Passion 2007

Divine appointments come in many forms. My prayer over the past few months has been that God allows me to serve Him better. This past Sunday, our pastor asked us as a congregation to commit ourselves to whatever we believed God needed us to do. My committment---unspoken, though it was---was to read and study from His word more. But what else can I do to serve Him better? A divine appointment just walked out of my room. My friend/mentor/church worshipper leader/lanlord/etc., just informed me that there was room for me to go to Atlanta for the Passion Conference. I was speechless. I think he thought I really had to give it some thought, when in reality, I was pondering what God had planned for me via this appointment. God wants me at this conference. I know it. "Yes, Lord!"

The Absent-minded Bachelor

Well, it turns out that I have been remiss after all. How could I possibly forget what the Connard family has meant to me; not only this holiday season, but all year round? A thousand pardons I beg of you, Andy and family.

God Bless!

A Bachelor's Christmas

While the title of my latest blurb may suggest something bordering on the melancholy, let me preface it by saying it is anything but. Instead it is my way of saying thanks to all those wonderful friends of mine throughout the state who continuously take care of this "old" bachelor during times like this, the holiday season.

Allow me to go back to Thanksgiving. I was blessed to spend it with my great friends of many years, the Nichols family, Philip, Kellie, and Megan, in Vilonia. Members of Kellie's family were also in attendance as she hosted her first Thanksgiving dinner in their new home (or ever, for that matter). Great food goes without saying. But the great fellowship with friends warmed this bachelor's heart.

And now Christmas is here; my favorite time of year. Thus far I have been blessed to travel to Hot Springs and spend a day (this past Thursday) with my best friend, Christy and her kids---including newest arrival, 3 week old Gregory Michael, who is 9 lbs, 3 oz. of huggable, lovable, all boy. Thank you, Christy, Colton, Dakota, Allison, and Gregory for a great day. Let's not go so long without seeing each other in the future. I have also been blessed to spend some quality time with my adopted family, the Leonards. Last night I spent an absolutely wonderful Christmas Eve-Eve sharing in visiting with David and his wife Natalie (yes, as in, David Leonard, front man of Jackson Waters!), who came in from Nashville, TN; Amy and her fiance Alex in from Little Rock, and Rob's mom Lu, in from Cabot. And of course household regulars, Rob, Carla, and Emily. A wonderful dinner was consumed, followed by gift exchanges, and then the telling of the Christmas story by Rob. Before the holidays are over, I expect to get to visit with the Nichols once more, as well as my good friend Chris Floyd and I look so forward to it!

I would be remiss in not mentioning special times spent with the Whaleys---Jim, Denise, and Tabitha--- over the past several days. Besides the great coffee, Dads Place has become special to me because of the people.

So, thanks again everyone! And thanks and praise be to God for taking care of the bachelor.

CONTINUING THE SPIRIT OF THANKSGIVING

The family has gathered. The meal has been blessed. The turksy and all its trimmings have been consumed. The day set aside to recount all that we have to be thankful for has once again come and gone. I sincerely hope that some quality time with family and/or friends has been had by all. I know for me, rekindling old friendships was the order of the weekend, and for that opportunity, I am truly, truly thankful. But, may we not forget that Thanksgiving, although it appears but once per year on our calendars, is the order of each and EVERYDAY. Giving thanks for what we have, the people in our lives, our health, our nation, etc., should continue beyond this past weekend. A daily affirmation of how good God has been to us is so very important. Because, as God's children surely know, if He never does another thing for us that we in our humaness can measure tangibly, He has already done incredibly, lovingly more than any of us deserves.

Let's continue the spirit of giving THANKS through next November.

HOW OLD IS TOO OLD?

I am now 39 years old. I have never been married. Being the age that I am now, the women my age are either all married w/ children, or divorced w/ children. Well, I work on a college campus around younger women, and what happens when I find myself genuinely attracted to one of them that I have become close to? Am I supposed to just bury my feelings and pretend that she doesn't appeal to me because I am some 19 years her senior? She is a fine Christian young woman. She is intelligent. She is attractive. Do I tell her how I feel as though we were comtemporaries? Will it scare her away? If it doesn't scare her away and we embark on a relationship, how will others few us? Oh, the "joys" of being nearly 40 and still single.

How many of you out there are hooked on the latest television event, NBC's "Heroes"? I think I just saw quite a few hands go up, including my own. Wow! For someone like myself, who has been fascinated with superheroes and superhuman ability since the age of 10,---I read the cover off of "The Avengers" comic books as a kid--- this is the greatest thing to hit t.v. since...well...ever. It's like Tim Kring, the shows creator and exec. prod., was thinking of me when he came up with the idea for the show.

Well, last nights episode did not disappoint. I applaud the writers of the show for not only introducing at least one new person a week who discovers they are "special", but for surprising the audience with someone who has been in the cast since the first episode. For those of you who watch, did your jaw drop open when Micah called his mom...from a pay phone that was OUT OF ORDER??!! Boy mine sure did. Although, I have to admit, as I'm sure you will too, that in the back of our collective minds, we knew that Micah had some kind of ability beyond the norm. And looking at his situation as we now know it, how could he not? Both his parents are "freeeaakky!"

So, let me hear from you fellow "Heroes" enthusiasts. I don't get to talk to other people who are hooked on the show very often, so this should be fun.

So, a very astute student of mine has asked me a very important question about free will. I'll need someone to help me answer this better. Her question is, "how is it free will when God already knows who will/won't accept His gift?" Help me answer that for her intelligently. Thanks in advance, Guys! (BTW, "Guys" is an all inclusive term for men and women)

I used to keep a journal. I haven't kept up with it in many, many months. I used it as a form of therapy, and basically to keep up with my own life, if that makes any sense. Well, now this blog thing has really taken off. So, perhaps this will be my new outlet. I have lots on my mind, so for anyone who reads these things (and I'm not so arrogant to believe that anyone is that interested in what I have to say) just bear with me. It could be sports related, spiritually based, or just random thoughts that I need to get out in order to keep life in its proper perspective. So, welcome to "My Little Corner of the World."