Joy in the Journey

In the late 1970's as a teenager, I discovered what was then called Contemporary Christian Music(CCM).  One of the first 8-tracks, ( yes I said 8-tracks) that I purchased was by David Meece and it included this song. The Holy Spirit spoke to me through this and so many other songs over the years by artists like Amy Grant, DeGarmo and Key, Mylon, Petra, and so many others. In those days there was no Christian Radio to speak of.   Music was only available at Christian Bookstores and at concerts.  Discovering new music was an experience and a great joy.  The music was evangelical, often in-your-face, and frightening to the established church where many declared anything with a modern beat and instruments as satanic. I am considering starting a podcast to look back on the music, the musicians, and the message of the CCM scene from the Jesus Music days of the 60's and 70's to today's Praise and Worship phenomenon. Anyone interested in helping, please contact me. ...

While at my day job, a computer programmer, a power hick-up knock down the computer system on which I work.  Everything else was still running.  We had lights, air conditioning, and PC’s.  But without the system that runs the business, there was not much that could be done. We rely on electricity to power all our stuff.  Everything now needs power, either by plugging in, batteries, or both.  And when we do not have access to that power, look out.  We are lost without our gadgets to entertain, or instruct, or direct us.  We will scream at our supplier and expect to find discounts in our bill for the lack of service.  We lose our tempers with our family and neighbors.  And we will spend small fortunes on generators to provide emergency power for our home to power the essentials, freezers, refrigerators; and the non-essentials like TV’s and computers.   We count on having power and are lost without it. As Christians, we do re...

Five years ago, my Mom passed away suddenly, unexpectedly, in her sleep.  Five years later and I still feel the pain of loss.   I miss her deeply. One year ago, my mother-in-law, who had lived with my wife, Tammy, and I for over 30 years, passed away at home after being placed on hospice care three weeks earlier.  She was a friend and inspiration.  We picked on each other and I miss her presence in my life. At the same time, I was informed that I would no longer be the Executive Director of the local Red Cross chapter, but would be placed in another position, that left me out of contact with the people that I had grown to love and cherish my co-workers and the volunteers as friends; working together daily to assist victims and prepare for future disasters.   I miss being part of a team that was making a difference in the organization and in the local community.   I am sure there are other things that I have missed over the years....

Endings and Beginnings It is the last day of the month of February and that got me to thinking about endings.    We face endings every day and in a myriad of ways.   Today is the end of month; the end of a winter month that heralds the coming spring. We may celebrate the end of a sporting event if our team is victorious.   We may be illuminated by the end of a phone call with a loved one.   We may drop into bed at the end of a long day.   Yes we do face endings every day.   But then there are the endings that we do not face on a daily basis and we find it harder to deal with.   The end of a long relationship of any kind or the ending of a job that you have become accustomed to and good at are some of the bigger changes that we may face from time to time.   The biggest ending we must face is the ending that involves the death of a loved one.   In these larger cases of endings, we need more than just ourselves to get through the depre...

As we anxiously await the arrival of our third grandchild, I am filled with thoughts of the people who are watching all of us from heaven’s gate: my mother, Tammy’s mother, and Tammy’s Grandmother.   These three would be so excited to hold, love, and spoil one more grandchild.   I know they are watching over my daughter Holly and her husband Nick with great joy and anticipation.   And I can hear them explaining to others in heaven how proud they are of their children, grandchildren, great and great-great grandchildren.   I can see them tugging on an angels wing with orders to watch over all of us.   I can see them winch every time one of us messes up or causes another pain.   Knowing they are watching makes the difficult times more bearable.   Knowing they are watching makes mistakes and missteps more painful.   As a parent and grandparent, I know the kinds of dreams and hopes they had for us.   I know how often I crushed those dreams ...

Sacred Effort "Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph, and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces, but let us judge not, that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered. That of neither has been answered fully." "The Almighty has His own purposes. 'Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.' If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but whic...

I noted earlier that I was listening to the audiobook, A. Lincoln, A Biography.  As I was listening this week, the author was explaning Lincoln's second inauguarl address.  He told a story about a meeting between Fredick Douglass and Lincoln in which Lincoln asked Douglass what he thought of the speech.  Douglass responded, "Mr. President, it was a sacred effort." From that moment, the phrase, "Sacred Effort" has been bouncing around in my head.  I am sure that those who attend either St. Peter's or St. Luke's will hear about this before long.  Perhaps even by next Sunday.  If you run into me, you too may hear about it.  Although I am not fully sure where this inspiration will lead, I don't think that it is going away anytime soon.  So Stay Tunes.