We loved to hear sixth grade teacher Myrle Acton read to us from Miss Minerva and William Green Hill, as she did each day following lunch. But it was the moments following the reading that I enjoyed most. In those moments, she talked personally to us, just love-words from our gentle teacher. Among the things…
“Pitchers and Catchers report!” Baseball FANatics live for these words. It signals a new beginning when every team has a mathematical chance of being a champion. The past is forgiven, hope springs eternal. Even though baseball had not yet been invented, New Testament Christians understood the feeling. “Old things have passed away; behold all things…
“I’ll be in touch!” Ever hear that and then not hear from the person for days? I hear it all the time. At last count, I could be reached via three phone numbers, six E-mail addresses, three web sites, two post office mailing addresses, and Facebook. So, what’s the problem? Probably time management, hopefully not…
The Praying Pastors Project (www.prayingpastors.com) officially launched at the end of 2008 as a part of America’s National Prayer Committee. Their goal is to place a copy of “Giving Ourselves to Prayer” in the hands of every pastor in America, plus link them to a pastor’s web site. Of course, this is the eighty-chapter book…
Two weeks ago I asked in this Memo, “What Would Jesus Do with Facebook?” Among the most interesting replies were the following: • I’m curious as to how many people would actually add Jesus as a friend? • What would Jesus do? He would use it to publish his travel itinerary so people would know…
This is the week for a transition of power in Washington D.C. and for America. When the Bible exhorts us to “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving thanks . . . for all who are in authority” (2 Tim. 2:1-2) is means just that. There is no qualifying prerequisite that allows us to pray only if…
Where was God during the Haiti earthquake when thousands upon thousands of people were killed? First let me say that I totally reject the Pat Robertson theory, based on an undocumented rumor of a long-ago Haitian pact with the Devil and remind myself that this is the same man who blamed 9/11 on the sinful…
I have concluded (maybe “survived” would be a better word) my first week as a participant on Facebook, defined by Wikipedia as “a popular, free-access social networking website.” Founded by a sophomore at Harvard University in 2004, the website currently has more than 150 million active users worldwide. Of course, like most everything else these…
“Sixty percent of the time, that play always works” is the way one football coach described a play that failed and put his team behind in the score. Is that what I really heard? How many football games can one watch without going crazy? I’m not sure, but 34 bowl games, plus professional end-of-season and…
This week we will turn a page on our calendars. A new year will begin. Someone said an optimist stays up until midnight to greet the New Year. A pessimist stays up to be sure the old year departs. There are other differences between optimists and pessimists. Most churches have both in their membership. My…