Merry Christmas 2010

I hope this post finds you and yours happy, healthy and whole and looking forward to a beautiful Christmas season with those that mean the most to you. I'm looking forward to a slow, relaxing holiday. We don't know yet if we will travel out to Alabama for a couple of days after Christmas or not. I'm still recovering from some cervical surgery and we don't know yet if I'll be released to travel or not. Regardless, Christmas is a wonderful time of year and the birth of Christ is something that simply must be celebrated!

This year has certainly been an active one for us. It's so hard to believe that our baby, Jennifer (18) is a freshman at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. She's right in the middle of her first final's week, hope she does well. She is enjoying life as she participates in several activities and clubs both on and off campus. For her graduation present / family vacation we traveled up into the Northeast to see NYC, Boston, Rhode Island and Maine. We made sure the trip included seeing "Wicked" on Broadway. For a special treat, we also got to sit in on a taping of the Late Show with David Letterman.

Jessica (22) is almost finished with her education. One more semester and she will have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and be a Registered Nurse. We are so proud of her, she has done very well in school and we think will be a "cum laude" graduate of some sort. But there is other big news with Jessica. She and her boyfriend Matt are now engaged and are planning a Spring wedding on May 21, two weeks after she graduates. So we are all having lots of fun planning the wedding. Just a few weeks ago I had the gread blessing to baptize Matt after receiving him on profession of faith the week before. Matt bought a home in Austin, AR and he and Jessica have been making it look like a home. Their two dogs keep Matt company whle Jessica is away at school.

Shelia is still going strong as the registrar at Sylvan Hills High School. It seems that every day has it's drama and adventure but it's good to have a steady job. In addition, she continues to keep up with her running having already completed several half-marathons and more 5K's than I can remember. She had a little trouble with her feet and legs earlier this year, but all of that seems to be fine now.

I keep plugging along as well. I completed my 10th year of ministry as Pastor or Administration at Faith Baptist Church last month. The church was very gracious and helped us celebrate with a new suit and paying off my motorcycle. The church has just gone through a pastoral change but things just calm down a bit after the start of the year.

At the time of this writing I'm recuperating from cervical surgery to correct a ruptured disc. This has been a pain and a nuisance for most of the year cutting into my gym time and hindered most of my other activities. I hope the surgery will get me back into the thick of things. Lately I've been involved as I could helping my buddy, Grumpy remodel his kitchen. I'm hoping I recover soon as there are lots of things around the Hulsizer Hacienda that need to be addressed.

Some highlights form the year include a Medical Mission trip to Moldova. Jessica and I flew with 9 other church members to provide medical car for 3 or 4 communities served by our missionaries there. I've already mentioned the upcoming nuptuals from Matt and Jessica; Jennifer is exciting to be the maid of honor. It should be a wonderful experience. I hope you can make it. After the wedding, jeff and Shelia are excited about what will most assuredly be a welcome vacation down on the Gulf Coast.

This time last year we were worried about dealing with "empty nest syndrome". The truth is, we are staying busy enough that we really haven't had to deal with it!

Much love from me and mine, to you and yours. Merry Christmas!

Make it better

I'm a biker. I ride a bike. This morning I rode my bike, it was in the mid-20's this morning. I almost didn't want to be a biker any more. It was cold. I was bundled up but it was still cold, but I had places to be and things to do. As I was riding across the river bridge, thinking "woe is me", I looked at one of the huge billboards off to my right. There hanging precariously between heaven and earth, in 25 degree windy weather were two sign guys working on a sign. The pity I felt for myself gave way and I began to realize that my plight was not so bad.

Which got me to thinking. Isn't it true that you don't have to look very hard to find someone who is having a day worse that yours? I think we need to make it a daily challenge to make someone's day a little brighter every chance we get. Maybe it's just a kind word, or a smile, changing a flat tire, maybe buying them a cup of coffee, or even a hot meal. Maybe it's a phone call, a text message or an email. For some it might require a bit more; like providing Christmas for their kids, sitting with them at a hospital or a funeral home, getting them in touch with a professional, giving blood or a kidney.

It is true, the best way to get out of the dumps or to break up a pity party is to start counting your blessings, or better yet...being one!

Lessons from a donkey

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do.

Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.

He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly.

Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.

A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!

Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well

is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.

Free your mind from worries - Most never happen.

Live simply and appreciate what you have.

Give more.

Expect less.

Funny, or it is?

In my work as a youth pastor a few years back I formulated a couple of definitions regarding pranks. This became necessary each year as we embarked upon the prospect of church camp. You know, that place where corn flakes in your sleeping bag, and the old shaving cream in your hand and tickle your ear trick, among others - are common place. I had grown weary of dealing with sleeping bags that had been rendered unusable and having students completely out of clean clothes by Tuesday because of a well placed water balloon (or worse). So this is what I came up with...

A prank is defined as something that when it is over, both parties can share a laugh.

When, at the end, only one party is laughing borders on terrorism and will not be tolerated.

I am reminded of this because this past Sunday morning as I finished up my shower, my wife said, "You're not going to believe this but someone has rolled our yard." What? This isn't homecoming week! What's the deal? But then I remembered our youngest daughter is leaving for her freshman year of college next Sunday but some of her friends who will attend different colleges will leave earlier. It must have been a last hurrah prank.

Since I don't take as long to get ready (hair, makeup, etc.) it was agreed that I would clean up the front yard. As I reached up and bent over to retrieve not only toilet paper, but forks stuck into my lawn, and unwrapped my daughters car from the plastic wrap, and cleaned the 5# of Vaseline from under each door handle I wondered, "Do they think this is funny to me?"

I was upset, I even considered tracking down the miscreants responsible for this heinous crime and giving them a piece of my mind and maybe a piece of my right shoe as well.

Well, after my second shower and rushing around we finally arrived at church, I calmed down some but noticed that I was being smiled at a bit unnaturally by some of the young people. "Do they know something?" "Was it them?" Then I became aware of a situation altering fact.

It seems that my sweet daughter was involved in a yard-rolling incident earlier in the week that set in motion a retribution attack. So I cleaned up a revenge-roll? No longer could I be upset at the ne'er-do-wells that had attacked my lawn, but I could and I can state the fact that any subsequent cleanings will be done by the one who prompted the attack!

I wonder, do college kids roll yards?

Out of Order

I'd been standing in waist deep ice water for over thirty minutes. I had my waders on but the water was still cold enough to send an occasional chill up my spine. I was casting to the end of the dock at Branson Landing. I'd been casting for more than half an hour and I couldn't get more than a tug every now and again.

I knew my bait was correct. I'd done my homework. It just wasn't working. My step-dad was watching me from the railing. "Franklin," I said, "I don't know what else to do?" He leaned over the railing and said, Switch the order. Try putting the powerbait on first and tip the hook with the worm."

What could it hurt? I switched the order. I caught a fish on the next cast and the next, and the next, and the next... I caught fish until I ran out of light. I had things out of order. I got the order correct and the rest was easy.

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Matt. 6.33

Borrowed from my good friend Robert Leonard...thanks Rob!

It's Who You Know!

A good friend of mine's dad went to the Holy Land back in the early 70's. It was right after the "Six Days War". Before he left he was given a package by his friend, Mike. Mike owned a jewelry store in my home town and his father and brothers owned a jewelry store in Jerusalem, on David Street. Dad was to find the shop and deliver the package to Mike's dad.

Long story short, dad found the shop and delivered the package. Mike's dad couldn't speak english but Mike's brothers could. Mike's dad wanted my father to come to a dinner that would be given in his honor. He wanted him to come that very night. He invited him to bring whomever he wished. He would send a car to their hotel at 7pm.

You can imagine that everyone was a little suspicious of traveling around Jerusalem at night so soon after an armed conflict but my dad was determined and two of the other ministers were brave or crazy enough to go along. They were picked up at 7pm and driven just outside the old city to the home of Mike's father. My dad said they were ushered into a large banquet room with one long table in the center or it. There were many guests and my father and his friends were seated on the left of the host. Each man had a large plate set before him with a drink on his right. The table was covered with all sorts of meats, vegetables, fruits, bread, rice, and noodles.

Women hovered around the table and as the men ate the women refilled their plates. The women made sure that no plate was ever empty and no cup was allowed to run dry. My father said that Mike's dad sat at the head of the table. As the meal progressed, the Old Man would smile and nod to his guests. He would speak to some but he spent most of his time looking at my father and his friends. Dad said that the Old Man would smile and tears would roll down his face as he would say the only three words of english that he knew, "You know Mike. You know Mike."

There is a banquet being prepared for us. The table is set. We are all invited. There is only one name that will allow us access to that dining hall. And some day, in eternity, The Father will sit at the head of that table and with tears in his eyes he will call out across the universe, "You know Jesus. You know Jesus." And we'll all weep for joy.

We are well aware that who you know and who knows you is far more important that what you know.

"Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' And he added, 'These are the true words of God.'"

Hope to see you around the table.

Thanks for the story Rob!

I had seen this before but thought it was worth sharing...oorah!

This is little-known story from the Pentagon on 09/11/2001:

During a visit with a fellow chaplain, who happened to be assigned to the Pentagon, I had a chance to hear a first-hand account of an incident that happened right after Flight 77 hit the Pentagon. The chaplain told me what happened at a daycare center near where the impact occurred. This daycare had many children, including infants who were in heavy cribs. The daycare supervisor, looking at all the children they needed to evacuate, was in a panic over what they could do. There were many children, mostly toddlers, as well as the infants that would need to be taken out with the cribs.

There was no time to try to bundle them into carriers and strollers. Just then a young Marine came running into the center and asked what they needed. After hearing what the center director was trying to do, he ran back out into the hallway and disappeared. The director thought, 'well, there we are—on our own.'

About 2 minutes later, that Marine returned with 40 other Marines in tow. Each of them grabbed a crib with a child, and the rest started gathering up toddlers. The director and her staff then helped them take all the children out of the center and down toward the park near the Potomac and the Pentagon. Once they got about 3/4 of a mile outside the building, the Marines stopped in the park, and then did a fabulous thing - they formed a circle with the cribs, which were quite sturdy and heavy, like the covered wagons in the Old West. Inside this circle of cribs, they put the toddlers, to keep them from wandering off. Outside this circle were the 40 Marines, forming a perimeter around the children and waiting for instructions. There they remained until the parents could be notified and come get their children..

The chaplain then said, "I don't think any of us saw nor heard of this on any of the news stories of the day. It was an incredible story of our men there. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. The thought of those Marines and what they did and how fast they reacted; could we expect any less from them? It was one of the most touching stories from the Pentagon.

May God Bless the USA , our troops, and you.

2 Chronicles 7:14 says "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Always remember it's the Military, not the reporter who has given us the freedom of the press. It's the Military, not the poet, who has given us the freedom of speech. It's the Military, not the politicians that ensures our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It's the Military who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag.

This video is such a blessing to me. It really speaks to the love God has for us and of the joy

He desires for us. I hope you find it encouraging. May God bless you!

A Better Idea

I've been chewing on a rant the last few days about people who have perverted the word "baptist" (Westboro Baptist Church) and the word "Christian" (so called "Christian" militias targeting law enforcement officers). But I've decided, thanks to my buddy Joe Hamilton, to keep my blood-pressure at a healthy level and share these home remedies!

Amazingly simple home remedies...

1. Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold the vegetables while you chop.

2. Avoid arguments with females about lifting the toilet seat by using the sink.

3. For high blood pressure sufferers ~ simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure on your veins. Remember to use a timer.

4. A mouse trap placed on top of your alarm clock will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.

5. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives. Then you'll be afraid to cough.

6. You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.

7. If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.

Daily thought:
Some people are like slinkies - not really good for anything but they bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.

Thanks Joe, I feel much better now!

I am a Biker...

I love motorcycles, I loved them as a kid when I was riding my little Honda CL70 all over the powerlines and gravel pits around my hometown even though it was a street bike. I really loved bikes when I moved up to a Honda SL125 that was actually made for that kind of riding. As I got older (and bigger) I loved my dad's Yamaha Enduro 250, then I got a car, a job, went to college, got a job, got married, had kids, yada-yada-yada, then I began to long for a motorcycle again. A little over three years ago I bought a Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 and she is my transportation. Oh, I could carpool with the wife or kidnap a daughter's car, but I love to ride my bike. I've ridden basically every day the last two weeks in morning temperatures between 27 and 40. This week I leave the house about 6:30 and haven't gotten home any earlier than 9:15 pm. It's a little chilly but I dress for it. People just look at me, people think I nuts, or hard core or something but I just love to ride. I didn't buy my bike to sit in the garage except for a weekend whiz up to Drasco every now and then. I bought it to ride it. So when I saw this email today I just had to share it with those of you who understand what it is to be a biker, those that want to understand, and those who may never understand. Enjoy...

12 Things Riding My Motorcycle Taught Me-- 1. The only good view of a thunderstorm is in your rear view mirror. 2. Four wheels move the body; two wheels move the soul. 3. I'd rather be riding my motorcycle and thinking about God, than sitting in church thinking about my motorcycle. 4. Life may begin at 40, but it doesn't get real interesting until about 80 (mph). 5. Midnight bugs taste just as bad as Noon time bugs. 6. Sometimes it takes 3 or 4 tanks full of gas before I can think straight. 7. A bike on the road is freedom. 8. Young riders pick a destination; old riders pick a direction. 9. When you're riding with a full face helmet, don't spit. (or sneeze) 10. Catching a yellow jacket in your shirt will double your vocabulary. 11. If you can't get it going with duct tape or zip ties, it's serious. 12. Only a biker knows why a dog sticks his head out of a car window.

Hey, let's go ride!

Predictions for 2010

As we begin 2010 with all the problems the world is facing,
it can be somewhat unsettling. While I am certainly no sayer of sooth, please let me share with you ten predications that are sure to come true next year!

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
2. Prayer will still be the most powerful thing on Earth..
3. The Holy Spirit will still move.
4. God will still honor the praises of His people.
5. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
8. There will still be room at the Cross.
9. Jesus will still love you.
10...Jesus will still save the lost when they come to Him.

Isn't it great to remember who is really in control, and that; "the Word of the Lord endures forever." 1 Peter 1:25