RUMINATIONS OF A REVEREND

         Do you feel like civil discourse has flatlined and needs some defibrillator paddles if  it’s  going to survive? It feels that way to me. And considering the tenor of most debates in society today, I would argue  it’s  more than just a feeling. Timothy Conner, in an article for the Tennesse Journal of Law and Policy titled “The Decline of Civil Discourse and the rise of extremist debate,” wrote:    Most attorneys are familiar with the  adage : “If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, argue the facts. If the law and the facts are against you, pound the table and yell like hell.” We have entered an age where, in any given debate, proponents of a particular position no longer seem to care about the facts or the law. They bypass all reason,  attempt  no civil discourse, and  proceed  straight to yelling .   https://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?art...

I have no problem falling asleep. It kind of annoys my wife how quickly I can fall asleep. My head hits the pillow and I’m out within minutes. She might even be talking to me and I start to snore (thus the annoyance). Now to defend myself, it’s not that I didn’t think her thoughts were important, it’s just that my body has decided when I lie down, it’s shutting down.  So I have no trouble getting to sleep, but staying asleep is another story. I’ve talked with friends who shared how they slept in and got 10 hours of sleep. I’m jealous. First, I’m wondering how they can even do that, and then I find myself longing to do that. My body has decided that I should wake up after six hours whether I want to or not. I’ve tried arguing with my body and telling it that it really wants to sleep longer, but so far it hasn’t listened. Six hours and no more. You can do the simple math. If I go to bed at 10:30 PM, I’m waking up at 4:30 AM. And on some occasions my body says, “Today, I think five ho...

Well, tomorrow I turn 36, give or take 15 years (lean heavily on the “give” side). When I was truly 36, I never understood the so called “mid-life crisis.” Why were those middle aged (or slightly past mid-age) people having issues anyway? At this point in my life, I think I get it. Stuff happens in your late forties and early fifties. Children leave home, parents and in-laws have more needs and one by one begin to pass away. You notice your own eyesight, hearing, and even hair diminishing. The physical activities you used to be able to at the very least need to be modified. You realize on a deeper level than ever before that your time on this planet is limited. And you wonder about your life. Have I made an impact on people? Is there still time to correct my previous missteps? What does God have next for me? Fortunately, the LORD gives plenty of examples in scripture of those who navigated the seasons of life with purpose and significance. And the secret involves a constant pursuit o...

I can let little things annoy me and they really shouldn’t. My kids get mortified if I point out a mistake with a cashier that amounts to a whopping 23 cents in my favor. Was it that big of a deal? No. But in my mind, it was the principle of the matter. And if I ever attempt to have my order corrected at a restaurant because the steak or eggs were not done as requested, my children beg me to just let it go. But, hey, I worked for several years as a short order line cook, so I know how it should be done! But what about when I feel someone slighted me even just a little bit? At times, I can let that gnaw at me and may even call them out on it. My level-headed, Godly wife informs me that I need to let things go and not get so worked up over them. She’s right! Most of the things I get worked up over aren’t worth getting worked up over. It simply creates extra stress in my life. And why am I worried about what so and so thinks anyway? I only need to worry about honoring God and representing...

The whirlwind of these past few weeks has begun to calm and has revealed the scattered debris that we will need to start picking up to move forward. But by God’s grace we will. For those of you that haven’t heard, here is quick recap. On July 4 th , we received a call from my mother-in-law that Steve (my father-in-law) was weak, feverish, and slightly confused. My wife and sister-in-law advised her to take him to the emergency room right away. That began an emotional roller coaster that no amusement park could match. Things looked bleak in the beginning, but then signs of improvement encouraged us later in the week. By Thursday evening he had improved enough that he was discharged. We received confirmation of a diagnosis on Friday, which we felt good about. We thought his body would deal with the infection he had and be back to normal soon. Monday and Tuesday, however, seemed to have a set-back, but then on Wednesday morning my wife and I visited with him on the phone and thought he ...

  When I was young, I remember my mom saying, “It’s not a matter of whether I believe God can do this, I just don’t know if I believe He will do this.” That’s stuck with me because I’ve been there on many occasions in my life. I believe in God’s power, but I question at times His willingness to respond positively to my requests. In Psalm 78, Asaph recalls a time in Israel’s history where they questioned the CAN of God and probably even the WILL of God. The result: God wasn’t pleased with their low view of Him. Read verses 18-22: 18 They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved. 19 They spoke against God, saying, “Can God spread a table in the wilderness? 20 He struck the rock so that water gushed out and streams overflowed. Can he also give bread or provide meat for his people?” 21 Therefore, when the  LORD  heard, he was full of wrath; a fire was kindled against Jacob; his anger rose against Israel, 22 because they did not believe in ...