When the title says “Travel Day”, it usually means that my day began very early. This is graduation week at Baxter Institute in Honduras. On Saturday, 15 new graduates will be added to the impressive list of over 500 graduates who are working to plant and strengthen churches and share the gospel throughout the Spanish-speaking …
Monthly Archives: November 2010
Giving Thanks in Difficult Days
The Thanksgiving weekend is past. Today is “recovery” day. Most in our nation will return to some version of normalcy. For some, this Thanksgiving has been another traumatic holiday in a string of downturns and challenges. Normal is full of trouble. For others, the holiday was better than normal (or at least better than in …
It’s Sunday Again: Eucharist
Today it falls my responsibility to share some thoughts as the church surrounds the Table and shares communion. Some churches call the occasion the Eucharist. In churches of Christ (and most Protestant groups), We do not use the term Eucharist frequently, perhaps not at all formally. What is the Eucharist? What does the term mean? …
Life Savors: Grandchildren
Our eldest son, Michael, and his family arrived yesterday afternoon for our weekend Thanksgiving celebration. Having one’s home full of activity–laughter, playing, loving, sharing is a genuine “life savor”. The end of the day feels different when the house is full of life. The Psalmist said children are a heritage from the Lord. Blessed are …
Thanksgiving
Dear Readers, On this Thanksgiving Day, I am thinking about the blessings of God in my life. More specifically, I am thinking about the mission work God is enabling at Baxter Institute and Clinic in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. I am thankful for the opportunity to be involved in this work. I am thankful for the ways …
Life Savors: What would my grandma say?
What would my grandma say? I remember her scolding! She wanted me to learn proper etiquette. I should acknowledge every gift and card. I should do more than sign my name when I send a thank you–I should also write a little note. I remember her admonitions, even if I haven’t always succeeding in following …
Another Birthday!
Wall postings, Facebook, status comments, e-mail, e-cards, I-phones, snail mail…. None of these words or phrases existed for my early birthdays. We live in a changing world. Dozens of birthday greetings, literally from around the world, mysteriously entering my electronic mailbox, many of them just after midnight! To all who shared, thank you for your love and …
40 Days of Gratitude: My List
November 21–Salvation 22–God’s revelation—special and natural 23–The beauty of nature, God’s natural revelation 24–Relationship with God 25–The church 26–My heritage of faith and questioning 27–My family 28–Family—my wife 29–Family—my boys 30–Family—my mother December 1–Family—my sister 2–Friends [general] 3–Ministry friends 4–Leadership friends 5–Missions friends 6–Students I have taught through the years 7–My coworkers across the years …
It’s Sunday Again: 40 Days of Gratitude
Thanksgiving Sunday. Is it today or next Sunday? Next Sunday is part of the traditional Thanksgiving weekend. But during 40+ years of preaching ministry, I generally preached my Thanksgiving sermon the Sunday before Thanksgiving. By the Sunday after, most people have forgotten the holiday just past in favor of the holiday coming in less than …
Why Christian?
I am thinking about why we Christians do what we do. Why do some who claim to be Christians not do the things generally associated with Christianity? Why are some involved and others inactive? Such a big question requires more space than I have today. But my thinking led me to consider the following question: …