Or, in the words of Dennis Swanberg, "Hug Yo' Mama!"

Our friends over at Missional Press (who recently brought us the great book Journeys by Wright and Duren) have decided to expand to general Christian publishing through the imprint MorFX Press. Read their announcement here, and stay tuned for the first title under this new label.

For those of Mexican descent among us, HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!

When I first found the blogosphere, I also found Fred's World. Fred is a teacher in Tampa, FL who has lots of interesting posts--including pictures and humor and everything that makes blogging entertaining. Just as I was getting my sea legs in the blog world Fred posted this announcement that he was leaving the sphere.

Well, now he's back after a little over a year, and his hair is gone, but his wit and wisdom are still there. Give him a click for a great read, and welcome back, my friend.

Plus, with the new "Blog List" feature in the sidebar (when it's working right) you can see when he's been updated.

Last night, the Blushing Bride and I sat down to enjoy this gem birthed out of British Comedy. I've always liked Bean, his nine year old trapped in a thirty-year-old body antics are consistently endearing. In my opinion, Bean is by far Rowan Atkinson's best character (although he did put in a sleeper of a performance in The Rat Race).

Mr. Bean's Holiday is good but not spectacular. The Bean character tends to get slow after about twenty minutes, so an hour and a half can drag at times. So on to the highlights--

Mr. Bean wins the raffle of a holiday trip to Cannes. Along the way he stumbles into an expensive (but grotesque) meal, a taxi ride to the opposite end of Paris, but with the help of his trusty compass walks across the city (in a straight line--through traffic), and all in his happily oblivious state.

Bean meets and befriends a young Russian boy, whose father is in Cannes to help judge the film festival, and an aspiring actress who doesn't understand how short her career is . . . until she meets Bean. And all Mr. Bean wants to do is get to the beach (losing his money and his passport along the way).

Especially entertaining to me was getting to hear the little boy speak in slow clear Russian -- I was kind of homesick for the former Soviet Union. The plot was okay, but slow-moving. There was plenty of entertainment for about twenty minutes of Bean-esque fun. Die-hard fans of Atkinson or Mr. Bean will want to get a copy of this, others will want to take a pass.

Twitter must be the newest thing in the blogosphere. For those who don't know, it's like an on-line minute-by-minute of your day. Art Rogers has an excellent post on the twittering that has become all the rage in the world of blogging.

Along with Art, I read several blogs via an rss reader, and I'd just as soon not know how many times and when you blew your nose last. Read Art's rant, you'll get the picture.

So, the other day I was talking with my Blushing Bride (who btw is recuperating from surgery on her wrist--torn ligaments, long story) and she said the bandage made her arm look like Popeye's. Since it was her birthday yesterday, and we go to the surgeon to get the bandage off and go to the next step (probably a cast) tomorrow, we "fixed" here bandaged arm.

I'm trying out a free new network of author websites, it's called AuthorTree and helps walk you through a process for listing your books. This is a great way for budding new authors to make use of the World Wide Web in getting the word out about your book. It looks like it will be great for guys like me who nobody knows, but we have a book or two five out there.

Click here to see my page at AuthorTree.

If you're a new writer or self-publisher, give them a try.

Thanks to Angie at Wordclay's blog.

Wordclay is now sponsoring their second writing contest. This time the prize goes for Short Stories.

Details are HERE.

It came in today's mail--my copy of Best Modern Voices: Words for the New Millennium, Volume 1. This is the Poetry Anthology made up of the top 100 finalists in the first Wordclay.com poetry contest. Recently, my mother told me that they got a copy last week. They rushed to open the package and searched through the book to find my one poem included. They found it on the last page. Some would be upset about being saved for last, but hey, the winner and runner-up got the first two spots (with judges' write-ups and everything). The rest of the finalists are buried throughout the book. Mine is the last voice that the reader will hear.

April is National Poetry Month, so why not order yours today? [from Amazon; from the publisher]

Uncle Jay not only explains the news, but does it with an immaculate vocabulary --

I really had trouble with the headline for this post--"I'm All Shook Up", "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On", or what?

Anyway, we were awakened at around 4:30 this morning by tremors from an earthquake centered about 100 miles away. The latest has the level at a 5.2 on the Richter Scale. (Originally it was registered as 5.4). Plus we just felt an after shock as I got started with this post.

It is a weird feeling for this boy to feel the whole world shake literally. I think that the hardest part has been on the Blushing Bride. She had surgery to repair a torn ligament (or tendon) in her wrist just the other day, and is having difficulty getting comfortable at all. Her response to the tremor--"that's an earthquake. I hate that, I just got to sleep good." You can't hear it, but there is real anger in her voice.

(I captured the picture from KMOV.com, Mulberry is located just off the upper lefthand side of the map, south and west of Decatur.)

Here's a video of one of the things that made my Easter Great!



Puddin' n' Pie was one of five we baptized that day, inaugurating our new baptistry pool.

Not long ago, I received a poster inviting our church to attend a "Revival" meeting at another church of our denomination not too far from where we're located. I think that it's great for churches to have these extended meetings to help people build their fervor for their Lord, and to offer Christ to those who might come. I even support doing it in my own church and inviting other churches to participate if they so wish. But here's the middle of the poster:


Now, normally this would not be a problem, but the statement, "If you're hungering to hear God's Word preached," suggests that my church members don't get that on a regular basis. No wonder people outside the church culture see us as arrogant and hateful. We don't watch what we say even to one another!

Last year I was working through the Chazown journal along with Craig Groeschel’s book by that name. Just after I started, encouraging you to get the book download the journal to help you in your study, the on-line .pdf version of the journal disappeared, with the link taking you to an advertisment to buy the book.

Now I’ve found a link to get the .pdf file again, so if you’re interested in looking for a good life-planning tool click right here for the download.

Enjoy the quiet. Settle in with a good read. And most all, wander 'round the stacks to just smell the books. Nothing is more satisfying.

As in most cases, I was reminded of things literary by reading Bill Crider's Pop Culture Magazine: It's National Library Week!

I will readily admit that when I first heard John Trent and Gary Smalley try to introduce this concept (whether it's original to them or not I don't know), I couldn't quite grasp it. Of course I was single and just drive a bus for a group going to their marriage conference in St. Louis at the time (it had to be twelve or so years ago).

Since I met my blushing bride, she has assured me that I have no problem speaking in vivid word pictures. The big problem is the pictures that my words draw are often not the ones hanging in the art gallery or even on the refrigerator door. No, the word pictures I use are most often the ones that elicit the response, "Dear!" (drip it with sarcasm).

One of my favorite word pictures comes in the form of a song I learned from a commercial many years ago. Click the link below to enjoy the commercial--this one's for you, Sweetie!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwc1GuHgF-0

The baby is talking. Sure, words like momma and dadda, bubba and water, have long been a part of her vocabulary. She knows yes, no, please and thank you, but at less than 20 months she's made her first coherent sentence.

A couple of nights ago, as we were preparing for family devotion time and everyone was getting seated on and around the couch, Little Bit walked up to me and said, "I wan' sit i' Daddy." So clear was the message that not only did I hear it, but her mother and sister also heard, "I want to sit with Daddy."

Am I proud, or what?

This past weekend, Charlton Heston passed away at the age of 84. The actor whose career was highlighted by a portrayal of Moses in The Ten Commandments, was also known as a vocal spokesman for the National Rifle Association.

Don't shave your sideburns, pastor
And let your hair grow,
too!
You'll look like Charlton Heston
If you do!

To the family of Mr. Heston, may God grant you peace during your time of loss.

In response to my friend and former English teacher's observation about adverbs, I give you . . .

Some of you noticed that I was lost in cyberspace for a few hours yesterday. Here's the scoop: I wanted to try out this new thing that blogger has called Blog List which is really cool (when you can get it to work). What it did for me was shut my blog down! Now I have to rebuild my blogroll and can't even get access to the Blog List feature that is in Blog in Draft. Maybe it'll be available soon;).

Until then, "Here where we need ya (Back here where we need ya) Yeah we tease him a lot cause we've got him on the spot, welcome back, Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back."

The following are excerpted from a newsletter shared with me by one of the members of the church I serve as pastor. The article was listed as "Things You'll Probably Never Hear in Church." Hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

• Hey! It's my turn to sit in the front pew this week.
• I was so enthralled, I never noticed your sermon went 40 minutes longer.
• I've decided to give our church the $500 a month I used to send to the TV evangelists.
• Forget the denominational minimum salary, let's pay our pastor so he can live like a king.
• Nothing inspires me and strengthens my commitment like our annual stewardship campaign!
  

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it." (Luke 22:7-8, ESV)

And the reading level is . . .

Movie Reviews

Movie Reviews

Movie Reviews

My baby brother just got a promotion. His boss is stepping down from department chair-ship in anticipation of retirement. So, effective at the end of this academic year, Andy will be Chairman of the Department of Mathematics at Hardin-Simmons University.

In a related note, his wife just passed the next level of nursing certification (adding alphabet soup--besideds just RN--after her name). Kudos all around.

Don't have enough time on your hands? Justin over at Wordclay has developed this list of sites that people half serious about the literary world should check out. I haven't checked the sites out yet, but if you beat me to it, leave a quick review in the comment section here.

Hope you changed your clocks. I got mine changed, but overslept because of the missing hour.

I usually don't rant and rave about things politic and hot-button issues here (my rants are usually along the lines of the grammatically incorrect sort), but this story caught my eye and my ear.

I first read about this and commented on a blog or two, then decided that I need to just sound out here. While I'm not a big proponent of homeschooling, neither am I the big enemy of homeschoolers--there was a time when we thought we might have no other choice than to teach our children at home when we were serving as missionaries. The thought that the state can usurp my parental position by telling me how to educate my children is just wrong on so many levels.

I've heard many homeschool supporters talk about "parental rights" but I think that it goes much deeper than that. I believe that the education of children is the responsibility of the parents. With that in mind, I believe it is the born duty of every person who has children to provide for them the best of educational opportunities at their disposal. For some, this means making sure that your child is enrolled in and in class at the local public school--with parents taking an active role in the day to day routine that is school. Other parents will find it necessary to find a reputable private school to place their children in. Even others may find that the very best education can be found at the knees of Mom and Dad at home. Whatever the case, it is each parent's responsibility to make sure that their child(ren) receives the best possible education.

Whoever said that the state knows better than I do how to do what is best for each of my children has gone daft in the head. And again, it is not my "right" to do what is best for my children but my responsibility. What is happening in California (unless higher courts understand it and reverse it) is nothing less than a bold attempt to remove parental influence altogether from young children.

After having read about this attrocity, I heard on radio a discussion of the same. If you would like to voice your opinion click this link and sign the petition to have the court's decision de-published. You needn't be a member of HSLDA to sign, nor a citizen of California (although Californians might have the biggest impact).

Finally, I would invite others to join in the comment section if you'd like to sound out on this issue--be aware that I try to keep a G-rating on this blog so be nice in your comments (whether you agree or disagree with me).

HT: Kevin Bussey, Marty Duren

While I've been working on sermons and prose over the last (many) years, I've held onto several poems that leaked out of my pen some twenty or more years ago. In some of my surfing, I ran across a poetry contest at Wordclay.com that seemed to scream, "Drag some of that old, stale stuff out and send it in!" The deadline was earlier this month, and I dusted off five likelies and submitted them. Judging was supposed to be completed by the 25th, and I hadn't received the notification of Grand prize (500 + perks) or Runner Up (250 + mini-perks), so I knew I didn't win. However, being a contestant of interest I checked the website to discover that my tribute to Garfield and Faye Moore, "I Remembered" was chosen as one of the 100 finalists.

So, what does this mean? I'll get a free book - the anthology made up of the poems of the finalists. The book (so says Wordclay) will be ready for publication sometime in March. I'll probably post again for interested readers when the book comes out.

Tuesday I had the daunting task of officiating a funeral for a stillborn baby. I'd rather do the funeral for the most heinous reprobate in the country--who had opportunity to make the choices that directed his path--than to try to provide comfort in a comfortless situation. The "why"s continue to come. As I was checking a few of my usual reads I was alerted to this post at Downshore Drift, blogging home of Alan Cross. Caelan has been fighting for his life nearly his entire two and one-half years.

Please click on the link and post a comment assuring Alan and Erika of your support. They are in a place right now that no parent of a small child wants to be.

You be the judge.

Dobson vows to give up his voice!

In a mass e-mailing sent through the mailing lists of Focus on the Family’s “Citizen Link” James Dobson reported that under certain circumstances he may not vote in the general election this November. Here are a couple of quotations from the email letter:

"I am deeply disappointed the Republican Party seems poised to select a nominee who did not support a Constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage, voted for embryonic stem-cell research to kill nascent human beings, opposed tax cuts that ended the marriage penalty, has little regard for freedom of speech, organized the Gang of 14 to preserve filibusters in judicial hearings, and has a legendary temper and often uses foul and obscene language.”

“I certainly can't vote for Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama based on their virulently anti-family policy positions. If these are the nominees in November, I simply will not cast a ballot for president for the first time in my life.”

His statements are in direct response to the likelihood of a John McCain nomination for the Republican party candidacy.

Here’s my take on the whole tirade:
Certainly, he has the right to avoid the polls if he so chooses. But by doing so, he is allowing everyone who does vote (and perhaps likes the candidates that he despises) make the decision for him. In simple terms he is forfeiting his voice in the election.
My personal view has always been, “If you don’t vote in the election, don’t complain about the outcome.” I stand by that.

Now something personal for the good doctor:

Don’t vote if you in all conscience can’t support anyone on the ballot, but if you don’t vote, please refrain from whining about the elected officials and how they are or are not acting.

I am not calling for America to censure Dr. Dobson, but for him to do a self-censure until he is ready to be a participant in the process.

One question still sticks in my mind: If McCain is such a bad seed, then why hasn’t Dobson led out in pushing a more family-friendly candidate—for any party?

What do you think?

Okay, guys, Valentine's Day is fast approaching. I know you haven't even thought about it, but I have. As a matter of fact, I started thinking about it several months ago and asking myself that all important question: "What do you get for your sweet wife when you don't know what to get?"

My answer this year is to finish and publish my first book of sermons -- just in time for Valentine's Day. Sure, I got some of the regular stuff that she's hinted or outright asked for, but I wanted this to be something special. Don't worry -- I gave her the book after it came in the mail today, but she'll be well provided for on the 14th.

If you're still wondering what to get for your blushing bride, why not leap on over to Loom & Wheel's page at Lulu.com and order up a copy yourself. You still have time to get a copy in before the day of love. Cover price says $7.50 plus shipping. Downloads are only $1.00 and don't require shipping, but then you don't get to wrap a book up with a pretty bow.

Like I said, it's a book of sermons about what church is (or should be). It won't be the definitive word--part of it may be wrong, but it's the thought that counts, right?

When I saw this quiz on Bill Crider's blog, I had to test myself. I guess trying to keep three blogs going should have been a clue.

70%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

For those of you who've been waiting with baited breath - here it is.

"The Twelve Days of Christmas" is possibly the most irritating of all the Christmas songs for the shear numbers of it. But it can also be fun. Watch this video:




[Thanks to Dawn at Because I Said So]

This Christmas, I'd like to give to you a special gift. Here is an excerpt from my first small book--Something Special at Leonard's Inn. This chapter was originally written to read as a retelling of the Christmas story before the gifting began. I hope you are blessed by the reading. Enjoy.



Leonard’s Inn

Leonard and Sarah were anxious about the taxing. Sure it would bring in extra business for the struggling inn, and how they needed the extra business. But along with all the extra business came the beggars, liars, and thieves. Bethlehem was filling up with more and more people claiming kinship to King David. Oh well, Leonard decided that he would make the best of the hectic situation.

“I’m telling you, Leonard, you should do just as your cousin Reuben is, out on Jerusalem Road,” Sarah was always giving advice. “ You will be able to weather the long dry spell to follow Caesar’s proclamation if you will simply double, or better yet triple, your prices.”

“We have been over this, Sarah. I will not stoop to gouging my kinsmen with unfair pricing,” Leonard was shaking his head in that fatherly way that Sarah had grown to love and to hate over the years of their marriage. “We will have plenty simply by sectioning off the common room for families and travelers. And they will all pay a fair price. No more; no less. You see how the inn has been filling up. We will be out of space before the night is over. The Lord will provide for the dry spells as they come.”


With the decree from Caesar Augustus, people from all over the Empire were flooding into the city of David to be registered and taxed according to their wealth, family size, and age. Leonard was almost prophetic in his prediction of space availability. He overheard the last two travelers saying that they were surprised that they were paying regular rates for the last two beds in town. Other hostellers were completely full although they had been charging two and three times the normal price for a mat on the floor. They had a friend that was paying seven times the going rate out on Jerusalem Road just to have a blanket strung up between his family and an old couple from Bethany. That Reuben, he is a shrewd one, Leonard smiled to himself, shaking his head in bewilderment.


He was just finishing the sign that said “No Room” when he saw them out the window. The young couple couldn’t have been married long. They were young. They young man appeared to be no more than twenty or twenty-two. He led a shabby-looking donkey that was carrying the youth’s wife who was “great with child.” Leonard’s heart went out to them. He could tell they were weary from traveling. He opened the door, the newly-painted sign hanging absently from his hand.

“Sir, I was going to see if you had any rooms left for my small family, but I see that you, too, have no space available,” the young man’s voice was tired and resigned, but he began to turn away to head on down the street.

“Wait! Young man, your wife cannot travel any farther in her condition. The streets are filled with thieves and robbers. The night is quickly approaching.” Leonard seemed to be beside himself, but for some reason he could not explain, he felt the need to help this young family. “Wait here just inside the door. I will see if there is not some space for you.”

Leaving the donkey tied to the post outside, the young man lifted his wife down and followed the inn keeper inside. With the door closed to the hustle and bustle of a city swelled to five times its size because of the registry, the poor family leaned heavily against the wall and one another as Leonard stepped to the back of the house. When he returned he found Sarah showing them out.
“ . . . I wish we could accommodate you, but as you can see, there just is no room. I am sure that Lemuel down the street—”

“Sarah!” Leonard’s voice fairly bellowed from the doorway that led to the animal stalls behind the inn. “You will not cast these poor travelers out while I am still in this household!” Taking his wife by the arm and pulling her aside, Leonard lowered his voice, but not the stern reproach it held, “On a night like this, you know that Lemuel will take even the cloak off of this poor man’s back. He might even confiscate the wretched animal they came in on. You can see that they are in no shape to travel further, and I have Daniel clearing a space out back. It is only a stable, but it will be out of the wind and away from the criminals who have made their way to our village to rob travelers of what is left after the likes of Reuben and Lemuel get finished.” To the young couple Leonard said, “My name is Leonard. You are welcome to a space in the stable out back to stay while you are here to register.”

“Thank you, Leonard. Yours is the first kindness we have seen since arriving in the town of my forefathers. My name is Joseph, and as you can see my wife, Mary, is near the time that she will give birth to the child,” the young man reached for his purse as he spoke.

“Put that away,” Leonard said, “what I offer is no more than a meager space in the stable with straw to make you comfortable. How can I charge money for the use of a barn stall?” Sarah glared after them as Leonard led the couple around to the stable behind the inn. Mary silently smiled her gratitude.


The noise in the street had started to subside when Sarah was called upon to help deliver the young woman, Mary’s, baby. As she was hard at work she noticed the two men, Leonard and the vagrant Joseph, standing to the side looking awkward. “You, father. Make yourself useful. Put fresh straw in the manger. It is not a grand cradle, but it will do for this night.” She turned her attention to her own husband, “And you, inn keeper who gives away lodging to any and all passers-by, go into our quarters. There are some soft cloths we can use to protect this new baby when he comes. Bring them to me, and be quick about it!”



Wrested from their wonderment at the birth of a child, the two men turned to the tasks assigned. When Leonard returned, Sarah was cleaning the young boy-child and getting him ready for the swaddles he had brought from the inn. The baby seemed to glow. Leonard knew that there was something different about this family. He knew that he had done something special that night.

I've set up a poll question at Mister Poll. Click on over and choose your favorite.

Here's the question: Who's your favorite Scrooge?

If you don't like all the choices--or have a better one, leave a comment in the here. The poll runs from 12/20-12/25 so hurry on over to vote.

Our second Angel Food distribution was successful (sorry no video this month). Here are the highlights:

• Twice as many orders.
• Cold weather.
• Notification that our delivery would be an hour later.
• The truck was late (so the delivery was actually two hours later).
• Snow (about one inch) on the ground when we started.
• Cold. Icy cold.
• Light mist falling while we were picking up our food.
• People waiting about an hour and one-half for us to get the food from Vandalia to our church and getting it sorted and ready for distribution. Everyone was nice and friendly about it.
• "Winter mix" taking over during the distribution itself.
• Cold. It was very cold.
• All food delivered without a hitch.
• And did I mention that it was cold?

On a side note, because the delivery was later, I had a chance to get out in the snow with my family (pictures to follow--after they come in, so don't look tomorrow). My blushing bride took up an entire roll of film of the progeny making snow angels, tossing snowballs, and just generally having fun in the inch of white stuff that covered the ground when we woke up this morning. The baby loved tromping around in the snow. Since we're supposed to get lots more before it stops in the middle of the night, we may be able to get a snow buddy out of it before we're through.

It's beginning to look a lot like . . .

[Thanks to David Kirk @ Frogtown]

John Smulo has started another meme. This time he wants to know about our favorite Christmas movies. I figure, this is right in my bag. Plus, in the spirit of giving, the rules don't require me to specifically target anyone who once was my friend, but lets only those who want to play along. Read the rules:

1. Write down your four favorite Christmas movies in descending order.
2. Tag the first ten people who respond in your comment section saying they want to particpate.
3. (Optional) Include a link to this post and encourage others to place a link to their completed meme in the comments section of this post so we can keep track of the meme.

So, here we go . . .

# 4. The Santa Claus(e) (I'm almost willing to put all three here, they're all great).

# 3. Scrooge (no, not the Bill Murray comedy Scrooged, but the musical with a sad performance by Albert Finney as the title character, still a great movie).

# 2. It's a Wonderful Life (I always feel like Christmas Season isn't really upon us until I've viewed this one.). And my . . .

# 1 all-time favorite Christmas movie is . . . White Christmas (can't watch it without a tear creeping into my eye at the end).

According to one article (101 videos at the link), these are the essential Christmas videos for a perfect holiday season:

1. It's a Wonderful Life (click to watch)
2. A Charlie Brown Christmas (click to watch)
3. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (click to watch)
4. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (click to watch)
5. Frosty the Snowman (click to watch)
6. A Christmas Story Movie (click to watch)

What do you think? Any favorites of your own? (maybe I should make a poll!)

[A great big ole seasonal tip o' the hat to Bill Crider]

I thought I'd try the poll option added to Blogger fun things to add. The first week-long poll was about Christmas songs. According to the results the one vote was for "Silent Night." I believe that somehow I hit a vote button, so even the one vote was invalid. For future notice, if you'd like to participate in polls--they'll be over in the side bar.

Happy Holidays everyone. (See, it's okay to say, "Happy Holidays!")