Serve by Design

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Shaped by Scripture!

March 24, 2025

Last Sunday, Monique and I were guests in another church. I preached at a pastor friend’s retirement celebration service. We also attended a small group study for seniors before worship. It was a blessing to look around the table during that Sunday School class and see so many open Bibles and even a few digital tablets placed in front of those participants. While they used a denominational booklet as the curriculum, the Bible was still their primary focus during the lesson. "By your words I can see where I'm going." Clip Art: stock.adobe.com The Message: Psalm 119:105a I have heard two good sermons lately where the subject of the Bible has come up. One was at our church recently during the Iron Sharpens Iron conference. It looked to me that the crowd was at full capacity on the ground floor and balcony that accommodates well over a thousand people not counting the platform musicians. There were ninety churches represented, and forty-eight of those churches brought ten ...

Genetically Altered Bananas!

March 11, 2025

Have you ever been “gifted” with a very ripe banana? I used to wilt (another related pun idea!) when during my college days, my pastor and future father-in-law, would reach up to the top of his refrigerator and offer me an undesirable banana that had been languishing for days. I wanted him to like me for several reasons. So, when he’d say, “Here Mike, take this home with you!” What was I to say? I’d tuck the little booger in my pocket and say with an insincere mumble, “Sure. Thanks.” Ripening Bananas! freepikcom I’m a little cautious about eating anything labeled as a “genetically modified organism” or GMO for short. But a recent article about what some British scientists are doing with bananas has caught my attention. Now I’m thinking, “Maybe?!” I love bananas on my breakfast cereal, but like many of us, I have trouble managing the basket of bananas before they become so ripe that the only alternative is to make banana bread or pancakes. And I’d rather not add more carbs to my diet! ...

Don't Misunderstand Tears!

March 04, 2025

Did you hear about the little boy who comforted his mother? She was having an emotional day as her twin boys headed off for their first day of school. Their four-year-old brother, Andrew, along with the mother, had walked them from the house to the corner where the bus would stop. When it arrived, the twins jumped up the steps into the bus and waved goodbye through the window. It was then that the mom broke out in tears! The younger brother comforted her with these words, “Mommy, don’t cry! Maybe one day you’ll get to ride the bus, too!” 😊 This funny story caught my attention for two reasons. One is that we have twin daughters, and the other reason is because of the subject of tears. I can remember what it was like to send those little red-haired charmers off to their first day of school. I couldn’t fight back my tears while they charged off hand in hand down the sidewalk and into Houston’s Ed White Elementary! They were ready for kindergarten, but I was not ready to let them go! Te...

A Prayerful Redirect

February 24, 2025

Have you heard the story about the stubborn little guy who wouldn’t stay in his seat in the family SUV? As soon the dad backed out of the driveway, he looked up in his rearview mirror and saw that his three-year-old son was unbuckled and standing in the back seat. “Sit down and get back in that seat! Now!” his dad scolded. And the boy argued. “I can’t see!” The dad threatened him, “Don’t make me stop and get out of this car!” All at once, the dad could see that the boy had complied and said, “Thank you. Now stay seated!” Immediately, he heard this defiant mumbling from the boy, “But … In my head , I’m still standing !!” Pray and Look for God's Redirect! I hate to admit this, but there are times when there is a stubborn little boy wandering around in my head! Our small group at church had a vigorous discussion about prayer last Sunday. We were asked to consider some pretty probing questions about our own prayer life like “What kinds of prayer do you tend to neglect? Do you find you...

"How's Your Bandwidth?"

February 18, 2025

Just the other day, a busy professional at church lamented to me in our conversation, “I’m not sure I have the bandwidth to take on another responsibility right now!” I wanted to interrupt, “How did I not get the memo on this?” I fashion myself as a humble writer and wordsmith and I am always on the lookout for another new word. Yet, I had just heard a word that I thought I knew used in a completely different way! Fiber Optic Technology Credit: freepik.com This is not the first time that I have been blindsided about the “definitional drifting” of certain words. I remember several years ago how a college-aged son had asked me, “Dad, do you know what “issues” are?” I answered, “I think so. Like political or social issues in society?” “No,” he replied. “I mean like she or he has issues! You know, as in personal, psychological issues.” I could only reply, “Well, that’s interesting. I haven’t heard it used like that!” Well, thanks to that businessman, I now have another word, bandwidth, t...

Illinois Eagle Watching!

February 11, 2025

Super Bowl 59 is over, and many are disappointed that it was not more competitive. I admit to only being a once-a-year football fan, but even I was hoping for a close game pitting the number one defense against an outstanding quarterback and team offense! The Philadelphia Eagles, a powerful defensive juggernaut, up-ended the four-time super bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, in a game that was all but over at the halftime. The score, a meager 22 points for the Chiefs to 40 for the soaring Eagles, doesn’t completely explain the surprising outcome! Roadside Eagle Watching Near Athens, Illinois It was a game of uber-aggressive defense that resulted in too many turnovers for the Chiefs that repeatedly put the Eagles in scoring position for their touchdowns and field goals. Kansas City could never execute its game play as they were constantly scrambling to regain position. It was not a pretty game even though Taylor Swift and other celebrities present were cheering on the 2023 and 2024 ...

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