The temperature turned out to be a wonderful 78 degrees yesterday, albeit the wind was a little strong. Nevertheless, I got out all the Christmas lights and successfully attached them to my roof. It took most of the afternoon and a quick trip to Wal-Mart to buy a new timer, some more extension cords, and some more clips.
Last year, I had all red lights on the roof, but only 4 strings of them. After Christmas, I found four boxes of green lights for 75% off, so, I spent the time to alternate between red and green to make our home a festive holiday place!
Since it gets dark so early, they were on when the girls got home last night from Muskogee. Audrey and Sally liked them; Emily was upset that I put them up without her. I told her that I had ONLY got the lights on the roof and next Saturday, we'd have plenty to do, putting up the lights around the windows and in the bushes. She was OK with that.
Once I get it all together, I'll take a picture and post it here for all to enjoy. I just hope we can have the status of "Christmas House" this year!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Attention Please!
Now that Christmas is only 35 days away, I'd like to announce that I am ALMOST in the Christmas mood.
I'll be hanging Christmas lights on the roof today, as the weatherman says it's the last warm day of November.
That ought to do it!
You may now go back to whatever it was you were doing.
The announcement is over.
I'll be hanging Christmas lights on the roof today, as the weatherman says it's the last warm day of November.
That ought to do it!
You may now go back to whatever it was you were doing.
The announcement is over.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Waiting on the Lord
Have you ever heard that phrase? "I'm just waiting on the Lord".
Presumably, it comes from Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
My wife impressed me the other day with the idea that "to wait" could/should also meant "to serve". When we are waiting for God to answer/work we shouldn't be idle. We should be serving (waiting on) him!
The whole idea of servanthood is not popular in the church nowadays. We want to be waited on, not waiting on others. But Jesus said that if we want to be great in God's kingdom, we must learn to be the servant of all.
Let's not be idle while we wait! Let's wait while we wait!
Good observation, Sally!
Presumably, it comes from Isaiah 40:31 "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."
My wife impressed me the other day with the idea that "to wait" could/should also meant "to serve". When we are waiting for God to answer/work we shouldn't be idle. We should be serving (waiting on) him!
The whole idea of servanthood is not popular in the church nowadays. We want to be waited on, not waiting on others. But Jesus said that if we want to be great in God's kingdom, we must learn to be the servant of all.
Let's not be idle while we wait! Let's wait while we wait!
Good observation, Sally!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Lottie Moon and West Africa
I know many of these folks. May God bless them as they serve in West Africa. May God bless you as you support them through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering.
Click here to give directly to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering or you could send a check to my church and we'll forward it on. (Make checks payable to Immanuel Southern Baptist Church) and send to:
Lottie Moon Offering
c/o Immanuel Southern Baptist Church
611 N. Gertrude Ave
Wagoner, OK 74467
All gifts are tax deductible.
www.immanuelsouthern.com
Friday, November 14, 2008
Christmas is 40 days away
Funny, though, I'm not really in the Christmas "mood" yet. I debated about putting up my Christmas lights on the roof yesterday, but felt it was too early, despite the fair weather. Today is my "day off" (even though I'm in the office), but it is cool and rainy-ish.
Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Walgreens, and even Ace Hardware are all in "FULL CHRISTMAS RETAIL MODE", hoping for a halfway decent shopping season. I was in Bass Pro for lunch the other day at the BGCO Convention and they are all decked out, too.
Sally and I have bought the girls a FEW things for Christmas, but something seems out of whack this year. Maybe I just need to play my Dean Martin Christmas Album to get me in the mood.
I've been a bit disappointed that I can't find a particular decoration. I used to have some blow-mold outdoor Christmas candles with "NOEL" on them. You could ALWAYS find them at Wal-Mart or TG&Y. Wal-Mart has some Santas this year, but no candles. I found some at a second hand junk shop the other day, but they were really faded and the "flames" were cracked. We had some in Thailand, but I left them there, since we moved to Hong Kong and lived in a high-rise apartment house. I went through this same problem last year.
I've got a really great plan for my lights this year. Last year was all red and only went around the front half of the house. After Christmas last year, I found green lights on sale so bought enough to cover the other half of the house. I'll alternate red and green lights on each string then have a "Holly Jolly Christmas House" once again!
Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Walgreens, and even Ace Hardware are all in "FULL CHRISTMAS RETAIL MODE", hoping for a halfway decent shopping season. I was in Bass Pro for lunch the other day at the BGCO Convention and they are all decked out, too.
Sally and I have bought the girls a FEW things for Christmas, but something seems out of whack this year. Maybe I just need to play my Dean Martin Christmas Album to get me in the mood.
I've been a bit disappointed that I can't find a particular decoration. I used to have some blow-mold outdoor Christmas candles with "NOEL" on them. You could ALWAYS find them at Wal-Mart or TG&Y. Wal-Mart has some Santas this year, but no candles. I found some at a second hand junk shop the other day, but they were really faded and the "flames" were cracked. We had some in Thailand, but I left them there, since we moved to Hong Kong and lived in a high-rise apartment house. I went through this same problem last year.
I've got a really great plan for my lights this year. Last year was all red and only went around the front half of the house. After Christmas last year, I found green lights on sale so bought enough to cover the other half of the house. I'll alternate red and green lights on each string then have a "Holly Jolly Christmas House" once again!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
BGCO Annual Meeting - A Participant's Observations
This was my first Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma Annual Meeting that I have ever attended. It was conducted at The Church at Battle Creek in Broken Arrow, OK. That made it very convenient, as it was only a 30 minute drive each way.
The Church at Battle Creek was an interesting venue, to say the least. It was formerly an Outlet Mall of America, back in the early 80's. It then became Gracemont and finally TCABC. Not your typical Baptist Church. As you walk in, you are greeted by a huge waterfall that as you look at it closer, realize that it is the church's baptistery. Kind of cool, really. Then, there is a coffee shop and book store.
The exhibitors have set up in the aisles of the old mall. Some of the old mall is still recognizable from my visit to shop there 25 years ago. Quite frankly, that part was a very nice set up. There was LOTS of room!
The first part of the meeting was the Pastor's Conference. That was really great! There were three notable speakers: Dr. Bobby Kelly, OBU professor, Dr. Robert Smith, Beeson professor, and Dr. Frank Cox, pastor of N. Metro FBC, Lawrenceville, GA. There were three other speakers as well, who did a fine job. The Pastor's Conference was a great encouragement.
Monday evening, was the first business session. The music was provided by TCABC praise band. I'll be the first to admit it wasn't my cup of tea. They were given the freedom by conference organizers to "be themselves". That is what they did. Now, don't get me wrong, they were a great praise band. But, I am a 44 year old guy and I thought the music was too loud. I also didn't know ANY of the songs they sang. They did sing two "hymns", but when we actually sange them, the words were the same, but the tune was unfamiliar. I guess I'm just an old "fuddy duddy". Does a praise band really NEED a fog machine? It looked more like a show than a worship time. That's my observation, only.
The business sessions were all unremarkable, for the most part. There was one point where one person objected to the way a resolution was written, but did not offer an amendment. All other points passed without discussion. The only "tense" time (and it wasn't really tense) came for the election of the new president. They called for a hand vote. It was too close to call. Then they called for a counted hand vote. It was too close, so they called for a written ballot vote. Finally, Emerson Falls, pastor from Glorieta Baptist Church in OKC was elected. All other officers were elected by acclamation.
The reports from the various minitries was indeed encouraging. It is a good time to be an Oklahoma Baptist! The only negative aspect of the entire meeting was the report about baptisms for adults 18-30 is down 26% over the past several years. This was alarming and we all prayed for this situation. All of our agencies are in very good financial shape as we enter this period of economic uncertainty. Jerry Rankin reported, by video, that 609,000 baptisms were reported last year by IMB personnel and partners! PTL!! David Whitlock was presented as OBU's new president. His enthusiasm was contagious!
All in all, it was a very good "first" annual meeting for me. I enjoyed the fellowship. I enjoyed seeing old friends. I enjoyed meeting new friends. And I enjoyed meeting "blog" friends for the first time face to face. As an added bonus, I even got to meet KOTV-6 weatherman Alan Crone who was there to play drums in the FBC Tulsa praise band for Tuesday afternoon's session.
God bless Oklahoma Baptists!
The Church at Battle Creek was an interesting venue, to say the least. It was formerly an Outlet Mall of America, back in the early 80's. It then became Gracemont and finally TCABC. Not your typical Baptist Church. As you walk in, you are greeted by a huge waterfall that as you look at it closer, realize that it is the church's baptistery. Kind of cool, really. Then, there is a coffee shop and book store.
The exhibitors have set up in the aisles of the old mall. Some of the old mall is still recognizable from my visit to shop there 25 years ago. Quite frankly, that part was a very nice set up. There was LOTS of room!
The first part of the meeting was the Pastor's Conference. That was really great! There were three notable speakers: Dr. Bobby Kelly, OBU professor, Dr. Robert Smith, Beeson professor, and Dr. Frank Cox, pastor of N. Metro FBC, Lawrenceville, GA. There were three other speakers as well, who did a fine job. The Pastor's Conference was a great encouragement.
Monday evening, was the first business session. The music was provided by TCABC praise band. I'll be the first to admit it wasn't my cup of tea. They were given the freedom by conference organizers to "be themselves". That is what they did. Now, don't get me wrong, they were a great praise band. But, I am a 44 year old guy and I thought the music was too loud. I also didn't know ANY of the songs they sang. They did sing two "hymns", but when we actually sange them, the words were the same, but the tune was unfamiliar. I guess I'm just an old "fuddy duddy". Does a praise band really NEED a fog machine? It looked more like a show than a worship time. That's my observation, only.
The business sessions were all unremarkable, for the most part. There was one point where one person objected to the way a resolution was written, but did not offer an amendment. All other points passed without discussion. The only "tense" time (and it wasn't really tense) came for the election of the new president. They called for a hand vote. It was too close to call. Then they called for a counted hand vote. It was too close, so they called for a written ballot vote. Finally, Emerson Falls, pastor from Glorieta Baptist Church in OKC was elected. All other officers were elected by acclamation.
The reports from the various minitries was indeed encouraging. It is a good time to be an Oklahoma Baptist! The only negative aspect of the entire meeting was the report about baptisms for adults 18-30 is down 26% over the past several years. This was alarming and we all prayed for this situation. All of our agencies are in very good financial shape as we enter this period of economic uncertainty. Jerry Rankin reported, by video, that 609,000 baptisms were reported last year by IMB personnel and partners! PTL!! David Whitlock was presented as OBU's new president. His enthusiasm was contagious!
All in all, it was a very good "first" annual meeting for me. I enjoyed the fellowship. I enjoyed seeing old friends. I enjoyed meeting new friends. And I enjoyed meeting "blog" friends for the first time face to face. As an added bonus, I even got to meet KOTV-6 weatherman Alan Crone who was there to play drums in the FBC Tulsa praise band for Tuesday afternoon's session.
God bless Oklahoma Baptists!
Old Friends
I love getting to see old friends. (not that my friends are old!) This week at the BGCO Annual Meeting, I got to see my friends Dwight and Mary. I first met them in Macao back in 1989. They are currently in Oklahoma where Dwight is teaching at Oklahoma Baptist University and Mary is studying for her PhD at OU. Our visit was brief but delightful!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Santa or Satan?
Remember the old Saturday Night Live bit with Dana Carvey doing "The Church Lady"? One of the funny bits was confusing Santa with Satan. He said something about getting the letters wrong.
Well, today on Facebook, I found a "status update" that had something to do with this:
Well, today on Facebook, I found a "status update" that had something to do with this:
Lottie's Potty
A few years back, I had the opportunity to travel to Shangdong Province, China. This is Lottie Moon country.
I went to the church where she worshiped in Penglai and saw where the original girl's school was located. On the grounds of the church is an outhouse. We unofficially dubbed it, "Lottie's Potty".
Since we are entering the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering time of year, I thought I'd show it to you:
(for my China savvy friends) It is fun to walk in the "footsteps" of the faithful.
I went to the church where she worshiped in Penglai and saw where the original girl's school was located. On the grounds of the church is an outhouse. We unofficially dubbed it, "Lottie's Potty".
Since we are entering the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering time of year, I thought I'd show it to you:
(for my China savvy friends) It is fun to walk in the "footsteps" of the faithful.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Oklahoma 66 - Texas A&M 28
Pretty good game, I guess. Yes, we blew them away, but we had WAY too many mistakes.
We can't make those kinds of mistakes the next two games.
Kudos to TT. I wasn't rooting for you, because I'm an Okie. But good game.
BOOMER SOONER!
We can't make those kinds of mistakes the next two games.
Kudos to TT. I wasn't rooting for you, because I'm an Okie. But good game.
BOOMER SOONER!
Friday, November 07, 2008
Congrats Audrey & Emily!
I attended an awards assembly this afternoon with my wife, parents and two daughters. They both received "character" awards.
Audrey received the character award "Truthfulness" for the month of September. Emily received the character award "Obedience" for the month of October.
I am proud in the Lord for both of my girls!
Audrey received the character award "Truthfulness" for the month of September. Emily received the character award "Obedience" for the month of October.
I am proud in the Lord for both of my girls!
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