Wonderful Christmas Gift

Lydia graduated this past Saturday from Eastern Illinois University with a degree in Special Education and Elementary Education. The family is very proud of her and thankful for her endurance and determination. She will be student teaching in Champaign this Spring and living at home.

Crunchy Night

I stepped off of our back patio and onto the crunchy grass and looked up. There, in all of his glory, was Orion the Hunter. His sword dangled from his belt and glowed with the light from M42, the Orion Nebula. It was easily visible through my binoculars. It was 9:45 at night and the temperature was 17. The sky was glorious, even staggering. Mars was glowing rust red and rising in the East. The Pleiades or Seven Sisters was straight overhead forming a patch of blue diamonds. Again, from the East, came Castor and Pollux, the twins. Through the binoculars I swept through the constellation Auriga, the charioteer, and saw in the midst of it three smudges of light: M38, M36, and M37, three open clusters of stars. Taurus the Bull preceded Orion in the march across the sky and is marked by the amazing reddish star Aldebaran. It is 44 times larger than our sun. Near Cassiopeia, the constellation that looks like a large elongated "W" is one of my favorites - the Double Cluster. I can just make out their glow with my naked eye. They were very pretty through the binoculars. They are stunning through a telescope.

This whole tour took me thirty minutes. It cost me next to nothing. The binoculars were purchased for less than $60.00. I think everyone should own a pair of binoculars. But, you don't need binoculars to drink in the amazing glory that passes overhead night afer night. All it takes is a little time and no clouds. Don't miss it.

Tailights

This morning I watched the taillights of the Taurus as it pulled out of the driveway and headed south. And, to my surprise, I wept. Not for the car. But for the transition. Not necessarily out of sadness but out of the change. Andrew was on his way. We have been through transitions before. The move to college, the move to Springfield as he worked on his masters. But this one, it feels different. There is a real possibility of permanence with this move, as it should be. I am very thankful for the job. I am very thankful for the move. I am very thankful for the man he has become. But, still, on this day at this hour I sense a certain melancholy. He needed to go, he should go, it is right for him to go. And, in going he grows. 6 hours is really not far. But, those 6 hours represent a real change for all of us. The Lord goes with him and before him and behind him. It is an adventure and I will be excited to see how the Lord works. Already He has taken care. Andrew plowed through a deer Sunday evening. His car may be totaled. In the mean time, we had about $700.00 work done on the Taurus the week before getting it in shape, never knowing it would be heading to Kentucky. PTL.

Indecision!

Please forgive the close up. BTW, I talked to my wife for 10 minutes or so all the while looking just like this and she never noticed. Hmmm.

Change

Connie, Aaron, and I spent this Thanksgiving in Louisiana. My brother, his wife, and daughter showed us great hospitality. They opened their home and saw to our every need. It was great to spend time with them and we were very appreciative. And, I had a delicious oyster po-boy! Awesome.

But, I must confess, there was a bit of sadness that accompanied the trip. We went down to the home were my brother and I grew up and for the first time in my 51 years, someone else lived there besides my family. It looked different - whose car is that parked in OUR driveway? Who chopped down the bush my mother planted? Why have they not mowed the barnyard? And, there was a visit to the graveyard. I just cannot imagine that both my parents now lie buried in Melder, Louisiana. Places come and go, but parents and family . . .

While we were out riding around, I decided to drop by one of my favorite spots. It is called Hogan's Hole. It was our summer time vacation spot. Hogan's Hole was only five miles or so from my home. As kids, we spent hours and hours there. It was a Redneck Rivera. But, to look at it now, it is not so inviting. It has filled in, the brush has grown up, and someone is now dumping garbage there.

Some changes are good. Edith was married to my dad during the last years of his life. She provided amazing care for him and went far above the call of duty. She served sacrificially and we are indebted to her for it. Now, she has a very nice home at a nice location. She has made new friends and has found a new church. It was good to visit her.

One thing that did not change - it was awesome to get home!

Trying New Things

Skyline Chili. I was in Cincinnati, Ohio this week. Well, actually I stayed in Hebron, Kentucky which is just across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. My reason for being there involves a rather long story. Regardless, I was there with friend and I had been told that I must try the Skyline Chili. Skyline is a chain of restaurants. Their chili is well known because of the "secret" recipe. I do not know all that was in it, but I do know it has cocoa and cinnamon. Cocoa and cinnamon sound good, but not necessarily together in a bowl of chili and cheese. But, it was surprisingly good - different - but good. It is good to try new things. We all get stuck in routines. Care must be given to not simply use boredom as an excuse to indulge sin. But, there are plenty of things out there that we can try that are different from our norm. Here is an example, I use to love to make mayonnaise sandwiches and dip them in chocolate milk. Don't knock it till you have tried it!

Next time you are near Cincinnati - try the Skyline Chili. Or, if you are really adventurous, try a mayo and chocolate milk lunch. Yum!

Frustration!

This week my dear wife fixed pancakes for breakfast. If you were to come to my home for breakfast, I could pretty much tell you what you would have to eat on any given day. Monday is not a good day - it is usually cereal. Tuesday is pancake or french toast day. Wednesday is Waffle Wednesday. Thursday is Egg Sandwich day. Friday is Home-Made Cinamon Roll Friday. Saturday is Biscuits and Gravy. Sunday is bought cinnamon roll day.

On Tuesday, she had fixed pancakes and I wanted syrup on them. Most people do. I made a significant tactical error, however, by waiting to open the bottle of syrup after my pancake was done. It was a new bottle which meant I had to risk my fingers by cutting off a hard plastic seal that covered the bottle cap. The plastic used is wretched stuff, stiff and sharp when taken off. Next, I had to take off the bottle cap which had been screwed onto the bottle by a 600 pound gorilla. The reason I had to take the cap off was to get at a paper and foil seal that covered the top of the bottle that has a little tab that is almost impossible to raise to get the seal off. So, usually I grab a knife and stab the seal to enable me to remove it. I then had to screw the broken cap back on (the flapper on it had broken when I was wrestling with removing it) so I could finally dispense the syrup on my now cold pancake!

Two or three thoughts went through my head. How do elderly people or people with disabilities get their syrup? Secondly, I am beginning to wonder if the producer of the product does not want me using the product. Or, maybe the grocer is afraid of people stealing the syrup out of the bottles while they are sitting on the shelves. No wonder we are all almost incapacitated with fear. Even eating syrup communicates to us that we are embarking on a very risky odyssey. Hanging over the pleasure of a delicious breakfast is the risk of poisoning!

Gone are the days of buying a bottle of syrup, taking it home and pouring onto a warm, buttery pancake. Better safe than sorry? Remember this, if you plan to have syrup on your pancake - be sure and OPEN THE BOTTLE THE DAY BEFORE.

Variety of Experiences

Last evening, the "Illini Quarterback Club" hosted Gibson City. The IQBC has been in existence for 68 years. When the football team is away then they have a Thursday evening meal and a live hour long call in radio show. When the team is home then the club hosts a Friday luncheon. They invite different towns to come as guests.

It was a fun evening on several fronts. Participating in the live radio broadcast was exciting. Being there last evening was good because the Illini had won last weekend and everyone was living off of the glow of that victory. Seeing Ron Zook up close (we were 10 feet apart) was pretty cool. The setting was awesome. The event was located in the "Colonnades Club" at Memorial Stadium. It would be really, really nice to watch a football game from there. The food was good and the company entertaining and the conversation interesting. The coach takes questions from the audience both during the live broadcast and during breaks. The questions asked during the breaks tend to be a bit more interesting. He also interacts with folks who call in with comments and questions.

I was a bit out of place. The only orange and blue I own are of a more casual nature. However, I did feel better when I saw that there was at least one other who did not wear orange - Ron Zook. We were dressed pretty much alike!

The whole experience was not one I would necessarily pursue. In the end, however, it was very enjoyable. I continue to be surprised and amazed at the different experiences that come into my life. Riding in a combine, flying in a Cessna 172 to Pontiac for coffee, going fishing at Clinton Lake, watching my son play basketball, teaching my daughter to drive, and on and on it goes. It is humbling and I am grateful.

Equipment

I thought it might be nice to post the astro-equipment I use. It is a bit like looking at the pictures in the wallet of a proud grandparent. I don't want to rush it, so I will go one at a time. Today, the oldest of the bunch. It is a Celestron C8 - known as the orange tube classic C8. The "8" refers to the diameter of the telescope tube. It is eight inches around. Celestron began manufacturing this particular telescope in 1970. It became an influential scope because of several factors not the least of which was affordability and ability. It could be purchased for a reasonable price, was fairly portable, was large enough in diameter to allow the user to view a lot, and was of good quality. The style of scope is SCT. That acronym stands for Schmidt-Cassegrain. It has a couple of mirrors in it and a "correcting plate" which acts like a lens on the front. The design makes the telescope fairly compact especially considering the diameter.

I have been looking for one for a long time. Thankfully, a gentleman had one that he wanted to sell. He was advertising on the web and I assumed we would need to make some shipping arrangements - never fun when you are considering shipping fairly fragile equipment across the U.S. It was so exciting to discover he was only two hours from where I live and that he would be more than willing to drive half-way to meet. Rather than purchase the scope and accessories out right, we were able to do some trading. And, he was a wonderful Christian man with whom I had a most blessed couple of hours visiting. It always amazes me where I meet believers.

The scope is the newest to me and it is taking me a while to get use to it. The last time I had it out was Halloween. Usually, I don't like going out that evening. Not because of fear of what I don't see but fear of what I do! It was a beautiful evening, however, and after our "Hallelujah Party" at church I went out for almost 2 hours. The moon was out and, while not full, was plenty bright. I was able to see some beautiful sights - including M-13 in Hercules and the Double-Double star system in Lyra. The Andromeda Galaxy was washed out by the moon light. Jupiter was dancing in the southern sky.

I plan to do a "public showing" at the church soon. Be sure and join us!

Breakfast

This morning I went to breakfast at Percfection Coffee House here in Gibson. It is a cool place to eat though not my usual breakfast hangout. My practice is to eat breakfast out once a week. It is my favorite meal restaurant meal. What smells better than bacon frying in the morning? The vast majority of times it is with another man whom I am either wanting to get to know better or with whom I need to discuss concerns within the church.

There is something about getting up and out as the world around me is waking up. I usually walk to where I eat breakfast. It takes me ten minutes and by the time I get to the restaurant I am wide awake. By the time I am done with breakfast I am so wired from drinking coffee that I need to walk home just to calm down. At home I drink two cups a coffee in the morning. When I eat out I drink two gallons of coffee in the morning.

Today I had the joy of having breakfast with my oldest son. I was deeply humbled. For one thing, and some of you know what I mean, we talked as man to man. That is a significant transition for both of us. Not that our conversation was necessarily "deep" or that we forgot we were son and father. And, he asked me my perspective on some concerns in his life. I have had to fight offering up too much advice and trying to be a fix-it person. The Lord has been teaching me to wait on Him. I was very pleased and humbled (forgive the repetition) that Drew would ask.

Go out to breakfast. Watch the world wake up over a plate of bacon and eggs. Spend the early part of a day conversing with someone you love. Don't worry about the cholesterol. Enjoy the glory of a sunrise and the pleasure of the food and bless God for His goodness in your life.

Wild Hogs - NOT!

Yesterday, October 19th, was our second annual bike ride to Starved Rock, Illinois. Starved Rock is near Ottawa, about 100 miles from my home and is the second oldest state park in Illinois. It is located on the Illinois river with a very attractive lodge, hotel, and restaurant. The fall colors were very nice and the view of the river from "Starved Rock" is great. There is a lock and dam on the river that is fun to watch from the vantage point of the overlook. There is also a nice museum containing the history of the location.

My riding partners are Frank (on the left) and Jerry. I am in the middle. We left at 10:00 A.M. and had beautiful clear skies about 1/2 way. Clouds rolled in and the temperature dropped and we had to stop and grab a cup of hot coffee. We were tempted to turn back but pressed on and I am glad we did. The sun eventually returned and we had a delicious lunch at the park restaurant. The worst part of the trip were the Chinese beetles - they look like lady bugs on steroids. They were not a problem on the ride, although the occasional smash against the helmet is startling. At the overlook at Starved Rock there were thousands and thousands of them. People were literally running from them. It looked like the plague.

Another exciting event happened when we were riding the twisties up to the park. It is a narrow road and a young couple had decided to park to take some photos or just enjoy the view. The problem was that their vehicle was 1/2 into the narrow road. One of the motorcycles backfires when you let off of the throttle. That person was in front of me and just as he got by that vehicle his bike let out a loud "BANG"! I almost wrecked laughing so hard at the reaction of the young couple in the parked jeep. They were so busy looking at the leaves (and endangering every one's lives) they never noticed the motorcycle till the explosion from the tailpipe.

I enjoy the two men I was riding with, although they are hard riders. They never met a speed limit they liked. They are full of great stories and can be hilarious. Neither are shy - 8 Illinois State Troopers were at the restaurant on their motorcycles. It was like a magnet to the two men who waltzed right over and starting talking to them. When we were exiting the restaurant there were two dear ladies outside smoking. One of the men said: "Don't you know that smoking is bad for your health?" The ladies were startled, but did admit that they knew that. Then the man said, "Well, you are so old it probably does not matter any way". I kept walking, perhaps a little faster.

It is good for men to spend time with other men. To encourage one another, challenge one another, bless one another, and enjoy one another. It was a small adventure in the middle of the month. A nice little vacation spent with two dear brothers. And, I was very thankful by the end of the trip to have survived unscathed, but with a bit more insight into life and a few more stories to tell.

Blogging and Slogging

Do people still read blogs? Has Face book and Twittering spelled the death of their longer winded cousin - the blogger? I am wondering. We are entering into a new frontier with communication. It is less face to face and more keyboard to keyboard. At least they are "talking", but are they really?

We had a wonderful baptismal service two weeks ago. All adults. It was glorious. The video is on our church web site - it takes a long time to load - be patient. It is such a wonderful thing to participate in the decision that people make to obey Jesus in baptism. My heart is humbled.

This past Sunday things did not go so well. There were technical problems. They can be really aggravating. And, a lot of people were out of town. Too often I see who is not here rather than who is here. And, at least from my perspective, the sermon did not go so well. I want everything to go just right and when it doesn't it throws me into discouragement. I still have not learned the lesson of slogging onward and upward. Praise God when it all comes to gather and heaven seems to have come to earth. But, Praise God also when things break, we stumble through sermons, and all does not seem well. God is still on the throne. Following Jesus means slogging at times.

ISS Up and Away

The light streak in the center of the picture just above the trees, is the International Space Station. I asked my oldest son, who is currently working as a photographer, to shoot the picture for me. It was taken on May 29th of this year. I enjoy watching it pass over and try to imagine what the people are doing aboard it. Reading? E-mailing loved ones? Sleeping? Looking down at me looking up at them?

The ISS orbits the earth every 90 minutes at an altitude of approxmiately 200 miles. It is a little over 12,000 square feet of living space that travels at over 7,000 mph. This is not your typical RV. Would you consider this the ultimate escape? The view is awesome. The setting is ultimately unique. It is a bit pricey. I think the Russians charge $51 million a seat for a trip on the Soyuz to the ISS. I am not sure what that works out to per night, but it is more expensive than Motel 6. The station is not yet complete. I have read that it is the most expensive object ever constructed, with a cost between 35 to 160 billion dollars. And, it is easy to see at night with the naked eye. Some folks have spotted it during the day time. It is bright, very bright.

Reminds me - let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. The ISS is bright, but it does not "produce" the light, it merely reflects it. (Someone may argue that point) The light seen from it originates with the sun. A good deal of what we see is reflected from the solar panels. And so with believers. We are to reflect the Light. The Light of the world is Jesus.

Last evening, about 10:30, I saw Uranus for the first time. I was using my 10 inch dob telescope with a 17mm eyepiece. The sky was amazing. It literally looked like black velvet with diamonds. Uranus is hanging in the East/South-East sky just under the constellation Pisces.

Uranus is the 7th planet from the sun and the 3rd largest. It was discovered in 1781. It is 1.6 billion miles from earth and, the best I can figure, it takes the light over two minutes to reach us.

I had been looking for it through my 120mm refractor the night before but with no joy. It was very exciting to see another part of our solar system. So far, I have been able to view Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus. Neptune is next on my list. I doubt I will ever see Pluto (I still consider it a planet) or Earth.

Know that what I saw was nothing like the above image. It was more like this - small but had a beautiful bluish hue. Oh the glory of God in creation!

Motorcycles

I own and ride a motorcycle - and I like it. For some pastors, that is a tough confession. Chuck Swindoll helped us all out, however, when he bought his Harley. The folks where I pastor have been very kind. Only a few don't like it and have told me. And, my wife does not mind.

My first experience in riding happened in high school. The Williamson brothers had motorcycles and let me join them on their bikes. I was hooked. I bought my first motorcycle while I was in college. Byron MaGee sold me his street Yamaha 250. I had no license and no title for the bike until I sold it. It was fun to ride but not exactly what I was looking for. There were miles and miles of trails through the woods where I lived. I needed a dirt bike. So, I traded the Yamaha for a Kawasaki KA125. I stripped the lights and license plate off and road it many, many miles through the woods. And, there were cow trails through Kasatchie National Forest that were a blast to ride. Reggie, Gene, Greg, Jake, and Bruce all had bikes and also loved to ride in the woods. The Kawasaki was wearing out so I sold it and bought a Yamaha YZ125. It was a dirt bike par excellence. It would climb a tree if you let it. Life was changing for me, however. My time near the woods was getting less and less. Connie Jo Stahl was in my life and I needed money to buy an engagement ring. I was moving to Indiana to attend Grace Seminary. The Yamaha had to go. I was in my mid 20s and for the first time in a while found myself without a motorcycle.

Fast forward to about 8 years ago. A man in the church I pastored had bought a Harley and had his Yamaha 750 Virago for sell. It was a "Cruiser" and in good shape. He agree to sell it to me and I had a blast with it. I put a windshield on it and painted it blue with red flames. But, it had some quirks. It was very hard to start and had a slight oil leak. It was an older bike and getting a bit creaky. So, I decided to sell it and go bike-less.

A gentleman heard of my desire to find another motorcycle and made me an offer I could not refuse on the motorcycle pictured here. It is a 1996 Honda CBR1000F. Some call it a C - Rocket. A name I don't like. I prefer "Sport Touring". It is a fun motorcycle to ride. It may not look comfortable, but it is. The bike is smooth running and dependable. The longest ride I have taken has been 300 miles. I wear a helmet and usually have on a leather jacket - not for looks - but in case of a spill.

I am asked if I am afraid on a motorcycle. I don't trust cars when I am riding. People may not see you and I never assume they do. I try to be careful and wear the appropriate safety equipment. I do not take chances and am not in a hurry on the bike. There is something about being in the open air - the smells, the temperature changes, the wind - all are fresh on a bike. And, I have met wonderful folks who also ride. Some Harley folks don't like the fact I ride a Honda and I am okay with that.

One day I will be done riding. Even now I get cramps in my hips and I find throwing my leg over the seat a little bit more difficult. But, right now I enjoy the ride.

Decisions, Decisions

Which way to go? Making the "right" decision is not always easy. Sometimes it is. When tempted to steal a candy bar from a convenience store, the correct decision is obvious, even if the temptation is appealing. Some would nuance even that simple decision with questions regarding the circumstances. "Situation Ethics" would ask something like: Are you stealing this because your family is hungry? (I say "No" - for a variety of reasons)

Some decisions are not so easy. What I wear on a Sunday morning has always been a source of agony for me. Dumb, I know. Recently I have been making that decision on Saturday evening. Decisions whose ramifications are significant bear down on us and make them more difficult. Sometimes, we become so overwhelmed by anxiety produced by seeking to "do the right thing" that we are incapable of making a decision. Sometimes, it is the paralysis of analysis. Other times we are afraid of making a choice, not because it may be right or wrong, but we fear we are not choosing what will be the best for us. If we choose "A" we may be missing out on "B". And, for the Christian, there is that mysterious thing we call "the will of God". Christians sometimes tie themselves into knots because of a fear that a decision will result in them "missing the will of God".

Lately, I have been in turmoil over a decision. What to do??? One of the best things I have found is to try and get some perspective. Talk to someone who is wise and as unbiased as can be about the decision. Talk to someone who will not tell you what you want to hear. This is in addition to prayer, searching the scripture, and waiting. And, having gathered the best information you can, having prayed and ask for the Lord's help, having asked input from wise friends, make the decision.

Now, to take my own advice . . . .

To Beard or Not To Beard

I have never really had a beard. I have been scruffy, but never the full blown beard. It is fun, because I hate shaving. So, maybe it is sinful because I am giving in to sloth. My family is encouraging me to keep it. Perhaps for a while.

During my recent sabbatical, I took some time to visit other churches. It is always an interesting experience. And, I purposefully chose churches different from the one I pastor. They were different in theology and different in worship styles. One was a mega-church, one was the size of the church I pastor, and one was smaller. One was very liturgical, one was charismatic, and one was reformed. (I hate labels)

As a visitor on the "other side" of the pulpit, I found myself wanting two different things at the same time. On one hand, I was hoping that people who regularly attended those churches would be welcoming of someone from the outside. On the other hand, I hoped to fly under the radar - to maintain a bit of anonymity. It is asking a bit of a church to have it both ways. Two of the churches did a "meet and greet" during the service. I am a bit ambivalent toward such actions. It does help you meet people around you but it is forced. One church recognized guests during the service. That was awkward and was really the last thing I wanted. Of course, my visit to these churches was quite different from someone searching for a church to attend. Only one of the three churches had people in place whose job (read ministry since it occurred in church) it was to greet people like me. And, they did their job well.

As a pastor, it is very difficult to go to other churches and worship without constantly evaluating all that is taking place. It was wonderful to see people worshiping in a variety of ways. In all three churches the scripture was read. In all three statements were made that indicated they believed Jesus was "the way, the truth, and the life". I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the liturgy of the "high church". There was no attempt there to mask the gospel, to necessarily go out of the way to make you feel like you were any where else but church. Sometimes, I think we try too hard to mask our identity for the sake of being seeker friendly.

Don't tell your pastor, but every now and then you should visit other churches. If for no other reason than to appreciate what you have in your home church.

Returning

This is a picture of a sunset from Navarre Beach, Florida. I made it the last evening of our vacation. Pictures capture memories, or at least they try. The three weeks of sabbatical and one week of vacation are now memories. What did I learn? I kept a sabbatical diary of sorts and want to share portions from my daily diary. They are random and may be a bit confusing. If you don't read any more of this post, please read this - I was very thankful to disengage for a while - but I am also very thankful to be back.

* Home by 3:00 P.M. following a funeral. Fried fresh catfish - yum.

* Morning motorcycle ride with two men from the church. Afternoon in my temporary office. What do I want to accomplish? I don't want to waste the time, it is a sacred trust. But, I don't want the crushing feeling of having to squeeze something from every minute either. Balance!

*Finished the book "When People Are Big and God Is Small". Reading through the Bible.

*Visited church in Bloomington. Only one person spoke to me.

*Finding out the church gets along fine without me. None of us are indispensable.

*Started book "How People Change". Storm broke out, power went out. Hardest thing is prayer - isn't that terrible?!?

*Read 1st and 2nd Kings today. So much death, disobedience, and destruction. It takes time to get used to being off and then, when I do get use to it, it is time to go back. Unharnessing is hard, perhaps getting back in the saddle is harder.

*Went to an Episcopalian Church today. Much different than I am use to - but - I appreciated it. The chapel was very God oriented. The worship service was as well, but, I can see where it can become very rote.

*Praise God for friends!

*Lessons from the sabbatical:

1. Professionalism is dangerous to the pastorate. It is possible to move from being a pastor to being a professional, a suptle but deadly way of viewing ministry.

2. Disengaging from the daily responsibility of pastoring is good, but harder than I thought.

3. Personal discipline is a key to spiritual growth. Rest is part of personal discipline.

4. Cynism is an enemy to ministry.

5. The Holy Spirit works in ways we sometimes dismiss at worst, overlook at best.

6. Spiritual health can be faked but not before God.

7. I pastor a wonderful church and am humbled.

8. The Bible is food and water for all of life.

9. Time flies.

10. My family is a precious gift.

Thanks to the church for giving me the time away and thanks to everyone who filled whatever holes my absence created.
Paul

Sabbatical

The Elders approached me about taking some time off. Some have misunderstood that to mean that the Elders wanted me to go look for a job some where else. If they were thinking that, they never said it to me! This has been a long time in coming, almost two years. We talked, we thought, we prayed, we re-thought, we post-poned, we talked. Getting things done by committee is not always the most efficient way of accomplishing something. We finally came up with the plan presented to you via the e-mail letter. And, there are no plans for searching for a new church or the church searching for a new pastor, at least no plans I know about. I do have every confidence that the staff at GCBC is much more than adequate to do the work of ministry here. We are so blessed and for them I am most grateful.

My intent is to keep you posted via this blog. And, except for the week of vacation, I don't plan to be far from Ford County. I do plan one small motorcycle trip with my dear brother Kent Klotz who lives in Indiana. I want to pray, read the bible in its entirety, read some books on Christian counseling, and think about how to be more effective in ministry. And, I have a couple of book ideas that I want to drag out of the back closet of my mind and toy with. Three weeks is not long.

Please pray for me and for the church. My biggest fear is to waste this glorious opportunity. That is not my intent.

Old and New

Old and New, or, as we like to say in church parlance - Traditional and Contemporary. I really don't like either label because both carry baggage. The above picture was taken at the Peoria Air Show on Saturday, July 11, 2009. Someone had some tickets and could not attend. My two sons and I could attend. It was exciting. And, it was cool to see an F-16 and a P-51 flying in formation. Both highly respected, both awesome to see in flight.

A lesson to be learned in church. Old is not bad and neither is new. Old does not mean musty and out of touch. The Bible is, in one sense, very old. But, to read it, you would think much of it was written yesterday. And, just because something is new does not mean it must be suspect. God does things in His own way and it is not always the same way. The greater prejudice today is probably against the old. There is a certain arrogance we have now believing that everything then was worse. Not so. But, those who cling to the old can also become entrenched and think anything new is subversive. We need both. And, since we do need both, that is why I have a philosophical problem with having a contemporary worship service and a traditional worship service. That smacks of being divisive and threatens the thought that both the new and the old can be of the Lord. Can we not lay aside our personal preferences for a bit?

I love the P-51. The sound is awesome and so is the sight. But, the F-16 is not shabby. Both can occupy an airshow. Old and New right beside one another.

Unexpected Blessings

Through a series of apparently mundane events, I ended up spending some up close and personal time with a World War 2 warbird - a F6F Hellcat - a rare bird indeed. Very, very few are flying these days. They were the scourge of the Japanese in the battle for the Pacific. And, one dropped into the neighborhood - Rantoul - and a dear friend and brother (Eric Johnson) knew someone who knew someone and knew me. Together we all got to spend some time drooling on and in the plane. For me, it was a rare opporutnity to have a very tactile experience with a piece of machinery that I find exhilerating - representing a time that I find amazing. For others, not so much. But, it came "out of the blue". And, blessings often do just that - arrive unexpected, unanticipated, unplanned. I just want to be sure that my radar is on and I am grateful when they do and seek to be grateful when they don't. Perhaps some would argue that the God of the universe could care not one bit whether or not I sat in the cockpit of a Navy plane responsible for helping win WW2. I completely understand the thought and don't want to attribute to God more than He has promised. But, be it a note from a long lost friend, a $5.00 bill at the bottom of a sock drawyer, a rain shower at just the right time - all are gifts of His grace. And, I want to thank Him for them.

Golf Gulf

This past Friday I played my first, and perhaps my only, round of golf for the year. The picture above shows the threesome of my foursome. We were playing in a an outing sponsored by a couple of local organizations raising money for good causes. The fellowship was good, the food after was good, the weather was good, and the golf was good. We shot 8 under. My contribution to that score was minimal. Although, not to brag, I did finish us up by shooting a birdie on the final hole - a par 3. It was a beautiful shot - probably the best of the outing . . . . . . sorry, I digress. My help on the rest of the 18 was limited to a lot of verbal encouragement. For one thing, you cannot play golf once a year and do exceptionally well. For another, there were two others on the team that play every week - one of which use to be a golf pro. Dave, the guy on the right in the picture, is a weight lifter who, when he connects, almost knocks the skin off of the ball. So, I was there for the moral support. "Atta Boy!" "Great Shot!" "Your the Man!" Our score was not enough to place - the winning team shot a 14 or 15 under. But, 8 under is a score never achievable me alone. Playing best-ball made it possible. As a pastor, the lesson in that is all too obvious - which are the best lessons I learn. The Lord builds teams to accomplish his purposes. I have very little patience for the man/woman who discards the church as useless. Imperfect? Yes. Sometimes hurtful? Yes. Inconsistent? Yes. Intolerant? Sometimes. But, the work of the kingdom advances through the work of the body - a team dedicated to moving forward under the leadership of the King. It is not about the lone person, the American ideal of the individual, who takes on the world. Leadership is important. Single individuals have significant impact. But, in the end, it is about the body. Maybe I should play more - as a reminder of this lesson - and others - such as patience, persistence, hitting it fat, keeping my head down, not gripping too tightly, etc, etc, etc.

Hot

I grew up in this house in central Louisiana. It was a wonderful place to live. There was a pond behind the house and thousands of acres of woods around it. We lived next door to a national forest. There were some downsides, not the least of which was the heat. Growing up, we had no air conditioning. An attic fan provided the only ventilation in the evenings. And, more often than not, in the middle of the summer it only moved hot air. My brother was older than me and his bed was next to the window so I was second in line for the breeze. I remember the evenings as hot and, since the windows were open, noisy. Lots and lots of bug sounds, owls, and a variety of other night creatures created a cacophony of sound. It was like a natural orchestra. A few things helped relieve the heat. One would be a thunderstorm. The other would be damp dish towels. And, sometimes, Tim and I went out on the roof. But, to be honest, I did not really mind the heat too much. You do get acclimated and we knew no better. The vast majority of people around us did not have A/C either. Our cars, at least when I was a kid, did not have A/C. So, I have lived with it and without it. I prefer having it, but know that it is entirely possible to get along just fine without it. In many ways, it really is a luxury. Anyway, today it is hot and muggy in East/Central Illinois. Reminds me a bit of Louisiana.

Longest Day

Summer has officially arrived. The summer solstice occurred yesterday, Sunday - June 21st. It is always a bit depressing for me. Isn't that awful! What bothers me is that the days start getting shorter. The sun has stopped the ascent it makes and now begins descending lower and lower. Every day we shave some minutes off of the amount of daylight we experience, unlike our dear friends who live near the equator. And, yesterday was Father's Day. It was a good day - all three children were home. Andrew read scripture during the worship service at church, which was nice. Connie fixed a delicious dinner. We topped it off with homemade ice cream. At least we tried. The mixer/freezer ran and ran and ran. After several hours, the mix was the consistency of buttermilk. This morning, after it spent the night in the refrigerator freezer, it was finally hard enough to be considered ice cream. The family gave me some nice gifts. We played hillbilly golf late in the afternoon. I was most grateful for their kindness.

Stars and ISS

Look closely in this photo and you see a streak. That is the International Space Station flying over the U.S. two weeks ago. (Click on the pic and it should enlarge) The ISS is VERY bright. All the solar panels hanging off of it has made it amazingly reflective of sunlight. So much so that some folks are spotting it during the daytime. It was low on the horizon the evening I made this picture. Not the best locality for observing or photographing.

I also made some "star-shots". Here is one. Again, click on it and you should see an enlarged version. It is a bit "noisy" but the stars are very obvious. I am interested in doing some astrophotography but the equipment costs are significant. It would require me purchasing a different mount for my telescope and some other equipment used to attach my DSLR to the telescope. Maybe later.

In the mean time, check out the web site "Heavens Above" to see when the ISS will next pass over. You will need to enter your locality. I have found it amazingly accurate in the predictions it offers. Finally, life may be like a box of chocolates - never knowing what you get. In this last image, if you click on it, you will see a surprise. I was unaware of it until closer examination. It is amazing how much "stuff" is flying through our atmosphere.

Rain

I love rain. Frankly, and this is dangerous to say, I would rather have too much than too little. Yes, I have had my basement flooded and had to rip out carpet and tear out walls. And, certainly, I don't wish a flood on anyone. I was in western Illinois by the Mississippi River in 93. The devastation was breath taking. But, when there is too little the earth becomes parched and barren. It is as if the wind itself becomes a moan emanating from the planet for rain. And, when it comes, it comes as refreshment unmatched. When it has been dry and rains, it makes you want to run outside and dance in it and lift your face and let it run down your chin.

And, I love thunderstorms. Sorta. I don't like it when people or property are damaged in storms. But, I love a hot and dry day that ends with a cacophony of sound and fury and downpours of liquid cool. And, as quickly as it begins it ends and the day has been transformed in a moment. Where it was hot and buggy and stifling - it is now cool and clean and relaxing. And, there are no firework shows on the planet that can match a good summer thunderstorm for its intensity and pure excitement.

The Bible describes rain as a blessing from God. It is used as an example of His common grace. It rains on the just and the unjust. Showers of blessings, showers of blessings we need, mercy drops round us are falling, but for the showers we plead! Words to an old gospel song that describe rain as a symbol of the goodness of God coming to us.

Hoss Update

Some of you have asked how Hoss is doing. I am pleased to report that he is doing well. Not that he has not been doing well. He does have a rather enviable existence.

It is Spring and with Spring comes downpours - downpours of white hair. His shedding is not so noticeable in the winter. He continues to break things - just by virtue of his running into stuff. His snoring has gotten worse - age and weight gain??? Please let me know if you have information about a manufacturer that makes nose strips for dogs to help decrease snoring. Breath Right is the name, I think. His breath is not bad, but when he drinks he carries about a quart away in his mouth and deposits it in a long line of dribbles. Those puddles have caused several falls because they are on hardwood floors and create a glaze just like ice.

He eats grass, swallows burritos whole, barks at cats, and hates rabbits and baths. His appetite knows no end and he believes napping is mandatory. He loves to be outside, has no leash discipline, and loves to eat flies. Other than that, he really is a good dog. Believe it or not, he possesses a unique dignity though it is not always readily apparent. I think we shall keep him.

Graduation

We are rejoicing with Andrew that he has graduated with his Masters from the University of Illinois in Springfield. The program is called PAR - Public Affairs Reporting. PAR involves class room work and an internship. Andrew has been working at the state capital and has gotten a whole other education reporting on state politics, especially during the events of this past year.

Now he faces the rather perilous pursuit of a job. The current economic climate causes some concern as does the state of journalism as a whole. Newspapers are struggling thanks in large part to the internet. We are praying for Andrew and asking the Lord to give him wisdom as he continues to seek where he should live and what he should do. In the mean time, if it is not evident in the picture, we are proud parents and thankful for his diligence. The time has flown by. It seems like we were just preparing him for kindergarten.

Keeping Up Appearances

He soars over the rim and jams it home! Boom! Move over Shack. Get out of town LeBron. Aaron is going to school you. He is a good 2 feet over the rim - and still less than 6 foot tall. No more retirement worries for me, baby. NBA by the time he is 18. Yeah! It is Hummer time.

And yet and alas. Someone told me it does not count if the rim is only set at 7.5 feet. Even Keith Gaesser could dunk at that height. But, just looking at the picture from here, it sure looks like he is flying.

It is all about the appearance. People say that pastoring is not dangerous. I work with wonderful people, spend a lot of time in a church building, and am surrounded by great books. The most precarious part of my day is the walk/drive to and from the building. But, there are dangers not so obvious and I am not talking about germs. I am talking about seeming to soar over the rim when it is only set at 7.5 feet. I am talking about keeping up appearances and maintaining perceptions. Talking about praying but not praying. Talking about holiness wihtout being holy. Talking about God without bothering to getting to know Him.

And, the Lord shows such grace and patience. He brings people and circumstances into my life to bring me back to the reality. He is faithful!

In the mean time, Aaron will keep jamming it home at 7.5 feet. And, he is still growing. Maybe, just maybe!

Sermon Work

An oxymoron - "sermon work"? It can be. It is easy to get sermons via the internet. One pastor used to say that he did not work his sermons up, he got his sermons "down". Meaning they came directly from the throne room of the Lord. That would be nice. And, in some ways, the Word and the Spirit do work together to produce the message through a human vehicle. More often than not, however, rather than receiving post cards from heaven messages arrive through the work of study, prayer, and thought.

Sometimes I am asked how difficult it really is to prepare a sermon. Sometimes it is very difficult and sometimes not so much. Occasionally it just flows. More often than not, however, it is laborious. I say it is a bit like giving birth, but saying that gets me in trouble every time. (We'll see!) The hardest part for me is the application. I mean that in two ways. How does this sermon apply to the hearers? What should they do with the truth of this text? The second struggle with application is more personal. How does this text apply to me and how am I seeking to live out the reality of it? Jesus warned about those who teach one thing and live another. There are certain topics that I blanch about when I preach on them. Suffering, for one. All people suffer to some degree or other. But, in the face of the catastrophic suffering some folks in the congregation go through, my pain seems a bit trivial.

As Tommy Snooks and Bessie Brooks

were walking out on Sunday,

Said Tommy Snooks to Bessie Brooks,

Tomorrow will be Monday.

And that is in the front of my mind - tommorow is Monday and what will this message mean then - when the saints move out into the homes and jobs. That is the application. Living out our faith in the context of the world into which God has called us with His glory in mind.

Dear Deer! NOT!

Well, the white deer saga continues. Turns out, it apparently is not a deer. Well, sorta. I have been told by those who know that it is a "Seka" deer which is actaully a tiny elk. Furthermore, I have also been informed that it is an escapee. It ran away from someone for some reason. It certainly is an odd deer, very friendly, not shy with a bouncy gait when it does run. Regardless, the white deer, er elk, is currently MIA from the GCBC property. Perhaps he read the earlier blog and was offended.

Hobby - Help? Hinderance?

Hobbies - are they a good thing? A hobby, by definition, is "an activity or interest pursued outside one's regular occupation and engaged in primarily for pleasure". Are hobbies a good thing or do they serve to siphon off valuable resources in terms of time and money - resources that could or perhaps should be invested else where? Should we be feeding children with the money we spend on our hobbies? Do our hobbies stop us from serving our neighbors like we should. Hmmm.

I have two hobbies that I will admit to. One is the collection of diecast airplanes. It is a rather innocuous hobby. Here is a photo of one. It is an A-10 Thunderbolt. If you could see the tail (or vertical stab for your airplane aficionados) you would see the designation EL which means it is a model painted in the scheme of A-10s which were with the 23rd TFW and stationed at England Air Force Base. I used to watch these planes straffing at the nearby bombing range. This particular diecast model was a gift - I bear no guilt in owning it. But, I have 91 other diecast models. Some of them were also gifts, but many of them I purchased. Most of mine are fairly inexpensive, especially when compared to the $150 models collectors purchase. I add 2-3 new planes a year, sometimes receiving them as Christmas gifts.


The other hobby is astronomy. (There is a theme here - both require looking up). It can be an expensive hobby. I looked at a telescope advertised on the web today. This is a "personal" telescope mind you. $156,000! My telescopes were not quite that expensive. I own 4, three of them I purchased used. The one new one is the one in the picture. It is a nice telescope - a 4 inch refractor. Not only do you need the telescope, you also need a mount to put it on, a diagonal which holds the eyepieces, and the eyepieces. Then there are accessories such as cases, finders, red flashlights, books, etc, etc. It would be easy to spend thousands. But, you don't have to spend thousands. It would be hard to be in astronomy and not spend hundreds, however. A decent used scope is $250 - 300. A decent used eyepiece $50 - $75. And on it goes.


Of the two hobbies, the astronomy one takes me away from the family. None of my family really has an interest. They told me that when I am with the Lord, they are liquidating all of my equipment. So, when I am out looking, I am usually alone. I would like to change that and am thinking about starting a club here in Gibson.

Anyway, I would be less than honest if I did not think that at times I should be rid of all of it and give away the money and invest the time else where. But then, there is something about developing more in our lives than simply work. We were, I believe, created to work. But, we were also created to be creative. And, participating in a hobby broadens our world, opens opportunities, increases our knowledge, expands our horizons, and invigorates our imaginations.

So, I guess as long as I feel, to some degree, the tension, as long as I seek to be moderate and am open to abandoning it all should the Lord call me to do so, as long as I hold it all loosely, as long as it does not become a god, does not injure my testimony, does not hijack my faith, does not impede my service - then it can be a good thing. What do you think about hobbies?

Cyber Community, Connection, Talking

Never say never. I am now on "Facebook". It is a good thing, I think, to be connected with people. A very good thing. It is Biblical. We don't do it enough. We need to be involved in the lives of others. It is a demonstration of our faith to "bear one anther's burdens". But, is it correct to call an electronic connection a community? If so, it is a whole other way of thinking of it - different from the past view of seeing community as a collection of people who love, care, and serve one another in tangible ways. (I am NOT saying that people connected by the computer do not express those, but I do think the temptation is there to not) The danger of an electronic community is that we can become voyeuristic, not in some perverted way, but in the way that we look through the window of our computer at the lives of others, people we really care about, and our only involvement is through words typed onto a screen. It is a means of satisfying our curiosity but not a means of applying our love. It is like the old saying, "thinking about praying is not the same as praying". Reading the agony someone is experiencing is not the same as heading to their home and seeking to help them. It may be argued, of course, that at least we now know about the agony.

And yet, for all the shortfalls, it DOES connect us in a way we have not been doing. It does provide the opportunity for legitimate expressions of love, for tangible and viable opportunities to meet needs. And, maybe I am taking it all to a place where we don't need to go. Maybe cyber community is about having some fun with other folks, a light touch, but a touch nonetheless.

Anyway, I do have to be careful with my time. And, I don't want to loose face to face, hand to hand contact with people. As good as cyber communities may be, they can never, ever replace the need for us to sit together, face one another, share our joys, burdens, prayers, concerns, and victories together.

Dear Deer

Dear Deer,

Dear me. You have caused quite a stir. For some reason you have adopted our church property as your residence. Some see it as a miracle, a sign. Of what, I am not sure. I do not sense any increased "blessing" since you showed up. Now, if tomorrow, someone walked in and paid our church building off, then I might change my mind. In fact, I still think you (please don't take offense) might be a goat. My grandpa raised goats and you bear a striking resemblance to them. But, you don't smell like them. Regardless, Dear Deer, I would tell you to be careful. For one thing, you are way too trusting. You let us get too close and I fear that one day someone will want to get close to decide whether White Deer is as tasty as Brown Deer. And then there is highway. Cars and Semi Trucks are not your friends. Stay far, far away from them. Someone talked about trying to capture you and put you in a pen as curiosity for folks to come and see. Somehow that seems to take the joy out of things.

I would suggest, Dear Deer, that you lay as low as possible. You are easy to spot, so try to keep a very low profile. Stay away from people wearing camo, don't be drawn to bright lights at night, and be wary of folks bearing gifts of corn.

Thanks for coming to see us.

Sincerely,

Paul Thomason