i had the privilege of going to a faith based partnership meeting today where we learned a lot about how to properly respond to disasters.  for the most part it was very good.  they had a good mix of people that supervise volunteers and do the planning, as well as speakers that were involved as a volunteer after the joplin tornado of last may 22, 2012.  a point that came out over and over was that we needed to make plans and be organized, but at the same time be flexible because the plan will change from day to day while you are in the field.  easy to understand.  but, in the midst of it all i couldn't help but think how wonderful it is that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  we definitely need His leadership during times of disaster.

garage sales

on this bright day three of my neighbors are having a garage sale. i still remember the first one i went to. actually, i went with a friend. while he was looking at stuff i just wandered around. a bowling ball caught my eye - why, i don't know. anyway, i went over and picked it up. emblazoned on the ball just above the finger holes was my first name. i then put my right hand into the holes and it was a perfect fit. now, if you saw my hand - being somewhat small with subby fingers, you might consider that a miracle. maybe it was. maybe it wasn't. but it already had my name on it. so i bought it. kind of like Jesus having my name and buying me on the cross.

hospitals

hospitals are an amazing thing. they really are. and they have changed so much. i have been in many of them over the years - both as a patient and as a visitor. they use to be gloomy, places where two very sick people were stuffed into the same room (and sometimes many more in the same slightly larger room). now they are decorated with a modern flare and not at all gloomy - with the rooms often being single occupancy. (thank you hipaa!) even the people have changed. i just experienced one, and everyone i came in contact with was both very kind and very helpful. they all seemed to be happy to serve. kind of reminded me of Jesus, especially during this season which celebrates the greatest service ever shown to man kind.

long term insurance

today was a most interesting day - a day that i became even more confused by insurance. what type, you ask? well, i'm talking about long term care insurance. now, that is exactly what they mean - long term care. they are only interested in insuring you if you will not need long term care insurance and you die in the relatively near future without ever using them. true. not lying. anyway, i also found that when you insure two people with a significant difference in age that the price is cheaper for the two, than just for the older one. what? wait! how can that be true? well, it is, by about 10%. even the adjuster, who was figuring the price was shocked, as he started out his quote with wow, you won't believe this. the only better deal i've ever found is the one i received when i became a Christian. with that deal, you get three in one for the same cost - God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Sweet!

vacation

you know, vacations are really nice. i mean think about it. you leave your home, your job, your family, and your friends and you get away. in other words, you leave your normal life and put it on hold so you can go somewhere - the mountains, the seashore, or the fruited plains. okay, i got a little carried away. the other little thing you leave are the day-to-day stresses of your normal life. that's why you need a vacation - to clear your head - and to tune into God.

thinking

i was just sitting here thinking. about what, you ask? well, let me see if i can put it into a short, succinct paragraph. the day. yes, the day. now, i am impressed that, first, i am thinking. second, that i remember what went on today. i mean, that's like walking into a grocery store without the list and expecting to remember everything that is on the list. uh, ok. which, by the way, is one of the things i did today. but, no worry, i just bought lots of extra stuff - which, somehow or another covered the list. anyway, back to thinking. is it really cracked up to be that great. i think so. after all, that's one of the reasons God gave us a brain - to think. hope we all get around to that some day.

Exciting

i have not published on my blog for some time. however, i am going to make an attempt to do so. it's not that my life has been boring. far from it. my life is rather exciting. pastoring a church is nothing short of a blessing from God. though the church is medium size - what is a megachurch anyway - i am surrounded by a group of people that love God, love each other, and love me. there is nothing like preaching to a group of people on sunday morning that want to not just know about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit - they want to know Him - i mean a real life, intimate, personal relationship. cool, huh? so, my life is not boring. again, i am going to make an attempt to publish at least two posts per week. you know, the old KISS principle - keep it simple saint.