Back in 1963, Gloria Gaither penned some of the most profound words I've ever read. I will privileged to hear this wonderful song (in person) sung by the Gaither Vocal Band at the Gaither Christmas Homecoming Concert last Saturday night.
HIS LOVE.....REACHING
Love has always been here,
in the chaos of our world.
It was the WORD that echoed through the formless void.
And whether in the universe or worlds of our own minds,
It's love that turns our chaos into joy.
His love went on longing,
And His love went on reaching
Right past the shackles of my mind.
And the WORD of the Father became Mary's little Son,
And His love reached all the way to where I was.
The WORD that formed creation
Man just couldn't understand;
Its sound was muffled by his wars and strifes.
And man destroyed resources
God intended just to be
the lovely backdrop for abundant life.
And so this great Creator
Who'd been reaching all along,
This GOD who formed the worlds
With His own hands,
Made LOVE become a BABY
One of our very own.
And spoke His WORD
So we could understand.
His love went on longing
And His love went on reaching
Right past the shackles of my mind!
And the WORD of the Father became Mary's little Son
And His love reached all the way to where I was.
New Year's Wishss....
It's that time again. So here are my "wishes" and "hopes" and "plans" for 2010:
1) Get myself back down to 175 lbs--I've gained a few pounds since the Kidney Donor surgery...it's time to take that "extra weight" off..again.
2) Learn additional computer skills. I need to learn PowerPoint, and some of the other MicroSoft programs....I've put this off for far too long.
3) Visit friends in Texas, North Carolina, and California that I've not seen in WAAAY too many years. I have three weeks vacation...now it's time to travel some...and I need to start planning immediately.
4) Read my Bible regularly and daily. I'll confess: There have been many days when I just didn't take the time to read God's Word. I'm ashamed of this...and it will be remedied in 2010. As a matter of fact, I'll start today.
5) Save even more money....the LORD is making a way for this to happen, and I plan to take HIM up on His provisions in my life. Not going to horde, or be a stingy man, but I do want to save more.
6) Give more away in 2010. I want to always be a "giver" and not just a "taker" or an "observer" but a GIVER...
1) Get myself back down to 175 lbs--I've gained a few pounds since the Kidney Donor surgery...it's time to take that "extra weight" off..again.
2) Learn additional computer skills. I need to learn PowerPoint, and some of the other MicroSoft programs....I've put this off for far too long.
3) Visit friends in Texas, North Carolina, and California that I've not seen in WAAAY too many years. I have three weeks vacation...now it's time to travel some...and I need to start planning immediately.
4) Read my Bible regularly and daily. I'll confess: There have been many days when I just didn't take the time to read God's Word. I'm ashamed of this...and it will be remedied in 2010. As a matter of fact, I'll start today.
5) Save even more money....the LORD is making a way for this to happen, and I plan to take HIM up on His provisions in my life. Not going to horde, or be a stingy man, but I do want to save more.
6) Give more away in 2010. I want to always be a "giver" and not just a "taker" or an "observer" but a GIVER...
Our "credibility' deficit..some thoughts...
I can't remember a time when the United States has been more partisan, more divided, and more "unrealistic" in our approach to civilized society. Sadly, some "christians" have done little (if anything) to help remedy these maladies.
I grew up in a very conservative (fiscally, theologically, socially) environment and local church setting. I'm very, very grateful for my "upbringing"--even though I was poorer than overused soil. I was pretty much raised to see issues "one way"...and that was the 'way our church' or 'our culture' viewed them. Rarely, if ever, did I think there just might be more than "one side' to any given issue. While very "narrow" indeed, this training saved me a lot of heartache, grief, and trouble that might have otherwise destroyed not only my "faith" but my person, as well.
When I entered the "real world" (after college), I found out that there is often "many sides to any given issue." While I firmly believe in the BIBLICAL ABSOLUTES, there are many things that we considered "absolute" that I would later learn were anything BUT absolute.
I'm deeply troubled when CHRISTIANS 'swallow' everything that any particular "political" or "social" media feeds them--without the least bit of discernment. Example: Some folks will believe every bogus email about President Obama or Madeline Murray O'Hair or Mickey Mouse that is circulated--and particularly those of defamatory character. This is not only sad...it reflects POORLY on those who claim the name of our great Saviour! Some of these same people swallowed every 'spiritual tale' that was spun concerning former President George W Bush (praying for a guy in the Grand Canyon, feeding a hungry child in truck stop, et al)...when such "tales" were proven to be false. While I want to believe the very best about our former President's "heart" toward those who are less fortunate than himself--there's no need to make things up. We lose our credibility when we insist on manufacturing untruths--no matter how well-intentioned these 'untruth' may have been. They are still false.
Not all gay men are rapists, child molesters, drag queens, exhibitionists or philanderers. Some may be guilty of one or more of these awful things. BUT, to paint every person with such a broad stroke is wrong. Morally, ethically, legally, mentally, spiritually WRONG. ( I have an openly gay friend who is a theologian...and none of the above would apply to him.) But labeling people with such defamatory accusations when there is NOT ONE SCINTILLA of truth is not only unkind, it is UNCHRISTIAN.
A very wise pastor once told me, "Remember every piece of bread, regardless of how thin it is, always has at least two sides...and then some edges..." That is advice that I do my very best to remember...every day. I may see one side of the issue...and I may not agree with the "other side" of the issue---but just because I don't agree with it, doesn't mean that it CEASES TO EXIST.
I am not talking about Scriptural absolutes (I wanted to repeat that before anyone reading this decides to label me a "liberal heretic worthy of being burned at the stake"). But Scriptural absolutes and cultural trends/activities are often two birds of "very different feathers."
Jesus Christ is not a White, Anglo-Saxon, Conservative Republican. He is not a "bleeding heart" liberal Democrat either. While I'm all for the political process...the church...and CHRISTIANS in particular must lead the way in restoring civility and credibility to how we view those with whom we disagree--regardless of the issue on which we disagree.
I received a mailing from PLANNED PARENTHOOD the other day (so there really IS a first time for everything). I didn't call their office, ranting and raving. I simply returned the envelope and requested that I be taken off their mailing list. I disagree with 99% of what the organization stands for. Their letter, requesting money, offended me. But I found no need to be "offensive" in return.
I hope I can treat all those with whom I disagree with the same dignity.
I grew up in a very conservative (fiscally, theologically, socially) environment and local church setting. I'm very, very grateful for my "upbringing"--even though I was poorer than overused soil. I was pretty much raised to see issues "one way"...and that was the 'way our church' or 'our culture' viewed them. Rarely, if ever, did I think there just might be more than "one side' to any given issue. While very "narrow" indeed, this training saved me a lot of heartache, grief, and trouble that might have otherwise destroyed not only my "faith" but my person, as well.
When I entered the "real world" (after college), I found out that there is often "many sides to any given issue." While I firmly believe in the BIBLICAL ABSOLUTES, there are many things that we considered "absolute" that I would later learn were anything BUT absolute.
I'm deeply troubled when CHRISTIANS 'swallow' everything that any particular "political" or "social" media feeds them--without the least bit of discernment. Example: Some folks will believe every bogus email about President Obama or Madeline Murray O'Hair or Mickey Mouse that is circulated--and particularly those of defamatory character. This is not only sad...it reflects POORLY on those who claim the name of our great Saviour! Some of these same people swallowed every 'spiritual tale' that was spun concerning former President George W Bush (praying for a guy in the Grand Canyon, feeding a hungry child in truck stop, et al)...when such "tales" were proven to be false. While I want to believe the very best about our former President's "heart" toward those who are less fortunate than himself--there's no need to make things up. We lose our credibility when we insist on manufacturing untruths--no matter how well-intentioned these 'untruth' may have been. They are still false.
Not all gay men are rapists, child molesters, drag queens, exhibitionists or philanderers. Some may be guilty of one or more of these awful things. BUT, to paint every person with such a broad stroke is wrong. Morally, ethically, legally, mentally, spiritually WRONG. ( I have an openly gay friend who is a theologian...and none of the above would apply to him.) But labeling people with such defamatory accusations when there is NOT ONE SCINTILLA of truth is not only unkind, it is UNCHRISTIAN.
A very wise pastor once told me, "Remember every piece of bread, regardless of how thin it is, always has at least two sides...and then some edges..." That is advice that I do my very best to remember...every day. I may see one side of the issue...and I may not agree with the "other side" of the issue---but just because I don't agree with it, doesn't mean that it CEASES TO EXIST.
I am not talking about Scriptural absolutes (I wanted to repeat that before anyone reading this decides to label me a "liberal heretic worthy of being burned at the stake"). But Scriptural absolutes and cultural trends/activities are often two birds of "very different feathers."
Jesus Christ is not a White, Anglo-Saxon, Conservative Republican. He is not a "bleeding heart" liberal Democrat either. While I'm all for the political process...the church...and CHRISTIANS in particular must lead the way in restoring civility and credibility to how we view those with whom we disagree--regardless of the issue on which we disagree.
I received a mailing from PLANNED PARENTHOOD the other day (so there really IS a first time for everything). I didn't call their office, ranting and raving. I simply returned the envelope and requested that I be taken off their mailing list. I disagree with 99% of what the organization stands for. Their letter, requesting money, offended me. But I found no need to be "offensive" in return.
I hope I can treat all those with whom I disagree with the same dignity.
Four Weeks Ago today....
at this very hour, I was in the Recovery Room of the University of Alabama-Birmingham hospital. The LORD had just performed a marvelous "surgery" in both my body and my heart.
He used Dr Jeremy Goodman to do HIS bidding. But it was GOD's work...I fully realize that.
The nurse practitioner had told me (the day before) that I would be "woozy" and wouldn't feel like talking to anyone....but nothing could have been further from the truth. When I arrived back in my hospital room, I saw people rejoicing, and praising God for what had happened! I remember asking someone, "Am I in the hospital, or am I waking up in heaven?" My good friend, Pastor Charles Butler (who came from Chicago to be with me during this event) said, "Brother, you are in the hospital." (I was tempted to ask them if we could "try this again", but I knew better). I was wide awake!
Robert Daugherty, Anthony and Marti Stone, Pastor Charles Butler, Kevin Brooks, Ted and Judy Gee, and a host of other people were in my room, praising the LORD, and rejoicing in what HE had done. I was WIDE AWAKE! And I was ready to "hear all about it."
Pretty soon, I discovered that I had tubes running out of my body....an IV flowing from my left arm, and a foley catheter flowing from my bladder--that catheter was my BEST friend that night....I had a very, very dry throat--the surgeon had intubated me so I could breathe during the procedure...and I had a couple of swollen places on my lips...but it was over!
I started "itching" some, and discovered that half of my otherwise hairy chest had been shaved...why on earth did that happen? Did I 'consent' for them to "shave my chest"? Well, obviously I had given my consent....and yes, the hair would grow back...eventually (I'm still waiting for that...LOL)
About 4:45 p.m. that afternoon, my friend Pastor Charles helped me get up and walk...without coercion from the nursing staff! With the IV pole, the Catheter bag, and a wheel chair in front of me (to steady me), I walked around the corrider of the nursing floor...and felt great....I was also very glad to get back to my bed!
That was FOUR WEEKS ago today....and it seems like only yesterday. Praising God for His favor. Bill George now has a new lease on life...the kidney is "working like a racehorse" (his words, not mine), and we are both recovering nicely.
Praise the Lord!
He used Dr Jeremy Goodman to do HIS bidding. But it was GOD's work...I fully realize that.
The nurse practitioner had told me (the day before) that I would be "woozy" and wouldn't feel like talking to anyone....but nothing could have been further from the truth. When I arrived back in my hospital room, I saw people rejoicing, and praising God for what had happened! I remember asking someone, "Am I in the hospital, or am I waking up in heaven?" My good friend, Pastor Charles Butler (who came from Chicago to be with me during this event) said, "Brother, you are in the hospital." (I was tempted to ask them if we could "try this again", but I knew better). I was wide awake!
Robert Daugherty, Anthony and Marti Stone, Pastor Charles Butler, Kevin Brooks, Ted and Judy Gee, and a host of other people were in my room, praising the LORD, and rejoicing in what HE had done. I was WIDE AWAKE! And I was ready to "hear all about it."
Pretty soon, I discovered that I had tubes running out of my body....an IV flowing from my left arm, and a foley catheter flowing from my bladder--that catheter was my BEST friend that night....I had a very, very dry throat--the surgeon had intubated me so I could breathe during the procedure...and I had a couple of swollen places on my lips...but it was over!
I started "itching" some, and discovered that half of my otherwise hairy chest had been shaved...why on earth did that happen? Did I 'consent' for them to "shave my chest"? Well, obviously I had given my consent....and yes, the hair would grow back...eventually (I'm still waiting for that...LOL)
About 4:45 p.m. that afternoon, my friend Pastor Charles helped me get up and walk...without coercion from the nursing staff! With the IV pole, the Catheter bag, and a wheel chair in front of me (to steady me), I walked around the corrider of the nursing floor...and felt great....I was also very glad to get back to my bed!
That was FOUR WEEKS ago today....and it seems like only yesterday. Praising God for His favor. Bill George now has a new lease on life...the kidney is "working like a racehorse" (his words, not mine), and we are both recovering nicely.
Praise the Lord!
I'm Thankful for....
1) the special brother/friend who was in my hospital room at the University of Alabama-Birmingham FOUR WEEKS AGO today--when I returned from the "recovery" and offered to "rub my feet." I let him rub my feet. He is an elected Representative in the State of Tennessee...but he wanted to come PRAISE THE LORD with me during this event. I am so humbled and grateful for this wonderful man in my life!
2) a job..a career...where I can see people starting to get a grip on their future....and trying to turn things around for themselves...and the people who depend on them. It is always "better late than never." I just hope that I am leaving some good things in their hearts and minds.
3) a church family that truly and profoundly loves me. I can't remember any local congregation loving me as much as The Moody Church loves me! I am overwhelmed every single service by how these people show their love and care for me.
4) the privilege of being part of The Moody Church family. Every time I walk in the building, I am awe-struck, stunned, and amazed that God would allow me to be part of such a historic and magnificent group of people. This place has been celebrating the "joy of changed lives since 1864"...and this is "my family." I still can't wrap my mind around all of that! Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think I would be privileged to call this local congregation my "home church." But it is...and I'm so humbly grateful....more than I can express.
5) people who love and care about me...through it all....sometimes it gets "thicker" and sometimes it gets "thinner"...but through it all....I see Jesus in their lives.
2) a job..a career...where I can see people starting to get a grip on their future....and trying to turn things around for themselves...and the people who depend on them. It is always "better late than never." I just hope that I am leaving some good things in their hearts and minds.
3) a church family that truly and profoundly loves me. I can't remember any local congregation loving me as much as The Moody Church loves me! I am overwhelmed every single service by how these people show their love and care for me.
4) the privilege of being part of The Moody Church family. Every time I walk in the building, I am awe-struck, stunned, and amazed that God would allow me to be part of such a historic and magnificent group of people. This place has been celebrating the "joy of changed lives since 1864"...and this is "my family." I still can't wrap my mind around all of that! Never, in my wildest dreams, did I think I would be privileged to call this local congregation my "home church." But it is...and I'm so humbly grateful....more than I can express.
5) people who love and care about me...through it all....sometimes it gets "thicker" and sometimes it gets "thinner"...but through it all....I see Jesus in their lives.
Twenty-Two Days later....
I'm seeing the "goodness of the LORD in the land of the living" (Psalm 27:13).
Being a kidney transplant donor has been one of the most 'dramatic' things I've ever done in my entire life. I am recovering at wonderful, remarkable pace...and for this, I am most thankful.
All of my body functions are performing as expected...normally. My chest hair (which was shaven off HALF of my abdomen and chest) is returning....thanks alot, doctors! The laparascopic incisions (all four of them) are practically healed and unnoticeable now. The larger (4 inch) incision is healing very nicely, and itches just a bit. I can deal with it!
If anyone had even hinted, one year ago, that I would be an organ donor, I would have laughed them out of the room! But, the LORD knew that I would need this experience in my life...and that I would become a kinder, wiser, more obedient son through all of these "events."
The LORD knew that I would need this experience to help me develop a "compassion" that I had often read about--and had even spoken about--but had never experienced first hand.
This was a "life-changing" experience for me. As my great friend, Pastor Charles Butler, so accurately reminded me, "You were not a patient man, but the LORD is developing that quality in you..." And yes, HE did...and is still completing it.
Back at work, hoping to get my appetite back in full force (eventually), and learning to "trust and obey"....waiting for God's next assignment in my life.
But it won't be a kidney donation. That one is behind me.
Being a kidney transplant donor has been one of the most 'dramatic' things I've ever done in my entire life. I am recovering at wonderful, remarkable pace...and for this, I am most thankful.
All of my body functions are performing as expected...normally. My chest hair (which was shaven off HALF of my abdomen and chest) is returning....thanks alot, doctors! The laparascopic incisions (all four of them) are practically healed and unnoticeable now. The larger (4 inch) incision is healing very nicely, and itches just a bit. I can deal with it!
If anyone had even hinted, one year ago, that I would be an organ donor, I would have laughed them out of the room! But, the LORD knew that I would need this experience in my life...and that I would become a kinder, wiser, more obedient son through all of these "events."
The LORD knew that I would need this experience to help me develop a "compassion" that I had often read about--and had even spoken about--but had never experienced first hand.
This was a "life-changing" experience for me. As my great friend, Pastor Charles Butler, so accurately reminded me, "You were not a patient man, but the LORD is developing that quality in you..." And yes, HE did...and is still completing it.
Back at work, hoping to get my appetite back in full force (eventually), and learning to "trust and obey"....waiting for God's next assignment in my life.
But it won't be a kidney donation. That one is behind me.
A Prayer for today
O Father,
I magnify Your name this wonderful day! I rejoice in the fact that I can call You "Father" and know that I am Your child. My heart is overwhelmed when I contemplate all that You have done for me, through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
I am so completely helpless on my own...but You haven't left me on my own. You have sent Your wonderful Holy Spirit to fill my life...to lift my head, and to restore my soul. You have made a way through the wilderness, and have provided refreshing streams in every desert of life. You have given sight to my blinded eyes, and courage to my fearful heart. All of these things, Lord, I realize and acknowledge have come from the goodness of Your hand.
I want to ask You, Lord, to touch people this day. Lord, my friend Melanie, whose son has been diagnosed with brain cancer....touch him this day, I ask of you. Show Yourself to be the HEALING JESUS that Your Word proclaims You to be, and that all the evidence proves You are, indeed.
Lord, I am specifically asking You to touch people concerning organ donation. O God, if You had not touched my life, I would never have experienced the THRILL and BLESSING of being an organ donor. It was YOUR hand, and YOUR grace, and YOUR provision...I can't thank You enough, precious Lord.
Help me to love you more this day. Help me to worship at the feet of Your Son, Jesus. Remind me to "rest my case at the Cross"...knowing that everything I need has been provided in that wonderful place.
In the powerful name of Jesus,
Amen.
I magnify Your name this wonderful day! I rejoice in the fact that I can call You "Father" and know that I am Your child. My heart is overwhelmed when I contemplate all that You have done for me, through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
I am so completely helpless on my own...but You haven't left me on my own. You have sent Your wonderful Holy Spirit to fill my life...to lift my head, and to restore my soul. You have made a way through the wilderness, and have provided refreshing streams in every desert of life. You have given sight to my blinded eyes, and courage to my fearful heart. All of these things, Lord, I realize and acknowledge have come from the goodness of Your hand.
I want to ask You, Lord, to touch people this day. Lord, my friend Melanie, whose son has been diagnosed with brain cancer....touch him this day, I ask of you. Show Yourself to be the HEALING JESUS that Your Word proclaims You to be, and that all the evidence proves You are, indeed.
Lord, I am specifically asking You to touch people concerning organ donation. O God, if You had not touched my life, I would never have experienced the THRILL and BLESSING of being an organ donor. It was YOUR hand, and YOUR grace, and YOUR provision...I can't thank You enough, precious Lord.
Help me to love you more this day. Help me to worship at the feet of Your Son, Jesus. Remind me to "rest my case at the Cross"...knowing that everything I need has been provided in that wonderful place.
In the powerful name of Jesus,
Amen.
I Am A Man
Sung to the tune of Finlandia
I am a man created in God's image
Of Adam's race, now marred by pride and sin.
But through God's Son, Lord Jesus Christ, my Saviour,
I am a man who's now restored to Him!
The Mighty God who made me has redeemed me,
Now I'm His man, for Jesus reigns within.
I am a man appointed by my Saviour
To show His love in all I do and say!
His Holy Spirit is my source of power,
To live in light and point to Christ--the Way!
Lord, fill me now, and help me seize this moment,
As as Your man, I'll serve your cause today.
I'll be a man who walks with God in worship,
I'll be a man who walks with men as friend.
I'll be a man who loves and serves God's family
I'll be a man on whom God can depend!
Lord Jesus Christ, my King and my Commander,
I'll be Your man until my life shall end.
**Thank you, Pastor Jack Hayford for giving us such an inspiring and anointed text. This is a great challenge in my life.
I am a man created in God's image
Of Adam's race, now marred by pride and sin.
But through God's Son, Lord Jesus Christ, my Saviour,
I am a man who's now restored to Him!
The Mighty God who made me has redeemed me,
Now I'm His man, for Jesus reigns within.
I am a man appointed by my Saviour
To show His love in all I do and say!
His Holy Spirit is my source of power,
To live in light and point to Christ--the Way!
Lord, fill me now, and help me seize this moment,
As as Your man, I'll serve your cause today.
I'll be a man who walks with God in worship,
I'll be a man who walks with men as friend.
I'll be a man who loves and serves God's family
I'll be a man on whom God can depend!
Lord Jesus Christ, my King and my Commander,
I'll be Your man until my life shall end.
**Thank you, Pastor Jack Hayford for giving us such an inspiring and anointed text. This is a great challenge in my life.
Why?
I was in my friend Kevin's van, taking a "road tour" of the fabled University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa campus yesterday, when I heard the awful news concerning the tragedy at Fort Hood, Texas. A mental health worker--a psychiatrist--killed 12 military service personnel who were preparing to deploy in service of this nation.
Why? WHY?
Have we become such a nation of "disgruntled" people that we can no longer follow the instructions of those we have SWORN to obey? Are we so BRAINWASHED with our own ideologies (terroristic tendencies are what I'm referring to here), that we can never see another point of view--without resorting to some type of violence?
Why did this military officer KILL those he was charged to lead and care for? Has the United States of America deteriorated to the place that NONE of our "freedoms" (religion, press, speech, etc) are worth defending anymore--not to mention "exporting"?
WHY?
Why? WHY?
Have we become such a nation of "disgruntled" people that we can no longer follow the instructions of those we have SWORN to obey? Are we so BRAINWASHED with our own ideologies (terroristic tendencies are what I'm referring to here), that we can never see another point of view--without resorting to some type of violence?
Why did this military officer KILL those he was charged to lead and care for? Has the United States of America deteriorated to the place that NONE of our "freedoms" (religion, press, speech, etc) are worth defending anymore--not to mention "exporting"?
WHY?
God knew...
that I would
1) Need to develop much, MUCH better eating habits than I was currently using in the late Spring/Early Summer....
2) Get to the Cardinal Fitness Center (1/2 block from my apartment) and use that gym membership I had not touched in almost 9 months...but was paying for every month...
3) Lose 14 pounds...and get not only my body, but my mind ready for "the event"...
4) Lean on HIM and HIS wisdom, instead of my own--and I consider myself a pretty wise fella most of the time (therein lies my stubbornness)...
5) The surgeons that Bill George and I would both need...the nurses who would need to be on duty, and the people who would need to "be with us." He even knew that we would need to share a hospital room that first night, in preparation for our surgery....
I'm thankful that HE knows it all. Nothing escapes Him.
1) Need to develop much, MUCH better eating habits than I was currently using in the late Spring/Early Summer....
2) Get to the Cardinal Fitness Center (1/2 block from my apartment) and use that gym membership I had not touched in almost 9 months...but was paying for every month...
3) Lose 14 pounds...and get not only my body, but my mind ready for "the event"...
4) Lean on HIM and HIS wisdom, instead of my own--and I consider myself a pretty wise fella most of the time (therein lies my stubbornness)...
5) The surgeons that Bill George and I would both need...the nurses who would need to be on duty, and the people who would need to "be with us." He even knew that we would need to share a hospital room that first night, in preparation for our surgery....
I'm thankful that HE knows it all. Nothing escapes Him.
Expectations...Exceeding them...
I fully expected to be a "kidney donor" during the summer of 2009....certainly not in October 2009. God knew that if I had "my way about it" there would have been nothing but trouble. The last seven days have been almost blissful. Even during the "recovery period" from this procedure. The love and joy of God's Holy Spirit filled my hospital room, and I saw the "kingdom of God" at its very best....what a thrill to my soul. This is something I will never forget.
I fully expected pain after surgery....but not the joy that only Christ and being part of HIS WILL in HIS TIME can bring. God knew which surgeons Bill George and I would need. He also knew the nurses that would be so important to our "care" on Spain South Tower, Seventh floor.
All of these people were magnificent beyond description...many of them were the "face of Jesus" to me in the middle of the night--reminding me that GOD was in all the details of what happened.
I fully expected people to be around. What I didn't expect were the calls from all over the country...from Hawaii to Maine, and even from England, and the Middle East. People I knew, and haven't heard from in many years....and some I don't know, and will probably never meet...but all were overwhelmed by God's Spirit...and encountered Him in a significant way through "this event."
All I can say: To God be the glory, great things HE has done! I'm so humbled, amazed, and stunned that HE loved me enough to allow me to participate in what HE was doing. May it ever be so.
I fully expected pain after surgery....but not the joy that only Christ and being part of HIS WILL in HIS TIME can bring. God knew which surgeons Bill George and I would need. He also knew the nurses that would be so important to our "care" on Spain South Tower, Seventh floor.
All of these people were magnificent beyond description...many of them were the "face of Jesus" to me in the middle of the night--reminding me that GOD was in all the details of what happened.
I fully expected people to be around. What I didn't expect were the calls from all over the country...from Hawaii to Maine, and even from England, and the Middle East. People I knew, and haven't heard from in many years....and some I don't know, and will probably never meet...but all were overwhelmed by God's Spirit...and encountered Him in a significant way through "this event."
All I can say: To God be the glory, great things HE has done! I'm so humbled, amazed, and stunned that HE loved me enough to allow me to participate in what HE was doing. May it ever be so.
The tangible love of Christ...I have experienced it this week...
I have experienced the amazing, unequaled, immeasurable love of Christ this week.
Dr Bill George and myself both arrived in Birmingham, Alabama on Monday evening. We showed up at the UAB Hospital Admitting Office almost simultaneously. God made sure that we were in the same room for that day...because He wanted us both to see how MIGHTY and POWERFUL He was and is!
We had a parade of people on Tuesday...from around 9:30 a.m. until well after 10 p.m. that same evening. People from Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and all points in between...most of them knew Bill, and many knew me...but all of them knew and loved JESUS...that is all that mattered.
On Wednesday morning, I went into the Pre-op around 5:35 a.m. I was in surgery around 6 a.m. I woke up in my room around 1:15 p.m. with Marti and Anthony Stone, Pastor Charles Butler, Dr Robert Daugherty, and Tennessee State Congressman Kevin Brooks at my bedside...rejoicing in the LORD...and worshipping God for His marvelous hand in all of this!
Person after person was hearing how GOD had orchestrated the whole event, and how HE made sure the surgery was as textbook-picture perfect as it could be. I was completely awake...and realizing what a life-transforming event had just transpired...and how the LORD had been glorified in it all.
The people of God around the country, and around the world have been magnificent in their prayers, love, and good wishes and greetings to both myself, and our precious Dr Bill George and his wife, Nelda.
This was truly the Body of Christ--the people of God--at their finest....
I am humbled and exhilirated to be part of such a wonderful kingdom.
It is truly about HIM...His love, His will, and HIS glory.
Dr Bill George and myself both arrived in Birmingham, Alabama on Monday evening. We showed up at the UAB Hospital Admitting Office almost simultaneously. God made sure that we were in the same room for that day...because He wanted us both to see how MIGHTY and POWERFUL He was and is!
We had a parade of people on Tuesday...from around 9:30 a.m. until well after 10 p.m. that same evening. People from Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, and all points in between...most of them knew Bill, and many knew me...but all of them knew and loved JESUS...that is all that mattered.
On Wednesday morning, I went into the Pre-op around 5:35 a.m. I was in surgery around 6 a.m. I woke up in my room around 1:15 p.m. with Marti and Anthony Stone, Pastor Charles Butler, Dr Robert Daugherty, and Tennessee State Congressman Kevin Brooks at my bedside...rejoicing in the LORD...and worshipping God for His marvelous hand in all of this!
Person after person was hearing how GOD had orchestrated the whole event, and how HE made sure the surgery was as textbook-picture perfect as it could be. I was completely awake...and realizing what a life-transforming event had just transpired...and how the LORD had been glorified in it all.
The people of God around the country, and around the world have been magnificent in their prayers, love, and good wishes and greetings to both myself, and our precious Dr Bill George and his wife, Nelda.
This was truly the Body of Christ--the people of God--at their finest....
I am humbled and exhilirated to be part of such a wonderful kingdom.
It is truly about HIM...His love, His will, and HIS glory.
From my heart: "What would you do?"
So TODAY is the day I've waited for almost six months now....I'll fly to Birmingham, Alabama this evening...spend the night with my friends (from college days) Dr Tim Stone and his wife Tammy (and their adorable children). Tomorrow morning, I will get up, shower/shave/dress myself, and go over to the University of Alabama-Birmingham Hospital/North Pavilion. I will then check in as a patient (just confirmed that I already have a 'bed reservation').
On Wednesday morning, October 28, at approximately 7 a.m., I will be transported into the Surgery ward of UAB hospital, where I will willingly give my left kidney for transplant into one of the finest men I know.
The Lord's hand is in this...I'm not afraid of the pain, the recovery, any possible side effects, or the complications which (in all likelihood will not, but) could occur.
I am very, very, VERY excited about this "assignment from the Lord." I'm thankful that God spoke to me more than six months ago, on a Tuesday night when I was "surfing" FaceBook.
If you were aware that someone you knew needed an "organ" donation--and you could do it...would you?
Why? Why not?
On Wednesday morning, October 28, at approximately 7 a.m., I will be transported into the Surgery ward of UAB hospital, where I will willingly give my left kidney for transplant into one of the finest men I know.
The Lord's hand is in this...I'm not afraid of the pain, the recovery, any possible side effects, or the complications which (in all likelihood will not, but) could occur.
I am very, very, VERY excited about this "assignment from the Lord." I'm thankful that God spoke to me more than six months ago, on a Tuesday night when I was "surfing" FaceBook.
If you were aware that someone you knew needed an "organ" donation--and you could do it...would you?
Why? Why not?
I've lost my cell phone...HELP!
For the first time in EIGHT YEARS, I have lost my cell phone....I had almost 300 numbers in that little contraption. I am LOST without it...(I don't have any of those numbers memorized)...
So, if you would be so kind as to call me...or email me, or something, I'll have you number again...
Blessings.
So, if you would be so kind as to call me...or email me, or something, I'll have you number again...
Blessings.
My Hero: Virginia Horton
http://www.facebook.com/srch.php?wk=&n=0&nm=%22virginia+Horton%22&init=s%3Acoworker#/profile.php?id=642554376&hiq=virginia%2Chorton&ref=search
Very few people in life bring the class, dignity, and grace that Virginia Horton brings to those who are blest enough to know her. She is in a class all by herself!
I first met this wonderful lady when I was a transfer student into Lee College (now University) back in 1983. I happened to wander over to the "Old Music Building" (yes, that place really, really did exist), and heard her lovely voice during a rehearsal. I couldn't wait to meet her--even though I was NEVER a music major. She has been one of my very favorite people ever since.
When I was active duty in the United States Air Force, one of the great joys of my life was getting to stay in touch with Virginia and her wonderful husband David. Talking with them--even though I was sometimes on the other side of the world---always lifted my soul, and encouraged my heart. When my Grandmother Hoover passed on to heaven back in 1992, I can remember Virginia sending me the nicest and most beautiful card. It brought such joy to my heart, and I probably still have it somewhere...in those unpacked boxes of mine!
A few years ago, Virginia was accompanying her wonderful husband, Dr David Horton and the Lee University Campus Choir on a summer tour of the Bahama Islands. Dr David, very suddenly and unexpectedly, went to be with the Lord. This precious woman has shown the grace and peace of God through all of the times since then. She still teaches full time at Lee University...
She still inspires people to give their "all to the Lord." In so many ways, Virginia Horton is my hero!
Very few people in life bring the class, dignity, and grace that Virginia Horton brings to those who are blest enough to know her. She is in a class all by herself!
I first met this wonderful lady when I was a transfer student into Lee College (now University) back in 1983. I happened to wander over to the "Old Music Building" (yes, that place really, really did exist), and heard her lovely voice during a rehearsal. I couldn't wait to meet her--even though I was NEVER a music major. She has been one of my very favorite people ever since.
When I was active duty in the United States Air Force, one of the great joys of my life was getting to stay in touch with Virginia and her wonderful husband David. Talking with them--even though I was sometimes on the other side of the world---always lifted my soul, and encouraged my heart. When my Grandmother Hoover passed on to heaven back in 1992, I can remember Virginia sending me the nicest and most beautiful card. It brought such joy to my heart, and I probably still have it somewhere...in those unpacked boxes of mine!
A few years ago, Virginia was accompanying her wonderful husband, Dr David Horton and the Lee University Campus Choir on a summer tour of the Bahama Islands. Dr David, very suddenly and unexpectedly, went to be with the Lord. This precious woman has shown the grace and peace of God through all of the times since then. She still teaches full time at Lee University...
She still inspires people to give their "all to the Lord." In so many ways, Virginia Horton is my hero!
Mr President, Be careful.
Mr President,
The "Human Rights Campaign" is not interested in "human rights." They are more interested and concerned with "special rights." Please stop legitimizing their "pet projects."
I agree with you, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is a flawed policy. But until the Joint Chiefs feel that it should be discarded, leave it alone! Get Secretary Gates' opinion and feelings on the policy, and act accordingly. Remember, the men and women in military uniform are depending on your good judgment. Don't let them down. You can afford to let the "special interest groups" (of every political hue) be disappointed. None of those groups are defending this nation...the military men and women are....don't let them down.
Senator Feinstein was exactly right. Give General McChrystal what he wants, and do it expeditiously. You were the one who appointed him to the war in Afghanistan...one of your campaign themes was that we must "win in Afghanistan"...now, let's make sure we do. Others may disagree with the good general...but he has given you his best advice...now take it. Don't RUMSFELD Afghanistan (to quote Senator Graham from South Carolina).
Keep being a great father to your two beautiful daughters, and a good, faithful husband to your lovely wife, Michelle.
I deeply applaud your efforts in the healthcare reform battle in this country. We must do something. Thank you for stepping up to the plate. Don't be dismayed, discouraged or dissuaded.
May God be with you.
The "Human Rights Campaign" is not interested in "human rights." They are more interested and concerned with "special rights." Please stop legitimizing their "pet projects."
I agree with you, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is a flawed policy. But until the Joint Chiefs feel that it should be discarded, leave it alone! Get Secretary Gates' opinion and feelings on the policy, and act accordingly. Remember, the men and women in military uniform are depending on your good judgment. Don't let them down. You can afford to let the "special interest groups" (of every political hue) be disappointed. None of those groups are defending this nation...the military men and women are....don't let them down.
Senator Feinstein was exactly right. Give General McChrystal what he wants, and do it expeditiously. You were the one who appointed him to the war in Afghanistan...one of your campaign themes was that we must "win in Afghanistan"...now, let's make sure we do. Others may disagree with the good general...but he has given you his best advice...now take it. Don't RUMSFELD Afghanistan (to quote Senator Graham from South Carolina).
Keep being a great father to your two beautiful daughters, and a good, faithful husband to your lovely wife, Michelle.
I deeply applaud your efforts in the healthcare reform battle in this country. We must do something. Thank you for stepping up to the plate. Don't be dismayed, discouraged or dissuaded.
May God be with you.
This has blest me so much today...
I Rest My Case at the Cross
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ecS1zZtFgo&feature=related
There's a covenant sweet, it was written for me,
it's a promise that I could be healed..
from All my sin and my shame,
even heartache and pain,
it was signed and confirmed on a Hill.
So I rest my case at the Cross,
for now I have Someone to champion my cause,.
I've been justified, satisfied, oh, I have it all,
so I rest my case at the Cross.
Don't feel sorry for me when you see I'm in need,
there's a Judge who grants mercy and love.
All my burdens He lifts,
All my sin He forgives,
Every time is won through the blood.
So I rest my case at the Cross,
for now I have someone to champion my cause,
I've been justified, satisfied, oh, I have it all!
So I rest my case at the Cross.
In the Cross, in the Cross... be my glory ever,
This covenant is binding by His blood and His word,
every trial and trouble... my case will be heard,
I've been justified, satisfied, oh, I have it all,
I rest my case at the Cross.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ecS1zZtFgo&feature=related
There's a covenant sweet, it was written for me,
it's a promise that I could be healed..
from All my sin and my shame,
even heartache and pain,
it was signed and confirmed on a Hill.
So I rest my case at the Cross,
for now I have Someone to champion my cause,.
I've been justified, satisfied, oh, I have it all,
so I rest my case at the Cross.
Don't feel sorry for me when you see I'm in need,
there's a Judge who grants mercy and love.
All my burdens He lifts,
All my sin He forgives,
Every time is won through the blood.
So I rest my case at the Cross,
for now I have someone to champion my cause,
I've been justified, satisfied, oh, I have it all!
So I rest my case at the Cross.
In the Cross, in the Cross... be my glory ever,
This covenant is binding by His blood and His word,
every trial and trouble... my case will be heard,
I've been justified, satisfied, oh, I have it all,
I rest my case at the Cross.
What were THEY thinking?
As much as I admire President Obama's personal accomplishments, and his tremendous intelligence with an ability to grasp/dissect very difficult issues...I have to wonder what the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE Commitee was thinking when our President was given the PRIZE..?
He's been in office less than one year...he has world-wide name recognition and popularity (but after the last Administration, just about anyone other than Bush-Cheney would have been seriously considered for the award), but he has done NOTHING, in my opinion, worthy of the $1.5 million dollar Nobel Peace Prize.
This reminds me of the award going to Mikail Gorbachev in 1990....and the man had basically done nothing to deserve the award.
I think the Scandinavians are great people. I loved living in Oslo for two years....and these people were always very kind and gracious to this American. They were terrific friends to me.
But, this award has now been cheapened...and has lost much of its significance. While I'm sure the President is flattered, and in his own words "humbled" by this honor...it is tremendously PREMATURE, in my humble opinion.
I'm about to become a KIDNEY DONOR....maybe I should make sure the Nobel Committee is aware of this next February.
He's been in office less than one year...he has world-wide name recognition and popularity (but after the last Administration, just about anyone other than Bush-Cheney would have been seriously considered for the award), but he has done NOTHING, in my opinion, worthy of the $1.5 million dollar Nobel Peace Prize.
This reminds me of the award going to Mikail Gorbachev in 1990....and the man had basically done nothing to deserve the award.
I think the Scandinavians are great people. I loved living in Oslo for two years....and these people were always very kind and gracious to this American. They were terrific friends to me.
But, this award has now been cheapened...and has lost much of its significance. While I'm sure the President is flattered, and in his own words "humbled" by this honor...it is tremendously PREMATURE, in my humble opinion.
I'm about to become a KIDNEY DONOR....maybe I should make sure the Nobel Committee is aware of this next February.
My hero: Dr R Hollis Gause
More than 25 years ago I encountered a brilliant man who would let me "bite off more than I could chew" academically-speaking. He could give a 'fill-in-the-blank' exam that would make a "preacher cuss..." (well, that was a saying when I was growing up...LOL)...
After passing at least four of his courses (Revelation, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Romans and Galatians, and I can't remember the last one...but it was a book study), I knew that Dr R Hollis Gause would be a 'distant' memory for me...even though his scholarly abilities and all-around superior intelligence was incomparable. This was 1985...and I thought I knew it all....
In 1996, after ten years in the United States Air Force, I sensed the LORD leading me back to Cleveland, Tennessee where I would enter the Church of God School of Theology (which would become the Church of God Theological Seminary, and has recently renamed itself the Pentecostal Theological Seminary...) One of the first people I would see would be this "giant" of a man, Doctor Gause. His humor, his kindness, and his brilliance had, by and large, remained untainted by either time or circumstances.
Now that I was somewhat older (and wiser), I was anxious and excited to get into one of Dr Gause's classes...and drink deeply from all that he would teach me.
But the most important lessons I would learn from this precious man would be outside of the academic classroom, and more in the auditorium of life. I watched him care for his completely bedridden wife, Sister Beaulah Gause, as she withered away from the plague of Alzheimer's disease. He cared for her continually, and rarely left her side for anything more than his professional responsibilities at the Seminary. He demonstrated the absolute LOVE OF CHRIST where all of us could see it, and see what it should look like in every day life.
I'll always remember Holy Week, 1997. I was working the night shift at Bradley Memorial Hospital....I received a call that my favorite aunt had just passed on to heaven. I had just talked with her the day before on the phone. I was devastated. I called Brother Gause...and this sweet, kind man prayed for me...over the telephone, and was just the "face of Jesus" for me in this terrible shock.
Every time I have "an issue" that I need wisdom, clarity, and truth spoken into my being, I know that I can call two people. Dr R Hollis Gause is one of those two people. He is such a father to me in so many ways. My heart is always enriched every time I hear his voice, and my walk with Christ is always encouraged with his wisdom and kindness. He has been BEYOND GENEROUS to me in so many ways.....with his time, his love, his wisdom, and with himself.
He is a supreme treasure in my life. He is everything I want to be when I grow "older": A sweet, kind, loving man who is the "face of Jesus" to many who encounter him. He is my hero!
After passing at least four of his courses (Revelation, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Romans and Galatians, and I can't remember the last one...but it was a book study), I knew that Dr R Hollis Gause would be a 'distant' memory for me...even though his scholarly abilities and all-around superior intelligence was incomparable. This was 1985...and I thought I knew it all....
In 1996, after ten years in the United States Air Force, I sensed the LORD leading me back to Cleveland, Tennessee where I would enter the Church of God School of Theology (which would become the Church of God Theological Seminary, and has recently renamed itself the Pentecostal Theological Seminary...) One of the first people I would see would be this "giant" of a man, Doctor Gause. His humor, his kindness, and his brilliance had, by and large, remained untainted by either time or circumstances.
Now that I was somewhat older (and wiser), I was anxious and excited to get into one of Dr Gause's classes...and drink deeply from all that he would teach me.
But the most important lessons I would learn from this precious man would be outside of the academic classroom, and more in the auditorium of life. I watched him care for his completely bedridden wife, Sister Beaulah Gause, as she withered away from the plague of Alzheimer's disease. He cared for her continually, and rarely left her side for anything more than his professional responsibilities at the Seminary. He demonstrated the absolute LOVE OF CHRIST where all of us could see it, and see what it should look like in every day life.
I'll always remember Holy Week, 1997. I was working the night shift at Bradley Memorial Hospital....I received a call that my favorite aunt had just passed on to heaven. I had just talked with her the day before on the phone. I was devastated. I called Brother Gause...and this sweet, kind man prayed for me...over the telephone, and was just the "face of Jesus" for me in this terrible shock.
Every time I have "an issue" that I need wisdom, clarity, and truth spoken into my being, I know that I can call two people. Dr R Hollis Gause is one of those two people. He is such a father to me in so many ways. My heart is always enriched every time I hear his voice, and my walk with Christ is always encouraged with his wisdom and kindness. He has been BEYOND GENEROUS to me in so many ways.....with his time, his love, his wisdom, and with himself.
He is a supreme treasure in my life. He is everything I want to be when I grow "older": A sweet, kind, loving man who is the "face of Jesus" to many who encounter him. He is my hero!
My hero: Jane Pearson...
Jane Ford Pearson is the most amazing woman I know! I will attempt, in a few paragraphs, to tell you why this WONDERFUL woman is my hero.
I first met her when I was in the fifth grade. Her son, Jim(my) was in my class when I transferred from Brownsboro Elementary School over to Central Middle School. But she wouldn't become an important person in my life until just a few years later....but that's for another time.
Many things stand out about "Miss Jane" to me. First, the professional stuff:
1) She taught elementary school for more than forty years, and her students actually 'learned' what was required of them. She was (and is) a lot of fun, but also very serious when it comes to the business of "learning.
2) She is tremendously accomplished. She taught Home Economics early in her career...she played the violin in the Auburn University Orchestra, and she still has a great love for music.
The personal stuff:
1) Everything I know about class and style, I learned sitting at her kitchen table. She taught me how to properly fold a napkin, and how to properly place the table settings. I learned how to 'steam vegetables' (where they were edible, but not mushy), and to make a good glass of "sweet tea." I learned how to properly iron a table cloth, and how to select flowers for a center piece.
2) Since we didn't have a car (my grandmother couldn't drive), Miss Jane made sure that if we ever needed anything that she was available. I would often walk the mile down our country road just to spend time at the Pearsons. My Grandmother Hoover knew that if I were at "Miss Jane's" that I was in good hands, and no-risk of ever getting into trouble. That was more certain than the sun going down in the West.
3) When I was a senior in High School, Jane Pearson convinced me that I was smart enough to go to college, and that she WOULD NOT let me "not go to college." She helped me fill out all the admissions packet materials, and constantly encouraged me. She made sure that I had plenty of clothes to take to school with me when I left for college more than 29 years ago. I felt like a 'rich man' when I arrived in Cleveland, TN for my freshman year of college!
4) When my precious Grandmother Hoover died in May 1992, "Miss Jane" was there by my side through the whole weekend. I would have never made it through this "loss" without her. She came to the funeral home, stood by me, and took my hand to let me know I was not alone. The next morning, she came to the funeral, and sat near me...I'll always remember that. That Friday evening, I was at her home and we had pizza for dinner...we talked about my Grandmother Hoover, and what a special lady she was...and that night "Miss Jane" became the "greatest living woman" in my life....without even knowing it.
5) Now she is a bit older (late 70s) and is beginning to experience some dementia...but she still has a wonderful sense of humor, and still calls to 'check on me' regularly. She reminds me that I always have a "place at her table" and a "bed at her house."
I could write BOOKS about this wonderful, wonderful woman. She's my hero!
I first met her when I was in the fifth grade. Her son, Jim(my) was in my class when I transferred from Brownsboro Elementary School over to Central Middle School. But she wouldn't become an important person in my life until just a few years later....but that's for another time.
Many things stand out about "Miss Jane" to me. First, the professional stuff:
1) She taught elementary school for more than forty years, and her students actually 'learned' what was required of them. She was (and is) a lot of fun, but also very serious when it comes to the business of "learning.
2) She is tremendously accomplished. She taught Home Economics early in her career...she played the violin in the Auburn University Orchestra, and she still has a great love for music.
The personal stuff:
1) Everything I know about class and style, I learned sitting at her kitchen table. She taught me how to properly fold a napkin, and how to properly place the table settings. I learned how to 'steam vegetables' (where they were edible, but not mushy), and to make a good glass of "sweet tea." I learned how to properly iron a table cloth, and how to select flowers for a center piece.
2) Since we didn't have a car (my grandmother couldn't drive), Miss Jane made sure that if we ever needed anything that she was available. I would often walk the mile down our country road just to spend time at the Pearsons. My Grandmother Hoover knew that if I were at "Miss Jane's" that I was in good hands, and no-risk of ever getting into trouble. That was more certain than the sun going down in the West.
3) When I was a senior in High School, Jane Pearson convinced me that I was smart enough to go to college, and that she WOULD NOT let me "not go to college." She helped me fill out all the admissions packet materials, and constantly encouraged me. She made sure that I had plenty of clothes to take to school with me when I left for college more than 29 years ago. I felt like a 'rich man' when I arrived in Cleveland, TN for my freshman year of college!
4) When my precious Grandmother Hoover died in May 1992, "Miss Jane" was there by my side through the whole weekend. I would have never made it through this "loss" without her. She came to the funeral home, stood by me, and took my hand to let me know I was not alone. The next morning, she came to the funeral, and sat near me...I'll always remember that. That Friday evening, I was at her home and we had pizza for dinner...we talked about my Grandmother Hoover, and what a special lady she was...and that night "Miss Jane" became the "greatest living woman" in my life....without even knowing it.
5) Now she is a bit older (late 70s) and is beginning to experience some dementia...but she still has a wonderful sense of humor, and still calls to 'check on me' regularly. She reminds me that I always have a "place at her table" and a "bed at her house."
I could write BOOKS about this wonderful, wonderful woman. She's my hero!
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