Monday, March 11, 2013

Sunday Mind Dump & Some Personal 411


Sunday's service was a good day. The music was good, and I especially liked the last song in the song-set.

The men's quartette did a good job for the offertory too. Love those oldies. A lot of people rubber-neck during that part of the service.

The morning message was about the theology of WORK (which is a part of God's creative design for us), learning to be content, and the ruin of the love of money.

Very solid stuff.

Not a lot of “amen's” - rather, a lot of silence. I guess people were reflecting.

I could feel the presence of God all through the service. It was like getting an oil change.

As I reflect on the fifteen years of PCC, some of my favorite times were when we were meeting in Freedom Hall at Pace High School. We had a couple of hundred people in attendance, not a lot of technology (we were brown-bagging it most of the time), and it was just raw fun.

Although we are well-established, we still have the same family/fellowship vibe. The main difference is a lot of overheard (i.e., a building and 25 acre campus) - just more zeros.

I experience as much (or more) community and fellowship at PCC right now as I ever have. The energy and family feel is just just insane.

It's truly an odd mix of people at PCC – there really is a brotherhood.

For years I thought it was important that our church offer multiple church events, meetings, classes, and groups throughout the week. Nowadays, most of us now prefer family time more than anything else. I love the fellowship, community, and family time that is taking place in our church now that we offer only one service... and a limited calendar.

The biggest compliment I’ve been given recently came from a relative newcomer to PCC. He asked, “How is it that everyone seems to be so close when you don’t have Sunday School classes or a structured small groups ministry? “Because we’ve given them the time to fellowship on their own” I replied.

PERSONAL: Today is day 35 (five weeks) of my intermittent fasting. I'm hanging with it. (i.e, Twenty hours of fasting each day, and eating only during a four-hour window). It's working.

I spent a good part of today in the yard repairing six broken water pipes on my sprinkler system that I damaged last Saturday. Not fun. At least I didn't have to hire someone to do it for me – I'm pretty much a handy-man around the house.

QUESTION: At what point do we legally stop allowing celebrities to name their own children? Faw-Qanna-Niquita? Are you serious?

DEAR LADIES: Don't date dudes who don't like Duck Dynasty. Just saying.

GARDEN: Since it is going to be cool this week (at night) I am going to wait one more week (maybe two) to plant tomatoes, pepper, squash, cucumber, and field peas. The soil has to be warm for these plants to grow.

Currently I have potatoes, onion, and garlic planted.

My blueberry bushes are in bloom. I've planted 25 of them... and they should produce more than enough. We really look forward to inviting people over to help pick... for free.

I've also established a row of grapes (muscadines) that is 100 feet long. In the next week or so I will be finishing the trellis for the vines to grow on. I've anchored the end-posts in concrete, now I have to stretch the cable between them and train the vines upward. This is for my vineyard... and winery :-)

Also have two pear trees (Keifer and Ayres) to plant.

I also have two lime trees and one lemon tree for a citrus harvest, but I'm about to give up on them. They are not very cold tolerant. It's a bummer to nurture them for three/four years, only to have the cold damage them.

WORK: It was insane at the office last week.

This Sunday will be the last message in the current series on I Timothy. The following Sunday we will be receiving Communion – which is Palm Sunday.

PERSONAL: I'm getting my boat ready for fishing. Haven't had it in the water since October... and now I'm getting the fervor! Had to buy a new battery charger (about $140.00).

BOAT – Break Out Another Thousand

Renae and I have an out-of-town fishing trip planned in May. Can't wait.

Before then, I'm going to be doing some serious fishing in local waters.... beginning next week.

HOME FRONT: On the home front things are as good right now as they have been in years. Very encouraged. We've never lost faith, given up, or stopped striving to do 'our part' while continuing to trust God to do His part, recognizing that those we intercede for posses a free will.

PREACHING & TEACHING: If you can get someone to laugh, you might get them to listen. That's why I use humor... without becoming frivolous or irreverent. If you are pious all the time, you appear to be 'stuffy.' BTW, Jesus used hyperboles often.

The Sunday after Easter will launch a new sermon series based on the book of James. At least two others will be assisting me (team-teaching). It's going to be refreshing to hear other voices.

This is only the beginning. I have two others identified as potential teachers for the Sunday morning services at PCC.

I wrote about this last year... and the plan has been in motion since then.

Sharing the pulpit (Part 1)

Sharing the pulpit (Part 2)

1 comment:

Robert H. said...

That's A fact Jack!