One of the most predictable events of being a Christian in Texas happens every summer when we hit a sweltering heat wave. The temperature climbed above one-hundred degrees last week and, sure enough, there it was. A local church had put this cheery message on the sign out front.  (Note: Not the real sign. This was re-created at www.churchsigngenerator.com. You can have some fun at that site.) Apparently God got out of the book business and moved into signboards. I am sure that at least a few readers of these humble ramblings remember a song by Five Man Electrical Band. The song was called “Signs” and it told about some warnings that dared to tell us what to do. Sign Sign everywhere a sign Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign I remember the opening part of the song quite well. And the sign said long haired freaky people need not apply So I
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A preacher was walking down a dirt road one day and came upon a man with a mule pulling a wagon load of two-by-fours.  The mule had stopped and refused to move.  The man was yelling and pulling on the mules’ reigns trying to get him to move.  The man was angry and was using foul language.  The preacher came up to the man and said, “If you want one of God’s creatures to do what you want him to do, you must treat him with love and kindness”.  The man then told the preacher, “If you can do any better, than you are welcome to try”. With this the preacher went to the rear of the wagon, pulled off a two-by-four board and walked to the front of the mule and looked the mule in the eye. The preacher took a mighty swing with the two-by-four,  hitting the mule up the side of the head. The man in shock said, “I thought you must treat
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No one is (or has been) better at avoiding onrushing tacklers than NFL quarterback Michael Vick. But he is now facing a foe that even the uber-gifted Vick can’t evade. Yesterday’s announcement that Vick will admit his full guilt in a plea bargain agreement was a sad day for those who idolized the mercurial athlete. Former NFL great Deion Sanders is a brother in Christ. Sanders understands the curse of celebrity and how it can ruin your life for a season or forever. Deion was one of the few to defend Vick prior to the announcement. I have to respectfully disagree with Sander’s attempt to help us understand Vick’s mindset. This is all the result of perspective. What a dog means to Vick might be a lot different than what he means to you or I. Hold on, don’t start shaking your head just yet. Listen to me. Some people kiss their dogs on the mouth. Some people let their dogs eat from their plate. Some people
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Several years ago I got serious about this whole following Jesus thing. And I began to ask the Lord for a ministry. I beseeched Him for something that would make a difference for eternity. I bemoaned my job in sports television as being “insignificant”. Finally the obvious hit me right between my stubborn eyes. My ministry was all around me. People I had built relationships with over the past twenty years had real needs and big questions. When I simply asked God to use me my prayer for ministry was answered virtually overnight. Right where I was. I didn’t get called to the mission field. My books didn’t become best-sellers so I could go on a powerhouse speaking tour. God called me to be faithful to the ones He had placed in my life. That pesky “be faithful with the little things” scripture came to mind. I guess my spiritual dimness is the reason an article in the Dallas Morning News resonated
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This is an updated version of a gently read prior post. This is a dangerous post. I must begin with a disclaimer that I have now lived in Texas for 27 years. I love Texas and the people of the Lone Star state. Please remember that disclaimer as I confess that I can sympathize with General  Philip Henry Sheridan’s comments about Texas after the Civil War. Sheridan remarked that “if I owned Hell and Texas I would rent out Texas and live in Hell”. Because he criticized Texas and was also a Yankee (the Texas version of a Samaritan) I am pretty sure that most Texans are sure he is now residing in Hell. But let us extend a moment of grace and consider that perhaps Sheridan offered his comments during the month of August. I suspect that in pre-air conditioning days I might have pondered the same thoughts.  August is almost always miserable in North Texas. August in Texas is our payback for mocking our Northern friends during February.
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I opened up the electronic mailbox today and found out that I nearly missed a holiday. You too? Apparently today (August 16th) is True Love Forever Day as opposed to True Love Till I Lose Interest Day. This is a wonderful opportunity to tell that special someone that you love them and it is an even more wonderful opportunity for greeting card companies to sell products for a phony baloney holiday. Nearly missing this holiday made me fearful that I might overlook other important and meaningful days. So I did a little research and found out that August is chockful of stupid and meaningless celebrations. I have to confess that I have already missed a couple of vital August events. Last Friday was National Lazy Day. I went back and checked my calendar for that day and I am pretty sure that I celebrated appropriately. Two days later I somehow overlooked Middle Child’s Day. So to beloved middle son Scott, forgive me. But
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I realized today how much the culture has passed me by. I was reading a story about a massive toy recall and I scanned the list of items. Pictured right there on the front page of my hometown newspaper was a picture of recalled Barbie and her dog, recalled Tanner. The caption read (and I could not make this up): The recall includes 683,000 sets that contain a magnetic pooper scooper. So it has come to this? Our children are playing with magnetic pooper scoopers? This is an actual review from the Amazon.com link above. “Initially we really liked this set but the dog’s “pooping” function broke rather quickly.” We all know how painful that can be. So exactly how does a magnetic pooper scooper work? In real life Tanner would have to have a very high iron diet to make that work. It just made me happy that my toy buying days are on hold pending grandchildren. That story gave me tired
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