September 1, 2010
In my house we still measure time with the school year. It seems like we have two days a year that are New Year's day; January 1 and the first day of school. The world revolves around these two dates in the Anthony household. And each new beginning is a new adjustment. It's an adjustment in expectations and schedules and plans and work. It's a time to look forward and realize that time has shifted once again. We are a little older, a little more "grown up" and hopefully a little wiser.

New beginnings always bring me to a period of introspection. Who am I? Where have I come from most recently? Where am I going? How am I doing in my relationships; to God, to my family, and those that I work with day by day? How is my personal life? What am I praying for and what are my expectations in the future? What needs to change in my life? Since this year is the year that I am seeking to go deeper with God, what is the next shovelful that I need to dig down and inspect in my life. God has been at work showing me these things over the past few days and I am grateful. I am praying that I will have the strength to dig deeper still.

My oldest niece is entering her senior year in college. She is at the beginning of the ending, always a very interesting place. She wrote in her blog this past weekend about a prayer that her prayer partner prayed for them both for this year. I was so moved by it, I have reprinted it for you.

"Lord, I am on my knees begging all this of You. Be alive in us this year. Make us salt and light. Give us courage to stand up and to step on some toes if we must. Give us boldness. Give us words to speak, and the wisdom in situations, and courage to act accordingly. Remove any fear, doubt, worry, and stress. Fear and doubt are the most crippling and debilitating weapons the Devil has. But we have Your sword to wield and Your armor to protect us. Give us the knowledge and the peace that You are always present and are always watching out for us. Enrage our indifferences. Make us beautiful, kind, and compassionate. Make us sympathetic and empathetic. Let us be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger. Give us patience - we may not see the fruits of our labor, but lead us to labor just the same. Let us not be judgmental or vengeful, but trusting that You will handle it all. Catch us when we fall. Carry us when we're broken. Lead us to be servants. Teach us the answers to our questions that we may answer others' questions. Make us want to want You. Let us seek to find ourselves in You, and to please and glorify You only. May we worship You in all we do. Fill us so full of Your love that it must overflow out of us. Give us a confidence in You that nothing can tear down. Give us an unquenchable thirst for You. May we run to You, God, Friend, Lover, Comforter, Healer, Savior, and remember that nothing and no one else matters. Kiss us with the sunshine. Hug us with the wind. Let us be mindful of miracles. Let us count our blessings. Let us wholeheartedly seek You. Fill us with Your mercy. May we forgive others as You have forgiven us. Shield our hearts from the Devil's arrows and schemes. Keep us pure, holy, and righteous.
For Yours is the power and the glory forever.
All this I beg of You, and ask in the holy name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thank You. I love You."

I have committed myself to pray this prayer often in the coming weeks. It quickens my soul to the heart of God. I am also praying it for you.

Step by step we're moving closer...

August 18, 2010
The summer is officially over. It’s not an official officially, just officially. It's over because school has started for the 2010-2011 year. That means that the time limitation on my summer bucket list has run out. It's over. It's time to tally the results. Out of 52 items on my list, I completed 34 of them. And out of the 18 that were not completed, I should have finished over half of those. I just didn't take the time.

The summer bucket list was made in a moment of craziness over Memorial Day weekend. My niece, Jenna, had made a list for herself and had posted it on Facebook. I thought it was a great idea, so I started my list. Kylie sat nearby and suggested a few and laughed at others. In just a few moments, I had made a list for the summer activities. While some of these were compiled knowing I would be present by default, I still listed them (such as the ones in Hawaii). All in all, it made for some really fun and memorable times.

I took a walk in the rain; I also took the dog with me. While on vacation in Hawaii, I was up for a sunrise and was still up for the sunset. I climbed a volcano and took a boat ride in the Pacific. I cooked dinner for 10 and managed to fix something out of the ordinary, though not what I would call overly exotic. Exotic would be boiled green bananas. Didn't do it. That was maybe a good thing! I canned pickles and beets this summer for #13 and #14 and have the jars to prove it. I managed to get up out of the water to ski a little and then at least tried to teach two girls to do the same. That proved a little harder than I expected. I drew a picture on the driveway for our Toy Story marathon, then ate 6 popsicles while watching the Toy Story #1 and #2, then off to the movies to see #3. That was a great day having completed #9, 26, and 27. I played a game of 42 with my parents and was on the winning side as well as played spades and won at that also. I didn’t realize that #43 would be so tricky having a seed spitting contest with watermelon. We couldn't find a watermelon with seeds. Seems they only grow them without these days. And as for #30, I even had to turn around on the interstate to go back to the Mercedes Benz Museum in Tuscaloosa, AL, just to fulfill the list. The girls made me do it since I had missed the exit. They reminded me that we were in the chariot of adventure (our minivan) and it was the thing to do. I'm glad that they did. All in all, it was a great summer filled with all sorts of different adventures.

So what difference did it make to have a list? Not a whole lot, except it was great fun planning and checking off the completed ones. What it did do, however, was made me realize how much of life I live simply by going through the motions. Because of my list, I had to plan out living a little more. Many of these were, for the most part, just fun stuff that I have wanted to do for many summers. I just hadn't gotten around to doing it. Because of the list, I planned a little to complete these items. I would not have just chosen to plan the movie marathon on that particular day. But I did. And we made a great memory. I was reminded once again how much in life can be accomplished simply by making a plan and doing it. I lived my life this summer much more intentionally than I would have had I not had a list to work from. And I wouldn't have had nearly as much fun either!

Will I make a list for the fall? No. My list is already made by two high school girls and their plans, rehearsals, and other schedules. That's OK. But I do plan on thinking next summer what I can do. I'm already compiling a list for me and my chariot of adventure!

August 18, 2010
One of the hottest topics of debate that has polarized the American people over the past three weeks has been the proposed plan to build an Islamic mosque near the sight of Ground Zero. I'm sure like me, you have heard different views coming from all sorts of arenas, senators, Muslims, those who lost loved ones during 9/11, and even the President. It doesn't take long to know that this has become a lightning rod of debate. If you don't think so, just strike up a conversation with a friend and see what happens. In the light of all this, it seems apparent that no one can ride the fence on this one. Either you're on one side or the other.

For me, this has been an interesting discussion to follow. Supporters of the plan claim their First Amendment rights to build a religious center wherever they choose. Based on our government and the principles set up in our nation, this is a correct statement. It may not be the wisest choice, but they are free to do so. Opponents of the plan claim that it is insensitive at best and welcomes a possible future of extremism so close to a wound that has still not healed. Whatever you believe about this issue, it's your right to choose your opinion.

I have struggled over the past few days about this whole conversation. As I struggled, I challenged my own thinking and wondered what I truly believe is the right thing to do. I wondered about the wisdom of the decisions that were being made. I wondered about the freedoms this has called into question. I went back and asked the question from a few years ago, "what would Jesus do?"

For me, the answer was found in Philippians 2. Verse 3 begins "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant that yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant... he humbled himself..." This is what marks our faith different from all the others. Our faith calls us to humble ourselves and love others as we love ourselves. This is a guiding principle that no other faith has. This is what we should be about; loving others and thinking of others as we think of ourselves.

This is also where it gets difficult. In the situation of the New York mosque, why would we expect this group of religious people to think of others as they have thought of themselves? I believe if they did, their choices would be very different. They would be more sensitive to the community and the wounds that are still present from an attack almost 10 years ago. What the outcome of this will be, I know not. It doesn't really matter what I believe about this anyway; I'm not in a position to make much of a difference in New York. I am in a position to make a difference in Temple. And there is the ultimate question. What am I, what are you, what are we willing to do to show Christ's love to our community?

August 11, 2010
This past Sunday morning was a meaningful time for me as I was privileged to be a part of the Williams' family dedication. It was a joy to hold Corey and speak words of blessing over him. Chris and Maria have been vital parts of this ministry for the past few years and Corey is a blessing to them from God. It brought many memories back to me from days gone by too quickly of mine own at that age.

I love kids. A few of my friends say that I'm still one and I haven't grown up yet. It always brings a laugh to me when they say that. I can't help but think they should be around in the office and in meetings and in the midst of deadlines and decisions and they would understand I'm no longer a kid. My life is very much an adult life with everything that comes with it. You know, bills, decisions, conflict, relationships, project and family logistical coordination, what to fix for dinner; all the stuff that takes place in work and family. But I have tried to maintain a sense of fun and finding joy and laughter in the midst of life. If I didn't, I'm afraid that I would be overwhelmed at times with the burdens of the day.

This is not a Pollyanna attitude. It is a decision to find humor and joy in the midst of life. I am grateful for my girls and the fun that we have. I love to laugh with them and do goofy stuff. My summer bucket list helped me to live intentionally this summer and find the fun in life. There is still great challenges in work and family that are ahead, challenges that will require fortitude and stability, clarity and forethought. But in the midst of all these, life is too short to not find a little fun in the mix.

More importantly than all this, however, is the reminder of how I am to approach God. In Mark 10, Jesus teaches us how to approach the kingdom of God. "Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it." (vs. 15)  This approach is one that is full of faith and trust. I also believe it is one with pure joy. I am reminded of this often. I am reminded of this when I am around children. And it causes me to stop and re-think my grown up ways. Am I too judgmental? Am I selfish? Am I bossy and believe I have all the answers? Am I telling God what's what?

When I hold a small child, I am filled with wonder. When I am around elementary kids, I am reminded that the there are new things to learn and the world of our Lord is filled with wonder and great promise. When I am around those in middle school I am reminded of the struggles of transition and I still can learn more about who we are in the midst of God's family. When I am around my girls, now in high school, and their friends, I am reminded that there is increasing responsibility to others and to align my desire with the Divine. In each stage, I am reminded also that there is always time for joy and laughter. And besides, it makes things a whole lot more fun!

Thankful that I am still around kids!

July 14, 2010
The custodian came sailing into my office and said, "there's a dead body behind the dumpster. You better come and see." With those words I was up and moving since they were not words I heard often! When I reached the dumpster on that hot summer Monday morning, I found lying behind the garbage dumpster, a man asleep. Thankfully, he was not dead. He had been drinking and reeked of alcohol, smoke, and sweat. When I woke him up, he was definitely groggy from a much too short night. And thus began the relationship with John.

John was in his mid twenties at the time though his appearance gave him away to be much older. With the life that he had already lived, he had seen and experienced much more than most will see in a lifetime. His front two teeth were chipped from a late night fight that he had lost years before. His clothes had seen better days. We brought him into the church on that Monday morning and gave him some coffee and a place to wash up a little. I took him to a shelter that morning. That was more than 10 years ago.

Over the next few years, I saw John on a semi regular basis. He would appear in my office when he needed money or a haircut or some clean clothes to go on a job interview. I took him to Sam's for pants, to a barbershop for a haircut, and to numerous shelters throughout our history together. I never gave him a single penny in cash; I was afraid he still would have probably spent it on alcohol of some sort. I worked with him to get back into the state system to stay on his much needed meds. And I would talk with him often about his relationship with Christ. He was the first I ever heard use the term “babatized”. He had been babatized and wanted to make sure of his salvation. He had some interesting beliefs that had been picked up along the way.

I received a call from John today. He told me he was behind a dumpster by the McDonald's here in Temple and needed a ride. Could I come pick him up? He paused, then laughed a hearty laugh. I told him I would if he was here. He wasn't. He was calling just to touch base. It was the second call he has made since I have lived in Temple. We spent about 20 minutes catching up on what was happening in his life. He is doing fairly well, though the life he lives is very different from mine. Toward the end of the conversation I asked if he was going to church. "I have been, but not lately. I didn't like what the preacher was saying." It was my turn to laugh. He explained that he didn't like what was being taught about the Bible and how to live. He said he was finding it really hard to forgive others around him. I told him that it was always hard to forgive but we still had to do it. He said it was hard to do that. I'm sure it is with what he has been through, but that wasn't the point. We're still commanded to forgive. And with God's help, we can do so.  

I always learned something about myself whenever we talked. John always has a way of saying something that would cut to the core of what was life. He told me he would call me again in the future. I look forward to it. I'll need it. And though I'm not sure when, it will always be when I least expect it. That's just how John is.

July 7, 2010
A few random thoughts about current happenings:

What a glorious evening it was this past Sunday night! You did an outstanding job as you sang and gave glory to God through your music. The comments and emails have kept coming since Sunday evening. I may be committing a sin, but I was certainly proud of you. Besides that, it was great fun being with the Methodists and celebrating our fellowship together. And it was a great joy to conduct a great group of friends in a packed house! Neither Jane nor I anticipated the crowd that we had. I guess we owe a little apology to the food service folks because of the stretching that they had to accomplish to make sure everyone had at least something! A big thank you goes out to Linda Sandefur and her group as they did a splendid job representing the Baptists in service to all. All in all, it was an evening many will remember for a long time.

I received a phone call this afternoon out of the blue from Judy representing the music ministry at FBC, Dallas. I don't know if you have heard what is happening in their church, but they are beginning an $100+ million building program. All the buildings on 2 blocks will be demolished except for the Criswell Center and the 100 year old sanctuary. Judy was calling to tell me that they had to liquidate much of their music ministry belongings and they would like to offer some of it to FBC, Temple. At this point I'm not sure all that it will entail, but I'm sure that there will be some things that will appear within the next month or two with the name of FBC, Dallas on them. God moves in mysterious ways, doesn't He?

My girls are on a mission trip this week to Canada with 14 others from FBC, Temple. Tomorrow morning the first wave of participants leave on a plane headed to Vermont. The second wave leaves around noon in a van. The final wave leaves on Saturday morning. I had the opportunity to go last summer and I have to say my heart is going with them as they travel. I realized a few weeks ago that this summer is the first in many years that I haven't participated in a mission trip of some sort. If you have never had the opportunity to serve others in another location outside of Temple, let me encourage you to take the opportunity. Mission trips are great ways to experience the presence of God in a powerful way while helping others in ministry. And you don't have to preach or just sing. How's that?! Please continue to pray for those in Canada and those in Vermont.

Which leads me to my final thought: I read recently that we truly can be in two places at one time. In fact, we can be in many places at one time. Through the power of prayer, we lift up others in different locations. We can be in Canada and we can be in Vermont. We can be in China and in Ukraine all at the same time. And we never have to leave our homes. While I still encourage you to go, you can still be a part of what God is doing when you are unable to travel. Take the opportunity.

God is at work. Can you see it? Can you feel it? Will you join Him?

June 10, 2010
I've spent the past three days in Fredricksburg, TX.  Jan and I spent two nights in a house out in the middle of nowhere. I say it was nowhere since there wasn't any cell phone coverage or internet access. We did have satellite TV so that we could stay in touch with the world, but everything else was pretty much a moot point. There were three clocks in the house and two were set to the wrong time. It was easy to lose track of time. In fact, it was pretty much the first time that I fully understood how you could lose all track of time and space.

The house we stayed in was set on 55 acres of land in the middle of the hill country. Not one other house was visible to where we were. My mornings were spent on the back porch sipping coffee and reading a book. The afternoons and evenings were spent in Fredricksburg either shopping or eating. Jan and I had a great time just slowing down and catching up. We've needed that time for a while.

I don't tell you this to be jealous. I tell you this as a revelation to me how I had gotten overwhelmed with activity to the point that my life was being run by a clock. I was busy moving from one appointment to the next, meeting one deadline after another and trying to keep up with family life. That's what happens when you are at the end of a school year with three people in the school system. That's what happens when you deal with major crises in recent months. That's what happens when so many decisions need to be made. And that's why it's good to step back. Over the past three days, Jan and I have stepped back unlike a time I remember ever before. And it was really nice.
                                 
I love going. Go, go, go was the motto and I didn't pay much attention to those who said that I needed to slow down. I didn't need to, I had energy and there was stuff to do. I still love to go. And I go pretty much all the time. But I am being reminded over and over again about the great need to set yourself apart occasionally and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you and to catch your breath. Several today have said that I look rested. I don't know if that's entirely true because I really didn't get all that much extra sleep. I did step back from life for a moment and allowed the body and mind to catch up.

Thank you for the opportunity. Thank you for your continued prayers over the past few months. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. Thank you most of all for your presence day by day, Wednesday by Wednesday and Sunday by Sunday. I pray that we will all be able to listen to the Holy Spirit and allow Him to help us catch our breath in the midst of life. After all, isn’t that what our Lord taught us from the beginning?

May 26, 2010
It is the season to grow things. Spring has sprung and in Temple, TX, I think summer is already here. I have done my duty for spring planting. The plants are properly potted. Now comes the hard part; keeping them alive.

For the past few years Jan has asked that her Mother's Day present be some pots of flowers. The girls and I have complied with her request. We have made the annual trips to Home Depot or Cen-Tex Nursery to buy some things that might have a chance at growing in our yard. Herein is the challenge. With 23 trees on our lot, the only thing that normally grows is green. There are different shades of green, but it’s still green. We did manage the last couple of years to buy some caladiums that were red, but the vast plethora of color that I had in Plano is not possible in shady Temple. This year I decided to do something different. I planted some pots and put them on the driveway out front. Now comes the hard part; keeping them alive.

The hard part is keeping them alive in the heat. I know it takes water. But there's one more commodity that seems to be rarer than water in the desert. Time. While we have the water, it takes a little bit of time to water them and therein is the challenge. With our schedule, watering sometimes gets left out right about this time of the year. The girls are trying to finish school, Jan's hanging on till the end, and I am trying to keep the music office rolling as well as the house together. Sometimes something gets dropped. And its normally the watering of the plants that's the first to go.

So the question is this: when time is of the essence, what's the first thing to go in your life? Watering the plants? Or maybe watering the soul? Both are needed. Both are required. Without the life giving flow of water in our lives, we tend to shrivel up a little and sometimes just plain choke. Make time to water your soul. It's important. And while you're at it, give a little water to your potted plants. They need it too.

With watering can in hand...

PS: I did water this morning. They're looking better already.

May 19, 2010
There are ebbs and flows in life. We are seeing ebbs and flows in our ministry and in our church. Sometimes the flow is slow, sometime is seems to overtake us. God is at work and we will not be swept out in the current! We serve a great God. I want to update you on several items within the ebb and flow.

• Moving back home - We are coming back home, into our own facility. In the future we might outgrow the room, but for now, it is home. What a glorious feeling it is to be home and to be able to set up and structure what we need for how we need it. As I have said before, First Methodist has been a great host and stepped up to help us in our time of need. They continue to be most gracious. But it isn't home. And who would have thought that we would be excited to be back into Building D? In the next couple of weeks we will continue to help furnish our meeting room with the items that we need to do what we do each week. Thank you for your continued support, encouragement, and flexibility over the past few months. We have not been swept out in the current!
• July 4th Concert - Plans are being finalized and music has been ordered for our concert and event on July 4th. The choirs of First Baptist and First Methodist will be joining together for a concert at 5:00PM in the Methodist Sanctuary. We will follow that with a dinner, provided by FBCT, for all who attend, of hamburgers and hot dogs and the fixings that go with it. It will be a festive affair. Besides that, the music will be great. And one more added bonus: there will be a special appearance of the Sprinkle & Dunk Men's choir. What fun it will be!
• My Ukraine Mission Trip - Many have asked about this trip since it was cancelled because of the volcano. The trip is being rescheduled for October 17-30. I received a copy of some pictures of the people that are in Ukraine that are waiting for us to come and sing. There is an added expectancy because of the cancellation and the people of Ukraine are working hard for our arrival in the fall. Please continue to pray for the trip. One addition will be the Singing Men of Ukraine. This group was put together to fill in for one of our cancelled concerts. We are anticipating them singing with us in Kiev for a concert. What a treat that will be! If you are interested in going on this trip with us, there is room available. Let me know.

We are not overcome. We are overcomers with the help of Christ in our lives. What you do each week is a blessing to many and God is working through you. It is a privilege to serve you and lead others to the throne!

Looking forward to Sunday,

May 12, 2010
I am a lottery watcher. I'm not a player, just a watcher. And so it was with interest over the past several weeks that I watched the state lotto climb to $224 million. I thought about how many weeks it had taken to get to that point. I thought about all those folks who play it week by week and spend many dollars on the chance to win it big. I thought about my friends who say that they only play when it gets over a certain amount. It might be $100 million or $150; it's that idea that I won't play all the time, just when it gets really big.

I remember when the lottery began. I was commuting to Dallas from Arlington everyday. Right at the beginning of I-30 was the big billboard that showed the status and amount of the lottery. From that point on my commute home was normally about 30 minutes (on a good day). From that point on I could fill the travel time home thinking of all the ways that I could spend X amount of money. It was amazing what I thought of doing. Thus began the habit of dreaming of winning the lottery.

Let me say at this point I have never played. Though I have won on 2 tickets, I have never bought a ticket in my life. (The two winners were given actually to the girls when they were 3 months old. So theoretically, I guess, I've still never won either.) But I've dreamed. And I've wondered. And, I have to say, I've wished before too.

And so it was with the recent $224 million winner, whoever that might be. I had just been thinking of all the things that I could do with that money. Granted, I still understood that I would only take home about half of it, but $112 million is still a sizable sum. But someone up and won it. The next time I passed the billboard it only read $12 million. $12 measly million! That's not even worth thinking what I would do with that money! I'd only have about six million! Sheesh!

And then it hit me. How much is enough? What must I have to be satisfied? $6 million? $24 million? $112 million? What I currently have? How much is enough? I have enough already. I am richer than most of the world's population. It is enough. And I am grateful to have what I have. I haven't thought about the lottery much in the past week. That's OK... I have enough.

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:4-6

And that's good enough for me.

May 5, 2010
This has been a busy day; a normal, mundane, busy day. Not much has happened, and so much has happened. The crisis of yesterday, or of three months ago, has passed. Today I live a pretty normal life tackling the things on my to-do list and adding more to them. It may not be the normal of four months ago, but it's the normal of today. And in that mundane-ness of living, I seem to have writer's block simply because nothing extraordinary has happened. And that, my friends, brings me to think about how I live and listen.

I believe God teaches us through the experiences of our lives. As disciples, we hopefully grow through those experiences. When we have the deep valleys and the high mountain tops, the learning curves are pretty steep. Through those moments we make strides and seem to be a little more attentive to what God might say. Those are prime times for growth and the older I get, I understand that some of those moments happen more frequently than I might care to have them.

But most of life is lived in the mundane tasks of everyday. Phone calls to return, grass to mow, letters to write, and plans to coordinate. There's the dinner to cook, and oh yes, I forgot something so we have to go the store. Sometimes I go to the bank, but not too often. I have to let out the dog and brush the dog before she comes back into the house. There's an abundance of meetings that sometimes fare a little too closely to the mundane than most of us would care to admit. And then it's time to crawl in bed and begin it all over again the next day. Yes, most of life is lived in the mundane.

The question that comes to me today is how do we listen and seek God in the midst of the mundane? How do we cling to the vital life giving flow that helps us through the valleys and mountains in the midst of just the normal stuff of life and let it make a difference in our lives? I think it's simply acknowledging that God is present in the normalcy of our lives and cares deeply about us. He will speak in the average day as well as the crisis. Sometimes He doesn't speak at all. Most times, however, it comes down to us and our capacity to listen. Are we dulled by the normalcy of the day to the voice of the great God of the heavens? Do we fill our lives with the to-do list and simply forget that the God of the universe still wants time with us? That, my friends, is the challenge of today.

Seeking His face even in the mundane.

April 28, 2010
Rachel and Kylie are in the last weeks of their freshman year at Temple High School. This means that it is time for the wildflower project in Biology. All of you who have had children go through this period know exactly what I mean. It's the frantic search for the blooming wildflower along the roadside.  Over the past three weeks we have been gathering flowers from all sorts of places. It is the time of season for wildflowers and we have been on the hunt! I am most grateful to Becky Montgomery for allowing the girls to come and hunt flowers in her fields. We have managed to find so many. We had to make a trip out there Monday evening just to gather some more foxgloves. It seems that the ones that we had became moldy.

I was first alerted to the project when I came home one afternoon to find paper towels spread all over our kitchen counter and center island. It also seemed that we had every large book in the house stacked on top of the paper towels. Remember, in our house we always have two of everything. And each girl had to have 15 different kinds of flowers. Yes, that means 30 full flowers sitting throughout the kitchen between paper towels with large books on them. And I was going to cook dinner!

Over the past couple of weeks we had to gather additional flowers. Rachel and Kylie have found out that you have to change the paper towels often so they don't get moldy. Sad days have been when they find brown and green mold on the flowers because of their neglect. And that meant another trip to the field. I can say, however, that the time to turn it in is nearing and I think we're going to make it.

The flowers are beautiful when blooming. In the sun they are radiant with color and very fragrant. It doesn't take long once you pick them, though, for them to begin to wilt and wither. God's Word speaks to all this... yes, even to a high school project.

"As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children - with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts."  Psalm 103:15-18

I am thankful for the beauty of the flowers and even for the project that has made us stop and look at our surroundings. I am thankful that it serves as a reminder of God's love to me and to us all. I am also thankful for a new season, for the reminder that God makes everything new.

Smelling the flowers along the way...

April 14, 2010
After 3 years of planning, the time has finally arrived. For the past several days I have been receiving last minute updates with lists of things to pack, which bus to be on and at what time, and how the minute by minute travel will happen. Or maybe that's hour by hour; and it's certainly just a plan! The last minute things to remember and keep up with for a two week overseas trip can be overwhelming. That's just the way it goes, I guess. If it wasn't for the prayer that has been offered for so many months, I'm not sure if it would get done at this stage. It's a little late to be cramming that into the plan. But I know that there have been many prayers going into this trip and God has been opening doors in amazing ways.

Sunday afternoon I will be leaving from Dallas on my way to the other side of the world. I am going to use the gifts that God has given me to make a difference and encourage the people of Ukraine. I will sing for I cannot be silent; I will sing for the One who has given us a song. And I am expecting great things to happen because God has gone before us through the prayers of so many.

If you would like to keep up with our travels, you may do so through several ways. You may follow us through http://www.smonct.wordpress.com or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Singing-Men-of-North-Central-Texas/277060079703.  We are asking God to help us enlist 10,000 people who will join us in praying for this trip. You may sign up "officially" at www.smonct.org

Praying with you,
Gary

April 7, 2010

 

April 1, 2010
I came across this today from a blog I was reading. Though his original intent was about philanthropy, it moved to me to think about this week's events as I read it. Seth Godin writes:

Peter Singer is famous for posing a stunningly difficult question, paraphrased as, "if you are walking by a pond and you see a child drowning, do you save her? What if it means ruining a very fancy pair of Italian shoes?" Okay, if we assume the answer is yes, then why not spend the cost of those shoes to save 20 kids who are starving to death across town or the world? There's really no difference. Or by, extension, invest in research or development that solves a problem forever... The issues are proximity and attention.

My take is that most people would instantly save the kid, but given the choice, probably wouldn't take the road by the pond again any time soon. We like to avoid these situations, because these situations make us uncomfortable.

Avert your eyes.

The report tells you, I'm going to show you a video of the meat you're going to eat for dinner being slaughtered. Avert your eyes. Or the fundraiser says I'm going to tell you about easily avoidable suffering in the developing world. Avert your eyes...

Avert your eyes. It is human nature to want to avoid uncomfortable situations. We make the best of them, smooth over the rough edges, tell ourselves it's not as painful as it seems. Over time, it becomes manageable. So it is with a fire and destruction, so it is with death.

This week we reflect on the death and resurrection of our Lord. Since we know the whole story, our tendency is to skim past the death and look directly at the resurrection. After all, it's not really a death, right? After all, Jesus is alive. But as we skim over the death all too quickly, we rob the resurrection of its true power and awe. In averting our eyes, we miss the true celebration that comes on Sunday.

I pray that this week each of you will not avert your eyes too quickly. Gaze upon the cross and remember the Lamb of Glory, who shed His blood for the remission of your sins. It will make Sunday all the more glorious.

March 10, 2010
Today I have spent most of my time standing on the parking lot of the church watching two big machines take apart Building A where our offices were housed. I felt like I was 7 again sitting on top of a dirt pile watching the big heavy movers build a road beside our house. I would sit for hours and watch this transpire, passing what seemed like never ending time as the machines did their work. I guess it's a little boy thing that I never grew out of. Then again, there were quite a few who have stood several hours with me. One word that kept being said was "mesmerizing."

It began early this morning with the huge jaws of the caterpillar gently pulling down the first facade of brick and mortar. I say gently because the operator did just that. With the ease of a gentle giant, the jaws reached out and pulled down the wall. And so it began. I have stood and watched each of our offices, while some were intact and others were not, dismantled. There have been moments of gentle movement and others that seemed brutal and harsh. The giant metal jaws seemed to break anything in its way, bending huge support beams in half and tossing metal like we would toss a small ball. Our moments have been filled with laughter, smiles, shouts of anguish, and some tears. Mostly we have stood in silence. Though it's been a sad day, I am ready for it to go away.

Several things came to me as I stood and watched. As in my fashion, here are a few things I've been reminded as I've stood on the parking lot today:

1. It's much easier to destroy something than it is to build it. What took years to build seems to only take a matter of moments to tear it down. As it goes with buildings, so it goes with our lives. In the blink of an eye, with a split second decision that goes the wrong way; our lives can be changed forever.
2. Stuff is stuff; don't hold it too tightly. It's just stuff. And I'll get more stuff in the future. (It might even be better stuff, who knows?)
3. Nothing can destroy memories. While my stuff is gone, my memories are still very much a part of me.
4. Everything comes to an end sometime. It's just a matter of time. We're all just dust.
5. Only what we do for God will last; I cling to that today.
6. There is a time to grieve and a time to move on. My friend reminded me several weeks ago to shed my tears and then get up and move on. It's time to move on. Only by God's grace am I able to do this.
7. I still have those tendencies of youth! Yippee! Case in point, I've stood in the parking lot most of the day and just watched. Just like I did when I was 7.

I am ready for the building to go away. I'm not in denial, just ready to move on. Some of you might not be there and some of you have been ready for weeks. We are all along the journey together. Sharing it together makes us be sensitive to where we all are. This is the latest chapter. We are writing it as we go. What will the next chapter for you be?

Looking to the future from the top of the dirt pile...