One Pastor's Perspective

Lies . . . Stories we make up, or enhance, because we are bored or do not know the REAL truth. Rumors hurt people. Rumors, at times, run amok in churches. And that is just not right.

We should be above all of this, but we are not. You would almost expect this kind of behavior in the world, because those of the world desire to bring the church down! But you shouldn’t have to deal with it in a church. And, yet, you do.

If you trace a rumor back to its seeds, most times you will find an unexplained story to which someone has “added” an ending because they do not have all of the answers. And, we like having all of the answers. Unfortunately, we also like to wag our tongues when we hear the newest, juiciest tales about others. I think people like to hear bad things about others because it makes them feel better about their problems. “Well, at least I don’t have it as bad as John Public . . .”

I am a firm believer in being careful about listening to them, NOT SPREADING THEM, and trying NEVER to start them. Rumors can ruin marriages, families, careers, neighborhoods, and churches.

And, those who LOOOOOVE starting them will answer to God one day.

We just got back from the great city of Goose Creek, where the WF Lady Knights beat GC, 4-0. As Goldberg would say, “WHO IS NEXT??”

That would be Colleton County on Saturday. KEEP ROLLIN’, Lady Knights!!!

Why do I feel I need to blog everyday?? I certainly don’t feel LIKE blogging everyday! The truth goes back to a conference at Saddleback, one I attended 14 months after I started blogging. In that conference, the leader stressed the need to blog often and not just put one up a week. Therefore, I try to write SOMETHING almost every day.

Today is one of those days when I don’t have a soapbox to get on, neither kid played ball last night (although Krissy did have a pitching lesson and I got hit in the face with a ball), nothing significant happened to the Tarheels, so I am kind of at a loss.

I COULD tell you about the bird that just flew into my den window. The irony of that story is that he is the dumbest bird in Florence, because he flies into it multiple times every day. He just did it again. We even put one of Drew’s old GI Joes up there to try and scare him off . . . Did not work. Several times he has attacked Joe.

I COULD write about the fact that I am the ONLY morning person in my family. The rest of them would sleep all day if given the opportunity. I have to be the bad guy every morning and the party-pooper every night when I run out of gas and they are all still bouncing off the walls. Usually nature balances that with two kids, but I got the short end of that stick.

I COULD tell another story from Bay St. Louis. But, instead, a riddle: If you see Zac Jones, ask him about the appropriate uses of a bench grinder. He will tell a much better story than I could (or SHOULD) about that one.

I SHOULD congratulate John Smoltz on his 3000 strikeout last night. Although he doesn’t read this blog, he deserves it today. Smoltzie is AWESOME.

A Story of Adversity

Well. the WF Lady Knights played last night . . . I think . . . A double-header against Darlington. And the spring break cobbwebs were ALL OVER THE FIELD!! We lost the first one 5-0 and the second 2-1. The second game was a good one, but in the end, we just could not pull it out. I hope this is a good wake-up for playoffs and we left all of those cobbwebs on the field. Time will tell!

So, yes, I got back from Mississippi, got ready for Sunday and a funeral, did both, and now I am back to running from field to field. There is no rest for the weary!!!!

5. Thorne Boatwright knows just as many movie quotes as I do.

4. Logan Benthall is a TOUGH little dude.

3. Christy Hall is the way she is WITHOUT caffeine.

2. If you listen closely enough, you could get a “quote of the day” from Lee White EVERY DAY.

1. Zac Jones could pull the MOON closer to the Earth with his Yota.

Dwayne and I got back to Florence last night around 7:30. The kids are now on the road, but there is no telling what time they will get back . . . Will depend on how many “rest stops” they have to take.

As I wrote before, we made a difference. A big one. We helped chisel the list down a little more. The disaster relief office will pull out in October, after THREE years of operation. They are winding down projects and bringing things to a close. But the needs will go on! Pray for the people of the gulf coast . . . Things are FAR from normal.

First Baptist Church, Bay St Louis, now has a concrete foundation for their new sanctuary. That is all they have, but the work is slowly moving. They still do not know if they will be able to use volunteers in the construction of the new building (liability issues). Pray for Rev Al Green and the people of FBC.

The Southern Baptist disaster relief folks were telling me they hate to pull out, but they have to begin preparations for the next disaster. Apparently we are due for a big hit this year. Pray for us, that God WILL be our refuge and strength, and that WE will answer the call everytime we get it.

Work is winding down and we are getting ready to pack up. Dwayne and I will return to SC tomorrow, and the kids will travel to Brandon, MS, to Justin’s home church for a day of fun tomorrow before heading home on Saturday. All in all, a great reward for a hard week.

Did we make a difference?? A several groups worked on the same project all week and saw great rewards. A couple jumped from small project to small project. The bottom line is we got the call, and we answered it. And got the jobs done. And it was great.

And, the Kingdom of God was built this week. I wonder what others did on their spring breaks???

Anita and Christy’s crew working on Ms Pat’s house. That is David in the middle . . . He is a volunteer contractor from Wyoming. Neat guy!!

A stump, pulled courtesy of Dwayne’s team. Rumor has it that Dwayne’s Dodge truck could NOT pull it, so Jimmy Cox jumped down there and “rassled” it out of the ground.