In October of 2014 I traveled to Israel on a Baptist Convention of Iowa sponsored trip. On that trip I rode a camel - it was quite an experience. Last Christmas I made my own Christmas cards with a photo of me riding that camel and sent it out to a few of my friends. "The Wise Men came from the East...with Jenni." I receiprved quite a bit of feedback from people who thought the picture was among the funnier Christmas cards they had received. But as I looked at the pic, one thought overwhelmed me. Dude, you have become enormously FAT! I was a skinny kid in high school. I mean skinny. I still … [Read more...] about A Year of Fighting Fat
But He Deserved It, Didn’t He?
I have to admit, I laughed. A friend sent me a meme the other night, a picture of someone who has been less than kind to me, one that was poking some fun at him. I didn't feel too bad about laughing in private. This guy has published posts misrepresenting me and my beliefs. He has circulated memes much like that with my picture that distorted my views and he did it to belittle me. So, it was very easy to take some pleasure when someone turned the tables on him. The bully got bullied. Ha ha. I didn't create the pic or publish it. I just enjoyed it. But I have a small problem with my … [Read more...] about But He Deserved It, Didn’t He?
Silent Night, Chaotic Night
Some of you will remember a strange hit by Simon & Garfunkel from their 1966 Album, “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme.” It was a rendition of the Christmas carol Silent Night played in all of its soft beauty, with the 7 O’clock news from August 3, 1966. They read clips about the Richard Speck murders, Martin Luther King’s civil rights works, former vice-president Nixon speaking about the Vietnam War, and the death of Lenny Bruce from a drug overdose. The song powerfully juxtaposed the ideal of a beautiful, quiet Christmas that we all have cast as the ideal in our minds and the reality … [Read more...] about Silent Night, Chaotic Night
God, Guns, and Muslims: Jerry Falwell, Jr’s Intemperate Statement
Knowing that the good folks of SBC Voices tend to sometimes skip the main course (the article) and go right to dessert (the comment section), let me make some clarifications at the start of this post, which hopefully will be read by all! 1. I love Liberty University. My second son attended there, and I tried to get his younger brother and sister to follow in his footsteps. His little brother got involved in a band and didn't want to leave town. His little sister rebelled against her father's wishes and last May graduated with honors from that bastion of liberalism, Cedarville University. … [Read more...] about God, Guns, and Muslims: Jerry Falwell, Jr’s Intemperate Statement
A Jesus-Filled Christless Christmas Celebration
I used to keep count, but somewhere along the line I stopped. School choir concerts. I had to sit through several of them a year for my three sons and my daughter - a father's burden to bear. I'd figure out how many I had left until they were all done. Then, my third son got married, had a kid, and realized his band's album sales were not going to threaten Casting Crowns' place at the top of the charts, so he decided to finish college. In a couple of weeks he will be done with college, which made this Christmas concert the very last one I will ever have to attend. Of course, there's grandkids, … [Read more...] about A Jesus-Filled Christless Christmas Celebration
Marco Rubio Shares His Faith
I saw this today on a tweet from CB Scott. Yes, I am a fan of Marco Rubio, but I believe I'd get excited to hear any presidential candidate give as cogent a testimony of his or her faith as he gave here. I could micro-critique a few things, I suppose, but this sounded like it could come from the local First Baptist Church pulpit, not an Iowa political event! It's about 11 minutes long and well worth the listen. I originally saw it on a Oneness Pentecostal site, (only the last 5 minutes), but found this longer version. It is a campaign stop in Iowa - a gathering of believers. I think it was in … [Read more...] about Marco Rubio Shares His Faith
Peter’s Prophecy about Social Media
I have done a daily devotional for my church for the last two years, encouraging them to read the Bible. I use the popular format of an OT reading, one from the NT, and a selection from Psalms and Proverbs each day. I work (at least) a day ahead and so I was working on tomorrow's reading this morning. The NT reading is 1 Peter 3. Did you know that God gave Peter a vision of the future when social media would take over and a prophetic word for those of us who engage in it? Of course, I'm kidding. People don't change. I am a little skeptical (perhaps its my old codger reflex kicking in) when … [Read more...] about Peter’s Prophecy about Social Media
Thanksgiving: Rising above the Clouds
Have you ever flown on a dreary, rainy day? You taxi down the runway and everything is gray, dark and damp. You pick up a little speed and the front of the plane points up just a little. It tilts a bit more and you feel the wheels come off the ground. The plane rises into the sky and things get worse. As you enter the clouds, you can’t see a thing as the fog closes all around you. That is when it happens. You burst out of the clouds and suddenly, the sun is shining brightly all around you. It is no longer dark or dreary, it is beautiful, cheerful. Everything that seemed to be true … [Read more...] about Thanksgiving: Rising above the Clouds
The World Just Changed
It was an early Tuesday morning 14 years ago - September 11. Our world changed. It just happened again. This time it didn't happen in New York or DC. They didn't use airplanes. It happened in France, one of our allies - one we like to ridicule. A few moments ago they arrested one of the men who said he was with ISIS that this was a coordinated attack. Who knows what the truth is? As was true on September 11, the truth will not be known for days and even weeks, and maybe longer. It will take time to sort all of this out. Yesterday our forces attacked in Syria. Today ISIS struck back in a … [Read more...] about The World Just Changed
Thank You, Veterans! Now, Tell Us Your Story…
I did not serve in the US military. I went down to the appropriate office to register for the draft after my 18th birthday and found out they had just done away with the draft. By the time they reinstituted it, I was past the age to join up. I thought about joining the reserves, but finally decided against it. My dad was in the Air Force and served during the Korean War, mostly in Japan. The military was downsizing in that post-Vietnam era and they just didn't really need me. We have had quite a few discussions over the place of patriotic displays in churches during … [Read more...] about Thank You, Veterans! Now, Tell Us Your Story…