Drunken Chuckers and Pheasant Under Grass

Every age comes with a certain set of realizations. When I was in my twenties I realized that I could no longer excuse my bad behavior on immaturity or youth. This occurred to me when the policeman addressed me as sir late one night. (No, I will not elaborate.) In my thirties I became a father and could no longer be as spontaneous as in my twenties. In my forties I realized that people were actually looking to me to be an example. Before then I was always looking toward others more experienced and wise to set my course for me. Now, people were asking me for direction and wisdom. Then just three months ago the big 5-OH hit. Those of you who regularly read my blog remember as I barely got through that life event. So, what have I realized since turning 50? I have come to realize that I no longer can begin my sentences with "Someday...".

Someday is today. I have said since Marilyn and I had children that I wanted to spend more time outdoors. I spent the better part of my childhood in the woods or on the water. Just a few months ago I realized that my ministry at Dallas Bay had almost completely confined me to the great indoors. So, just two months ago I went hunting for the first time since I was a teenager. I had to borrow my Dad's gun. Marty Thompson, associate pastor here at Dallas Bay, and I went into the mountains of North Georgia to pheasant hunt. They added the opportunity to hunt chucker too. Chucker is a bird just slightly smaller than a pheasant and larger than a quail. While the adventure did take place outdoors, it lacked a little in authenticity. Marty and I waited at the lodge in the morning while six pheasants were carried by four-wheeler in their cage from the safe confines of their barn to the field we were about to hunt. You see the plan is to get you to the field just after the birds have been "planted" and just before the thought occurs to them to fly off. Even worse, in the afternoon, the chucker were also placed in the field. This time we arrived a little early and saw the guy on the four-wheeler planting the birds in the field. He carried them in a bag and just before he set them on the ground he would twirl the bag around the get the chuckers drunk. When he sat them down their heads were spinning so badly they couldn't walk away much less fly. I felt like a city dude at a horse ranch having to be led around on my pony by a real cowboy. Needless to say I had paid my money and I shot every drunken bird I could find. I had to take my frustration out on somebody and it was illegal in North Georgia to shoot at Marty or the man with the dog.

So last week Marty and I went hunting again. This time it was in South Carolina for wild pigs and turkey. This time it was legit. No one spun the pig around in a bag before we got to the stand. (Too bad really. That would have been worth whatever it cost.) The turkeys were not carried to the field and gingerly placed in a pre-arranged roost either. These were true too life wild turkeys that were not obligated to make an appearance. Hearing one of these magnificent creatures "gobble" in response to a call was fascinating. While after two days of hunting killed absolutely nothing I did salvage something, my pride. These animals were wild and they managed to outsmart me. That's OK with me. While I never fired a shot it was truly hunting. Something I will no longer have to say the I will do "someday". Don't wait until your fifty to do something you have longed to do. Get out there and do it. I've got more things I am going to do soon too. I will get back with about those. Have a great day and go out their and live life the way God intended, abundantly!
In His Shadow,
Ken

Easter Afterglow

Yesterday turned out to be a great day at DBBC. It was Easter and the atmosphere was electric. It was the kind of celebration that lifts your spirits and exhausts you at the same time. Thanks to everyone that participated in all 4 services. From volunteers in the parking lot, musicians, singers, sound and lighting techs to fellow staff members, everyone did their part to make it a great day. I have not heard the final results, but I met two people who personally accepted Christ as their savior. It was similar to what Jesus must have felt when the disciples returned after ministering in His name. "I saw Satan falling like a star from heaven." The devil was defeated as we celebrated the resurrection of our Lord.

Now, I am recuperating at Whitestone Country Inn. One reason I am here is to just rest, but I am also here to make rough outlines of messages for the next six months. While it is certainly not physically demanding it is one of the most spiritually draining things I do all year. I would appreciate all the prayers I can get. Pray that God will give me some insight into what He would have me to say to the people He is leading to DBBC. It is an awesome responsibility and sometimes it is almost more than I can bear on my own. Well it is back to the note pad and pen. Lift m up and I'll do the same for you.
In His Shadow,
Pastor Ken

Taking a Break From the Hamster Wheel

Just a quick note to give you some insight into my world. It's Monday morning and I made the mistake of looking at my date book. Ouch! My first open date is is in three weeks and three days. The energy level to just contemplate such a schedule is almost more than I have right now, much less actually doing it. It doesn't help that this week will culminate with 4 Sunday morning services beginning at around 7 a.m. I was reminded this weekend how it is easy to lose track of the important things in life when life becomes so hectic. This week my in-laws will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Marilyn and I are going to step off the hamster wheel we've been on for so long and take them to a nice restaurant. Are there more pressing things to be done? Will I lose ground for this busy week? The answer is yes to both of those questions, but sometimes we must separate the most pressing from the most important. Fifty years is quite an accomplishment in a day when more than half of marriages fail in the first few years. So we're going to take a break this evening. Easter will wait. Men's retreats will still be there when we return. There is no option between rusting out or burning out in my life. So while I still got some wick left I'm going to shine my light tonight on two people who deserve it most, Mr. and Mrs. John Elsea. Congratulations.
In His Shadow,
Pastor Ken

THe RAnt OF aN EleCtronicallY ChaLlenged Pastor

Does anyone else out there feel like the more simple I want my life to become the more complicated it gets. It started with PDA's. I had to have one. All my successful ministerial friends had them. So I discarded my out-of-date day planner and purchased this pocket sized whiz. I put the entire church data base, my appointments, important passwords, and dates on this marvel of modern business accessories. Then I found that if direct sun light hit the screen it became un-readable. So I became like a hermit crab ducking into every dark shelter I could find just to read my PDA. Not only was it ideally suited for the nocturnal travels of the undead it would also grow weak at the most in-opportune times. I know you are supposed to sync those things with your laptop, but in my line of work I don't always have time to stop by the office and drop this baby in its cradle long enough to sync up with my electronic day timer. So more often than not my PDA was DOA when I needed it most.

Then there's the lady's voice in my car. She dials my car phone numbers for me. Well she used to. I think I've ticked her off so badly that she is no longer speaking to me. It seems she's not from East Tennessee. Each time I call out a number for her to dial she repeats it and ask me to say "yes" or "no". She always manages to get at least one number incorrect. I know it's not me, I speak for a living for heaven's sake. I didn't know that these voices can become irritated, but I do now. She is so tired of me saying "no" I'm afraid next time she is going to take control of the car and run me into some ditch like an early 70's "B" budget sci-fi movie.

Which gets me to the reason I began this rant. The rant almost didn't occur at all. For all of you geeks out there I am sure you have solved this problem, but I couldn't remember my username and password to get on to my blog editor. The problem began when the editor forced me to take their newest edition which required a new password. Up until then all was right with the world. When I tried to use my old password it declared that was an infraction of their "blog-law". So I made a slight variation of the old username and password combination when it told me that they did not fit the criteria. Evidently now you have to use some combination of capital letters, small case letters, numbers, cuneiform and be no shorter than 8 characters and no more than two cuneiform capitals. AAAGGGHHH!

So excuse while I get my yellow notepad and began writing my notes for Sunday's sermon with a Bic "Gel Pen". Then I have to check my black canvas covered "Day Planner" for the rest of today's appointment. By the way, the PDA makes a great paperweight. Well I've got to go. The batteries on my wireless keyboard are going dead an; causin mE tA wr)t= fun!y.
PazTOr kEn

Keep the Shiny Side Up

I just said good bye to a friend for a second time this week. He was a local pastor and he's leaving for Hawaii. Not for vacation, but to continue his ministry as a pastor. His father has been the pastor of this church for the last 15 shiny years and because of health reasons he is having too retire. Ever wondered where someone who works in Hawaii goes to retire? Try East Tennessee. Ironic isn't it, where we live and leave as often as we can is where many others come to stay. But that's not my point. The point is that my friend had been at his church for several years and was some one I could pick up the phone and say, "Meet me for coffee. I've got some venting to do." He was the kind of guy who would listen. It's not that I did that very often, but it was in the back of my mind that I could. And sometimes that is enough.

Being a pastor is not as easy as some people would make you believe. I am almost always around my congregation. I'm not complaining because they are great people. But when I want to vent about a stubborn committee or pray for a wayward friend I can't share that with them. Everyone is connected with everyone else in one way or another. So pastors often turn to other pastors for friendship. Most of the time they are not even in the same denomination for the same reason I mentioned above. All the pastors of one denomination are connected in one way or another. The last staff member we hired I was informed about it by a pastor from across the county. The thing was, I hadn't even offered the guy the position yet. Plus, I am branded by some of my own denomination as a rebel. And you know I probably am. So if they were to have a coffee with me they would be guilty by association and I wouldn't want that.

So where do others go who need to vent? Some go to a bartender, but I'm a rebel not an idiot. Some people cuss. Naa, that's no good either. Cussing is for people with limited vocabularies. Some people with public speaking gigs take it out on their audience. If I were pushing mutual funds or time-shares I probably would release a red hot molten lava of frustration on my listeners. But, I am sharing the "good news" not the "I've got the blues." My task is way too important to steal God's time with those he's given me to teach. So I guess I'll do what I've done in the past. I strap on my helmet and ride. I ride on the bike until I clear my head and I pray. The cool thing is the Lord rides too. Well, I believe He would have if Harley's or Honda's had been around. For now I have to settle by knowing that He rides with me. And on the long rides He speaks peace into my being and calms my spirit. If you ride you know what I mean. If you don't, think about that one thing you can do that you can take the Lord along for the ride. Somewhere that there is no room left for anyone but Him. And when the pressure mounts, rather than spewing all over those you love, take a ride and talk to Jesus. Just remember, don't go too fast. He hasn't promised to be with you when you fly. Jesus said "Lo, I am with you always.." Matthew 28:20 Keep the shiny side up.
In His Shadow,
Pastor Ken

What's On My Shelf

Hello friends.
Thanks for checking in. I don't always have remarkable insights into life to share with you. I know some of you are finding that hard to believe. Others of you are not as shocked. Part of the time I'm reading others that inspire and challenge me. A lot of the things I write about are a result of my reading. So I thought I would occasionally share with you what is on my current reading list. I hear all the time, "Pastor, where do you come up with all the ideas for your sermons?" Well some of it comes from inspiration. No kidding, while I am praying or just meditating sometimes The Spirit will impress me with a topic. That was true with the recent series, "The Front Porch Family." Other times the topic will come to me from just listening to others. The others may be friends or it may be a suggestion from my creative worship team. (I am not suggesting members of the CWT are not friends just in case some of you are reading this.) Often topics will come from my personal Bible reading as something new will hit me that I haven't noticed before. Occasionally I will be impressed by the subject matter of another speaker's series. The recent "Life in the Fast Lane" series at Dallas Bay was initiated from seeing a series from Ed Young Jr. called "Life's Too Short." But most often I am influenced by what I am reading. I read three or four books at a time. That comes to 25 to 30 a year. I thought some of you might be interested in what is currently on my reading list. So here goes:

"The Next Generation Leader" by Andy Stanley
"Anchor Man" by Steve Farrar
"an Unstoppable Force" by Erwin McManus.

In addition I am reading in the Gospel of John and listening to some sermons by Johnny Hunt from Woodstock First baptist Church.
I want to encourage each of you to read people you agree with and those you do not agree with. Nothing helps you define what you believe than reading others who disagree. I want to challenge you to read books that aren't necessarily spiritual in nature. I recently finished the biography of Walt Disney and "Why We Want You To Be Rich" by Donald Trump and Robert Kyosaki. If you don't listen and read what those outside of the church are listening to and reading you will not be able to engage them in conversation so that you may share "the reason for the hope that you have within you."

I hope you will check some these books out. If you have suggestions for my reading list please drop me a line. I am always looking for my next book. Se ya around the throne.

Pastor Ken

BONE BOX IS FULL OF HOLES

OK, so I'm getting questions concerning the bones of Jesus. Evidently an award winning "documentarian" recently did a slick job of resurfacing some old archaeological findings in Jerusalem. It is interesting to note that stories like this seem to always surface somewhere just before Easter. Could this just be by chance or is their something more sinister in mind. Let me take a few moments, very few, to clear this all up.

One, this is not a new find. It was uncovered in Jerusalem around 1980. It has not made many headlines because even the discoverer did not think it was newsworthy.

Two, Jesus, if there were bones to be found, would not be in Jerusalem. He was from Galilee. He was born in Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth. His tomb, if there were one, would have been in his home town.

Three, the Bible tells us it wasn't His tomb anyway. It was a borrowed tomb that belonged to Joseph of Arimethea.

Four, why is this ossuary, bone box, considered genuine by all when the one found recently that said, "James, bother of Jesus, son of Joseph" was declared to be a fake. Could it be because the one supposedly containing the bones of Jesus would be harmful to Christianity and the other would not?

Five, the DNA is supposed to link these bones of Jesus with the rest of the family. Who took the original "control" DNA and where has it been kept until now? If we must rush to get the DNA samples from a former Playboy centerfold before they are unreliable how reliable would DNA 2,000 years old be.

I could list at least a dozen other reasons why this story should not cause any one's faith to be threatened, but I think these should suffice for now. The enemy will always try to discount the story of the resurrection or discredit His believers. He surely cannot dispute the existence of faithful followers of Christ around the world that have been changed because of the reality of the resurrection. So keep trying Satan. Remember, "without faith it is impossible to please God."

In His Shadow,
Pastor Ken