I’ve listened over the years to Paul Harvey’s news and “the rest of the story”. I listened a few weeks ago and got a different voice. Figured it was just an off day. Today I came across the news story that Paul died over the weekend. But, you can still run across his voice broadcasting over the internet and into the ether!
I guess that’s the rest of the story – Paul is dead but his voice will live on!
I decided that there was a need to do a bit of exercise today. I headed out the door to pick up mail at the post office (small town mail delivery is “self-delivery”).
On the way, I passed the work of an acquaintance of ours. I haven’t seen her for some time, so I dropped in.
She serves as a receptionist, so the chatting was limited. I did tell her I was thinking on my sermon for this coming Sunday as I meandered through downtown. She thought a day off constituted time away from sermons.
Not so sure! I guess my sermons are taking on my life. Which is not a bad thing! When my walk and talk are the same . . . (a bit of a cliche joke there!!).
I think oftentimes sermons are just the next thing in a series, or the conglomeration of surveys of felt needs.
When there is an intersection of the preachers own passions and the direction of a Biblical text, along with the sense of a community — should be a winner!
That’s what I’m looking for.
And maybe, just maybe, that can be a refreshing on a day off.
Last night I played George Darling in a themed masquerade. I just dressed up a little more geeky than usual! The youth group combined with others in town to enjoy an evening of dressing up and music and speaking. Fun was had by all!! And a chocolate fountain to boot!!
As I arrived home for supper, I remarked to my wife that it felt good to feel good. At the same time, I know that other days have not been as good.
The funny thing is that only God knows what a day holds. I’ve had days where I’ve exercised, felt good, and awakened the next morning to nausea and a general sense of dis-ease.
So, that’s why, if God knows the day — God is also the one who can direct the path of a day. I’m becoming more dependent on God to run my days. They say that in the ’80’s and 90’s, youth were following after the theme of “independence”. Understandably, you need to be able to separate from your parents, find a job and settle into your own life.
After you’ve achieved that, then you need to learn to become dependent once again.
I wonder if we need to start teaching our youth to be dependent throughout life! The older youth should begin to understand who mentors are, and who spiritual friends are, and even who the ones are that can direct them in their lives. And in some way we need to help them to gain an understanding of who they are in God’s sight. When they’ve found that, then they will be independent of a world system that is corrupt, and find the true place of dependence in God.
Too bad it takes some of us into half a century of living to begin to understand this!!