How do you get scripture from your mind into the normal flow of your life? I realize that most people who attend church will have some concept of divine truth. Most churches offer some type of Bible study program both on Sunday and throughout the week. You can walk through a Christian book store to find no end to studies related to scripture. But do we still fall short when it comes to applying what we learn into what we do? My view remains that we don't fall short in teaching the truth as much as we tend to miss the application. I know this is not terribly original in thought nor particularly profound. It does still consume much of my thinking as to how to correct this.

I could tell you that we talk much about God's love yet fail to fully express it. You might nod in agreement but already realize this. Perhaps we could write about how many of our congregations will site the call to mission without reaching out to those in need. You could see this yet still not be convinced. One could talk about various levels of conflict that occur far too often in our churches. You could recognize the pattern yet be waiting for someone else to make the first move. Stories can be told of believers who struggle with all manner of emotional or spiritual struggles on a daily basis. This might draw some sympathy but not really lead to any significant breakthrough. One thing is common denominator in our falling short in being the people of God. We may know the truth about our condition but not really long for change.

Spiritual maturity goes as far as our obedience takes us. God does speak to us even in our current condition. This really is not strange as He spoke often to those who listened for His voice in the scripture. Destinies changed forever because one person would dare to take God at His word. We may not see burning bushes or be blinded by great light but be sure He still speaks. God's word is as much alive today as it was thousands of years ago. Maybe you think of scripture as just telling us what all we cannot do in our life. Reality is quite the opposite of that. God speaks to let us know what all can be accomplished both on a daily basis as well as over a lifetime. Obedience brings that knowledge into present day awareness. We move past agreeing with God and into putting His truth into action.

One of our local parents who is a teacher has keen insight into obedience. Let me paraphrase it for you. Obedience is doing the right thing, at the right time and in the right way. All three of these items must be included for it to be true obedience. We must do the right thing according to God's truth. We already know that fact as a general rule. But we also must do it at the right time. Tomorrow is really not a good day to obey if we miss on it today. We also must do it in the right way. Putting the truth into practice is never meant to be a drudgery. Now we may go through some upheaval as God rearranges our heart and mind to obey. But the end result is divinely designed to be one of joy. The truth really can set you free. Just know that freedom comes with the price of obeying God. Pay that price and you will enjoy all of the blessing.

Bro. Trey

We did take a few days off from blogging. You may find this happen on occasion. It may even become more common as we move along. We restarted here during my diagnosis and treatment for cancer. It was a good way to communicate what was happening as we went through the journey. There are times when ideas come far easier than others. You already know this if you read here very often. So if we miss a day or two just don't give up. Odds are good that we are just waiting for more inspiration. There are other times during the week when life is more hectic than others. I promise to try to manage my time better to write if it matters along the way.

I can report that today went well as far as it seems. You never know in our congregation how any Sunday can turn out. A packed house didn't hurt matters this morning. It was good to have a day where attendance came up. Singing is also one of the things improving lately. I think it is because our students are scattering out to sit with adults. This is one of those ideas that came to me a few weeks ago. Rather than isolating our sitting arrangement by age it struck me as a good idea to have all of us mingle. Maybe this is helping us get to know each other. It may even serve us well as people sing as loud as those around them. My thanks go to the students for once again taking the lead in moving our church forward.

You also know that this is my night to map out my week. Some glow remains from the efforts of today. Tomorrow is a day for catching my breath before setting sail with the activities. Soon it will be time to start on the journey toward next Sunday with a study. Our topic today became about guidance. This was not what my plan was when beginning the preparation last week. You might say I lived with the message while doing the research. This is why study still motivates me after thirty years or so of doing it. You can never be sure where it will lead you. I prefer to read mystery thrillers to relax. Part of the challenge lies in the discover of who did what and why. Preparation for sermons is much like the mystery genre. You can start with one idea in mind yet end up somewhere else. Who knows where this week will lead me? Such is the adventure of being a Christ follower in these times.

Bro. Trey

Exercising is still an uphill climb for me. I have to remember that aging will take a toll on what few abilities remain. Losing an entire summer of workouts due to illness may be something past my attempts to overcome. This does not mean I will stop trying to get better. One of the qualities of getting older is accepting limits. But this does not mean those limits have the last word. Not everyone is created to be athletic. That is a statement in which I include myself. No one will ever mistake me for a competitive athlete. My goal is to just keep moving forward rather than backwards. So my plan is to keep plugging away in my efforts to be healthy.

My admiration level is very high for those men and woman who can truly get the most out of their bodies. Discipline is required to continue the process in even the most gifted athletes. If you ever read of the intentional efforts of great athletes you will be amazed at how far they push the limits. There are no champions who slacked off in the preparation time. Building a life takes time to build up all of the tools needed to be a success. You will have to push past limits you thought could not be broken. You will have to learn to move past pain in order to keep a focus on your goals. You will develop habits that are unique to your task. You won't have to think about actions as they become ingrained into your life. The person you are at the end of your quest will be far different than when you began.

Scripture speaks more than a few times about how discipline in our spiritual journey makes the difference in its outcome. There is more to being mature in our faith than waiting for God to overwhelm us with His presence. Don't get me wrong. Times like that are great but they are also infrequent. Jesus would tell His followers to daily be a disciple that becomes new. God works through our spiritual efforts to transform us into His image. Curbing our temper or our tongue may call for small, daily actions of faith until we become new people. Spending time daily with God is not for a select few super saints but is an invitation to all who know God. Remaining true to God even in difficult times will alter our heart and our mind in ways we cannot imagine. It's been said that the believer who is big in small things will never be a small believer. That is indeed a very true statement. It is also the path for those who want to be better at being a believer.

Bro. Trey

Our world seems to be in the midst of one revolution after the other. Who could imagine Egypt having such turmoil to the point of leadership change? It is fortunate that the regime change there happened without a large level of violence. Now we are watching Libya go through the same experience. Freedom there is taking a greater toll on the people with a large number of casualties. Other countries throughout that area are going through various stages of upheaval. Stability is hard to come by as people rise up to demand something different from their leaders. News cycles are far from boring or routine lately. One former Libyan leader now predicts the fall of that government in days or weeks. No one seems to know where all of this will lead.

You need to know that people of that region are very different than us in this country. I got to know some guys in college who were from Iran or the Palestinian area. A group of us all became friends with our differences. Remember that part of this time was during the Iranian hostage situation. Passion is one word to define their life. Their zeal was a remarkable thing to witness. This is one reason we can so seldom predict or understand behavior. Diplomats keep trying to arrange a brokered stability in a region flowing with powerful emotion. I am no expert but my faith in the efforts of our government to achieve much success is limited. This is true regardless of what party is directing our attempts to reach a peaceful conclusion. We tend to forget that this is an ancient world there. All of our modern technology cannot erase thousands of years of history.

I will share a question or theory with you. Maybe its just me being weird but it crosses my mind on occasion. We all watched the horrific damage of September 11 on our television sets. Time tends to dull our memories or feelings. Security measures are having a great effect in limiting another physical attack on our soil. But what if those who wish harm on our country found another way to damage us? Oil prices are shooting up on each passing day. Prices for other goods are also on the increase. Some if not much of this can be directly connected to all of the drama we see now on the news. Financial stress can lead to problems just as real as a literal attack. I do sometimes wonder if any of these uprisings are connected to those who would like to destroy us. Maybe there is no real cause and effect. But we may just keep watching to see how all of this touches our economic system.

Let me touch on one last issue related to all of this. You may wonder how these events will touch on prophecy related to the end times. My best answer is that I really have no clue at the moment what if any difference we will see. It is certainly possible we might be witnessing another step in the ultimate end game. It is also very true that none of this is remotely going to turn out as we predict. I will always hold that our source of hope is not going to be found in the news. Lots of change took place since the first big book on prophecy came out years ago. Most if not all of the things predicted did not come to pass. Russia broke apart during their own revolution. China is no longer a backward country but it now leads our global economy. Our times are not in the hands of cruel dictators or people hungry for freedom. This is no time to just guess at what the latest news may bring. It is also no time to fold our hands waiting for a divine rescue. We still live with the purpose of being God's people in His world. That lifestyle rooted in faith is still our best answer to anytime we find ourself experiencing.

Bro. Trey

Today was my two month check up with the cancer doctor. It was my first one since having my port removed back in December. Going back after a time does bring about interesting emotions. I can remember most of my walks through the parking lot during the diagnosis as well as treatment days. Just taking that stroll reminds me of so many feelings of that time. My weight just refuses to come down very much. All of my exercise took two pounds off my weight according to the scales. Getting into my jeans again may be my best hope. On one hand it is a good thing to see people who were gracious to me during my journey. But you can also recognize the worry expressed in the faces of those who sit in the waiting room. Oncology is becoming more and more a science of hope and healing. We just do not have all of the answers yet with new medicine or therapies. Not everyone receives good news along the way. This is one thing my doctor and I discuss often during my visits. We live in a world with more questions than answers. I talked about this over the weekend with my neighbors. Walking through the shadow of death due to cancer is something all too familiar to them. Behind our houses lie their daughter and a grandson. This horrible disease took two lives far too early with its usual cruelty. My story continues to go well but there is always the knowledge that not all stories end well. I am reminded of that when I return to the clinic. Relief is not the primary emotion as much as there comes a new sense of gratitude. I thanked my doctor again today for all of her efforts. She then thanked me for responding so well to treatment. Hugging her really is no option given the nature of doctor/patient relationships. But one can hope she knows my heart. Remission is the technical term for my current place in life. Odds are that not all cells are gone from lymphoma. My immune system now is in charge of controlling or eliminating any potential recurrence. I may go a day, a week, a month, a year or decades without a relapse. All of those issues now rest in the hands of God. My part seems to be in taking every day as a precious gift from Him. My next visit is in three months. We get to add a month now between checkups. The six month anniversary of my remission will be behind me then. I have little doubt that a flood of feelings will come my way again. My heart will hurt once more for those who still fight the good fight. My mind will try to wrap around cosmic meanings to disease or even death. I will be glad to see familiar faces while wishing them the very best. It is not that I am a particularly brave person by nature. But now there is a freedom to spend less time on the trivial while looking for what truly matters. I walk alone in that sense. Not everyone will share these new found values. But this is where I am by the grace of God. I am alive. And today that is enough.

Bro. Trey

Very few things can be better than being outside doing stuff in the yard. I got out again today to catch up on a few things missed yesterday. Sunshine sure does feel good after missing it for almost a year. All of my aches and pains met me upon waking up today. Odds are good that there will be even more in the morning. But it did indeed feel good to spend a little time this afternoon enjoying the weather. I still do not know how to measure a given Sunday. Thirty years of doing this offers no real insight for evaluation. Part of me is pleased with our efforts. Another part of me wonders if everything just went past the people and into the walls. There are nights when all one can do is be grateful for what was learned in the prior week. Maybe something stuck with someone but you have occasions when you are never sure.

Looks like the big news of the day will be the young man winning the Daytona 500 in only his second big time race. What always throws me is how today's race is the biggest of the year and it is also the very first race. Most sports save the big event for the very end but not this race. I actually used to watch more NASCAR while growing up years ago. Several of us had our favorite drivers. My racer was Richard Petty. I think he was my favorite just because of the paint job on his car. Racing was much different back then. It still had some of the old outlaw qualities running through it. One friend was a David Pearson guy. We probably debated on who was the best driver even back then. My memory says most of my arguments would be made up as my knowledge of mechanics and such is still minimal.

Told my daughter today that you watch the first 190 or so laps to see who wrecks. Then you watch the last ten to see who wins. A rookie won the race today. He just turned twenty years old. Many of the established drivers wrecked at various stages of the race. This kid just took his time while hanging around at the front. He held off other drivers through the last lap to win by a very short time. My bet is there are more than a few racing fanatics who cannot believe how it turned out. Their driver either crashed or fell way behind. You will see and hear about this turn of events for several days. Our winner tells an amazing story.

It became clear that this young guy is a believer. He spoke of doing mission work down in Mexico. He also talked about being in bible studies with other race drivers or workers. Other racers spoke highly of his character following the win. I cannot say whether or not God plays a role in the outcome of sporting events. Here is a debate with good points in either direction. I will say that there sure seem to be times when outcomes can lead to believers being pushed to the forefront. But it also seems foreign to think God makes only Christians win in sporting events. God does seem to be mysterious in some of His ways. What we can do is be glad when the good guys win. A believer gains a great platform to talk about their faith even in the athletic world. We can pray for maximum impact of the stories of winners or losers who keep their faith central in life. Then we can leave the results up to Him.

Bro. Trey

How about a rare Saturday night update. This will not take long but it seemed a good idea to write prior to finishing up for tomorrow. The last two days took some interesting twists along the way. You really do not realize how much of a rut can develop until life comes to nudge you from the comfort zone. We put my daughter's old car up for sale on Thursday night in a lot belonging to a church member. Someone had the bright idea of writing my cell phone number down on the for sale sign. So yesterday my phone rang off the hook most of the afternoon. The sale amount was not much but it would be enough to recover some of the costs. I finally sold it to a single mom in our area who needed a car. This is after talking to several different people along the way. I gave her a small discount just because I am weird that way. She told me that the saving would go toward diapers for her young child. This was my first encounter with selling a car even though there are relatives who do this for a living. At least we are able to take one vehicle off the insurance now.

Today was a day to spend outside doing yard work. You need to remember that much of last summer was my time for chemo treatments. My doctor suggested that it would be good to avoid being outside a great deal in the heat. So today it was my pleasure to trim some trees along with mowing up some of the leaves that fall during the winter. This is one of the few things given to me by my father. I actually like being outside doing stuff like that. My riding mower is either dead or in need of a serious operation. You forget the joy of push mowing when you are away from it for almost a year. Tomorrow should be fun with new aches and pains. But it is still worth it just for the time to be out in the sun.

Now we turn to putting the last touches on tomorrow's work. One thought crossed my mind today while trimming and mowing. Could it be that what God really wants is for us to just give our heart to Him? We place such a premium on being busy doing stuff for God but is that the primary purpose? We talk about being involved in doing religious activity but is that all there is to our spiritual journey? We even quote John 3:16 to describe His grace to us when we least deserve it. But can we forget or neglect what that verse tells us? God loves humanity with an incredible, everlasting love. How are we doing at loving Him back? Let's not allow busyness to disguise any barren places in our heart. Perhaps what our God looks for first is whether or not we are keeping our heart open to Him? It may not be easy but my thinking is that it is that simple.

Bro. Trey

We once lived in the great state of Louisiana. Our congregation was attempting a bit of a comeback after once being a very large gathering. Some things we tried went well. Some things we attempted failed gloriously. The secretary was a great lady who loved baseball as much as me. Her husband worked in the local newspaper which proved to be a huge help for us. One of the things we did was to use advertisements for various events or even special services. He assisted us in getting a little better rate on our purchases. I once decided to run some ads for a series of sermons. My topic was "If Jesus is our friend, then why do we feel lonely?" Our ad ran for a few days prior to the following Sunday. It struck a nerve apparently before we even got to talk about it.

My phone rang one day after the advertisements began to run. It was someone that I did not know or ever met. Their call to me was about the very thing we stated in the paper. They talked to me about an overwhelming sense of sadness born of being alone. It was not someone who was not a believer but said they were involved in a congregation. No name was ever given during our conversation. I cannot tell you if our visit changed anything. Perhaps this individual didn't even come to our service. But my best guess is they are not alone when it comes to relationships even among Christians. I know my mind wonders sometimes about how many are sitting in the pew while feeling completely alone. We still sing about Jesus as our friend but can we say that about our human fellowship?

We humans tend to fracture friendships without much thought as to the cost. Simple disagreements within the church far too often become lifelong grudges overflowing with bitterness. Cliques develop based on selfish motives rather than following the guidelines of scripture. How often have I entered into a building to lead a service only to realize that more than the middle aisle divides the membership? This will always be the source of my greatest sadness in my career. No amount of sermons or studies seems able to bridge the gap between angry believers. The amazing thing to me is how often either person will claim the biblical advantage in holding on to bitterness. People who talk about all of us being in heaven together will spend their time on earth keeping others at arms length. We do have a friend in Jesus. When will we ever let that relationship lead us into every other one that we have?

Bro. Trey

We can only be grateful for our recent weather. Winter passes by more and more with each day. Odds are good that trees and other stuff will soon be blooming out. The good part of this turn of events is that it's much easier to be outside. One of the few drawbacks is I keep going outside to jog/walk on the track. All I will say this evening is that my legs only hurt except for where they are numb. Not even Rocky Balboa in his last movies moves slower than I do. But you will find no complaining here as long as it feels warmer than last week. Texas does have a habit of going from winter to early summer without ever really having much spring. Such is the price you pay for not dealing with constant snow.

Let's return for a few minutes to consider the topic of dealing with friendship. I think it gets a bad rap because we fail to grasp how essential these relationships are in being fully human. Perhaps we think of friends as something disposable rather than important. Even the great people in scripture could grasp how others could play a huge role in spiritual maturity. Moses would lean on family and friends while leading the people through the wilderness. David will anchor his journeys to various friends both before and after becoming king. Surely some of those disciples would develop connection that lasted as they followed Jesus. Even our most favorite apostle Paul will build healthy friendships as he went from sinner to saint. People do matter as we become all God desires for us.

I delivered a sermon years ago in a land far, far away. It dealt with the issue of loneliness in the church experience. My own growth was taking me into lessons on dysfunctional relationships in family and friends. God was graciously leading me into truth so desperately needed in my pilgrimage of faith. Odds are good that the sermon itself was really not all that spectacular. My notes don't reflect that it was anywhere near a masterpiece. But at the time of our Baptist invitation there was a member of the choir who almost jumped down to me while in tears. His confession stunned me at that young age. What he told me is that his own feelings of being alone were getting the best of him. This was someone who was active in ministry as well as a gifted believer. What I heard through his sobs is that even those who we could never imagine as feeling alone may sense that pain the most.

We like to sing the song, "What a Friend We Have in Jesus." Yet it may very well be we cannot grasp the full meaning of its message. Someone recently told me that the reason for his changing churches has to do with friendship more than anything else. Churches place so much emphasis on performance, management and other issues that we forget basic human relating. I agree with the writer who said that original evangelism was about people involving friends and family in the Christian faith. Jesus is very much our friend. But how are we doing with everyone else?

Bro. Trey

The results came in on my first day back on the track yesterday. I progressed from general soreness to pain. No, it wasn't a bad pain but just what happens when you begin a new program. My mind tends to forget my age on occasion. The old saying goes, "don't write checks that your body can't keep." Feels like I am way overdrawn. Our weather is still far too pleasant to spend time inside on treadmills and such. My answer to the aches was to simply return today to the walking and jogging outside. Perhaps we will add new soreness to overtake today's discomfort. One of the benefits of doing cardio exercise outside is you can accomplish much more in far less time. It is true that today saw much more walking than jogging but everyone starts somewhere. This is a small price to pay for being able to fit in my clothes.

An old friend from college called me tonight. He just heard the news of my illness. His job is to be a military chaplain with the various branches of the Navy. Amazing is the word that comes to mind in thinking about where various classmates of mine ended up working in ministry. Some are not too far away in terms of geography. Some became missionaries as they work in other countries. We were all just wide eyed freshman at one time. My college was very small at the time of my study. I may have to relate some of those stories here after thinking through which ones aren't overly embarrassing. Most of that embarrassment would of course be my own. I do honestly hope that our classes are leaving a divine mark on our world. Life becomes much more blessed knowing some of these people who are seeing God do great things through their efforts.

Our world would be much different if we grasped the idea of friendship from a biblical perspective. I may not seem like the right one to comment on this but there are a few thoughts that cross my mind. It is easy for us to have many contacts but very few authentic friends. This is especially difficult in a job like mine. We ministers may know lots of people yet have very few who can be trusted. Some of the problems are of our own making. For example, my personality falls far short of being agreeable to relationships. Other ministers may develop a facade of openness while actually remaining quite shallow. But we are not the only people who wrestle with this concept.

You may know people who relate to others on the basis of contracts. This means the connection is actually based on what each can do for the other. When one falls short in those expectations then the relationship cools or even ends. There are also people who connect by convenience. Friendships based on this are often shallow with no real demands on another person. We settle for what is easy even if it just helps us avoid feeling lonely. Doing friendship by committment is hard work. But it is what Jesus models for us through His life. You may be rejected but you also commit to being there for another person. You may lose contact for a period of time but you never allow that to shake the promise. We are very much the result of those who are closest to us. Our relationship with God is always primary but human relationships will shape us for better or worse. Jesus shows this to His disciples. Who do we show it to?

Bro. Trey

Today was my first day to return to running on the school track. Just remember that we use the word running to mean a jog or trot. No one will ever mistake what I do as anything remotely close to those who can truly run. My legs are far too short to do much more than jog or trot. But it was still a good feeling to be back out in the sunshine. The weather was just too nice to stay inside peddling on machines. One can only hope the warmer temperatures remain for awhile even if it leads into the summer heat. Machines are a great help when the weather does not cooperate but it still seems artificial. Even if my athletic skill is lacking it still feels like a better workout when outside going round and round. The next question is how this old body will respond tomorrow. Just let me work up to moving at full speed and all should be well.

My daughter was accepted into the residential college on her upcoming college campus. I am once again a very proud dad. We refer to this school as "Hogwarts" from the Harry Potter books/movies. It is no typical dorm but more like a community within the school. Lots of demands are made of the students who reside there. Her dad only hopes that her expectations will be met and more as she goes through her education. My opinion is that parents should want more for their children than perhaps they received through life. Maybe this is wrong but it is my view. Part of raising kids seems to include helping them reach beyond their potential. This is my prayer since even before I became a father. Age only adds intensity to that desire.

We will continue looking at Isaiah this week. Very few prophets offer as much hope for renewal as this man. God speaks even in the worst of times to offer His very best. We just need to be sure that our heart is open to that blessing. One thing that will shut off God's best is when we fail to view our present condition through His eyes. I am convinced that far too people do not mind the idea of God but neither do they sense any need of Him. People are content to live civil if not moral lives without a grasp of the eternal. Isaiah says that these are people whose words speak of God but whose hearts are far from Him. You do not need to be absent from church stuff to be distant in this manner. We might be surprised how many are faithful attenders yet fail to open up to Him. We cannot do much without a healthy physical heart. Neither can we reach past where we are with a heart disconnected from Him.

Bro. Trey

Almost waited far too long to begin writing this evening. This was one of the days when Sunday is hectic. It really does not make it a bad day but just keeps you going until the end. I wrote on Thursday of my struggle pulling my study material together. My final decision was to keep working on it no matter how it turned out. Maybe there are times when the minister researches the scriptures for his own benefit. Today may be one of those occasions for me. I felt good about my efforts for the most part. Remember that being challenged is never a bad thing in healthy spiritual living.

Grammy awards were given out tonight. This is the music industry version of the Academy Awards. I may not be that old but it sure seems like there are some very odd folks singing these days. Just be sure that people once thought of Elvis as a strange dude fifty years ago. It was fun to see some of the different acts perform. I'm thinking that Mick Jagger must be over a hundred years old. He rocked the house with a soulful musical number. I think there are so many foreign chemicals in his system that he may live forever. Some of the musicians are people unfamiliar to me. There were indeed some that didn't do a thing for me. Some of the new artists were terrific in my limited opinion. I may seek out some of these singers to add to my mix of song.

May your week be just as great as our recent weather. Sunshine felt very odd on my face yesterday while out and about. Snow is melted away as we start the journey into spring. Time does move right along regardless of the season. Just avoid the trap of waiting for better days before you anticipate God's best. His best is available to you even on the worst of days. We can learn how to receive daily renewing in our faith. Few things are as encouraging as the discovery of staying current with God. He remains the constant in the chronology of life. Learn to keep a firm grasp on Him while moving through your days. Rest in His unfailing care. Look to Him for the direction of your existence. You may not be free of struggle but you will always know who has your back.

Bro. Trey

You would think that by Thursday night my work for Sunday would be further along. Let me go ahead and confess to struggling with the direction for sermon material. This does not mean all is lost with my efforts. One passage is challenging me in trying to focus on an idea. Times like this can really be almost fun. You know there is something in scripture to be said if you work long enough to locate it. Reminds me of reading a mystery novel in many ways. The clues are there in the book if you can just grab hold. We will know later tonight if this mystery gets solved. I know the answer is there but now my mind needs to find it.

I didn't have to judge the debate competition today. My thought is that's a very good thing for the students. We try to use our building for the community whenever possible. Baptists tend to view the building as a sacred monument. This is probably true in some regards as it is the place where we do church. But is it possible we place too much emphasis on where we gather more than what we do? Churches spring up even in the most harsh countries where no building is possible. People gather in homes or other sites to carry on the work of the Kingdom. A church structure is something to care about but not to drive our ministry. Even our Lord went far outside the confines of the usual gathering places to meet people where they live. I look forward to the next academic competition here in March.

The weekend approaches yet again. This is the first one in several months without football. Cowboys fans pretty much did without the sport for most of the year. Spring is soon to arrive no matter how cold is the weather. We will adjust once more to new patterns of living. We will work in our yard. Some will take their spring break trips. Heavy coats will hang out of sight in closets. Easter also comes very late this year. We go almost straight from that holiday into the ones which fill up in May. One can only hope we are ready for celebrating this miracle called the resurrection. Here is where God fills our hearts and minds in ways no building can contain. We are granted an eternal anchor for our faith. Hope is not for a better idea of for a better day. Hope is what God displays at Easter. So let us daily rejoice and be glad.

Bro. Trey

Forecasts missed on the snow event today. Our two to five inches of winter weather never happened. We did get rain but very little frozen stuff fell from the sky. Most of the schools in our area did go ahead with cancelling school or sending the kids home early. School here made it through the entire day. It did get cold but no problems were reported. People were calling the church all day to ask if services would be called off. My view is that people should use common sense. If you would not get out in the weather at night and go to the store then just stay at home without any guilt. Our students did have almost twenty show up for their gathering. We told them to just check with parents before heading out. No adults arrived but there was a lot of time for me to visit with our kids. Some nights that is accomplishment enough.

My daughter and I watched part of a new documentary on Ronald Reagan this evening. Perhaps you saw people celebrating his centennial birthday this past week. No new ground was broken in the material but it was still interesting. History records how our country did have a few presidents who were not up to the challenge. This is true for every political party since our nation began. We also know our first few presidents were remarkable men even if they did not agree. Reagan is one of the significant leaders of our country in my opinion. I am not saying that I agree with everything he did. My point is he came at just the right time in history. He shares that trait with Lincoln and FDR. Much of leadership is a matter of timing. You can have the right people in place but at the wrong time. You can even have the wrong people in office at the right time. Important leaders who create a legacy are able to blend those two factors together. Amazing things can happen in those moments.

Our building will host a school competition tomorrow. I may even be dragged into it as a judge. It is a debate contest between our school and one nearby. I spent time tonight catching up on the rules and such just in case. Maybe my services will not be needed. But if my service is required then that will just be one more odd thing to add to my resume. Small town ministers can be called on for many different things. I prayed once at the dedication of a historical marker. One time my job was announcing the homecoming court for a local school. There are advantages to being in a small town. Some of these will outweigh the drawbacks of such a setting. I was reared in a small town. Odds are good that my life will end in a small town. It's not where we are but what we do that determines how large our life really is.

Bro. Trey

We are again waiting on the arrival of yet another winter storm. Forecasters just do not know exactly when it will begin to unleash its torment upon us. Odds are that we will begin tomorrow with the usual winter rain that will become snow. I have a feeling that our school will dismiss early in order to return the kids to their homes prior to any frozen roads. Some of our local school systems are already cancelling or delaying the start of the work day. My town is in one of those areas where we just have to wait to see what happens. This much snow in my area of Texas is pretty rare. Temperatures normally average about sixty degrees during the day in early February. Highs in the mid thirties makes this a definite change from the norm. Snow or rain is actually a welcome thing now. Last summer was far too dry so precipitation will always be a plus.

This may be a good time for a fast health update. News in that area is not terribly exciting. Let me at least say that there are days now when my body feels better than ever. I just have to remember that my fiftieth birthday approaches in May. Most of my exercise is still aimed at losing the steroid weight from this summer. We don't have any scales so one can only guess how that is going. Cardio exercise is my main weapon to overcome the extra pounds. Some days I will spend sixty minutes doing various machines to increase the endurance. Seems to me that something should be working on the weight. It was either lose the extra baggage or purchase new clothes. Exercise is cheaper. There are still moments when chemo brain takes hold. Forgetfulness is a very real problem for some who suffer through the treatment. No one knows how long this problem will last but it may just be part of my journey now. My next doctor visit is upcoming in a few days. Maybe she will let me know how things are going.

Weather should cooperate with us this upcoming weekend. Our students are holding a fund raiser at Sunday lunch. I hope we see a large turnout for this event. My plan is to ask or encourage people to sit in different places during the meal. We tend to sit by age groups or with our favorite few people. One idea that crossed my mind is for our students and adults to mingle as they dine. Most students don't know very many adults. Our adults may not really know many students. Church is often referred to as a fellowship. But can you claim real fellowship if time isn't set aside to get acquainted with everyone?

Bro. Trey

Never ceases to amaze me how much better a fixed and cleaned computer works compared to when it is sick. You could say my computer was infected with sin before it was healed. I have no idea as to why or how it happens but it does. Viruses or other bugs are part of the risk of this modern age when it comes to technology. My thought is if someone is smart enough to make up things that damage a computer should they not be able to do helpful things as well? Another part of me knows that anyone who wants to hack my system will be terribly disappointed at what they find. My bank account really is nothing any sneaky individual would get excited about. But we live in an evil day where misguided people seem to want to wreck havoc more than help others.

I heard someone say years ago that repentance is the refusal to repeat past mistakes. This is what happens when my computer goes in for repairs. The old stuff that causes problems is eliminated. Experts know how to diagnose what is broken. Fixing a computer is way beyond my ability. I trust them to know what to do as well as how to do it. Next comes to process of getting all of the parts that were broken to work again. Some issues are taken out of the computer. There are always new things to replace the old or add to its protection. Each step is done to make the device reach its full potential. Odds are good that this is never a one time deal. The more you use your computer will lead to possible problems down the road. One way to avoid breaking one is just to never use it in the first place.

Repentance is a requirement in growing a healthy life. You cannot just roam through this journey without getting some bugs along the way. Avoiding anything that may be risky will not keep you from becoming damaged. That action can be the worst damage of all. We tend to fear the process of divine repair as always being painful. Reality says that not being renewed is far more painful than repenting. You will come far closer to God's heart during such a time than you will ever reach by doing nothing. Love is how God operates during our renewing times. The guys who worked on my computer probably felt nothing but technical stuff. God expresses His entire heart to us when we allow Him to do just that. Not only does the bad stuff of our life get thrown out but we regain our divine awareness of His mercy. That is always worth letting the bugs of our life be eliminated.

Bro. Trey

We enjoyed a full house this morning here at the church. Our students came back to finish up the weekend activities. Perseverance is one word to describe their weekend. Snow almost derailed the start of their retreat but they came on out the very first night. I got the pleasure of baptizing four of those students this morning. The water was very cold as the heater failed to do its part. Felt like my toes went numb after a few minutes in the water. Frigid feet are a small price to pay on a great day. Pretty sure that enduring some discomfort would be worth enjoying occasions like this one.

My thanks goes to all who played a part in making the Disciple Now experience such a success. Some of our people opened their homes so students could stay for the nights. My house ended up with five girls who are all juniors or seniors. They got to enjoy my son's video games as he allowed them to unwind with them after the sessions. He did a great job sharing with his sister's friends. Worship was a terrific time of gathering as they were led by young adults who guided them in their divine encounter. People gave their time to cook meals during the weekend. All of these people deserve recognition for a job well done.

I admit to being partial to student ministry. Seeing almost half of our church filled with young people always excites me. You cannot help but be grateful to God for blessing our efforts beyond our imagination. Sometimes people refer to students as the future of the church. My view is that they are the present and not just the future. We can all stand to learn a few things from our students in terms of our experience with God. Adults tend to have the thrill of being a believer knocked out of them on various levels. We can lose our enthusiasm from the daily grind that drains our emotions along with our spiritual heart. We can allow doing church stuff to wear us down until we forget our purpose in Christian living. We can become jaded from the hurts we accumulate in church and in life. We can all use a fresh touch of being in the midst of what God is doing in our world.

The week may be getting underway in very cold water but that does not mean it will be a bad one. Look to see what God is doing around you. Join with Him to touch the lives of others. Spend some quality time alone with Him this week. Our toes may be cold but perhaps our heart will get hot.

Bro Trey

Don't know if anyone noticed the absence of the blog this week. Maybe it won't cost me more than the handful who read it. The computer went crazy on Tuesday. I fought off taking it in for repairs as long as possible. It just went out of control Tuesday afternoon. The virus that remained hidden for so long just reared its ugly head. My daughter and her friends came to use it for a school test. She told me it had problems. I discovered that evening that there were much more than problems going on here. There was a saleslady staring at me upon starting the computer up. She had no clothes on anywhere. I am pretty sure she isn't selling anything that I wish to buy. So early the next day I made my way to town where much smarter people than me could do the diagnosis and repair. It all went back together this afternoon with no revealing women to be found.

My usual plan is to use my computer at home when something like this happens. But this week turned out far from usual. Anyone who stumbles on this site knows that our part of the world is in the midst of a deep freeze. Seems like its been about 27 years since we had a spell this cold for a long duration. We even received enough snow early this morning to cancel school for the day. Snow really does not bother me too much. Ice is what causes so many of the problems here in the South. But let's get back to the original point. This week ended up with more twists and turns than your average Hispanic soap opera. Just did not leave me as much time to write as normal.

We are hosting high school girls this weekend for our church student outing. Thursday became the day for cleaning the house. I will admit that we did a great job ridding the home of unwanted stuff. My trouble was with the phone ringing an odd amount that day. My list of things to do did all get done before the night was over. Now we return to the process of life the way it usually goes. All of that is to tell you how this week just didn't leave as much time for writing on any computer. I will get back to regular writing now for better or worse.

My hope is that our kids have a great weekend. There is a really good turnout so far even with the weather. Our student ministry is doing amazing things lately. Odds are good that even the students don't recognize how much they are growing. It's amazing how they do such great things without the trappings we adults suffer. They don't have committees but seem to move with God's purpose. They are able to experience God just fine with little thought about finances. They even seem to get along with each other no matter the differences among them. I envy how they do just fine in their relationship with God without the devices we adults seem to fret over. Yes, I know nothing is perfect but they inspire me. That is good enough for me on this snowy night.

Bro. Trey