Various Topicology

I haven’t had or made the time to write lately. Frankly my job has pretty much consumed my time but that’s not a bad thing….just a thing. The unfortunate part for anyone who reads my smatterings has to deal with profuse sputterings of miscellaneous twittery. So hang on it could be a bumpy ride.

My first topic is one I have been reminded of in most glorious fashion; snow. I go back to my childhood memories of building snow forts almost as tall as our house and not dreading it but reveling in it. I remember the almost deafening silence after a massive snowfall that left only nature to devise its plans to continue on while mere mortals quietly secluded themselves until more hospitable conditions arose. The problem, of course, with that scheme was that those conditions didn’t appear for months so after cabin fever began to set in people would venture out and figure out ways to traverse limited as they may be.

That was then: this is now. Snow is beautiful to be in for a day or two but after growing my roots in the South these twenty plus years that is where it begins and that is where it ends. I’m over it. I’m ready for green grass, the warmth that only global warming can provide (just had to sneak that one in) and all the lifted spirits that come of that dawning of spring. I was in Maryland for a week that seemed more like a month. They were freshly reeling from a pretty significant storm when I arrived. They then proceeded to receive another 20 inches. So there we were stuck in a hotel that included the only restaurant in the Northeast, or so it would appear, for two days. Now before all you toughened up Northerners chime in about how “that’s not snow, you want to see snow?”, I want to remind you that there were plenty of Northerners in this hotel experiencing these same feelings. I enjoyed the first day and was ready to move on after that. It was basically Hell frozen over.

My next topic is something I do speak of in small doses as I am aware that many of you prefer not to discuss or even think about: politics. Our government can be summed up by one term; dysfunctional. Actually there is more to it than that it is completely non-representative and feeds entirely upon itself and us. They no longer have any concern for their constituency except for the last month of election time. I sort of equate it to a bad waiter. You may get a really bad waiter that has no real use for you and cares little about the level of service provided until the check is near completion and then the waiter (or waitress) suddenly becomes your best friend. I have to hand it to politicians (and I make no party distinctions in this case) they have really perfected the profession they are a part of that was never intended to be a profession. They say exactly what people want to hear, depending on their audience, and then return to Washington and do whatever they planned on doing all along. Why shouldn’t they? We vote them right back into office so what are the consequences to their actions but rewards. So don’t look to blame anyone. It’s our fault for allowing these hacks to get re-elected. That’s enough on that subject…perhaps too much for many. (Write your own blog)

My last subject is family. Families sure are of a different nature these days. Most of my family for many years was geographically very close. Now everyone is so far spread out that it boggles the mind even coming up with a way to visit the many family members using what little vacation time a working stiff has. I recently had a new addition to my family…a Granddaughter. She‘s a cutie and I hope to see her in a few short weeks if only for a limited amount of time. Congratulations Josh and Caley: you make us all proud. There is only one true miracle that many of us will never forget and that is childbirth. One little piece of advice: listen to all the advice given to you and then do it your own way. Everyone thinks their way is the best but you will find out in the end that the best way you do it is your way. Remember you have the love and support of all of your family and if you ever dare ask advice, I’m here.

That is all.

Tidings Article

Some of you may know I produce a monthly article for our Church's Newsletter. I thought I would post my latest. Perhaps it will make you think a bit....perhaps not.


As I begin to write this I am reminded just how really insignificant we are in the grand scheme of things. I am in a snowy Maryland with more falling right now. So I am hunkered down in a hotel longing for a warm North Carolina day.

When I read that first sentence again I also am reminded of how very significant each of us is in our own way. I suppose that could be considered one of life’s incredible ironies. How could each of those statements be true you may ask? What reminds me of the second statement is what I am looking at right this moment. It is a Gideon bible. The Gideon’s have been doing this for years. Some of us may even just look to see if there actually is a Gideon bible in our room without ever opening it up. That is unfortunate. It is quite a nicely done little bible. That is really not the main point, just an observation. The point here is that the Gideon’s are a perfect example of just how significant each of us can be. The Gideon’s, if you don’t know, are an association of Christian men across denominational lines whose main purpose is to spread the word of God. The association was started by two men in 1898! Two strangers that had one thing in common: our Lord Jesus Christ. What an amazing display of the Holy Spirit working among us!

Reading how a movement like that began gives me pause and makes me wonder what God may have in store for me. I’m quite sure those two men had no idea how incredible their pursuit would grow. Then again, the power of God shows really no boundaries and quite often amazes us. That being said, it doesn’t always slap us in the face. Spreading the word is not something that is often easy and can even sometimes require personal sacrifice. It seems to me that it is really the ultimate display of how giving is so much more fulfilling than receiving.

Consider this point and think about how you can nurture your own movement within the bounds of our wonderful church here at St Timothy’s. I just know if you look you will find people in your same circumstance seeking some way to serve our Lord. Who knows you may start something as small as those two Gideon’s did and it could become much larger than even you might imagine!