The Random Thinker

Our Present Suffering

I have always told my children that doing the right thing is seldom the easy thing, but it is ALWAYS the right thing. Does that make sense??

A modern example of that is happening to a friend of mine right now. To make a long story really short, a man at his church was showing inappropriate (a nice way of saying pornographic) pictures to children. My friend did the right thing, which is to call the police!!

(By the way, that is EXACTLY what I would do. Illegal is ILLEGAL . . . I would have no right to ignore the law, even if the man is my Christian brother. When it comes to the safety of children, there is NO GRAY AREA.)

The problem comes in the fact that the family of the man has really given the church staff a hard time FOR CALLING THE COPS! And good people are standing by and letting this happen!

It is bad enough that people, no matter how influencial they are in a church or community, would desire to cover up this kind of sickness. But my friend did the right thing . . . And God knows that. And I believe God will hold that family (AND anyone who stands by and lets it happen) accountable for all of the hurt and damage they cause the staff of that church. It amazes me when good people will stand by and watch bad things happen and do nothing. Sometimes we just don’t want to be bothered. PEOPLE, those moments are the very times we MUST take a stand!!

So, if you did the right thing and are catching the full fury of whomever for it, ride the wave . . .God has the last say in this matter, and He will not leave you swinging in the wind.

PS – Two things about this post: My friend does not live ANYWHERE NEAR FLORENCE, so don’t try to think this is a local church. He is far away. ALSO, if you are going to post a comment to this, at least be man/woman enough to SIGN IT. And then I MIGHT be willing to post it.

AND a request: If you are quoting scripture in any response, please include a book, chapter, and verse reference and keep it in CONTEXT!! 🙂

Is it enough that most of the Clemson faithful were ready to CAN HIM if he lost to USC?? After a year of ONLY THREE LOSSES??

Read what the ACLU is trying to do to Coach Bowden over a VOLUNTARY, ONCE A YEAR church day that he requests the team to do:

ACLU says Bowden’s visits to church violates players’ rights

I had another funeral today . . . Not my favorite thing to do, but a fact of life for any pastor. It makes things a little tougher when it is a friend, and Willard Anderson was a friend to me. Tough day. After the funeral, we lined the cars up to process to the graveside. The Florence County Sheriff’s Department, which always does a great job assisting funeral processions, was called away at the last minute. Sometimes that does happen. What happened next was really neat and one of those things our sheriff does . . . Behind the scenes . . . No TV cameras or press at this funeral.

But our sheriff, Kenney Boone, who was attending the funeral, found out that his guys were detained. So, he drove his unmarked vehicle to the front, turned on his blue lights, and led the procession to the Florence Memorial Gardens. I will guarantee you that very few people knew who that was in that white Suburban . . . Rolling up his sleeves and working . . . But, I am not at all surprised. That IS Kenney Boone. Not looking for the glory, just getting the job done.

THAT IS THE KIND OF SHERIFF WE HAVE. And I appreciate him for it!!!! And you probably won’t hear about this on TV-13 or any other news outlet, but that is NOT why he did it. He did it because it needed to be done.

THANKS, KENNEY!

Wonder-Working Power

Yep, I really don’t have a heart to blog today . . . Sometimes Monday can bring an empty feeling to a pastor. That is why many pastors take Mondays off . . . They say we should NEVER make a big decision on a Monday. Today I feel it, and I know why they say that . . .

SO, for your entertainment, a joke from todays Mikey’s Funny. (Subscribe at www.mikeysfunnies.com)

John went to a psychiatrist: “I’ve got problems. Every time I go to bed, I think there’s somebody under it. I’m scared. I think I’m going crazy.”
“Just put yourself in my hands for one year,” said the shrink. “Come talk to me three times a week, and we should be able to get rid of those fears.”
“How much do you charge?” John asked warily.
“Each visit is $150,” replied the doctor.
“Well, I’ll sleep on it.”
Six months later the doctor bumped into John on the street: “Why didn’t you ever come to see me about those fears you were having?”
“Well, one hundred and fifty bucks a visit three times a week for a year is an awful lot of money! A friend at work cured me for nothing. I was so happy to have saved all that money that I went and bought myself a new pickup!”
“Is that so?! And how, may I ask, did your friend cure you?”
“He told me to cut the legs off the bed!”

today’sTHOT============================
If being disgruntled is a bad thing, what is gruntled and why would I want to be it?

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

And, remember . . . This is probably what your turkey looked like before . . . well, you know. (Cuz ALL turkeys wear hats like that!)

I don’t really know much about Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate. But I DO know all about Chuck Norris. And Chuck did a video with Huck to endorse him for president. You can find it at Mike Huckabee’s website, and it is really funny.

So, to bring you up to speed, I will post some Chuck Norris jokes to help prepare you for this video if you choose to go and watch it!

-Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting implies the possibility of failure. Chuck Norris goes killing.
-Ghosts are actually caused by Chuck Norris killing people faster than Death can process them.
-Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.
-When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.
-Jawbreakers were originally in the shape of Chuck Norris’ fist.
-Chuck Norris frequently donates blood to the Red Cross. Just never his own.
-Chuck Norris puts the “laughter” in “manslaughter”.
-The chief export of Chuck Norris is pain.
-Chuck Norris can slam revolving doors.
-Chuck Norris thought up some of the funniest Chuck Norris facts ever, but he hasn’t submitted them to the site because he doesn’t believe in any form of submission.
-If you can see Chuck Norris, he can see you. If you can’t see Chuck Norris you may be only seconds away from death.
-Chuck Norris counted to infinity – twice.
-When Chuck Norris exercises, the machine gets stronger.
-Rosa Parks refused to get out of her seat because she was saving it for Chuck Norris.
-When Chuck Norris sends in his taxes, he sends blank forms and includes only a picture of himself, crouched and ready to attack. Chuck Norris has not had to pay taxes ever.
-Chuck Norris owns the greatest Poker Face of all-time. It helped him win the 1983 World Series of Poker despite him holding just a Joker, a Get out of Jail Free Monopoly card, a 2 of clubs, 7 of spades and a green #4 card from the game Uno.
-Chuck Norris was once on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune and was the first to spin. The next 29 minutes of the show consisted of everyone standing around awkwardly, waiting for the wheel to stop.
-Chuck Norris crossed the road. Nobody has ever dared question his motives.
-They say that lightning never strikes the same place twice. Neither does Chuck Norris. He doesn’t have to.
-Chuck Norris is allowed to talk about Fight Club.
-Jeeves asks Chuck Norris.
-Chuck Norris sleeps with a night light. Not because Chuck Norris is afraid of the dark, but the dark is afraid of Chuck Norris
-Water boils faster when Chuck Norris watches it.
-Chuck Norris has only one hand: the upper hand.
-The reason newborn babies cry is because they know they have just entered a world with Chuck Norris.
-Chuck Norris is currently suing NBC, claiming Law and Order are trademarked names for his left and right legs.
-Chuck Norris doesn’t read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.
-If Chuck Norris is late, time better slow down.
-Chuck Norris can divide by zero.

(All of these jokes are posted in honor of Hunter Gregg)

THAT is the number of this post . . . I have posted to this blog over 300 times now in the 16 months I have posted here to blogger . . . WOW. I need a real job. (You KNOW that pastors only work on Sundays and Wednesdays)

Yesterday I was talking to a friend and it reminded me of another underestimated profession in our community . . . Being a principal. Principals are much like pastors: They have a TON of people to answer to, they are held accoutable when things go bad (but seldom thanked when things go well). They have volunteer staffs as well as employees to deal with, and they have to be all things to all people. They have to be tough, kind, fair, understanding, just, and they have to take a stand when no one else will and face the heat and storms (that is why they get paid the “big bucks.”) And their work ofted goes unthanked.

And, WE can help this situation: IF you have a child in school, THANK YOUR PRINCIPAL THIS WEEK for one of the hardest jobs around.