One Pastor's Perspective

Yes, this is my 500th post with blogger.com. Ergo, it SHOULD be meaningful and significant. AND IT IS!!

Last night, WE BEAT SOUTH FLORENCE IN SOFTBALL!!!!!!! Yep, the score was 1-0, Carson pitched the first three, Krissy the last two. They had a couple of chances to score, but were SHUT DOWN. Krissy ended the game with a strikeout. Even though it was a scrimmage, we wanted to call the FloMoNews.

As we left the field, the SF coach was STILL chewing his girls out. He gets a little testy when they lose. I wonder if they had to run after everyone left . . . That is one of his favorite motivational methods.

We went to Greenville this weekend. For several reasons. Diana’s birthday was Friday, so we celebrated with our families . . . Krissy toured Clemson on Friday, and that is ANOTHER blog entry altogether. We had a walking tour on campus that Diana could’ve easily given, except we would not have learned near as many details about the tour guide and HER life (She is Greek, she is going to Italy, she is a Marketing major, she is a Rally Cat, and Clemson is the BESTEST). Krissy also had a softball tourney in Simpsonville, so her grandparents all got to see her play. The dynamics of a travel-ball team are fascinating, but THAT is a blog for the anonymous blogger.

The weekend is over and we are back in Florence. yay!

So Obama has decided to take on James Dobson, huh?? Read about it and YOU decided . ..

Obama: Dobson is making stuff up with Bible criticism

Falling

I know I am getting older, because I’ve become less and less tolerant of some things. Specifically, when people act selfishly or expect the world to bow down to them, I resist. There is something inside me, and I KNOW it is pride, that makes it really hard for me to “play along” when I know I am being manipulated. As a pastor, unfortunately, THAT happens all of the time.

However, a simple observation from the past few days is this: IF you treat people badly, don’t be suprised when they do not like you! Don’t fuss or whine that people don’t like you when you treat them like dirt!! I know that sounds specific and pointed, but it is not . . . With all of us working close together in VBS these past few days and weeks, I have seen this play out time and time again in several scenarios.

Jesus said we should treat other people THE WAY we want to be treated. If we all obeyed that one, life would be a whole lot easier . . .

We left the house at 6:30am yesterday, and returned around 10:15 last night . . . YES, we had a softball tournament in Sumter. And I am glad to report that we returned so late last night because we WON!

Krissy pitched in several of the early games, and did well. This was her first tournament from 43′, and she proved she could hang with it. And, we brought home hardware and a nice patch. I guess it was a successful day!

This one was from the Willow Film Festival:

Yesterday I did something that I really love doing . . . We loaded up the camera, went to Timrod Park, and made a movie. It is a clip of Adam Swindler telling the story of the time he fell into a well on a youth trip. We can laugh about it now, but it was a serious thing and could’ve been life-threatening. I think we captured that on the video.

There is something powerful about a real person telling a real story about God and His provision. The video is actually part of my sermon . . . I think its gonna work, but we’ll see!!!

REALLY?? I hadn’t noticed . . . All sarcasm aside, I’ve said for months that the presidential candidate that solves the gas crisis will most assuredly win the election. And then, W goes and releases a four-point plan for easing the gas crunch (It makes no sense that #3 was to abandon Dick Cheney at an undisclosed location in Anartica, but I figure W is President, so we do it his way). After all, if we have learned ANYTHING in these past eight years, it is DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS.

I must confess . . . If there was oil in MY backyard, there would be a well built as soon as I could pull together the funds, get the plans off the web, and get the materials delivered. YES, my homeowners’ assoc would have SOMETHING to say, so I would tell them it is a TEXAS SWINGSET.

And, I would drill. And I would once again hit the web and figure out how to refine it. Then I would convert it to gas and dump whatever waste is involved in Paul Frazier’s back yard. And if I have to build one of those big tanks, I will tell the HOA it is a TEXAS PLAYHOUSE.

And I would share with my friends (my REAL friends, not all those who SAY they are my friends once they hear I have free gas.) I guess I will have to give Paul a DOUBLE PORTION to make up for the EPA disaster I turned his backyard into . . . And if my friends line their cars up and cause a commotion amongst my neighbors, I will tell them it is a TEXAS BLOCKPARTY.

Oh, if I just had a little bit of money, I would be dangerous . . . We call all of this a TEXAS HOBBY. Or maybe a TEXAS DAYDREAM.