What A Journey!

22 years ago last Sunday (March 4), I entered full time ministry with the Landmark Baptist Church of Jacksonville. Jessica was just about to turn 2 years old. We ministered there just over ten years and we've been with Faith Baptist Church in North Little Rock for just over 11 years.

There are days when I feel like I've been doing this all my life, while there are other days I feel like I'm still just a greenhorn. I've served as a Youth Pastor, a Minister of Music, an Associate Pastor, a Pastor of Administration, and an Interim Pastor. What happens next? Who knows? The answer is "God knows and I trust Him!"

I have been so blessed in both part-time and full-time ministry to work with and befriend some awesome pastors and staff members, congregations, youth groups, and choirs, and have made some truly lasting friendships. There is also the tremendous blessing of associated work and the friends and colleagues whose lives have intersected my own.

But the true blessing is that God has taken very good care of me; far better care than I deserve. He's seen me through ignorance, frustration, apathy, stupidity, anger, pain -- as well as joy, peace, safety and success (when I let Him lead!).

While it hasn't always been an easy journey, especially for my wife and daughters; it has been a good journey. I have learned much (usually from trial and error). This year, especially, has been a struggle, but the pendulum has already begun to swing back toward the positive.

I hope, over the next 22 years, if God wills it; that I can remember what I've learned and how good He's been to me and be more successful in leading his people, serving His church, but mostly following Him!

To my family I say, thanks for sticking with me. To the churches who have had to put up with me, thanks for playing along; as the old staying goes: Be patient, God isn't finished with me yet!

"Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus. But if Your return must wait; here's to another 22 years (and beyond!)...

(Photos from top: First trip to camp-1990; Graduation banquet at Landmark-1999; 10 year anniversary at Faith; my sweetheart and I as we are today. )

The Beginning of the End?

Fifty years ago today, (Feb. 20) John Glenn orbited the Earth three times over nearly five hours in his Mercury capsule dubbed Friendship 7. Will this be the day that Jesus returns to the earth?

This year, the Mayan calendar is getting lots of interest as it seems to indicate that 2012 may be the last year before some great apocalypse brings the end of the world. But for the Christian we realize that every day is a gift, that the Son of God could return to Earth any time to rapture this own and truly mark the beginning of the end of the age.

So the question is, if this was the last year, or month, or day of life as we know it here on earth, what difference would it make in your manner of living? Would we take more seriously the work that Jesus left for us as He ascended into heaven to make preparations for the arrival of those who would accept Him as personal Savior?

Matthew 28:19-20, that portion of Scripture we call the Great Commission instructs us to "go therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world..."

Facing the potential for the end of the world, whether the end of our life, the end of some ancient calendar, or the coming of the King of Kings, how are you motivated? As for me, I take great comfort in the last part of verse 20, Jesus said, "Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world". While I certainly don't know what tomorrow brings, I certainly know who brings tomorrow! "Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might!"

Out with the Old Year!

Another year has come and is nearly gone. Time moves faster as we get older it seems and while this year has come with its challenges--looking back we can clearly see the hand of our loving God directing and protecting.

The year began on a huge high note, our beloved pastor and friend Robert Francis came back to our church and things were going very, very well. We were great friends and ministry partners and had an awesome four months, but in April Robert started having some severe shoulder pain and was looking for a solution when in early May he suddenly passed away. This was a huge blow to our church and to the Hulsizer family.

On Saturday, May 7th, we spent the morning at the University of Central Arkansas proudly watching our oldest daughter, Jessica (23), graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. The last five years of hard work and study had paid off. What pride we had, cheering from the stands, as she received her diploma! But that afternoon we hurried back to participate in Robert’s memorial service and what a magnificent service it was! He touched so many lives and the attendance and the service itself proved that. Another year has come and is nearly gone. Time moves faster as we get older it seems and while this year has come with its challenges--looking back we can clearly see the hand of our loving God directing and protecting.

The year began on a huge high note, our beloved pastor and friend Robert Francis came back to our church and things were going very, very well. We were great friends and ministry partners and had an awesome four months, but in April Robert started having some severe shoulder pain and was looking for a solution when in early May he suddenly passed away. This was a huge blow to our church and to the Hulsizer family.

On Saturday, May 7th, we spent the morning at the University of Central Arkansas proudly watching our oldest daughter, Jessica (23), graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. The last five years of hard work and study had paid off. What pride we had, cheering from the stands, as she received her diploma! But that afternoon we hurried back to participate in Robert’s memorial service and what a magnificent service it was! He touched so many lives and the attendance and the service itself proved that.

Exactly two weeks later, on May 21st, Jessica married Matthew Petty. It was a beautiful wedding and we are so happy to have Matt as part of our family (especially me! I love my girls but another guy in the mix is a good thing!) Jessica passed her NCLEX and is now a licensed RN. She began work at the same hospital in which she was born, another huge blessing!

But in mid-October she noticed some swelling around her neck. Long story short she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. She has begun treatments on what her doctors tell us is a practically guaranteed cure. She is doing well, but we still appreciate your prayers for complete healing. We are so proud of and thankful for Matt, he is taking extremely good care of her. We also are very grateful to our church family for their prayers and thoughtful provision of meals and moral support.

Jennifer, our youngest (19), is a sophomore at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway working toward a degree in Early Childhood Education. She is very involved in the Chi Alpha Ministry on campus, babysits at a local church, and tries to make us believe she studies the rest of the time. Her grades do reflect that she is working very hard and we are quite proud of her! We are looking forward to her being home for Christmas and New Year’s. She’s a big help taking care of Matt and Jessica’s dog, a Corgi named Scarlett that has come to live with us while Jessica is taking treatments.

Shelia has had a busy year. She had some changes in her job but now is happily settled in as a Registrar in the “hub”. She works with three other registrars who serve several area schools, one of whom is a close friend (Bobbie Lindley). She works hard but loves the new environment. Her big news is that she entered and finished the St. Jude’s Marathon in Memphis—that’s right 26.2 miles! It was a major milestone for her, but one she says she won’t need to revisit!

Since the passing of our beloved pastor, I have been serving as Interim Pastor. This has increased my workload substantially but I have enjoyed the opportunity to preach. A couple of months ago, our Worship Pastor was called to another church so I’ve been helping with the Music ministry as well. After the first of the year we will hear a candidate for Senior Pastor. We are praying for the Lord’s will but hoping for a speedy process.

Exactly two weeks later, on May 21st, Jessica married Matthew Petty. It was a beautiful wedding and we are so happy to have Matt as part of our family (especially me! I love my girls but another guy in the mix is a good thing!) Jessica passed her NCLEX and is now a licensed RN. She began work at the same hospital in which she was born, another huge blessing!

But in mid-October she noticed some swelling around her neck. Long story short she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. She has begun treatments on what her doctors tell us is a practically guaranteed cure. She is doing well, but we still appreciate your prayers for complete healing. We are so proud of and thankful for Matt, he is taking extremely good care of her. We also are very grateful to our church family for their prayers and thoughtful provision of meals and moral support.

Jennifer, our youngest (19), is a sophomore at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway working toward a degree in Early Childhood Education. She is very involved in the Chi Alpha Ministry on campus, babysits at a local church, and tries to make us believe she studies the rest of the time. Her grades do reflect that she is working very hard and we are quite proud of her! We are looking forward to her being home for Christmas and New Year’s. She’s a big help taking care of Matt and Jessica’s dog, a Corgi named Scarlett that has come to live with us while Jessica is taking treatments.

Shelia has had a busy year. She had some changes in her job but now is happily settled in as a Registrar in the “hub”. She works with three other registrars who serve several area schools, one of whom is a close friend (Bobbie Lindley). She works hard but loves the new environment. Her big news is that she entered and finished the St. Jude’s Marathon in Memphis—that’s right 26.2 miles! It was a major milestone for her, but one she says she won’t need to revisit!

Since the passing of our beloved pastor, I have been serving as Interim Pastor. This has increased my workload substantially but I have enjoyed the opportunity to preach. A couple of months ago, our Worship Pastor was called to another church so I’ve been helping with the Music ministry as well. After the first of the year we will hear a candidate for Senior Pastor. We are praying for the Lord’s will but hoping for a speedy process.

Hoping 2012 is your best year yet!

Update on Jessica

Here's the latest on our journey to complete healing:

We are home from the hospital. Jessica was released around noon yesterday (Sunday) and was able to go home. It was a welcome change of pace and scenery for her to be at her and Matt's house. Their dog, Scarlet, was especially glad to see her.

Before we left we had a long talk with Dr. Mazher, her oncologist, to discuss the plan of action. After her I-port is placed she will begin 6 cycles of chemotherapy, each cycle is made up of 2 treatments 15 days a part, so that will mean about 4 1/2 months of chemo, followed by six weeks of radiation treatments, 5 days a week.

This is going to be a long, hard process but we have very good odds of beating this thing completely and fully. We have been very impressed with all of the medical staff we have met and feel like we have an awesome team of star players on our side. We have always known that Faith Baptist Church in North Little Rock is a loving, caring group of wonderful people and the love and support we have already felt just backs that up in a wonderfully, comforting way. We have also heard from friends and love ones from literally all over the world. We know that prayer is the greatest tool we have in our arsenal against this disease and we are so thankful for each prayer that has been and will continue to be prayed for Jessica.

We are so proud of and thankful for Matt. He has stepped 'large and in charge' into the role of protector, provider, and chief bodyguard for Jessica. We are so blessed to have such a awesome son-in-law be the main caregiver for our daughter. I would be remiss to omit our other daughter, Jennifer, from this post. She spent her whole Fall break from college right by her sister's side at the hospital or running to Austin to take care of Scarlet, run errands, and anything else she could do. It warms this dad's heart to see her helping Jessica with her hair, assisting with trips to the bathroom, showering, or anything else she could find to do. Shelia's mothering instincts have also pinged over into Ninja mode as she, with cunning accuracy, anticipates practically every need or desire Jessica has. Matt's grandmother has come down from Mtn. Home to cook and clean (Jessica is loving that big time!) and my parents are sitting on go as soon as we know of something they can do to help in any way.

We are so thankful for the awesome help and care we have received from Dr. Jay Geoghagan and from Marc & Michelle Daniel as they were there right away to give us some great advice on how to proceed through this process. God is good!

Again, we are so thankful for the love and support we have already seen and felt and simply ask that you continue to pray for complete healing and for an easy journey through the treatment process. We will try to keep you updated as best we can as things progress.

"Praising Him in the Storm"

Trusting in the Storm

It has been a long few days in the Hulsizer family. Our oldest daughter, Jessica (age 23), the RN and newlywed, had a place swell up on the left side of her neck about 3 1/2 weeks ago. We all thought it was strange but thought it was probably an inflamed or infected lymph node. She went to our family doctor who put her on an antibiotic and told her to come back in two weeks if it hadn't taken care of it. The swelling went down just a bit but not completely so she was scheduled for a CT scan this Thursday.

On Wednesday, while at work at the hospital, she began experiencing pain in her chest and under her left arm. At 6:11 pm she called me and asked me to come get her and take her to the Emergency Room at Baptist Hospital in North Little Rock. I wondered why she wouldn't just go downstairs to the ER in the hospital at which she works, but she explained that it's best not to be a patient where you work.

At any rate, we got to the ER, her husband and her mother arrived right away and we waited 25 minutes to be seen. I was pretty agitated that it took that long even after we told them she was having chest pains. I was honestly worried it might be a heart situation.

After we finally got in (thanks to some strings being pulled by our good friend and fellow church member, cardiologist Jay Geoghagan) they quickly did an EKG which appeared normal, her heart rate, however, was fluctuating a good bit.

They did the first CT scan and assured us this was not a cardiac situation but that we might be looking at something more involved than an infection. It was determined that she would be admitted and have a biopsy on a lymph node.

After the biopsy the doctor hit us with the news. Our baby has Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. That's the bad news, the good news is that it is one of the most treatable, curable forms of the disease.

She is in stage IIB, which is the most treatable, and has a 95% cure rate (Praise God!) The oncologist said we were looking at about 6 chemo treatments, 15 days apart, followed by some radiation. We were told yesterday that it will be a pretty rough three months, but that by this time next year this will all be a bad dream.

Our friends have been awesome, we have had meals brought to us during the long days of waiting at the hospital, she's received lots of snacks and gifts, and every visit has been a precious reminder that she (and we) are loved.

We covet each of your prayers, we trust that all will be well, but we also know that prayer works. Thank you all for your love.

Twelve Sermons: this morning I preached the 12th sermon in a series titled "Avoiding the Pitfalls of Life". The concept for this series was given to my dear friend and pastor Robert Francis just a few weeks before he died. He had given a copy of the topics and the book of I Samuel from which the sermons would be taken. When God called him away I thought it would be good to pick up this list of topics and the reference and see if I could build sermons for them. God had, after all, given this idea to the pastor of the church at that time, I think God would want someone to preach them.

It has been an interesting 12 Sundays or so, some subjects came together easier than others, but I'm glad we've made it through. I finished with "addictions" today. There are so many things that we can be addicted to out there; we only think about drugs and alcohol too many times, but worry, fear, negativity, self-serving, etc are all addictions. Jesus is the only way to truly be free but most of us don't really want Him to intervene.

Jesus just wants us to be free, to be able to live the life He gave us. Trusting Him and obeying Him so that our joy can be full and so we can live the abundant life He's promised us! So break free, break that habit, experience the freedom we can have in Christ!.

A Walk on the Beach

My wife, my youngest daughter and I have been enjoying a much needed vacation the last few days. We are enjoying a great time of rest and relaxation on Miramar Beach just east of Destin, Florida.

This morning I arose early, made myself some coffee, and started looking at my computer. Just then, good judgement from God's Holy Spirit came over me and told me that this computer is going home with me, the beach isn't, so I slipped on some flip-flops and headed out to the beach.

Jennifer wants to make a little seashell collection for her new apartment in Conway next fall so I've been picking up a few along the way. This morning I found more than I had found all totaled for the week! I spoke to some guys fishing, saw a small stingray swimming around, I watched a heron fish for a time, and saw a crab or two rolling with the tide.

While I walked, I met a few others out for a stroll and some of those crazy people out jogging/running on the beach. Some ran past as I leisurely strolled through the surf. We all left footprints. But as the waves licked up onto the sugary beach the footprints were wiped out, removing any sign that anyone had been there.

That reminded me of the forgiveness of sin that God offers. No matter how big the footprint, how deep the imprint, how close together or how far apart, the wave washes the footprint away. The same is true for God's children. God isn't some pompous policeman sitting on a throne in heaven watching for us to slip up so He can throw down a judgment to 'get us'. Rather He is a merciful father who watches His children to help them back up when they fall, to brush them off and put them back on the right path. God doesn't love us less when we fail, His love is contingent upon Him, not us, and He is perfect...in love, in mercy, in forgiveness and peace.

I know we all let stuff build up in our spirits; wrongs that we've done, things we've done that don't please God, or things that embarrass us after the fact. The fact is God forgives, thoroughly and completely, as far as the east is from the west. Not north and sound as there are points both north and south, but there is no end to east and west, they just dissolve into one another, like footprints disappearing on the shore.

I am convinced we are too hard on ourselves. We need to fill ourselves with the joy and peace that God offers and let Him remove from us the pain, hurt and guilt that sin brings. Enjoy the day my friends. It's a gift from your Father!

Welcome Home!

It was a windy ride over to Central Flying Service this morning, but what a great way to start the day. We, the Patriot Guard Riders, had been asked to help welcome home a group of Nat'l Guard soldiers who had been in Kosovo the last year. The tears of joy, laughter, smiles, hugs, etc. given these returning heroes from family and friends warmed my heart and made me really glad I was there.

As I shook hands, patted backs, and welcomed these heroes home my mind went to Kosovo to another hero who is still there, Missionary David Helmick and his family have made that country their home in hopes of leading people to Jesus. Thank you Lord for people who still answer the call, those from their country and those from their Lord.

10 things to never stop

Borrowed from a friend (thanks Jon Cook).

As people grow older and the chapters of life begin to accumulate, there are certain things that should never stop. These are the important things in life, the ones that would lessen your life if they were forgotten.

1. Never stop making new friends. The world is full of people who have the potential to become your next great friend. It’s ideal, or at least very optimistic, but with the amount of people in the world, it’s definitely not far-fetched.
2. Never stop forgiving. I have heard numerous stories of men on their deathbeds regretting those offenses they never forgave. Life’s too short to not spread grace generously.
3. Never stop learning. The day you stop learning should be the day that you die. Mark Twain said about a colleague, “He died at 30. They buried him at 60.” Don’t let that be your legacy. Live to learn.
   
4. Never stop reading. You may hate reading. You may think it’s the greatest thing in the world. Whatever your taste may be, reading will be relevant in your world for the rest of your life. Reading is a great equalizer among kings and peasants: both can possess and develop this skill with equal opportunity.
   
5. Never stop thinking. Don’t be a blind consumer of information. Chew on it and think through what you’re hearing and reading. Eat the meat, spit out the bones. Like the good, lose the bad.
6. Never stop listening. As my dad says, “God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason.” Listening is an art to be perfected. If you know what you’re going to say before the other person stops talking, you’re not really listening. Guilty as charged.
   
7. Never stop dreaming. If we lose that idea of how to chase an idea, we’ve lost our creative nature that echoes the image and nature of God. These are the bucket lists and the wish lists, the “what-if’s” we dare to ask, and the dream vacations and the faraway places you wish to see.
8. Never stop asking questions. Being curious and inquisitive is one of our greatest gifts from God. Some of the most successful people in the world are also some of the most curious. Coincidence?
9. Never stop mentoring. The gift of knowledge is meant to be shared. When you’re gone and all that’s left is your legacy, who will be there to remember what you taught them and how you poured into their lives?
   
10. Never stop caring. Apathy is the bane of human existence. If you stop caring, you stop living. To care is to know that some things still hold value, that some things still matter and are worth the next breath we take.

A Labor of Love

I have been a busy guy lately. But it's a good busy! I've been helping my best buddy "Grumpy" and Ms. Vicky redo their kitchen. It's been a big job. We tore out a wall and extended the kitchen out about 4 feet and then added a laundry room. We ripped the old floor system out down to the concrete floor, ripped the walls out down to the studs, tore out the ceiling to the joists, added one and relocated another window. Then we started with the replumbing, rewiring, and reinsulating.

We added 4 new doors (a sliding glass door, a pocket door, and two storm doors. We put up sheet rock, a plywood ceiling, and built up the floor. On the plywood ceiling we added 3" tongue and groove pine material and lacquered it. It really looks nice. Then we installed the new wall cabinets.

After that we put in an electric floor heating system, covered with a self-leveling floor material, then laid ceramic tile. The latest addition was the base cabinets and the plywood top to get ready to install the marble tile countertops.

It's been a lot of work and a lot of hours but I'm having a blast. Why? Because I'm seeing progress and I remember what it looked like when we started. I've got to spend time with my friend and I've learned a lot of new things (some at the risk of slight injury). I look forward to finishing the project just so we can enjoy the fruits of our labors. But the two of us are already planning the next project! Are we nuts? Maybe so. But it's a wonderful thing to have a friend. Someone that you can count on and one that can count on you.

It's also really cool to see how each part of the process improves the whole. While I was thinking about the next time we can get together to work on this project I was impressed with a spiritual correlation...

Jesus is that friend that sticks closer than a brother. He loves being with us, whether He is helping us with or through a particular challenge or project or just hanging out and enjoying one anothers company. Jesus is also that master carpenter that can take the broken down shell of a sinful man, woman, boy or girl and make him into something new, shiny and wonderful. We are His creation!

The next time I'm helping "Grumpy" I hope I remember that I'm still a project in the hands of the Master and to enjoy that work as much as I enjoy working with my friend.

I hope you know Jesus as your friend! He's like no other!

Have a great day my friends,

J

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!