Issues always slap us in the face. Some we say are not worth our time, while others we find well worth all of our energy. What is it in our lives that is worth living for? What is worth standing up even in the midst of ridicule? The answer that Jesus gave was you. He found you worth living for. He desires to give you life—life worth living. He desires to give you meaning to live for. He answers again, “You.” You are worth dying for. If, under any stretch of the imagination, you could accept it, He willingly died for you. Now, what will you do for Him?

I find that He is worth living for. And I find that He is worth dying for.

Since I'm new to blogging, and still learning, perhaps I'm not the best source for talking about change. But here it is. Some of you who have been reading will notice that there have been some minor changes to the look of the blog. I've signed on to the beta version of the Blogger-Google joint effort. It's made my own blogging easier and given me a little more freedom in how the page looks (I'm still a babe in arms when it comes to web technology). Hope you like the new look.

The point here is that change is not necessarily bad. It's not always good, but we ought not be afraid of it. One person has said that the only person who likes change is a wet baby. Have we been guilty of fighting change for some reason? I think that we ought to examine proposed changes--life, home, church--and see if there is merit. Don't disregard change just because it's different from what you know.

How do you feel about change? New things?

I like to read a good murder mystery. I like to watch a good “whodunit” on TV. I like to try to figure out the culprit before the detective does. Trying to follow the clues is fascinating.

Columbo has always been a favorite of mine, too. The formula with this TV show (as well as a few books based on the show) is to show the murder committed and then watch the Police Lieutenant unravel the wheres and why-fors of the case before your eyes.

Even so, I don’t like murder—the blatant, wholesale removal of life for the sake of removing that life. I guess the reason that I like shows like Columbo and books about murder mystery isn’t that they highlight the murder itself, but the bringing to justice of the bad guy. It is in our nature to hope for the murderer to be caught and dealt with properly by the authorities. Why? Because murder is wrong. There are no circumstances when murder would be right. That is why we are not to commit murder, but instead we must bring the murderer to justice in light of the law—the law of the land and the Law of the Book. It is not ours to become vigilantes, for that would turn us into murderers, but we ought to pray for our law enforcers as they deal with the heinousness of murder on an almost daily basis, we ought to cooperate with them when we are called on to do so. In this manner we help in bringing the murderer to justice.

Yesterday, we had a Christian Family Dedication at our church. This is the third of our children that has been dedicated in this manner--one in Texas, one in Mississippi, and now one in Illinois.

This is the first such dedication we have had since I came to serve at Mulberry Grove. It is also the first that I have had the privilege to conduct as pastor. It was very meaningful to me to conduct my first family dedication service as both pastor and father. Thanks to our associate pastor for his help in the service. Thanks to the church for their support of us and of all parents who desire to raise their children in a Christian home environment.

Here's a book that, if you enjoy good fiction, will turn your head. Two of America's top Christian fiction authors team up to provide twists, turns, suspense, and reading enjoyment. There are times when, as you read, you know you're reading Peretti, and other times that it is definitely the work of Dekker. Then there are moments that you lose yourself in the narrative to the point of no concern for the writer--you're too busy worrying over the characters' well-being.

At times House is predictable, but there are some twisting elements that make it worth your while. From each of the authors, I still think there is better work on the market. For Peretti, I'd choose The Oath, although Monster was a pretty good read. From Dekker, check out Thr3e--you'll never regret it.

Whatever you decide, decide to read a little for relaxation. Let your mind build the pictures and your imagination run wild.

I've never been opposed to the Cardinals. Although I can't say that I never really was a great Cardinal fan either. I lived in Cardinal country before and learned all about the wonders of the Redbirds. I learned that many of the greats in baseball were on the St. Louis Roster.

I guess that the only time that I don't root for the Cardinals now is when they are up against the beloved Astros from my younger years. If you want to root for the underdog, it's always good to choose a team that manages to snatch defeat from the hands of victory on a regular basis.

Last year I was highly disappointed to watch the Astros melt down in the World Series on their first trip out. I have much higher hopes for the Cards this year. If their last series in the play-offs is any indicator, we should be in for a great Series this year: seven games, good to the last drop, hard-hitting, edge-of-your-seat baseball. The last game in New York kept us guessing until the very bottom of the ninth. Letting the tying run on base, with the go-ahead at bat makes for nail-biting baseball action. Then leaving them standing (including the batter) lets us really rejoice.

For you Tiger fans out there, sorry, but here's what I'd like to see: St. Louis takes it in the sixth game--even better, in the Seventh with two games going ino extra innings (preferably 5 and 7). What do you think? I really just want a good show.

Anyone interested should try to get a copy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch from today (October 21, 2006), the cover wrap is great artwork.

About two weeks ago, my eyeglasses fell apart in my hand. They were my first bi-focal prescription and I had only had them a year. The frames broke apart without provocation of any kind. The nature of the break brought the diagnosis that the frames could not be fixed. At the place where I bought the glasses in the first place, they wanted to sell me new frams and mount the old lenses in them.

The decision: If I have to buy new frames, and it's time to have my eyes checked anyway, go to the eye doctor and have a new prescription (if necessary) filled.

The diagnosis: Your vision prescription hasn't changed much at all, but your reading bi-focal should be changed. We ordered new glasses.

I had been wearing my old (bi-focal-less) prescription and straining to read--books, newspapers, even the scriptures (in the pulpit no less). I had to re-do my sermon notes in giant print so as not to lose track of what I was saying and chase rabbits more than normal.

Yesterday I received a call: Your glasses are in. I no sooner placed the new spectacles on my nose than my eyes began to relax. I can read, I can see, and all without eye-strain. I am so thankful for new spectacles!

Having a new life around the house is challenging, exciting, draining, scary, and on and on and on and on. When our first child was born, we couldn’t be more excited. We went through the normal parent-things that included the worry over her weight loss and inability to poop—babies are supposed to eat, sleep, and poop, right? With doctor’s advice, we began working with the baby until she not only started gaining weight and pooping, she surpassed her percentile. Now our five year old is wearing 6/7 larges. She’s tall and thin, but seems to weigh a ton.

We developed an entirely different set of anxieties with the next—it was a boy. Boys are so different from girls. Not just physiologically, but in the way they think and respond. Anger levels are not simply a part of a crying fit, but they include fist swinging, and thrashing tantrums.

Now, new life graces our house again. We had forgotten how small they start, how fast they grow, and how important they are. We are quickly remembering the lost sleep, the late nights and early mornings that accompany diapers and feedings.

When they smile (whether they are five, three, or two months old), they bring out the fool in Daddy. When they talk or coo, they expose his pride. When they hurt, he runs to their aid, even if he doesn’t know what to do. They will always be my babies, even when they can do things for themselves. They will always aggravate, always manipulate, and always satisfy me because they are mine, part of me, my pride and joy.

As children of God, we must be aware that He will always love and care for us, even though we will aggravate, and sometimes try to manipulate Him in our desire to satisfy Him. We will always be His babies, and as He has proven time and again, He is always ready to be there for all our needs.

Whenever I think about extended family, the first picture jumping to mind is the Waltons. Three generations of one family living together under the roof of the rambling farmhouse--the third generation being a rambling number of children. When many of the children began their own families, instead of actually moving out, they built a cottage on the property. Some went into the family business, others branched out, and a few even got away from Walton's Mountain--if only to discover that they had strong apron strings pulling them back whenever they had a moment.

Then my mind's eye turns itself upon my own extended family, rife with preachers and teachers. As I look at my paternal tree, I discover that I am one of five pastors from four generations, with one cousin who has served (as I have) on the foreign mission field. From my mother's family--other missionaries appear, as well as teacher after teacher after teacher. I was also introduced at one point as an historic preacher when I delivered a sermon at Jonesboro (TX) Baptist Church--according to my uncle who was then pastor of the church, I was the fourth generation from our family to preach from the pulpit of that church. It is interesting to see where the branches of the family tree lead. Without looking deeply, I find two preachers, a missionary, five educators, moving outward to two church music leaders, a lay preacher, and three more teachers. There are educators from pre-kindergarten to the college level, and now a hospital chaplain.

Other interesting fruit borne upon the family tree that dropped me include army, navy, and air force veterans--a former marine as well.

Does your apple fall far from your tree?

This week I will be posting some words on family. Feel free to interact if you like.

What is a family? It is, at its basic unit, a father, a mother, and children, living life together as best they can. My pocket American Heritage Dictionary defines it this way: “1. Parents and their children. 2. A group of persons related by blood or marriage. 3. Lineage; ancestry. . . .”

Many today would say that family—in the traditional sense—is under attack. Be that as it may, here is what I see as my family – a group of people (5 now) united together by love and decision, caring for one another on a level beyond the superficial. While even my five-year-old daughter could not express it in these words, I think that she understands their meaning.

I also have extended family, which goes now beyond grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins to include my brothers, sister, their spouses and children, and my own parents. Not to mention my Mother- and Father-by-law, as well as my wife’s sister and all their relations. When I married, my immediate family moved to the extended side (unless they were already there by marriage themselves), and I was privileged to add a number of new relations who claim me because of my relationship to my wife.

Therefore, family must be a living and growing thing. In it we have times of joy, times of sorrow, times of ease and times of strain. There will be pain as we grow, either by birth or by marriage, and at the same time these additions will bring insurmountable joy. Within family we love, we rib, we aggravate, and even anger, but within family we find ourselves accepted in spite of ourselves.

What is family to you?

One of the most vivid vacation memories I have is when we went camping in the Smoky Mountains. What makes the memories so lasting is that we camped for a week in a pop-up trailer at a campground. Part of the time we went to Bible School while our parents were at the Southern Baptist Convention that year.

Most memorable was the shower locate just down the road from our campsite. Men's facilities were on onc side of the building, Ladies' on the other, with a dog-run in between. What made the shower so great was that the front was even with the trail leading to it, but the back had a four foot drop right off of the dog-run. This is a great place for six and seven year old boys. My brother and I (at the urging, I'm sure, of our older brother) would run down the path, through the dog-run, and soar out over the wilderness behind the building.

It was all fun and games until my younger brother tripped up at the last minute and landed head down instead of on his feet. The rock he hit was less than forgiving and Andy ended up with a head full of stitches. By the next day he was up and running again, but no more launching off the dog-run.

I think this was the same trip that we stopped at Santa Land and talked to Santa Claus (IN JUNE). He told my older brother that he looked like the bad little elf. He does have a list--and he reads it!

Any interesting vacations out there?

Vacations are great—if they’re really vacations. Many times we went on vacation trips that required coming home in order to get any rest. The point of a vacation is to have a rest. God designed us to need a rest. He expects us to take a rest. That’s why He instituted a day of rest.

Everybody needs a vacation once in a while. We need to step back from our workaday world and do something relaxing. One of the things that is designed to help us relax is spending time with the Lord. That’s why He took a day off from His work to show us how to rest.

How long has it been since you allowed your worship time to be restful? What makes it restful? Spending time with Jesus. Rest in Jesus today. It will be the best vacation you ever took.

Some years ago, the conversation turned to names. Since it was a bunch of guys talking, we certainly had to talk about girls. It was brought up that no one had ever known an ugly Jennifer, or Barbara, or Emily. We also took it upon ourselves to think what might be the name of the world's ugliest woman. The name that won the evening was Scabbatha Girch. Over the years we came up with an entire Girch extended family--all decidedly ugly by the sound of their pitiful names.

In much the same way, we who bear the name of Christ are the ones who help others determine what He looks like. Have our friends, family, and acquaintances determined that Christ is exclusivist, intolerant, judgmental? Have we turned Him into the Scabbatha Girch of the earth, or does his real beauty shine through inspite of our pettiness?

This is as good a time as any to explain the name of this blog as well as the publisher of my books to date. Loom & Wheel is actually me. I devised the name considering my background. My father, Thomas Potter, married my mother, Jane Weaver, and they started a family. When I decided to self-publish my first book, I wanted the name of the publisher (that is me) to reflect who I was/am. And so I asked, “What’s in a name?” or more specifically, “What’s in my name?” I decided to take the tools of my ancestors’ respective trades to symbolize who I am—thus the weaver’s Loom & the potter’s Wheel.

In the same realm (naming, that is), I hope that Loom & Wheel describes who I am. Both are tools of artisans who fashion useful and sometimes decorative objects for the household. My prayer is that I may be used as a tool on which to create useful and sometimes decorative works that will be acceptable for those around me.

What is in a name? More to come . . .

Before closing the discussion about idols, I thought I’d turn my soapbox on its end once more to address to areas of idolatry that are popular in our society today.

The first, I’ll call angel-olatry. This is the fascination that we have developed for the super-natural that has evidenced itself in a preoccupation with angels and angelic beings. Certainly, I do not deny the existence nor do I deny the activity of angels in our world today. However, today’s fascination with all things angel to the point that we exalt the angels over the One who made the angels is at issue here. The only angels who revel in our worship are those minions of Satan that bought into his lies about being as powerful as the Almighty.

So we elevate angels to the status of gods or demigods, creating for them a place “on my shoulder” so that we can have a little angel with us always, developing entire television programs extolling the power and majesty of angels. Even our stores are filled with miniature angel images for us to buy and place on our mantelpieces so that they can “watch over us” daily in our homes. I find it interesting in this day of angel worship, that one program ran its entire life (and now finds syndicated after-life) expressing the sentiment, “God loves you.” On the other hand, a new Saturday morning kids show which was developed as a video series teaching biblical values (those based on the Bible and using biblical stories and principles) has been required to change the tag-line from the shows end (“God made you special, and He loves you very much”) has been adapted to “Hope you come back to my house really soon” for the sake of keeping God’s name out of the ears of American children.

Aside from worshiping angels to the point of idolatry, historically the church has been plagued with another idolatry that keeps us from fully serving and worshiping God as we ought. This one I will call Bible-olatry. This is the worship of the written word above the One who spoke the word. This worship manifests itself in diverse ways:

• Some are afraid to lay their book on the ground for fear of contamination.
• Others are certain that a single translation of the Scripture is more sacred than any other.
• We make it a practice to revere the Bible by buying a large ornate copy to enshrine in our homes, and neglecting to read it.
• We are admonished to turn gently the pages of the Bible for they are holy.

The difficulty with all of these practices is that they ascribe to the book a holiness that should be reserved first for the Speaker of the word, and then for the content of the word, and not the physical copy of the book.

I grew up in a tradition that prides itself on being a “People of the Book.” I am proud of that heritage. I praise God that He saw fit to plant me into that kind of a lifestyle. At the same time, it is not the leather-bound copy of the Scriptures that I hold sacred. Instead it is the message within those bindings that points me to God and entices me to worship Him alone that is of importance in my spiritual life. Should I treat the book itself with a certain amount of respect? Of course! The more care I take of my copy of the Scriptures, the longer I will be able to read that copy and allow it to guide my steps—toward God. Does the translation I use to study matter? Without a doubt! Two things are of importance as I seek the translation which I use to read, study, and even preach from: (1) How accurate, judging from the best available scholarship, is this translation in reference to the original manuscripts? I believe that there is a reason that the actual original manuscripts of the books collected in our Bible are not available to us—it would turn into Bible-olatry in the first degree—people would begin to travel around the world to bow before the brittle pages preserved under glass and on display like a shrine. Instead we trust translation experts to rightly translate the best manuscripts for the purpose of studying the word of God in our own language. (2) How well can I understand what has been translated? Having studied and taught Shakespeare, I enjoy all the beauty of the English of that era. I also understand that language changes. English has changed noticeably even in my short life-span. I believe that the King James Authorized Version is a wonder to read, but a boulder to understand. Therefore, I urge you, dear reader, find the version of the Bible which speaks best to your heart, and read it. Read to find the Speaker of the word and not to elevate the word above the speaker.