was a Baader Hyperion 24. The telescope is an F-10. The depth of field was very shallow so it was hard to focus. If you look closely, you can tell the pictures are "soft". Focus is a tough one. On my camera, you focus by looking through the camera and focusing the telescope. I hope to try it out this week on Jupiter.

The Lord uses sparrows to illustrate His care and concern for us.  If He knows when a sparrow dies, then He surely knows the details of our lives. 


Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Blemishes

I took this picture yesterday morning about 10:00 A.M.  (Yes, I should have been at work!)  There are two regions of sunspots that are obvious.  One is on the limb of the sun, the other is more centrally located.  Lately, the sun has been relatively quiet.  That is changing, however.  More and more spots are appearing. And, with those spots come solar flares.  Solar flares can be very disruptive to our lives.  They can interfere with communication.  But, with the bad comes the good.  Solar flares also produce auroras - the northern lights. 

Sunspots are hot, but not as hot as the surrounding sun.  If they were on the earth, they would be brighter than a welder's arc.  But, because they are on the sun, they appear dark.  If they were separated from the sun and hung in space, they would appear bright. Context matters.

Don't go look at the sun with the hope of seeing the spots.  That will make YOU see spots, perhaps permanently.  I took the pictures using this telescope and a special sun filter.  The camera was a Nikon D40 that was hooked directly to the telescope by removing the camera lens and using a "T-Ring".  The telescope, in essence, became the camera lens.  More spots are developing and I hope to make some more pictures soon. 

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Dark Days

It seems wrong to have an image I made of the moon on a cloudy October evening to be the picture used on a blog entitled "Dark Days".  But, I would be hard pressed to find something more appropriate.  Dark, cloudy, brooding - that is how these days have been.  To publicly admit that is dangerous.  I am a Christian, someone who clings to the hope of the resurrection.  I am a middle class American who has seen little of suffering and really have no legitimate reason to complain.  I pastor a great church and work with wonderful people and have a fantastic family.  To be depressed, to be discouraged in such wonderful circumstances when so many others are ravaged by horrific circumstances is offensive.  That only serves to heighten the acuteness of the darkness. Depression does not necessarily make sense.  There are circumstances which contribute to it, though when seen by others, they may not seem very significant.  Self analysis can be dangerous and so can self consciousness.  Clinging to the hope of the resurrection, praying for daily grace, acknowledging frailty, seeking to focus on serving others, getting rest and exercise, getting perspective by looking at the glory of God in the heavens - all of these help.  Having a loving wife is a great gift as well.  Please know, if you sometimes walk in the dark in the day, that I do indeed feel your pain.  I find solace in a verse in the book of Daniel.  He was so discouraged he was bed ridden.  But, he got up, and did the king's business.  That is what I seek to do during these days.  Get up and seek to do the next thing and pray for the light to return and for the clouds to lift.    

Friday, September 3, 2010

"Small" Blessings

They come to us in a variety of ways.  Recently, mine came to me in the form of a bird and a flower.  I was sitting on my patio with my wife and she told me to look at a nearby sunflower.  There, perched on it, was a goldfinch.  He waited long enough for me to snap this photo.

It was a serendipitous moment.  No big deal, really.  And, I don't want to read more into it than I should.  Did God send that bird at that time for the pleasure of my wife and me?  I'm not sure I could articulate it that way.  But, I can say with absolute confidence that it was a blessing of God to my wife and me to see that little bird sitting on that flower.  I would call it common grace and it comes to all men in a variety of ways and it comes to us from the Creator. 

Sometimes it is a tasty breakfast, an unexpected greeting from a friend, a thoughtful gift - all sorts of gifts of grace that come as blessings to us.  And, I want to acknowledge them.  I can dismiss them, ignore them, think of them as nothing.  Or, I can cultivate gratitude for them.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Don't Mess With Martha

My cousin Martha is married to a mountain of a man.  Hershel is tall - 6.5 or so - and his forearms are the size of fire hydrants.  He use to work for Volkswagen and the word around town was that he could lift an entire Beetle engine out by himself.  He is a wonderful Christian, but definitely not the sort of fellow you would want mad. Martha, however, is not so tall and has a very sweet disposition.  She is kind hearted, gracious, a great cook - and - from the looks of things, an awesome shot! 

Rattlesnakes are usually thought of as belonging to Texas or Arizona.  But, Louisiana has its share.  This one is a diamond back - a snake with a rather mean disposition and size to match it.  However, it appears that they better stay out of the way of Martha.  Normally, she would not be too interested in harming anything.  But, she definitely did not want this fellow crawling around her house, especially with their dogs running around and people coming over to visit.  So, this week, she dispatched it with a 410 shotgun.  The fact that she simply did not run for the house gives you an idea about her grit. 

So, the next time you are in central Louisiana, look Hershel and Martha up.  Shake hands with Hershel and be amazed at his size and strength knowing he could crush your hand.  But the one you better watch out for is Martha.  Be nice and hope she invites you for supper, but know that she won't put up with any shenanigans. 

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Having a Heat Attack

Several bank thermometers read 103 when we rode into Bowling Green, KY on Friday afternoon, August 13th.  It was like riding motorcycles on the inside of a blow dryer.  My dear friend Kent and I were in BG to visit my oldest son Andrew.  We had met in Lebanon, Indiana and cruised down two lane roads to Bowling Green.  It had taken us about 10 hours.  We were in no rush.  But, the heat became brutal.  I felt light headed and thought my brain was being boiled like an egg in a pot.  I was feeling poached.  But,  seeing Andrew made enduring the heat worth while. 

We had a good visit and saw some interesting things.  The points of interest which we visited included the Lost River - a river which runs through a cave system under BG, National Corvette Museum (Chevrolet Corvettes are made in BG), a portion of Mammoth Cave National Park, and an aviation display which contained 1 plane!  And, we ate more than we should have.  Andrew took us to the Montana Grill, to a delicious bar-b-que place called the Split Tree, and to a wonderful Mexican restaurant called Puerto Vallarta, I think.  I had fish tacos - wow.

When it was time to leave, the weather had moderated.  We rolled out at 5:00 a.m. due to confusion between central and eastern time.  I made it back to Gibson City in the early afternoon of Monday.  I rode almost 800 miles without incident.  The bike was covered with bugs and I could not stand it to be so dirty.  When I moved it to wash it I left the kick stand up and dropped it on concrete breaking the left foot peg - costing me about 125.00 for parts.  Haste makes waste.

It was great to see Andrew and to spend time with him. And, I would recommend Bowling Green to you.  It is a beautiful town with a great university and some wonderful old homes.  There are some nice attractions worth seeing and plenty of great places to eat.  And, they have a fantastic news paper!  Be sure and pick up a copy up while there.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

King's Brass Concert



Last night, July 5th, our church hosted Tim Zimmerman and the King's Brass at a pavilion located in our city park. It was a beautiful summer evening. The crowd of over 500 seemed to enjoy the experience. There were several things that helped make the evening a blessing. 1. The setting - the North Park Pavilion is an wonderful structure that is fantastic for brass music. The ambiance of the evening hearkened back to "Music in the Park" - a series of summer concerts once held in the N.P. Pavilion. The pavilion was decorated with all sorts of Americana - which added to the whole of the ambiance. 2. July 5th, an outdoor concert, grilled hamburgers, and a great brass band that plays hymns, spiritual songs, and American classics is an awesome combination. 3. The weather was great. I was concerned about summer storms, but the Lord took care. And, it was not so hot.  4. The King's Brass is an very talented group. They work very hard to present music that is honoring to the Lord and enjoyable to people. They are inspiring. 5. Volunteers - there were a lot of people investing a lot of time and energy in making the concert work and I think their investment paid off.

Several folks suggested this should be an annual event.  That is something we need to consider. 


Thursday, July 1, 2010

Waves

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This is a short video of the Atlantic made from Kitty Hawk, N.C. What is it about waves that we (I?) find so refreshing, so relaxing? I do not buy into the bosh that we love the water because we originated from the water. But, for me, there is nothing quite as soothing as watching and listening to the waves. The mountains are great and I love the woods. I don't like the blazing noon day sun on the beach. But early in the morning and late in the afternoon - waves are a massage for the soul.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Pride


Wilbur and Orville were men who changed the world.  Their ingenuity, tenacity, and courage resulted in  man rising from the sand dunes of the Outer Banks and powering through the air.  That act has impacted all of our lives.  The machines that resulted and the capacity they have has brought great blessing and sorrow.  I doubt that they could have envisioned all that would come of December 17, 1903.


The original flight path is marked by stone markers indicating the direction and landing spot of the first efforts.  The length of the first flight was shorter than the wing span of some modern aircraft.  But, it was an amazing accomplishment, not the least of which was controllability.  That was the crux of the matter - how to control the machine once it got into the air.  They did so through a process called "wing warping".  A bit of controversy still surrounds just who thought of wing warping first.  Glenn Curtis or the Wrights.


There is a large and quite impressive memorial which stands as a sentinental over the field in which all of this takes place.  It is inscribed with the words: In commemoration of the conquest of the air by the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright conceived by genius achieved by dauntless resolution and unconquerable.  Frankly, that is a bit of overstatement.  Can it truly be said that man has conquered the air?  Sorry for the nitpicking and I certainly do not want to take away from what the Wrights accomplished.  I was and am in awe.  But, it is just like man to proclaim that he has conquered something when in reality he has, at least, learned to work with it and in it as an environment.  Pride goes before a fall.  I am not sure Orville and Wilbur felt like they conquered anything.  They discovered that man can fly.  But, the air can still win if we do not respect the laws of God and believe that we are invincible.


Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Romantic Get Away

After 28 years of marriage, my wife and I decided to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.  We did so by driving 1000 miles to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.  This was the first time in our married life when just the two of us went on a trip that did not involve a conference.  And, it was wonderful.  We took our time driving out and with no squabbling coming from the back seat found the ride quite enjoyable. 

We spent some quality time with some friends, ate some delicious sea food (although the hush puppies in N.C. contain no green onions - much to my dismay), and visited a wonderful aviation museum - I had to drag my wife away.


The trip gave us plenty of time for uninterupted talk and some much needed relaxation.  If the Lord is willing, we plan to do this sort of thing more often.  I highly recommend it to you.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Memorial Day Prayer

For what it is worth, this is the prayer I wrote for the Memorial Day Service held yesterday in Gibson:

Eternal and Sovereign and Gracious God, the One Who raises up Kings and sets down Kings, the One Who establishes nations and brings down nations, to You we offer praise and thanksgiving for Your gracious gift of our nation.  We cast ourselves onto Your continued mercies and faithfulness pleading with You to continue to bless us.  God, please bless America, it is the land that we love.  Stand beside her and guide her through our night with Your light from above.  God, please bless America, our home, sweet home.

Thank You for providng us with sons and daughters who have given their lives for our peace and prosperity.  Help us  to never forget that they would have chosen to have experienced the beaty of this day, but instead lie beneath the earth, their lives topped short, their dreams unfulfilled, their time cut short.  Bless their famlies who still live with the pain of their absence.

Help us to never forget that the beauty of our spacious skies, our purple mountain majesties, our fruited plains have come because You have shed Your grace on us.  Please continue to give us that grace because we do know, one great and glorious day, our eyes will see the glory of the coming of the Lord and that You will be trampling out the vintage where the grapes of Your wrath are stored and that You will loose the fateful lightining of Your terrible and swift sword - help us in that day to be found walking in Your grace, seeking Your face, and thankful forYour mercies and truth.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Almost, But Not Quite


I keep trying.  This shot was made last evening, May 25th, at 9:00 P.M. (ish).  It was shot with a Nikon D40 through an Astro Tech 102ED refractor.  The hardest part is to get the focus right.  If you look closely, the focus is off just enough to make the photo a bit soft.  Here is another

To do astrophotography well requires a lot more money to be spent that I am currently willing to invest.  One of the largest expenses is to acquire the right mount. 

Here is a sun shot:


It is an okay shot, but still not quite there.  I hope, one of these days, to get it just right.  For now, I am having fun.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Proud Parent



This picture was on the web site of USA Today yesterday (third week of May).  There is no missing Drew - the green tie gives him away!  He has had a busy week with the election in KY.  Exciting days.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Sunday Night Basketball and Gravity - Wake Up!


For the past month I have had the privilege of teaching a group of High School young men.  They are an invigorating group.  It has been a lot of fun - for me at least.

After class, most of the high schoolers and some college students play basketball and I have been invited to play with them.  In doing so I have made a discovery of which the world should be aware.  Gravity is steadily increasing.  The pull of gravity is growing and I am living to see the effects it is having!  There was a time when I could jump and hang onto the rim.  I never could dunk the ball, but I could grab the rim.  These days, I can, on a good day, touch the bottom of the net.  Two weeks ago a young man, 23 or so, stuffed me.  He was gracious about it, but he nearly shoved the ball down my throat - and he is no taller than I am.  And, the more I run up and down the court the heavier my legs feel. By the end of the night it feels like I am dragging bags of cement around. Something is happening here and we better wake up before gravity does us all in!  One of these days we won't be able to get out of bed.

Wake up world!  Get out and play some basketball with high schoolers.  You will also discover this phenomenon. 


Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Goodbye Mr. Winter


Mr. Orion the Hunter is going, going, almost gone.  If you want to see him, look soon.  In a few weeks, he will be lost in the glare of the setting sun.  It is a sure sign that winter has given away to spring.  I shot this picture a couple of weeks ago.  This is the one constellation most people recognize.  And, I am glad to see him go away for a while but always look forward to his return.  By the way, his companion constellation Taurus is going with  him. 

Monday, May 3, 2010

Happy 50th!!!!!!!!!!!


"Old Blue" (my dad chose the name, not me) was bought brand new by my father in 1960.  I think it cost less than $2000.  There were few amenities - except an AM radio.  He used it as his work truck.  That is, he drove it back and forth to work and he used it around the house to haul everything from dirt to dogs. 

I love driving it and am amazed at how few mechanical issues I have had with it.  The brakes went out last year - that was exciting.  This year the clutch is acting up and I am having some of the slop removed from the steering by replacing a few parts.  Otherwise, it runs like a top, except.  Except it is not the vehicle of choice if you are in a hurry.  I have a motorcycle that chomps at the bit to go, go, go.  Not this truck, it wants you to slow down, take a deep breath, look out the window, relllllaaaaaaaxxxxx. It takes its time warming up and does not like being rushed.  It will break the speed limit, but the groove is about 50.  At that speed it will hum along all day, although it does like gas.  And, the tank is right behind the seat.  Nothing like sitting on a tank of gas running down the road. 

Frankly, I still feel like the truck belongs to Dad.  I am just borrowing it.  His fingerprints are still all over it.  I am grateful for the connection to him.  And, Happy Birthday "Old Blue"! 

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Advertising and Gravesides - Driving and Funeral Processionals

I am sometimes shocked at how unashamedly people advertise.  Perhaps the worst example I have heard of - yesterday a gentleman told me that following an internment (burial) a representative from the graveyard stepped up and began to advertise their services to those gathered.  Hmmmm.  Tacky or Whacky? 

While I am at it - frankly - it always aggravates me how people no longer pull over for a funeral procession.  There are times when people should not - it is too dangeorus.  But many times, people refuse because they don't want to be bothered.  It might make them two minutes late.  There was a time when more respect was shown.   People even use to remove their hats.  Now they are too busy talking on their cell phones to notice or care.  I have seen cops stop and get out of their cars and stand at attention.  That is nice.  By the way, someone from a funeral home told me it is currently illegal to pass a hearse that is in a funeral procession.  But, it does happen.

Lavender Toilet


This past week someone had deposited a lavender toilet in our yard.  Where I grew up, this might not be a surprise, but in Gibson City . . . Upon closer inspection, we discovered the motive was right.  It was there to raise money for cancer research.  The connection?  You make a donation to Relay for Life to have the toilet removed from your yard.  And, quite deviously, you get to choose the person into whose yard it is deposited next.  Turnabout is fair play.  So, we sent it on to a neighbor.  It is an ingenious idea.  I certainly did not want the thing permanently placed in our front yard.  Again, some places I have lived may not have had an issue with a purple toilet in the yard.  But, in Gibson City, not so much!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The Use of Euphemism

Recently, someone kept referring to a dead family member as being "gone" or "lost".  For some reason, that rankled me.  I felt that the person using that phrase was not facing up to the reality of the situation.  I attributed it to our current culture's reticense to face death squarely.  Dying, death, dead are not words to be used in polite conversation.  When is the last time you heard someone say "My wife is dead".  The more I thought about it, the more self righteous I became.  If there was one thing my mother taught me, it was to seek to grab reality by the throat.  "Don't sugar-coat things"!  So, I thought, we need to grasp firmly the harsh reality of our own mortality - we are dying!  In doing so, we are in a much better place to prepare for the inevitability of that experience.

And yet.  When I read the bible - it does not hesitate to speak of death AND to use euphemisms.  The most common - sleep.  Paul speaks of dead saints as those that are "asleep".  Why?  Perhaps it is to take the edge off of the harshness of saying they are dead.  Jesus spoke of Lazarus being asleep.  Because, for the Christian, the harshness of death has been taken away in Jesus.  The essence of the euphemism is true. Our loved one who has died is "gone".  They are, if believers, absent from the body and present with the Lord.

Using a euphemism does not mean we are have not grasped the reality of the situation. The next time someone tells me that their Christian oved one is "gone", I shall not protest.  Gone indeed!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Fireball



Last evening I was out with one of my telescopes.  It was a beautiful evening.  There was very little wind and clear skies.  After 90 minutes or so I was beginning to pack everything up.  Several targets had given me great delight - M3, M13, M81, M82, Saturn, etc.  Suddenly, toward the North and a bit West, there was a very bright flash and a few lesser flashes.  It was a bit disorienting.  I checked the computer and knew it was not weather related.  Perhaps, I thought, this was the big one.  The nukes were dropping and the world as I now knew it was coming to an end.  (you never know!)  It turns out it was a very bright meteor entering the atmosphere somewhere over Wisconsin.  I did not actually see the fireball, my view was blocked by my house, but I did see the consequences.  Keep looking up.  Just when you don't expect it (Him) . . .

Tuesday, April 13, 2010



An estimated 50,000 years ago a meteorite slammed into earth's surface near Diablo Canyon, New Mexico.  The impact left a crater approximately 4000 feet in diameter and (today) 570 feet deep.  The object which made the crater was an iron-nickel meteorite estimated to have been 54 yards across.  Most of it was vaporized by entry into the atomosphere and the smash into the New Mexican plain.  But, bits of it were scattered about and can still be had.  One of them resides on my desk.  It is about the size of a peach pit, is very heavy, and metallic.  My brother gave it to me as a gift.

Witnessing a "falling star" is an exciting event - at least for me.  Having a piece of one in my possession is quite another story.  I wonder about it - the orginal rock - where did it come from?  How long was it circling through the solar system?  How far had it traveled before ending up in New Mexico? 

Sometimes meteorties actually strike people or houses or cars.  You probably can get insurance for the damages they cause.  People have seen them as signs from above - messengers of judgment or blessing.  I keep mine on my desk as a reminder that the solar system is a big place and that the Lord rules where ever my meteorite piece originated.       

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Illinois Earthquake

For the second time in my life I have been awakened by an earthquake.  It happened early this morning, between 4 and 5 o'clock.  There is an unnatural tremor unlike any thing else that accompanies an earthquake.  That bit of anecdotal evidence is the result of being awakened by two earthquakes - take it for what it is worth.  I had always wanted to feel one.  I have come close enough. 

This is especially true when I think of Haiti.  250,000 estimated dead.   Our county only has 14,000 residents.  Champaign county has 196,000; McClean county 170,000.  I cannot,  in my wildest dreams, imagine that many people disppearing from the planet as a result of one catastrophic event.  And yet, it happens with some regularity on our planet.  And, the questions fly.  Why this, why them, why there, why, why, why?  Maybe I should be asking why not here?  Why not me? 

I am not wise enough to pronounce it an act of judgment, although all such occurences are wake up calls for us all.  A tower fell crushing to death several people.  Jesus said they were not worse sinners than those who did not die.  But, all of us better take note.  Life is a vapor.

Two earthquakes, both since coming to Gibson City.  Hmmm. 

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Check Out Mars!

A lot of misinformation has been on the web about how large Mars would appear to the naked eye at this particular period of time.  Some sites were claiming Mars would be as large as the moon!  That is impossible unless Mars and the Earth moves a significant distnace closer to one another.  Which, if that happens, would give us bigger issues with which to concern ourselves than how big and bright Mars appears.

What is true is that this month Mars is closer to us than it has been or will be in our life time and that it is bright.  In fact, it is the brightest object in the evening sky except for the Moon and the star Sirius.  You know it is Mars because it is rust colored.  Look in the Eastern sky around 8:00 P.M. You do not need a telescope or binoculars to enjoy seeing it.  All that does need to happen is for the clouds to part! 

And, while you are looking at it, think about the two rovers currently sitting on the surface of Mars and the biggy brains necessary to get them there.  I think the initial life expectancy of the two rovers was 90 days and they have been going strong for 6 years.  Pretty amazing.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Equipment B

This is my second note about telescopes I own.

When people think of telescopes, the image that most commonly comes to mind is the refractor type of telescope.  They are the earliest types of telescopes having been created in the early 1600s.  Refractors consist of a tube into which is placed the "objective" lens at the front.  The objective may be a single lens or it may consist of two or three lens bundled together either air or oil spaced.  At the rear of the telescope is the focuser into which is placed a diagonal.  Into the diagonal goes an eyepiece.  The magnification of the telescope is largely depedent on the eyepiece.

Large refractors tend to be the most expensive telescopes due the cost of the glass objectives.  There are also a variety of glass types used in the objective.  Those glass types and configurations of the objective lens contributes significantly to the cost of the telescope. 


 My refractor is made by Astro Tech.  The objective is 102mm in diameter - about 4 inches.  It has extra dispersion glass to help with the view.  This particular telescope is the easiest I own to grab and carry outside.  It is particularly good for the moon, planets, and double stars. Good refractors can be purchased at a good price, especially from the used market.  They are (usually) portable, provide good views, are easy to use, and will last a lifetime - provided you don't drop it or run over it with the car. 





Pastor's Diary

I have, since January 19th, 1983, kept a diary/journal.  That is nothing to brag about.  Maybe it is narcisstic.  I once asked my children if there would be a problem with them fussing over who gets my diaries after I die.  They quickly assured me that would NOT be a problem.

There is something about going back and being reminded of historical events in my life and the lives of those around me.  Some of the entries remind me of the faithfulness of the Lord.  Some of them remind me of my own unfaithfulness (not in the marriage sense of unfaithfulness mind you!).  Early on, I was hesitant to write much about what I was thinking or what was happening around me.  It was more of a devotional reflection. The longer I wrote, however, the more I wrote about struggles, thoughts, temptations, victories, circumstances, etc.  For example, on July 14th, 1985 - right after I entered my first pastorate I wrote: My first communion (to lead as pastor).  Brother ____ forgot to supply juice.  But we finally got that straightened out.  Sunday night I forgot to take up the offering so I guess it was tit for tat.  Still in the throes of frustration as far as any type of routine is concerned.  I remember the Sunday morning.  How do you forget the grape juice (wine) for communion? 

Those early days of pastoring were exciting and exhausting.  On July 27th of 1985 I wrote Those preachers lied to me who said that pastoring is easier than seminary.  In September of that same year I said  It is hard to keep up.  I swing from depression to escstacy, from fear to faith.  God, please grant consistency in life and habit.  May my heart be consumed with a burning love for Jesus Christ.  I am still not completely settled into things here.  I intend to be sharing things from these diaries in future blogs.  Entirely for your entertainment and hopefully some edification. 

Monday, January 18, 2010

Every Day - More Light

Whatever the weather we weather the weather whether we like it or not!  So goes a bit of doggrel about enduring the weather.  The last few weeks have been difficult.  First there was the bitter cold and now the dark, dismal clouds that refuse to lift. 

But, to cheer myself up, I remind myself that every day we are adding minutes of daylight to the length of the day.  I don't think I could survive in those parts of the world where the sun sets and does not rise again for weeks and weeks. 

It is not that I don't like the dark.  But, I hate the gloom.  A day or two of it is not bad.  But when it does not lift for days and then weeks - it is disheartening.  But, I hang onto hope.  The sun is shining above the clouds.  Spring will come, Lord willing.  And, while I may have to deal with dismal weather, my complaining becomes hollow when I think of the horror of Haiti.  In fact, the suffering taking place in Haiti puts much of my complaining into perspective. 

Funerals



Two weeks, two funerals, two godly women absent from the body and present with the Lord.  There is a general assumption that funerals are among the hardest things pastors do.  Yes and no.  There are some very, very difficult funerals.  And, each funeral is a reminder that the enemy death still is part of our experience.  We still live with the tension of "Now" and "Not Yet". 

I have done some unusual funerals.  Once, I led a funeral for a pastor who had been leading a funeral and fainted.  As he fell, he struck his head which led to his death.  I used his funeral notes to do his funeral.  I did a funeral for a biker that had a huge processional of Harleys and a party in the graveyard. 

It is an honor to be asked to lead a funeral.  I count it as a high and, in many ways, holy calling to do so.  It is humbling.  The two dear women who recently passed away were both believers who left wonderful legacies to their families.  Here are my points from the funerals, three each, combined as a summary.  1. A Love for God demonstrated in a Love for Others.  2.  Faithfulness in Prayer demonstrated in Praying Always with Thanksgiving. 3.  A Determination that Contentment truly is Possible.  4.  Persistent Faith in the Face of Persistent Suffering.  5.  Refusing to Complain when Complaining appeared Justified.  6.  A Love for Family that Never faded over Time.  All six of these points originated from a deep and abiding faith which came from a relationship with God through Jesus Christ as Savior.

One of these days, I remind myself, someone will be doing my funeral.  I don't think such thinking is morbid.  It is just the sort of reality check all of us should take, especially when we read obituaries or attend a funeral.