Serve by Design

Since 1782, the Bald Eagle has been the national bird of the United States of America. Many believe that the Founders made an appropriate choice because of the eagle’s majestic beauty, powerful strength, and fierce independence. It is likely that our forefathers borrowed the treasured emblem from the Native Americans who revered the Bald Eagle and its feathers in their traditions, culture, and religion. To them and patriotic Americans as well, this beloved symbol represents courage, honesty, truth, wisdom, and freedom. Lincoln In Lincoln, Illinois! Lincoln, Illinois, has distinguished itself for being the only city in the United States to be named after Abraham Lincoln before he would become the Sixteenth President in 1861. Lincoln helped to found the city in 1853 and christened it with watermelon juice. To this day, the downtown Train Depot marks the christening with a historical plaque and a small “watermelon monument.” Lincoln, Illinois was the setting for numerous visits by Abraha...

  Dr. Kevin B. Gibson March 20, 1965 to April 25, 2022   I am mourning the loss of my close friend, Kevin Gibson, who passed away suddenly while recovering from a recent heart procedure. I was privileged to be his pastor more than thirty years ago as we served the same church together. We became instant friends. Kevin was a valued colleague. While shocked and dealing with my own grief, I was humbled to be asked by Christy, his beloved wife, to share the message at his funeral on April 30. I had been the officiant at their wedding nearly twenty-eight years ago. I wrote these next few paragraphs of remembrance for the service and excerpt them so that you can feel a little of the grief and loss we all feel at Kevin's untimely passing...   "Kevin Brent Gibson grew up in a pastor’s home. Ed and Ida likely introduced him to the faith early on and it stuck! He answered the call to ministry and prepared well. Kevin and Christy met in January 1992. I wrote these reflections...

Several years ago, during a visit to Paris, France, we saw the famous L'Arc de Triomphe on the Champs-Elysees. (Incidentally, Monique's grandmother was the proprietor of a quaint little dress shop nearby.) This national monument towering 50 meters stands in honor of those who served and died in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars from 1792-1815. It has the names of all the victories and generals inscribed on its outer and inner surfaces. Underneath the structure is a vault that commemorates an Unknown Soldier from World War I. As you could expect, this memorial is a much treasured reminder for the French and a must-see work of art for visiting tourists. Photo Credit: Sylvan Chervin This prominent landmark has been the scene of an unusually creative project in these past weeks! All this effort fulfills the dream of a couple of avant-garde artists named Christo and his wife, Jeanne-Claude, who died in 2020 and 2009 respectively. Since 1961, this married couple had planne...

Ingenuity inspires, entertains, and lifts our spirits! I was recently blessed by the creative expressions of my own family in wishing me a "Happy Birthday!" Because of the shelter-in-place initiatives due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, it was not possible for us to have a traditional family gathering to celebrate my 69th birthday this week. I cannot ever remember not having multiple family members present during any birthday celebration over the years.  I had one friend express the obvious in his greeting, "Happy Birthday! At least this is one you will not forget!" My response was predictable, "You got that right!" Thanks to the imagination of some of our very creative children and grandchildren, I received a very unique birthday greeting on my special day. It came by way of a video collection of well-wishes that were segmented together and attached to a text message. The contributors represented locations far and near including cities named Chatham, Georgeto...

I love giving flowers on special occasions. It has been my practice to purchase a pretty rose or roses on Monique's birthday, Valentines Day and on our anniversary to name a few of those times during the year. For me, it is a celebration of the one I love and a way to "make artistic space" for something fragrant and beautiful in our house. I have been known to display these symbols of God's perfect creation a few days before the event so that we can extend the time for celebrating beyond a single day. Art and artist can be misunderstood. A few years ago, a friend and I attended a faculty show being held in a gallery of a nearby university. The pieces on display were mostly of the abstract variety. As my friend stood before one of the selections and studied it for a brief moment, he turned to me and said, "Mike, if we had painted this, we would have had to make an excuse for it!" We both laughed, but I'm sure that the artist would not have been amused! ...