At that time Jesus said, "I praise you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children." Matthew 11:25 NIV
“Kids Say the Darndest Things” was an important segment of the Art Linkletter House Party on radio and television from 1945 until 1970. Bill Cosby hosted a TV show by the same name from 1998 until 2000. Both men exploited the innocence and lack of inhibition of 4 to 7 year old children to coax some really funny comments. My wife taught preschool for several years. She used to keep a journal of funny comments, although she never had to encourage any of them. During the final program for parents at the end of the school year she would share some of those comments. One that I’ve never forgotten was when Lillie Ann invited A.J. to go to McDonald’s for lunch because her dad had “catched him a job.”
I’ve heard that grandchildren are the reward for not killing your own kids. We now have eight rewards and I love them all. A couple of years ago I was sitting in the stands during one of Jack’s first T-ball practices. He fouled off one pitch straight up in the air. When it came down it struck him on the top of his batting helmet. His only comment was, “Hmmm. I guess that’s why they make you wear these hats.” Not long after that he was in church participating in the Junior Sermon. The youth leader asked the group, “What do you have to do to get into Heaven?” Jack raised his hand and when called upon stated, “Well, of course, first you have to die.” As you can imagine, all the “concrete-thinking” adults in the worship service that day thought that was pretty funny…but wasn’t that just what Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:3 "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." We must die to our old self-centered ways and be reborn of water and the Spirit.
Earlier this year Ella and her mom were getting ready for bed and talking about what they needed to pray for. After going through an extensive list, Jennie suggested that they should pray to have Jesus live in their hearts. Ella responded, “Mom, if Jesus were to live in my heart, He would stick out all over.” Jennie assured her that “sticking out all over” is exactly what Jesus wants to do. After all, didn’t He say “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if I stick out all over (actually, if you love one another).” John 13:35 NIV
Kids do say the darndest things, but listen carefully. What sounds like a “concrete thought” may end up carrying an abstract message. Remember the words of Jesus, “I praise you Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.”
Anyone want to teach the preschool Sunday School class this summer?
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Springtime in Kentucky
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,
To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance. 1 Peter 1:1-2 NIV
“What a wondrous time is spring, when all the trees are budding;
The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming.
That's how it is with God's love;
Once you've experienced it, you want to sing, "It's fresh like spring";
You want to pass it on.” Kurt Kaiser, 1969
Don’t you love the beauty of the Kentucky springtime? It’s almost as if God has taken the drab canvas of winter and splattered it with a million colors. First the crocus, forsythia, and pear trees; then the redbuds, jonquils, and dogwoods; and now the azaleas, tulips, irises, roses, and hundreds of other flowers.
My wife loves to play in the dirt, especially when it comes to caring for flowers and shrubs. Over the years she has learned which plants need more shade and which ones need more sun; which ones need more water and which ones don’t need soaking; which ones need more acid soil and which ones do better when the pH is higher; and on and on. She has also learned which ones need pruning or dividing in order to live and grow.
The new growth and colors in the spring remind me of the rebirth that we Christians should pray for daily. Each day we need the Holy Spirit to trim away more of our self-centeredness in order for us to become more Christ-centered. This is the process of Sanctification of which Peter spoke – dying a bit more each day to self in order to be reborn more Christlike. It’s the process of maturing as a Christian. Through our practices of prayer, study, worship, and Christian action the Holy Spirit is able to prune, shape, and mold us into the image of Jesus. Of course, we’ll never get there in this life, but we’re called to walk the path.
This process of pruning to become more Christlike is obviously not pain free, but necessary if we are to bear the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. So as we enjoy the beautiful Kentucky springtime, let it remind us that we too are to be reborn, not only each spring, but each and every day a little more in the likeness of our Lord and Savior Jesus.
To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:
Grace and peace be yours in abundance. 1 Peter 1:1-2 NIV
“What a wondrous time is spring, when all the trees are budding;
The birds begin to sing, the flowers start their blooming.
That's how it is with God's love;
Once you've experienced it, you want to sing, "It's fresh like spring";
You want to pass it on.” Kurt Kaiser, 1969
Don’t you love the beauty of the Kentucky springtime? It’s almost as if God has taken the drab canvas of winter and splattered it with a million colors. First the crocus, forsythia, and pear trees; then the redbuds, jonquils, and dogwoods; and now the azaleas, tulips, irises, roses, and hundreds of other flowers.
My wife loves to play in the dirt, especially when it comes to caring for flowers and shrubs. Over the years she has learned which plants need more shade and which ones need more sun; which ones need more water and which ones don’t need soaking; which ones need more acid soil and which ones do better when the pH is higher; and on and on. She has also learned which ones need pruning or dividing in order to live and grow.
The new growth and colors in the spring remind me of the rebirth that we Christians should pray for daily. Each day we need the Holy Spirit to trim away more of our self-centeredness in order for us to become more Christ-centered. This is the process of Sanctification of which Peter spoke – dying a bit more each day to self in order to be reborn more Christlike. It’s the process of maturing as a Christian. Through our practices of prayer, study, worship, and Christian action the Holy Spirit is able to prune, shape, and mold us into the image of Jesus. Of course, we’ll never get there in this life, but we’re called to walk the path.
This process of pruning to become more Christlike is obviously not pain free, but necessary if we are to bear the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness. So as we enjoy the beautiful Kentucky springtime, let it remind us that we too are to be reborn, not only each spring, but each and every day a little more in the likeness of our Lord and Savior Jesus.
Pass it on.
A Taste of Easter
Have the long winter and the cold March rains put a damper on your Lenten excitement? If so, try a dose of this little tune about Mary's first Easter morning written by Gloria Gaither and performed by Sandi Patty and Louisville's own Larnelle Harris. The video is from a Gaither Homecoming at the Kennedy Center in 1999. If you're still not excited about Easter after you listen to this, you'd better check your pulse. The late Vestal and Howard Goodman seemed to enjoy it.
Friday, July 9, 2010
A Tribute to Richard
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6 NIV)"
And now the end is near, and so I face the final curtain. My friend, I’ll say it clear. I’ll state my case of which I’m certain. I’ve lived a life that’s full. I’ve traveled each and every highway. And more, much more than this, I did it my way.” These lyrics were written in 1968 by Paul Anka for a French tune “Comme d’habitude.” The song “My Way” is often quoted as being the most remade song in history, but its real popularity came from recordings by “Old Blue Eyes,” Frank Sinatra and “The King,” Elvis Presley. I doubt that Paul Anka ever met Richard, but this song should have been dedicated to him.
Richard was a cantankerous fellow. For him there were only two ways to do anything – his way and the wrong way. There was only one appropriate route from his apartment to the post office. He refused to have his mail delivered, choosing instead to have someone drive him to the post office 3 or 4 times each week. He also had routines for doing his banking and for shopping at his chosen market, pharmacy, and restaurant. During the 2009 ice storm, he had to move from his apartment to the Red Cross shelter. Trying to be helpful, I went to a pharmacy and bought him some over-the-counter antacid tablets, since he chewed up several each day. He promptly informed me that I had bought the wrong brand and I would need to go to his pharmacy and get the right brand. It wasn’t that Richard didn’t appreciate assistance; it just always boiled down to the two ways to do anything.
Cantankerous, yes, but devoted. He was devoted to his God and to his church family. When he was healthy, he rarely missed Sunday School or Worship Services. In Sunday School class, you could always anticipate that Richard would have an answer or an opinion, and he was always happy to share them. He was also devoted to his wife. When Louise’s health began to fail, Richard was always at her side. He gave real meaning to the vow “For better or worse; for richer or poorer; in sickness or in health.” Richard was a writer. He wrote about his life experiences and about his daily walk with Jesus. As with his opinions, he liked to share his writings with others. At his funeral, Lon shared an excerpt from one of Richard’s writings about the Body of Christ. He wrote, “We are all like beautiful musical instruments, beautiful but worthless. Worthless until we are played by the Great Musician.” There is no doubt that Richard was played by the Great Musician. In the symphony of life, I tend to picture him as a bassoon, much like the Grandfather in Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf.”
As with the death of anyone in our church family, Richard’s death will leave a hole, much more than just an empty seat on Sunday mornings. We have lost a sound in our orchestra. We thank God, however, for the lessons He taught us through the life of Richard Dunham: devotion to God, family, and church; journaling our life experiences; not being timid in sharing our love for Jesus; and, of course, patience.
“Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again too few to mention. I did what I had to do, and saw it through without exemption. I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway. And more, much more than this, I did it my way.” Father, we thank you for sharing Richard with us and for showing us how, through Jesus, Your way can become our way. Oh, and if you don’t already know by now, he likes the “Extra Strength Antacid Tablets” from RiteAid.
And now the end is near, and so I face the final curtain. My friend, I’ll say it clear. I’ll state my case of which I’m certain. I’ve lived a life that’s full. I’ve traveled each and every highway. And more, much more than this, I did it my way.” These lyrics were written in 1968 by Paul Anka for a French tune “Comme d’habitude.” The song “My Way” is often quoted as being the most remade song in history, but its real popularity came from recordings by “Old Blue Eyes,” Frank Sinatra and “The King,” Elvis Presley. I doubt that Paul Anka ever met Richard, but this song should have been dedicated to him.
Richard was a cantankerous fellow. For him there were only two ways to do anything – his way and the wrong way. There was only one appropriate route from his apartment to the post office. He refused to have his mail delivered, choosing instead to have someone drive him to the post office 3 or 4 times each week. He also had routines for doing his banking and for shopping at his chosen market, pharmacy, and restaurant. During the 2009 ice storm, he had to move from his apartment to the Red Cross shelter. Trying to be helpful, I went to a pharmacy and bought him some over-the-counter antacid tablets, since he chewed up several each day. He promptly informed me that I had bought the wrong brand and I would need to go to his pharmacy and get the right brand. It wasn’t that Richard didn’t appreciate assistance; it just always boiled down to the two ways to do anything.
Cantankerous, yes, but devoted. He was devoted to his God and to his church family. When he was healthy, he rarely missed Sunday School or Worship Services. In Sunday School class, you could always anticipate that Richard would have an answer or an opinion, and he was always happy to share them. He was also devoted to his wife. When Louise’s health began to fail, Richard was always at her side. He gave real meaning to the vow “For better or worse; for richer or poorer; in sickness or in health.” Richard was a writer. He wrote about his life experiences and about his daily walk with Jesus. As with his opinions, he liked to share his writings with others. At his funeral, Lon shared an excerpt from one of Richard’s writings about the Body of Christ. He wrote, “We are all like beautiful musical instruments, beautiful but worthless. Worthless until we are played by the Great Musician.” There is no doubt that Richard was played by the Great Musician. In the symphony of life, I tend to picture him as a bassoon, much like the Grandfather in Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf.”
As with the death of anyone in our church family, Richard’s death will leave a hole, much more than just an empty seat on Sunday mornings. We have lost a sound in our orchestra. We thank God, however, for the lessons He taught us through the life of Richard Dunham: devotion to God, family, and church; journaling our life experiences; not being timid in sharing our love for Jesus; and, of course, patience.
“Regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again too few to mention. I did what I had to do, and saw it through without exemption. I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway. And more, much more than this, I did it my way.” Father, we thank you for sharing Richard with us and for showing us how, through Jesus, Your way can become our way. Oh, and if you don’t already know by now, he likes the “Extra Strength Antacid Tablets” from RiteAid.
Facebook vs. City Cafe
"All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God's grace in all its truth." Colossians 1:6 NIV
I grew up in Madisonville. Most of my relatives, however, have lived in the South – south Hopkins County, that is. In fact, both sets of grandparents, two aunts and uncles, and two cousins all live or lived in greater Mortons Gap. In the 50’s and 60’s, my grandmother Lottie and her sister Mary owned and operated the City Café in downtown Mortons Gap. Their chef was a lady named Florence who could cook anything as long as it could be fried in lard. Of course this was before the age of cholesterol enlightenment. I always liked to go to the City Café. From the hamburgers and fries to the chocolate and coconut cream pies with mile-high meringue (that sat in a three-level glass display case on the counter), it was my favorite place to eat.
When I was younger, we would go to the City Café on Friday nights after visiting Claude’s Barbershop for my bi-weekly flat top. If there weren’t too many patrons in the café, I would put ashtrays (once again, before enlightenment) under the back legs of one of the pinball machines. By flattening out the surface, I could play all night for a nickel. Tommy, the pinball wizard, really didn’t have much on me.
As I grew up, I found that the City Café was a great place to learn what was going on. At lunch, L&N train crews, local business people, miners from White City Mine, and many town folk would gather for one of Florence’s famous hot plate lunches. You could always find out who had been sick, whose kids were going where to college, which families were planning weddings, who had joined which church, and who might need a little help. There was the essence of a caring community right there in the City Café at noon.
Sadly, the City Café is a thing of the past. A lot of community building, beyond that occurring in church worship services and social events, now often comes from electronic communication such as e-mail and social networking websites. Recent studies have shown that both Facebook and Twitter are fairly popular with adults, while MySpace is more popular with kids. Most churches now have websites, blog sites, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, and YouTube accounts. Even Pope Benedict XVI is encouraging Roman Catholic priests to use the “rich menu of options” of the internet to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Now, don’t get me wrong. My training is in engineering and I still have some slide rules around. I could probably even find an old pocket protector if I look in the desk drawers. I’m really a geek at heart, but I still miss the smiles, handshakes, and face-to-face communication of the City Café. I also miss the warm chocolate pie with a slice of butter on top and a glass of cold milk.
I can't imagine that it's too important to God "how" we spread the Gospel of Jesus and "how" we care for one another, as long as we "just do it." After all, He posted the first blog over 3400 years ago on a couple of tablets (not iPads) held by Moses. That blog is still the best guide for our lives today. By the way, you can follow FPC on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Blogger.
See ya in church and catch ya in cyberspace.
I grew up in Madisonville. Most of my relatives, however, have lived in the South – south Hopkins County, that is. In fact, both sets of grandparents, two aunts and uncles, and two cousins all live or lived in greater Mortons Gap. In the 50’s and 60’s, my grandmother Lottie and her sister Mary owned and operated the City Café in downtown Mortons Gap. Their chef was a lady named Florence who could cook anything as long as it could be fried in lard. Of course this was before the age of cholesterol enlightenment. I always liked to go to the City Café. From the hamburgers and fries to the chocolate and coconut cream pies with mile-high meringue (that sat in a three-level glass display case on the counter), it was my favorite place to eat.
When I was younger, we would go to the City Café on Friday nights after visiting Claude’s Barbershop for my bi-weekly flat top. If there weren’t too many patrons in the café, I would put ashtrays (once again, before enlightenment) under the back legs of one of the pinball machines. By flattening out the surface, I could play all night for a nickel. Tommy, the pinball wizard, really didn’t have much on me.
As I grew up, I found that the City Café was a great place to learn what was going on. At lunch, L&N train crews, local business people, miners from White City Mine, and many town folk would gather for one of Florence’s famous hot plate lunches. You could always find out who had been sick, whose kids were going where to college, which families were planning weddings, who had joined which church, and who might need a little help. There was the essence of a caring community right there in the City Café at noon.
Sadly, the City Café is a thing of the past. A lot of community building, beyond that occurring in church worship services and social events, now often comes from electronic communication such as e-mail and social networking websites. Recent studies have shown that both Facebook and Twitter are fairly popular with adults, while MySpace is more popular with kids. Most churches now have websites, blog sites, Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, and YouTube accounts. Even Pope Benedict XVI is encouraging Roman Catholic priests to use the “rich menu of options” of the internet to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Now, don’t get me wrong. My training is in engineering and I still have some slide rules around. I could probably even find an old pocket protector if I look in the desk drawers. I’m really a geek at heart, but I still miss the smiles, handshakes, and face-to-face communication of the City Café. I also miss the warm chocolate pie with a slice of butter on top and a glass of cold milk.
I can't imagine that it's too important to God "how" we spread the Gospel of Jesus and "how" we care for one another, as long as we "just do it." After all, He posted the first blog over 3400 years ago on a couple of tablets (not iPads) held by Moses. That blog is still the best guide for our lives today. By the way, you can follow FPC on Facebook, Twitter, and Google Blogger.
See ya in church and catch ya in cyberspace.
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