Serve by Design

These days, I am mourning the loss of another good friend, Pastor Joel Newton, who passed this week. The older I get, this is happening more frequently! Joel and I have known each other for more than thirty years. We met at a Bible conference that our church hosted just a few months after I returned to Illinois in the early nineties. I was immediately blessed by his quiet, approachable, and Southern gentleman temperament. He was raised in Alabama and loved to support his favorite team! “Roll Tide!” Joel and Cheryl's Retirement Celebration Joel would later be called to pastor one of our strongest churches in Peoria. He and I continued to make time for frequent lunch meetings at our half-way point in Lincoln. I considered our friendship to be a peer mentoring relationship although I think he regarded his older pastor-brother in Christ as “seasoned” enough to offer occasional mentoring suggestions. We formalized this relationship during the season when Joel undertook graduate studies ...

Recently, we had a surprise visit from our son, Marc and our soon to be eighteen-year-old grandson, Ben. It was their second visit in just over a month. Since they live in Texas, it was a rare treat to have them with us at both Thanksgiving, and then again, a shorter two-day visit just after the new year to accompany me to the St. Louis Auto Show. "Giddy Up, Cowboy!" When Ben was here before Christmas, we caught him having a “rocking horse connection” and we laughed at the time. The old horse has complemented our family room, Texas décor, most of Ben’s childhood. I’m sure he can’t recall a time when it was not in its place in front of the French doors. During a second and recent time of connection, we were able to get a photo of him in a state of contemplation while looking at his cell phone. As you would imagine, his long legs were dangling down to the floor for support. In truth, he outgrew the old horse a long time ago!😃 We didn’t know nor did we ask what was on Ben’s min...