The Random Thinker

I must confess that I get my news much more from the internet now than from the television and newspaper . . . With the web, I have instant access to changing news and to details. The newspaper is already dated upon printing, and tv news seems to be a little behind the timeframe when it comes to breaking news. I like reading it over the web, from international to local.

With that said, the past few weeks have reminded me that the press is STILL a powerful force in our world. The press can take a story and make you a hero OR a zero with a few clicks of their keyboards. It seems to be based on what their editors deem necessary for the day . . . What will keep people reading or watching . . . Rather than the truth.

I guess I should not be so disturbed by this because they are human, just like us. Many times I have reminded people that I am imperfect . . . Don’t ever take my word for it. Check it out!! I guess the same principle applies to the press as well.

I wrote all of this to say: Don’t believe everything you read. Always realize that a human being wrote it AND a human being edited it. Even in the best case scenario, you are getting a perspective!

PS – Don’t forget to check out the video sermons to the right of this post and let me know if they are working well. We are about to put them on the church website and I would LOVE some feedback just to know if they are working!

Check this story out. The headline on Foxnews.com is “Scientists find oldest living animal, then kill it”. Check it out:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,306076,00.html

Unfortunately, tragedy IS an active part of life. We will face it. At times, it might cripple us. And then life will go on. That seems cold, but is another active part of life. A fact of life.

Depending on the tragedy, some of us have a difficult time recovering. There are some that never recover from tragic happenings, like the death of a friend or a loved one. Others grieve their way through the jungle. They never forget, but they make it through.

What happened on Ocean Isle this weekend was tragic . . . I think the entire state, and the entire nation grieves with those families and those kids that survived. One of those survivors is the daughter of a friend . . . A girl from Florence. Pray for her, pray for those kids and those families. Prayer is the only thing we can do to help, and it really DOES make all the difference in the world.

In the last few days I have received many e-mails about a movie coming out, starring Nicole Kidman, titled The Golden Compass. The following link tells about the movie and its validity:

http://snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp

This movie is based on a book by Phillip Pullman, an outspoken athiest who wrote this as an answer to the Chronicles of Narnia. Synopses of the movie state that it is about a streetwise girl and her quest to destroy a senile God, which she does in the end.

Don’t be fooled by the look or celebrities in this movie! Don’t mistake the fact that it intends to teach specific untruths about God. My prayer is that none of us will allow our kids to be influenced by such lies. Tell them the TRUTH about GOD!! Do it NOW!

This is only the latest attack on God by Hollywood. These attacks will keep coming and will be more and more appealing with each approach. Prepare your kids now. Prepare YOURSELF now. Get to know God for yourself . . . Don’t base your relationship with God on what Hollywood says about Him.

Did he really say that? That it is time we take sex back?? Okay, this morning I preached about the greatest commandment, and in getting there we talked about the three greek verbs for love in the New Testament: Eros, Phileo, and Agape. In the eros part we talked about how sex was intended to be in a marital relationship and sex is a good thing, created by God to be used the way He intended: As part of a marriage!

For those comments, I do not apologize. Nothing inappropriate, just the TRUTH!! Marvin Slaughter and Stuart Rainwater teased me before 11:00 service, telling me I would probably be hearing from some people over this . . . I told them I would send any complaints to Stuart. But, you know, sex has been bastardized and twisted by Satan long enough. Could it be that it is time for US to take it back?

To talk about God’s intention for it, and to teach our children and those who do not know God’s word the TRUTH about sex?? Maybe it IS time we told the TRUE STORY of SEX. What do YOU think?

I just heard Diana and Jennifer Dunnam say AMEN! And I am sure a few others joined in with them. Last night Diana and I went to Target. When we go, we MUST check out all of the clearance shelves (because that is the only TRUE way to enjoy Target, and I am not being sarcastic in that statement).

Of course, it is a chance for me to visit with Ebenezer people. I NEVER go into Target without running in to two or three . . . But beyond that, I got an education last night. As we walked down one aisle, I watched a woman thump her 8 year old son on the back of the head and loudly proclaim for all to hear (including all children within earshot of her gravelly, smokey voice): I wil be glad when a certain son of mine STOPS believing in ___________ ____________. I put the blanks in just in case, but it was a reference to a certon figure that is known all over the world by different names in whom I still believe!

Then I heard another woman telling a friend, “I hate to take my 15 year old into a bar, but she LOVES to sing!” I am assuming they were talking about karaoke, but who knows . . . That one blew my mind, too.

It just goes to show you, you have to be prepared (and have earplugs in your small children’s ears) when you go to the big red target.

Remember this little guy?? Remember the movie?? If so, YOU ARE OLD.

Several of my friends have asked me if I am doing okay based on some of my blog entries. Let me assure you I am. I know sometimes I get kind of gritty about things and really try to be honest when I blog, but don’t let that concern you. Remain calm . . . ALL IS WELL!!!!

I guess if I am guilty of anything it is of being too honest about some of the craziness I encounter everyday. But, don’t worry . . . I am not about to lose it or anything like that. Just losing a little of my edge, but I will get it back.

I was talking to a friend yesterday and he told me a tale that is very common . . . He has a friend (an ADULT friend) whose dad is a pastor who is very cynical and not thrilled with the modern church. He knows the Bible well but really struggles with “religion.” How do preacher’s kids get there?

Actually, I have seen and heard that story over and over again. A pastor’s children have a horrible road to navigate in their childhood. People in the church AND in the community put such unreal expectations on them. Everyone forgets that they are NOT pastor’s children, THEY ARE CHILDREN period. They WILL make mistakes. They WILL do wrong at times. But, when they do, tongues wag all over the place.

The biggest obstacle they face is also the biggest one their parents face: People generally have an unrealistic expectation on pastors to be perfect. Well, that ain’t gonna happen here. But that does not change the expectation. And when pastors show their humanity, even in simple ways, people get mad, hurt, disappointed, and the cycle of unhappiness begins. That is unfair to pastors, and the same expectation and cycle happens with their kids.

Pastor’s kids are expected to behave perfectly; attend EVERY function; always say and do the perfect things; make straight As in school and NEVER have behavior problems; The list goes on and on, but it is stuff just like that.

Show me a kid that can do all of that all of the time and I will show you a ROBOT. Then, several adult children of pastors tell me they have watched how churches have handled their parents and THAT is another reason they are cynical. They are anti-church. MANY of them still cling to their salvation and will freely confess that, they have just been so burned by churches that they do not care for being a part of a church.

HOW can we minister to them?? Just do what my friend is doing and care about them. That is it. And always remember that your pastor’s children are just that: Children. Kids who WILL make mistakes. But, in their defense, their parents are just as imperfect. And in our defense, so are you . . . Right?

These last few weeks at EBC have reminded me of some of the bitter realities of ministry . . . Just things that attempt to get under your skin like little splinters and cause problems:

**Sometimes you can hurt someone’s feelings and not even realize it. Apparently, I am really bad at that one. But working on it!

**You cannot keep 1200 people all happy at the same time. NOT POSSIBLE!! It is like herding cats . . . You just can’t!

** It is hard for a middle child to deal with these kinds of facts.

**If you burn both ends of a candle, the wick eventually meets itself in the middle and it will burn out. Watch your wick!

**Sometimes we all have tunnel vision and think whatever it is that I am doing is the ONLY THING going on in the world! Just ask anyone on our church staff . . there is ALWAYS something else going on!

**I am getting old and sometimes forgetful.

**There is NEVER enough storage . . . NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER

**My family needs me just like everyone else.

**I am getting old and sometimes forgetful.

The list could go on and on, and I could mention the old and forgetful thing a few more times, but you get the picture. PRAY FOR ME!! PRAY FOR OUR STAFF!!

I am actually doing pretty well as I write this. God and I have this agreement . . . I will do what He says, and He will help me handle all of the little splinters!

I am so tired . . . These last three weeks have been like a rollercoaster with no end in sight. And, to top it all off, today is the final day of quarter exams at Sneed. And, I AM READY!!! And by that I literally mean I think I could make a 100 on the science exam and the social studies exam Drew will take today. I hope he does!

No one ever told me that having kids would mean going back to school . . . Over and over again . . . That might be an effective form of birth control propaganda ( . . . Propaganda — Brief messages intended to sway the opinion of a group of people . . . [from the Language Arts exam on Friday]).

On the other hand, at least I am familiar with what they are teaching. Nothing crazy . . . just straight up stuff.