Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

On Monday, 12/21, I will be going back to Springdale to spend the holidays with Merilyn. We are going to get to have nearly two weeks together because of the kindness of my elders in Ennis. Adam is coming on the 23rd for a week. Of course, Sarah and Blake live in Springdale. Right now it looks like we are going to get to see nearly all of our family in Arkansas as well as having Adam home for Christmas. We are really looking forward to it!

Even though there have been struggles and difficulties throughout the year--and I am sure there will continue to be some in 2010!--God has been good to us and I am sure that He will continue to be good to us in 2010! We have a great family, great friends, great fellow Christians in the church family, we get to live in a great country, and all of our needs have been provided by the grace of God. There are always abundant blessings for which to be thankful, especially the spiritual blessings and promises of God.

This may be the last blog I do for 2009. If so, I wanted to be sure to give everyone my best wishes for the holiday season. Thanks for reading and be sure to come back after the first of the year!

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him." (Lamentations 3:22-24)

Perspective changer

Yesterday I had one of those experiences that make you stop to think about your life and help you to realize how good you have it. You might call it a perspective changer. One of the elders, Bob, the farm operator, came by my office just to say hello and visit a minute. I asked what he was doing since it is a bit unusual to see him in town...an 8,000 acre farm tends to keep him fairly busy. He said he was going around to visit widows and shut-ins and take them some new crop pecans. He had been out to one of the nursing homes to see our 98 year old lady member who recently went to the home for follow up care after a stay in the hospital. When I mentioned that I was planning to go out to see her, he asked me if I had ever heard of a man named Michael D. I had not. Bob said he was a member of the church from Bardwell and asked that I stop to see him when I went to the nursing home. Upon arrival at the home, I went to our lady's room. She was asleep so I did not disturb her. Then I went to find Mike. I found him lying in his bed, awake, just looking at the ceiling. My guess is that Mike is in his early to mid-50's. Bob had explained to me that Mike had a severe stroke several years ago, leaving him totally incapacitated. But his mind is still good and he is able to speak and to communicate with no apparent difficulty. He is a congenial fellow and I enjoyed a nice visit with him. He talked some about his stroke, which came upon him with no warning at all, and how it has left him in the state he is. Before I left we had a prayer together and he kind of choked up as he thanked me for coming to see him. As I was visiting with him and after I left, I could not help thinking about how it would be to be in his life situation. It made me stop and thank God that I have the ability to get up and walk and use the other motor skills of my body normally. Once again--as happens from time to time throughout the course of life--here is an experience that helps me to stop and be thankful for the multitude of blessings that I have rather than bemoaning my life situation and wishing that things were different.
All of us have struggles and difficulties as we go through our lives. It seems to be part of our human nature that we tend to focus on the negatives and allow them to dominate our hearts and minds. Instead, deliberately choose to focus on the positives and the blessings that you have. Be grateful to God. Strive to do your best in all that you do with the guidance of faith. Then you will find joy, peace, and contentment. Even in the midst of life's challenges and difficulties, God has blessed you...realize it, be faithful to Him, and be glad. Have a good day!

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God which passes all understanding will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:4-7

A plus for southern latitudes

There is at least one definite benefit to living in Ennis, Texas. Yesterday afternoon I was able to go out for my exercise after work wearing only shorts and a short sleeve shirt. It was absolutely gorgeous: blue sky, sunshine, very little breeze, 71 degrees...and on December 14! I have to admit that it is not going to stay that way very long. In fact, the temperature this morning is back down to freezing and it is supposed to be colder for the rest of the week, but it was surely nice yesterday. Merilyn tells me the low temperature was to be back down around 20 in northwest Arkansas last night. I suppose there are advantages and disadvantages no matter where you live. The best thing is for us to learn to be like the apostle Paul in the comments he makes as shown below. Have a great day today!

"Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. I can do all things in Him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:11-13

Road trip observations

I had the blessing of being able to go back to Springdale this past weekend to meet with my Thursday evening Bible study group(to which I always look forward and enjoy) and to spend some time with Merilyn, Sarah, and the Maltese babies, Chloe and Mollie. I always look forward to seeing my family and enjoy being together, even if it is just a short time. I didn't get to see Blake this time, but Sarah tells me he is doing well. Merilyn and Sarah are doing well. Merilyn seems to have worked through her back pain issue OK. I wish everyone could see those little Maltese dogs and how they act with each other. Chloe, Sarah's baby, is 3 years old and Mollie, Merilyn's baby, is just over 6 months old. When Sarah brings Chloe over for a visit, Mollie is just beside herself with excitement. She constantly picks at Chloe, trying to get her to play. Chloe does play with her quite a bit but Chloe like to stop and rest every once in a while. Mollie doesn't. Many times when we take them outside they will romp and run all over the front yard. Chloe used to be able to catch Mollie when they were running and push her somehow so Mollie would lose her feet and go tumbling through the grass. Chloe can't do that anymore because Mollie is just as fast as she is. It makes Chloe mad. In the house they will have what we call "Doggie Olympics" where they will rip and tear through the house chasing each other. The funniest thing is that they both have figured out where to stop and wait on the other so they can do an ambush. It's great fun to watch them.
Driving back and forth from Ennis to Springdale the past month or so has brought some interesting sights. Back around the first of November, I counted 5 deer that had been hit and killed. A few weeks ago, I count 7 coyotes dead on the freeway. On that same trip, I saw a black bear dead on the side of the road near the Bobby Hopper tunnel on I-540 in northwest Arkansas. On the trip this weekend, I saw what seemed to be dozens of red-tail hawks and other members of the raptor family of birds along the freeways. They are majestic looking as they sit in the trees and other structures on the side of the freeway. Unfortunately, I saw one or two that had swooped down in front of a vehicle and met their demise. It's always interesting to see all the sights while on a cross country drive. By the way, most of the time I see live deer and other animals, too.
We had an excellent day at church yesterday. Attendance and contributions continue to increase, slowly but surely. Everyone seems to have a loving, serving, joyful spirit. In the evening, we had a Christmas fellowship with great food, singing and I read a Christmas poem that one of the ladies requested. It was a wonderful day. I hope yours was good, too.

Although they are too long for me to put the quotations here, I would like to suggest some readings as we approach Christmas. Starting today and for the next week or so, I will give you a passage each day that I write so you can enjoy again the wonderful story of the Son of God coming to Earth to be born as Jesus. The passage for today is Luke 1:1-25. Enjoy the reading and have a great day!

Cold enough for ya?

The nice little Czech lady who cleans the church building was in the office area when I got to work this morning. After greeting one another and talking for a minute, she asked me, "How do you like our cold Texas weather?" I was honest and said, "I don't!" She laughed and said she did not like it either. It's mighty cold for this early in the season; it's not even officially winter yet! The lows in the Dallas area were in the low 20's but I know it was even colder up in the Springdale area. Merilyn told me that the low there was supposed to be around 10 last night...brrrr! At least we are not getting hammered with the heavy snow like the folks in the upper Midwest. I am surely thankful to God for our modern conveniences that enable us to be protected from the harsh extremes of the weather.
This is my weekend to go to Arkansas. I am sure looking forward to seeing family and friends. I'll leave as soon as I get things wrapped up here in the office and get my stuff together at the apartment so I'm going to make this brief today. Have a good weekend. God bless you!

Thinking more about Jesus

This past Sunday I began a 3-part series of sermons using Luke 2:8-14 as the central text. Although I do not believe that Jesus was born on December 25, there is no question that He was born on some day and that it is one of the two most significant events in the history of the world. The other event is His death, burial and resurrection. While people are thinking more about Jesus during this time of year, it seems logical to me to take advantage of that to talk more about His coming to live on Earth as a human being.
The fact of God coming to Earth to become a human being still boggles my mind when I stop to think about it. It seems to me that God could easily have figured out another way to provide for the salvation of mankind. But as John 3:16 and Romans 5:8 tell us, this is the way that God has demonstrated just how great His love is for us. As we move into the month of December, allow me to suggest some passages of Scripture for you to read. Begin with Luke chapters 1 and 2 because this passage tells of the angel Gabriel's visit to Zechariah who became the father of John the Baptist. As far as we know from the Bible, this is the first contact from God to man in over 400 years and began the events leading to the birth of Jesus. Then go to Matthew chapters 1 and 2 for additional information about the birth and other events of the first few years of Jesus' life. These are the only two passages which deal specifically with the things surrounding the birth of Jesus but here are some other passages which give some additional insights: John 1:1-18, Philippians 2:5-11, and Hebrews 1:1-9.
Thinking more about Jesus is a great thing to do at any time of the year. Perhaps that would be a good resolution to consider as we approach 2010: "To think more about Jesus." Take the time to read these passages of Scripture soon so you won't forget about doing it. It will probably take you 20-30 minutes to read the passages I have suggested. You will be blessed by the reading, but even more, your heart and mind will continue to reflect on the wonders of God coming to Earth to save your soul and you will receive greater blessings from that meditation. Enjoy your day!

"See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." (1 John 3:1)

Winter already?

I know the calendar does not say so yet, but it is sure feeling like old man winter has descended upon the southland of the U.S. Since last Thursday the high temperatures in the Ennis area have not gotten out of the 40's. One night the low temp was in the mid 20's and most other nights have been around freezing. From what Merilyn tells me, it's been quite a bit colder up in Springdale. Low temps have been in the teens already. Like one of the Dallas weather reporters said a few nights ago, this is the kind of weather that would usually be expected in January or February rather than in early December. It must be global warming, don't you think?
There was some amazing football action over the weekend and Sunday. In between doing my chores on Saturday--I clean up my apartment every two weeks whether it needs it or not--I got to watch parts of several games. The Pitt vs. Cincinnati game was a barn burner! It was almost unbelievable to see how Alabama manhandled Florida. Arizona put a whipping on Southern California. (When our family visited relatives in southern California back in the late 1990's, the husband on one of my cousins took us out sight-seeing. Adam and Sarah wanted to see the UCLA and USC campuses. When we went to USC, he said, "You know what USC stands for, don't you?" According to him it stands for University of Spoiled Children. Back to football.) The Texas vs. Nebraska game was a surprise. I thought Texas would dominate the game but Nebraska's defense nearly shut the Longhorns down. Texas was lucky to escape with the last second win. On the pro side, Indianapolis handled Tennessee without too much trouble, staying undefeated for the season. New Orleans almost got smacked down by the Redskins but they were able to rally for a last minute win, staying undefeated. One commentator said this is the first time in NFL history that two teams are undefeated at this point in the season. I was looking forward to the Minnesota vs. Arizona game last night but it was a little disappointing as Arizona was in control from start to finish. It seemed like Favre and the Vikings just could not get it going like they usually do. I will not charge you any extra this week for the football report.
We had good Bible study and worship times at church yesterday. Attendance is slowly but surely climbing. Our elder who takes care of finances reported that for the past two months we are meeting our weekly budget, which is the first time that has happened in quite a while. The members of the congregation are learning to be optimistic and enthusiastic again, enjoying the great blessings of being children of God and seeking to share that with others. I'm grateful for the opportunity to help in that process through my teaching and preaching.
Even though the weather may be gray and dreary, look up, see the Son, and be encouraged. Have a good day!

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

Each season...more testimony

We are not having any snow in the Dallas area this morning although it is plenty cold. I suppose it's really not that bad...only around 40 degrees...but the brisk north wind seems to cut right through you and bring the chill right down to your bones. The news and weather report last night showed scenes from El Paso where there was already an accumulation of 2" on the ground and more to come. Fortunately the ground and streets are still warm enough that the freezing precipitation was causing no driving difficulty. As I was watching the video of the snowfall it reminded me of this passage from Job 38:22-29 where God was challenging Job to consider the works of His creation:

Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war? What is the way to the place where the light is distributed, or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth? Who has cleft a channel for the torrents of rain, and a way for the thunderbolt, to bring rain on a land where no man is, on the desert in which there is no man, to satisfy the waste and desolate land, and to make the ground put forth grass? Has the rain a father, or who has begotten the drops of dew? From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the hoarfrost of heaven?

The evidence of the reality of God is around us all the time. It is as the apostle Paul writes for us in Romans 1:20, "Ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made." Even if you do not open your Bible every day, be sure to open your eyes every day to see the amazing creation of God that is around us all the time. Your faith can grow and be strengthened...even if it does make you shiver a little bit! Have a great day!

Brrrrr, it's cold!

This morning I found it especially hard to roll out of the bed. After I got up and looked at the thermostat, I understood why. It was 60 degrees in the apartment! During the night I had gotten cold and pulled up all the covers on the bed, which is unusual for me. I was all warm and snuggly in there so it was hard to roll out into the frigid apartment. The problem is that I have not yet learned how to properly set the thermostat. I'm going to have to learn quickly, though, because the weather reporter last night claimed that we could have snow flurries or a wintry mix by tomorrow and the low on Thursday is supposed to be in the upper 20's. But when I was in Arkansas last weekend their weather report was for several days of low temperatures in the lower 20's and I think I remember that the high temperature on Thursday is supposed to be below freezing in northwest Arkansas. All you who live up there be sure to bundle up!
Several folks have asked me recently about my hamstring injury. It is definitely doing better. I missed a couple of exercise sessions when we were traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday. That was probably not such a bad thing to have the extra rest. I got to go out yesterday afternoon to the Lion's Park here in Ennis. It was a beautiful afternoon; a little chilly so I wore my hooded sweat top but I was still able to go in shorts. The hamstring muscle is still just a little bit sore but there is no real pain. I will stick to jogging and fast walking for another 3-4 weeks to make sure it has time to heal properly before I start trying to work back into the sprinting segments. I've got to keep up the sprinting, though. Not long ago, I told the folks here at church about a piece I saw in Ripley's Believe It Or Not. It was about a fellow up north who set a world record for the 100 yard dash...his time was 43 seconds flat...but he was 100 years old! It is my plan to break his record so that's why I've got to keep up the training; it's only 44 years away!
Have a great day today!

A cheerful heart is a good medicine... (Proverbs 17:22)

Thanksgiving holiday 2009

I hope everyone had as good a Thanksgiving holiday as I had. My elders were very gracious in allowing me to go back to Springdale on Monday of last week so I could spend as much time as possible with Merilyn. It was great to have the extra time together and to be able to see Sarah and Blake more than I usually do. Adam stayed in College Station so he could attend the Texas A & M vs. Texas football game on Thursday evening so we missed him. On Tuesday evening I got to be with my Thursday evening Bible study group. That is always a great blessing to me. On Wednesday, Merilyn and I went to Cabot to spend the night with her Dad and then go to North Little Rock to aunt Joyce's house for the gathering of the Ballentine side of our family. We had one Thanksgiving feast for lunch and then went to Russellville to my Mom's home to have another Thanksgiving feast with the Frazier side of our family. Several were not able to be there this year but we enjoyed the gathering with all who were there. God has blessed us so abundantly in every way. It is good to take some time to stop and reflect upon that.
We spent Thursday night at Mom's then headed back to Springdale on Friday morning. The weather for the whole holiday time was just gorgeous with sunny skies and mild temperatures. On Friday afternoon I was able to get some yard work done and begin to get the outside Christmas decorations up. On Friday evening our good friends, Joe and Catherine, invited us to go to the Arkansas Razorback basketball game. It was fun and great to be with them, but the Hogs fell short in their effort. On Saturday I finished up the outside decorating. It took a bit longer than I expected and I left to come back to Ennis on Saturday around 2 p.m., a little later than usual, but I was glad to get the outside decorating done.

It was good to be back with the church family in Ennis yesterday. We had higher than usual attendance in the morning worship as several of our families had relatives visiting. In the afternoon I went out to the local hospital to see our oldest member, a 98 year old lady. She was having some breathing difficulty but was feeling better. She lives by herself and the best word I can use to describe her is "spunky." She is a real character and a wonderful Christian lady.

It's hard to believe it is the last day of November already. Yesterday afternoon a cold front came through. It brought a brief deluge of rain and dropped the temperatures by nearly 20 degrees in less than an hour, so that makes it a little more believable that it is late autumn. It is amazing, though, how quickly the time seems to fly. One great thing about that is that we are that much closer to Heaven! Have a great day and be sure to keep your focus on the Lord!

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed every day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, because we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Another surprise, family time and football!

There was nothing to indicate that yesterday morning was going to be different from any other Sunday morning. Everything was going according to plan. Bible class started with a larger than normal attendance which was nice. Then about halfway through class, the side door opened and in walked Bill and Judy Penick, a couple of our friends from the church in Springdale! That was a great surprise. They were in Ft. Worth taking care of some business and decided since they were this close they would come over for a visit. They stayed for worship and took me out to lunch. We had an excellent visit. They were very complimentary of the church family here and how friendly everyone is. It was great to see them and to enjoy another nice surprise from home. By the way, Merilyn knew about this one, too!
My elders are graciously allowing me to leave today to go home for the Thanksgiving holiday so I can spend as much time with Merilyn as possible. We will get to go to Cabot to stay with her Dad, A.C., on Wednesday night and have Thanksgiving lunch in North Little Rock with aunt Joyce and her bunch. Then we will go to Russellville to have Thanksgiving supper with my Mom and my side of the family and spend the night with her. It's going to be an excellent week!
There is good news to report from the football fields from the weekend. The Razorbacks, the Aggies and the Cowboys all won their games on Saturday and Sunday. The biggest football shocker for me was the Texas Tech-Oklahoma game which Tech won 55-21. The Sooners are reeling right now. They are Blake's favorite team and he was saying they have lost 6-7 starters to injury this year, including Sam Bradford, their Heisman winning quarterback. It's been a tough year for the Sooner nation.
I am going to wrap this up so I can get the things done that have to be done before I leave for Arkansas. It will probably be next Monday before I have another post. There's just one more thing to say before I go: Look at the graphic at the top of the page...I meant for it to go here but the pictures have a mind of their own when I load them. Anyway, have a Happy Thanksgiving! I hope each one gets to spend some quality time with your family and friends. Remember to pray for our military folks who cannot be with their loved ones. Always be grateful to God for the abundant blessings which He gives. Have a great week!

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

An excellent poem

This morning as I came into my office, I noticed this framed poem that I have had for many years. I don't remember where I got it and the author is not identified. It has been a source of encouragement to me many times. My primary application of the poem has always been to my own spiritual life and relationship with God, but it has a message for just about any worthy endeavor that one would undertake. I hope it will be a blessing and encouragement to you. Have a good day and a good weekend!

Don't Quit

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far.
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Electric blanket time!

I've been trying to tough it out, but last night I gave in and put the electric blanket on my bed. One time when I was home a month or so ago, Merilyn had been cleaning out some cabinets in the laundry room and came across this older blanket. We thought about putting it in a garage sale, but then she suggested that I bring it back to Texas with me. What a good wife! I wasn't really sure that I would need it. At least one thing I have learned after 35 years of being married to Merilyn is that I need to pay better attention to her thoughts and suggestions. When the weather reporter was talking about lows in the upper 20's and lower 30's, that was all I needed to make the decision to install the electric blanket. Whoever invented the electric blanket is a wonderful person! It is so nice to crawl into a nice, warm bed instead of one that is chilly. Our lives are filled with modern conveniences which people a hundred years ago would have never believed possible. It is a blessing to be living in America in 2009! Have a good day today!

Pictures from Lion's Park

Sunset across the lake at the park
Another sunset shot
Closer view of pavilion and lamp post lookout
Lamp post lookout over the lake
Lake view from part of the trail
Part of the trail and a white limestone bridge
Winding through a grove of trees
From the parking lot looking toward the pavilion

When I went out for my Monday afternoon exercise yesterday, I remembered my comment in the blog post about getting some pictures of the park. I took my camera along and here are some shots so you can see what it's like. The pictures loaded in reverse order from what I intended so start at the bottom and go up.
It was chilly yesterday! The high temp was about 55 and there was a 10-15 mph wind all day. I had to go to Wal-Mart and buy a sweat top before going out. Even then I was pretty cool during the exercise time but it was a beautiful afternoon as you can see from the pictures. I've had to scale back my exertion level considerably because of the pulled hamstring. I'm still able to do my regular four miles with fast walking and light jogging so I'm grateful for that. In some ways I suppose I'm an exercise addict...I don't always feel like doing it, but I sure miss it when I am not able to work out.
It is cold this morning...the church secretary came in a little while ago and said they had some frost out around their place in the country. The warmth will return quickly here, though, with high temps back in the 60's by tomorrow. Stay warm wherever you are and have a good day today!

Have nothing to do with godless and silly myths. Train yourself in godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1 Timothy 4:7-8)

A normal weekend

I really don't have any excellent events or great news to share today. After last weekend and all the wonderful things that happened, this weekend was all about returning to normal. On Friday I spent several hours studying at the local library. It would seem to me that folks would realize that cell phones do not fit into proper library etiquette. While I was there, no fewer than three people had phones go off and then carried on a conversation. I say they "went off" instead of ringing because they all had obnoxious musical blasts. After the library I went out for my exercise at the park. That is always a nice experience. I need to take a few pictures of the park and post them so you can see what it's like. Although it's feeling better, I'm still having to nurse my pulled hamstring quite a bit but at least I can go out for fast walking and light jogging. After the afternoon exercise, I stopped at a local car wash to get the first few layers of dirt off the car and then Friday evening was laundry time. On Saturday morning I went over to Ft. Worth to take care of some business. While the car was sitting in a parking lot, several birds (or one with some gastrointestinal trouble) left deposits on the hood. When I returned to Ennis, it was time to run to the grocery store, clean up the apartment, and watch some football. Sunday was a good day. Again, nothing remarkable, but a good day. Our attendance at church was up a little and many of our members shared positive reports from their friends and neighbors who had visited with us last Sunday.

Like I say in the title of the post, pretty much a normal weekend. Fortunately for the majority of us who live in the United States, life is filled with normal days. Days when there are no major catastrophes. Days when we are not bothered by the threat of violence or war. Days when we have plenty of good food to eat, an abundance of creature comforts, and enjoy the blessing of being able to communicate with family and friends. It is especially nice when we have extraordinary days which come into our lives. When that happens for you, enjoy them to the fullest. In addition, always be aware of the blessings of the ordinary days and be truly grateful for them. Enjoy the blessings of God for your life today!

There is great gain in godliness with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world; but if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content. (1 Timothy 6:6-8)

Catching up

Now that I've written about some of the events from this past weekend and Sunday, I need to catch up on some of the other things that have been happening.
When I got home last Thursday evening after the Bible study group, Merilyn asked me what I was going to do tomorrow. I had thought about washing the cars or doing some outdoor chores. She suggested that I might consider cleaning the carpet. We had both mentioned in the previous weeks that it needed to be done, but I have to admit it is not my favorite chore. The weather forecast was for a beautiful, warm, sunny day which is perfect for carpet cleaning because the windows can be opened to enhance the drying process. I agreed that I would do that. It took me about 5 hours to do the main traffic areas and other parts that needed attention. When Merilyn got home and saw the improvement, she commented about how much better it looked. That made me feel good. But the fresh cleaning job didn't last too long. While we were sitting around Friday evening visiting with Keith and Sarah, Miss Mollie decided to squat and do her outside business right in front of the couch! She is usually good about going outside but she is still learning. Fortunately, it was an easy clean-up so not too much harm was done.
I mentioned last week that I had my first pulled hamstring muscle in nearly thirty years of jogging and running. While I was home it was feeling better. I did about 3 miles of moderate jogging on the treadmill. It was sore but it went OK. On Monday of this week I went out for my regular exercise. The leg was still a little sore so I took it a little easier on the sprinting portions. Everything was fine through 3 miles. Between miles 3 and 4 I was doing another sprint portion and it pulled again. Aggravating! I've done some internet research on care and rehab of the hamstring muscle group with exercises, stretching, and self massage. It seems to be working. My doctor friend said I could walk but to take it easy on the running. I went out yesterday and was able to complete the 4 miles with fast walking and light jogging. It hurt but it was tolerable and better than not being able to go at all. It looks like I'm in for a 2-4 week recovery, then I will have to baby the hammie for a while before getting back to full speed.
On Monday of this week I helped move one of our elderly couples with a crew of fellows from church. They decided it was time to give up their home and move into an assisted living center. I know it must have been a difficult decision for them but it is for the best as he seems to be in rapidly declining health. They both had good attitudes and appreciated our help. It's good that there are nice facilities available for folks when they come to this point in their lives.
Here we are, ready for another weekend and Sunday already. Time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it? Time flies whether you are having fun or not! One of the more thought-provoking concepts I have considered is that time is a creation of God to provide the venue for Him to accomplish what He has done in bringing mankind into existence and then making it possible for us to have eternal salvation. When God decides, time will be no more. It is a bit dumbfounding to consider a state of being without any limitation of time; in other words, forever. Let's all be sure that we are ready for it! God bless!

The years of our life are threescore and ten, or even by reason of strength fourscore; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of Thy anger, and Thy wrath according to the fear of Thee? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:10-12)

Where to begin?, part 3

In addition to the great surprise of Merilyn coming back to Ennis with me last Saturday and our friends coming for a visit on Sunday and the wonderful day we had for the "Meet Our New Preacher Day" at church, Merilyn and I got to enjoy some time with both Adam and Sarah over the weekend.
Sarah is always good to be sure to come to spend some time with me when I am home every two weeks. Usually she comes over on Friday evening after she gets off work and again on Saturday. She brings her Maltese dog, Chloe, over to stay at our house with Merilyn's new Maltese, Mollie. Those animals are like a couple of kids the way they play and fuss and are jealous of each other. Mollie, the younger, is always picking at Chloe and wanting to play. It's pretty much the way Chloe was with our old Bichon Frise dog, Abby, so I guess Chloe is getting some payback. They are a lot of fun to watch. Earlier in the week my younger brother, Keith, called Sarah and asked if she would like to go with him to the Razorback football game against South Carolina on Saturday (the Hogs won, by the way...Wooo, Pig, Sooie!). She was able to do that so Keith came up on Friday evening to spend the night with us. We got to visit with him and Sarah for a while on Friday evening and then again for a short time on Saturday morning before they went to the game.
As Merilyn and I traveled back to Texas, we were looking forward to seeing Adam on Saturday evening. He and some of his friends from College Station had been planning since early summer to go to the NASCAR race at Texas Motor Speedway this past Sunday. He came to spend the night at my apartment while his friends stayed on the TCU campus in Ft. Worth. When he arrived in Ennis we went out to eat at Chili's and enjoyed a nice visit together. He got up early Sunday morning to meet his friends and head up to the race. He had a good time. It was a pretty interesting race with Jimmie Johnson, the points leader, getting into a wreck on lap 3. He was dominating the championship standings but now it has opened the door for Mark Martin (a good Arkansas boy) and Jeff Gordon to give Jimmie some competition. Adam came back to my apartment around 11 p.m. Sunday to spend the night again. He took off for College Station on Monday morning around 7:30 as I went to work.
It was icing on the cake of a fantastic weekend and Sunday to be able to spend some time with both of our children. The only shortcoming was that we did not get to see Blake, Sarah's husband, but she assures us that he is doing well. God's blessings just overflowed for me this past weekend! Have yourself a great day today!

Blessed is every one who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways! You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. Lo, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. (Psalm 128:1-4)

Where to begin?, part 2

Now I will continue the story from yesterday about the events of the weekend and this past Sunday. Here is the reason why Merilyn and our friends from Springdale cooked up this surprise visit to Ennis. The church here has been planning to have a "Meet Our New Preacher Day" on November 8 for the past few months. We set a goal to have 200 in our morning worship and worked toward it with mailings, newspaper ads and personal contacts. As I wrote yesterday, on my visit to Arkansas two weeks ago, I mentioned this to the folks at my Thursday night Bible study group and that is when their plan began to be hatched. They told me that part of the reason they wanted to come was to help in reaching the goal to have 200 in our morning worship. They definitely did help with that. We had 208!
It was a great day for the church in Ennis. Many of our guests were former members who left during the difficult times the church went through last year. Many others were friends, neighbors, and family members of our members. Others were folks from the community who were on our mailing list or who saw the ads in the newspaper. There was an atmosphere of great joy and excitement throughout the auditorium. Our singing was wonderful. Folks tell me the preaching was pretty decent that day. Afterward we had a "Thanksgiving Feast" fellowship meal. One of our elders and his wife prepared 6 turkeys and several large pans of dressing. Everyone else in the congregation pitched in to help in making the excellent side dishes. I had made a half-joking appeal for lots of pies. Boy, did the ladies ever come through! It was good that the members made such an excellent effort with the meal. Of the 208 people who were in our morning worship, I believe 200 of them stayed for lunch! It was great! We had to scramble to put out extra tables and chairs in the fellowship area. After the meal, there were not too many leftovers.
Several of our members told me that they heard many positive comments from those who were visiting with us. God truly blessed our efforts. It was an excellent day all the way around. It was certainly made better for me because my wife and friends from Springdale were here to enjoy it, too.
There is more to tell, but it will have to wait until tomorrow. Have a great day!

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall exult in my God; for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the Earth brings forth its shoots, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all nations. (Isaiah 61:10-11)

Where to begin?

One day last week I hit "writer's block" and could think of nothing worthwhile for a blog post. After this weekend and Sunday, it is the complete opposite. Today there are so many things that I want to write, I hardly know where to start! I will probably spread things out over the next several days.
The first and most important item has to do with my wife and some of our wonderful friends from Springdale. Most of you know that the elders here in Ennis allow me to go back to Springdale every other week to see Merilyn and to be able to continue my Thursday night Bible study group. I was in Springdale this past Thursday, Friday and Saturday. By the way, we have a new member, Tana, joining our group so that was exciting. It came time for me to leave on Saturday to return to Ennis. I was leisurely loading things into the car in the hour or so before my planned departure time. Merilyn was loading some of the stuff as well, which is a little unusual but I thought nothing about it. After lunch, I told her it was time for me to take off. She said, "Go turn the TV off. I've got something to tell you." I said, "Why do I have to turn the TV off? Go ahead and tell me." She said, "Well, I'm going with you." My first thought was to wonder what she was up to because I knew there was no way she was going with me. I said, "What do you mean you're going with me? How are you going to get back?" She said, "Don't you worry about it." I said, "What about your clothes and other things?" She said, "They are already in the car." Then it dawned on me why she was helping to load all the stuff that she was because she was slipping her stuff in as well. So I said, "OK. Let's go." We turned off the TV, got the puppies squared away, got in the car and took off.
Of course, I was thrilled to have her come with me. But the story doesn't end there by a long shot! As we drove toward Texas I quizzed her a bit more about her arrangements. Who was going to pick her up? A friend of our daughter, Sarah. What's she doing in Texas? Visiting some friends. Where is she going to pick you up? Just out at the freeway by the Baymont Motel around 1 p.m. on Sunday. Where exactly is she is Texas? I don't know for sure. Do I need to drive you somewhere to meet her to make it easier for her? No, she is coming right through Ennis. We went on like this for 10 or 15 minutes until I could think of no other questions to ask so I was completely satisfied that she had all the arrangements done and everything was in good shape. It was a great blessing and fantastic surprise to me to have her come back to Texas with me, even if it was just for one more night. Another reason it was so good is because of a special event we had at church on Sunday. I'll write more on that tomorrow. Merilyn and I also got to spend a little time with both of our children over the weekend. I'll write more on that in the next few days.
Back to the story.
We made it back to Ennis fine. Had a good evening Saturday. Got up and went to Bible class on Sunday morning. We had lots of visitors and an excellent discussion in Ephesians 3. Went into the auditorium for worship and we were greeting folks. One man said, "Is that your Arkansas car out there?" I said, "Well, I have an Arkansas car, but mine is parked out back." He said, "No, this one is right out front. It's a black Pacifica." I said, "I'm going to have to track those folks down and see who it is." Meanwhile I was thinking if I knew anyone who drove a black Pacifica. About that time I looked up and I could hardly believe who was coming down the aisle...it was Joe and Cathy May and Dick and Shirley Pate from Springdale! They are the wonderful friends I mentioned earlier. I immediately went to them for a round of hugs and greetings. Merilyn followed and after the initial excitement died down, she said, "This is the friend of Sarah's that I'm riding home with." I was absolutely flabbergasted! The first thing I asked was, "How long have you guys been planning this?" It turns out they had been planning for two weeks and not only they knew about it, but also Adam, Sarah, my mother, my father-in-law and I don't know who else. I could not believe they pulled it over on me in such a big way. It started when I mentioned to my Thursday night Bible study group two weeks ago that we were having this special event at the church in Ennis on November 8. Cathy had the initial idea of cooking up a trip, shared it with the others and it just kind of snowballed from there. They were able to stay for the morning worship and then for our delicious fellowship meal. It was all one of the best surprises I've ever had.
More on the events of the weekend and Sunday later. Have a great day!

Did you miss me?

Be honest, now. How many of you missed seeing my blog yesterday? I sat at the computer for 15-20 minutes and seemed to have a case of writer's block so I finally just let it go and went on with the the rest of the day. That happens sometimes, I guess.
Did anybody see the New York Yankees win the World Series last night? It seems that there has been a huge lack of interest in this particular World Series. Maybe it's because both teams are from the New England area. I'm kind of wondering what they are doing playing baseball in November anyway. Aren't the players of baseball called "the boys of summer?" Summer was over nearly two months ago!
Yesterday was another gorgeous autumn day here. I was truly enjoying my exercise time in the afternoon when I had something happen to me that I've never experienced before in nearly thirty years of jogging and running. I pulled a hamstring while I was doing one of my sprint segments. It doesn't seem terribly bad. I visited with my doctor friend at church about it last night and he said to just take it easy for a while. I hope it won't sideline me very long because this is one of the best times of the year for outdoor exercise.
This is Arkansas weekend for me. I will leave to go back to Springdale this morning to have some time with Merilyn and to meet with my Thursday night Bible study group before returning to Texas on Saturday afternoon. Merilyn called me early this morning to say that her back and legs were really hurting. She's been bothered by that for some time now. I've encouraged her to go see our chiropractor before but she hasn't yet. I will see him in the morning and she asked me to see if there was an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. Maybe she can get in and get some relief.
There are loose ends to tie up before I can hit the road. We're looking forward to a big day here at the church in Ennis this Sunday. I'll give a report first thing Monday morning. Have a good weekend!

Dealing with challenges

Who enjoys challenges, difficulties and obstacles in our lives? Not many people, if any, enjoy it when troubles come. But the fact is that they come to all of us in one form or another. My mother sent me a poem recently that has an excellent message about dealing with challenges. It is called "It's In The Valleys I Grow" and was written by a lady named Jane Eggleston.

Sometimes life seems hard to bear,
Full of sorrow, trouble and woe.
It's then I have to remember
That it's in the valleys I grow.

If I always stayed on the mountain top
And never experienced pain,
I would never appreciate God's love
And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow.
Sometimes I need the mountain tops,
But it's in the valleys I grow.

I do not always understand
Why things happen as they do,
But I am very sure of one thing.
My Lord will see me through.

My little valleys are nothing
When I picture Christ on the cross.
He went through the valley of death;
His victory was Satan's loss.

Forgive me, Lord, for complaining
When I'm feeling so very low.
Just give me a gentle reminder
That it's in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me, Lord,
And use my life each day
To share your love with others
And help them find their way.

Thank you for valleys, Lord,
For this one thing I know:
The mountain tops are glorious,
But it's in the valleys I grow!

I hope this poem will be an encouragement to you, whether you are going through any major challenges right now or not. As the Scriptures below tell us, God is always with us and will work out everything for our ultimate good as long as we will be faithful and obedient to Him. Have a great day today!

Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have; for He has said, "I will never fail you nor forsake you." Hence we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid; what can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5-6)

We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)

Glorious weekend and start to this week

Since last Thursday when a cold front came through north Texas, the weather has been just about perfect: sunny days, beautiful blue sky, low temps in the 50's, high temps in the 70's, low humidity. What more could you ask? The weather forecast was for another deluge of rain on Thursday, but the front came through with very little rain here. That was good news for one of our elders who has many hundreds of acres of cotton that needs to be harvested. The cotton has been ready for several weeks but the fields have been too wet. He said yesterday that he should be able to get into the fields tomorrow and may be able to get it harvested by the end of the week.
In addition to enjoying fantastic weather, all of our favorite football teams had success over the weekend and Sunday. The Ennis high school team won the homecoming game. The Russellville Cyclones won at Conway. The Texas Aggies had a big game against Iowa State. The Arkansas Razorbacks creamed Eastern Michigan. The Dallas Cowboys beat the Seattle Seahawks. One of our good friends in Springdale gave Merilyn four tickets to the Razorback game. She and Sarah made plans to go and we looked for someone else to go with them. Finally, Mom and Jordan, our nephew, came from Russellville to go with them and spend the night on Saturday. They all had a great time.
This weekend was my time to stay in Ennis. It was good that I did because I ended up spending nearly the whole day Saturday doing chores. Now don't go getting the idea that I live like a slob, but I do have to admit that it can be easy to let a few things slip a bit. At any rate, I got the laundry done, the kitchen whipped into shape, the bathroom cleaned, and the floors swept and vacuumed. The place is spic-and-span now.
Let me give you a good tip for your health. You've heard that old saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." It turns out there is some truth to that. My mother was telling me a few weeks ago that she tries to eat an apple every day and was encouraging me to do that. She said she went through all last winter without getting sick and thought the apples helped. The next Sunday I saw a piece about protecting yourself from the flu in the Parade magazine of the Sunday newspaper. It said apples have a natural substance that helps increase the body's resistance to flu and other viruses. Right now you can get a 5 pound bag of apples at Wal-Mart for less than $3. For the past few weeks I've been having an apple for a snack each evening. Try it...you'll like it!
Enjoy the day, count your blessings, and be grateful!

Shorter is better?

Today's post will be brief because a very busy day is ahead. We are trying out a new song leader this Sunday morning and I have offered to help him with his song selection to go along with the sermon as well as putting together the order of worship. I've also got additional preparations of my own to do for Sunday. Perhaps brief messages are better sometimes. We are having a big event at church on November 8. It is "Meet Our New Preacher Day." As part of that we are putting advertisements in the local newspaper to encourage people to come to visit with us. One part of the ad has comments from the members about me and my preaching. A high school senior offered this comment: "Gary Frazier is great. His sermons are short, but he still gets the message across. I feel very proud for having him at our church." I think that is a compliment. I hope you get a chuckle out of it like I did.
Keep your eyes on the prize! Have a great day and an excellent weekend! God bless!

Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

Off the charts!

There are a couple of reasons why I've called this post "Off the charts!" One is because of the gorgeous day we enjoyed in north Texas yesterday. It was about as beautiful a Fall day as you could imagine. It started off cool, crisp and clear so that you needed a jacket to start the day. The temperatures gradually warmed so that by noon the jacket was unnecessary. Into the afternoon and evening the weather was just about perfect. A glorious day!
The second reason for the title of the post is because of the news report where head football coach Mike Leach was going off about the #21 ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders loss to the Texas A & M Aggies last Saturday. In case you missed it, the Aggies thrashed Tech by a score of 52-30. This was after the Ags were humiliated the week before at Kansas State where they were favored to win by a couple of touchdowns. Nobody expected the Aggies to win at Tech. In fact, they were expected to lose by three touchdowns. As you can tell by the score, the Aggies went to Lubbock and shellacked Tech. Adam works out nearly every day in the same facility with the A & M football players. I asked him what he thought made the difference in the team and he said that he heard from a few of the players that their coach came down on them pretty hard last week, even to the point of questioning their manhood, so they were mad and fired up and ready to take it out on someone last Saturday. Anyway, back to Leach. In a postgame interview he was saying that his team listened to "their fat little girlfriends" too much instead of listening to the coaches and getting ready for the game. His conclusion was that their girlfriends convinced them that they were going to steamroll the Aggies. Further, he said he was going to make the team pay for their lackluster performance this week with some tough practices and if "their fat little girlfriends" didn't like it, that was tough. Isn't that incredible? It is "off the charts" foolish for a man in his position to talk like that. I was talking with Adam some more about it last night and told me that Leach even has a Juris Doctor degree (lawyer). That makes it even more amazing to me that he would talk like that. Maybe he is trying to get his team fired up and mad for their next game.
Choose your words carefully, especially to the people you love. The old school yard rhyme is not true. "Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me." Words have tremendous power, both for positive and negative results. Do your best to use your words to bless the lives of those around you. Have a great day!

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer every one. (Colossians 4:6)

A good Monday!

Why does Monday have such a bad reputation? Is it worse than any other day of the week? It seems to me that Monday has gotten a bad rap because most folks have been off work on Saturday and Sunday and they are not ready to go back to work on Monday. Therefore, Monday is to be blamed for them having to return to work and anything negative that happens on Monday further reinforces the idea that Monday is inherently a bad day. Poor, poor Monday. The way you feel about Monday is just about like anything else that you do not particularly like. If you change your attitude about it, you will change the way you feel about it. Be glad you are healthy enough to go to work on Monday. Be glad you have a job. Be glad you live in America where there are still many great opportunities, even in a struggling economy. See? It's better already!
I had a really good Monday yesterday. It was cool, gray and rainy all day long and it is even more chilly this morning. My car thermometer said 48; had to get a jacket. Anyway, back to Monday. The work in the office flowed very well. I consulted with our representative at the local newspaper about an advertisement for the "Meet Our New Preacher Day" at the church on November 8. They did an excellent job on it. We are aiming at a goal to have 200 in our morning worship on that day. After I met with the folks at the newspaper, I went over to visit at the home of one of the members who had asked me to come over. He makes handcrafted pens from unusual materials and showed me a display case of some of his work. He then let me pick out one for Merilyn and one for myself. I got her one made of live oak wood. Mine is made of deer antler. They are both beautiful.
Since it was raining in the afternoon my elder friend let me come over to use the treadmill at their home. His wife invited me to stay for supper but I declined because I was all sweaty and also because Merilyn had sent me some homemade chili when I returned to Texas on Saturday. I explained to his wife that I had been looking forward to the chili all day and since it had been rainy and cool all day, it would be a perfect evening for a bowl of hot chili. She understood.
In the evening I got a load of laundry going then went back to the office to make some phone calls. Then in between taking care of the laundry and watching the Redskins get stomped by the Eagles, I even got some more studying done. So, all in all, a very good Monday!
I forgot to mention yesterday that Adam got a big boost over the weekend. The Texas A & M football team has been having some major struggles lately and they went to Lubbock to play the Texas Tech Red Raiders. The Raiders are a tough football team. I thought the Aggies were going to get slaughtered. When Adam called on Saturday evening to tell me the Aggies won by a score of 52-30, I could hardly believe it! Of course, he was thrilled and now has hope that the Ags can win enough games to become eligible to go to a postseason bowl game.
It is a gorgeous Tuesday morning in north Texas...blue sky, no clouds, cool, crisp fresh air. Count your blessings and be happy today!

This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

Now Is The Time To Go To The Ozarks!

Merilyn and Mollie sitting beside War Eagle River
On the river bridge with War Eagle Mill in back
A view into the War Eagle river valley
A shot from the car on I-540 south of Fayetteville

Even though I have seen the beauty of the fall season in the Ozarks many times, it never fails to amaze me again at just how spectacular it is. The pictures will give just a little bit of an idea how pretty it is but it is difficult to capture the splendor of a huge panorama of hills blazing with fall colors.
This trip back home to see Merilyn, Sarah, Blake and many friends was a great blessing for me in many ways. First, I got to meet with my Thursday night Bible study group. This is always such a boost for me to be with these fellow Christians who are so eager to study the Scriptures. After the study one of the couples invited Merilyn and me to go with them for supper on Friday evening and then to a performance of Riverdance at the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville. It was so much fun to enjoy an evening like that together. We had supper at Bordino's Restaurant, an upscale establishment on Dickson Street in Fayetteville. Then we walked down the several blocks to the theater. At the performance we also saw several other Christian friends, which made the evening even better. The Riverdance show is just amazing. The dancers are almost unbelievable in their abilities to move their feet with such speed and precision. We are equally as impressed with the four musicians who provided all of the accompaniment to every part of the show. Their sound filled the auditorium as if there was a 50-piece orchestra. I think the musicians got about as much of a workout as the dancers did, especially the drummer. It was a wonderful evening all the way around.
On Saturday morning Merilyn and I drove around northwest Arkansas to enjoy the glories of God's creation in the changing seasons. It was a gorgeous day and so good to be able to spend that time together. Sarah and Chloe, her little Maltese, came over around lunch time to visit. We always have fun watching Chloe and Mollie play together. They are just like a couple of kids.
My drive back to Ennis was nice and uneventful. With the sunshine, it seemed that the colors on the hills were even more brilliant. I almost ran off the road once or twice while engrossed in looking at the hillsides.
Sunday was an excellent day, as usual, just because of the privilege of gathering with fellow Christians to worship. This Sunday was even better because my mother was here for a visit. At the West Side church in Russellville, Arkansas she has a good friend whose sister is a member of the church in Ennis. She was coming to visit her sister for her birthday so Mom and another lady friend of theirs came along for the trip. It was so good to see her and enjoy the Bible class and worship time and then lunch together. I took Mom on a tour of my office and then over the my apartment. I think it helped her to see that my work and living conditions are good. They had a safe return to Arkansas yesterday evening.
Sunday became even more excellent in our evening worship time when I had the privilege of baptizing one of our teen young ladies. She is a sweet girl and was overjoyed to the point of tears at becoming a Christian. She and her family were thanking me profusely but I told them it was an honor for me to be able to help in that way and that is what it's all about...helping save souls for the Lord.
We're getting off to another rainy start this Monday morning in north Texas, but we can always have the sunshine of God's love in our hearts. Hope you have a good day today!

For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
(2 Corinthians 4:5-6)

Autumn wonders

Each season of the year has its own special beauty and wonders. It would be difficult for me to pick out my favorite because I like them all. Sarah told me yesterday that the colors in northwest Arkansas are really amazing right now. I am looking forward to my drive home later today and I will definitely enjoy seeing the wonders of God's handiwork in nature. Of course, I will enjoy getting to spend some time with family and friends, too. It looks as if it will be a rainy day for most of the way but it's freeway all the way so it shouldn't be too bad.
Are you using your Germ-X regularly? The swine flu seems to be spreading fairly extensively throughout the country. There was a graphic in the newspaper yesterday that indicated quite a few states where up to 30% of the population has been infected. I find that a bit difficult to believe. One out of every 3 people with swine flu? Anyway, take appropriate precautions and keep yourself well.
I will write a little less than normal today because there are things I still need to get done in the office and I am going to try to get away a little earlier than usual. The inclement weather will slow me down some. I always look forward to meeting with my Thursday night Bible study group in Springdale and I don't want to be late.
Have a good day and a good weekend. Keep your eyes open to the wonders of the Autumn season around you and thank God!

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world His invisible nature, namely, His eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. (Romans 1:19-20)

And the rains came...again

I am sitting here drying off after my dash to the car this morning. It sure would be nice if apartment owners would offer garages to their tenants, or at least covered parking with covered walkways. Can you tell that I am missing the nice comfy garage with the automatic door opener back home? The rain is supposed to be short-lived this time, lasting just through this evening and into tomorrow morning. The forecast is for 2-3" during the day and into the evening. Then a cold front is supposed to come through to lower the daytime high temperatures into the mid 50's. My farmer friend at church says the rain is coming at just the wrong time for him. He is trying to get what is left of his cotton crop harvested and about the time the fields dry out enough to get into them, here comes another dose of rain. But as another friend at church said, we better be grateful for it when we can get it. True!
While loading some of my pictures from our adventures last weekend on Facebook, I saw a message from some good friends in Springdale that their little kindergarten age boy, Lane, is sick with swine flu. Please remember him in your prayers. It seems that this illness is hitting youngsters harder than anyone else.
Sarah has been troubled with a nagging cough for the past week or so, especially at night when she lays down to try to sleep. I was reading the Dallas Morning News last night before I went to bed and I saw something that might help. There is a column that runs weekly called "The People's Pharmacy" written by a couple named Graedon . They are both pharmacists. People write in with questions and comments about medicines and unusual remedies which have been found to work. The one that made me call Sarah was that people have found relief from persistent cough by rubbing Vicks Vapo-Rub on the soles of their feet. I know it sounds crazy, but the Graedons said they have had that verified by others even though they have no idea how or why it would work. Sarah said she had some and was going to try it. I'm anxious to talk to her today to see if it worked.
Speaking of work, I'd better wrap this up and get to my work for the day. I hope your day is filled with showers of blessings from God!

Whatever your task, work heartily, as serving the Lord and not men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you are serving the Lord Christ.
(Colossians 3:23-24)

Can It Get Any Better?

The OU Schooner as it passed by us.
Merilyn is not too sure about this fried delicacy; I don't know if it is the fried Oreo or the fried Moon Pie.
BEVO, the Texas mascot, on the field of the Cotton Bowl
Merilyn, Sarah & Blake checking out the Cotton Bowl
Texas coach Mack Brown in the team bus telling Sarah that he won't come out.
Merilyn and the Texas band marching past.
Sarah & Blake with the OU equipment truck
Crowds!
More crowds! Wall-to-wall people everywhere!
Blake & Sarah trying some fried Oreos.
Watching the game on the big screen.


The weather for the past several days has been just about perfect. Yesterday was another day of gorgeous blue skies, temperature about 75, low humidity, and a light breeze blowing. I looked forward all day to my exercise time. It did not disappoint. A few weeks ago, I would be drenched with sweat after exercising. Yesterday I didn't even sweat enough to get my shirt wet.
Here's some more news from the State Fair of Texas. The Dallas Morning News reported that Saturday had the biggest one-day revenue in the 123 year history of the SFOT at $3.4 million. Let me see if I can get some of my pictures to import into the blog. Well, I figured that the pictures would load underneath but they went to the top. No big deal. Hope you enjoy them!
Have a good day today!

Excellent weekend and Sunday!

After a run of gloomy weather that set a new record for the month of October in the Dallas area, it ended last Thursday evening. Friday, Saturday and Sunday brought beautiful blue skies and daytime temperatures in the low to mid 70's with low humidity. As far as I am concerned, that is just about perfect! In addition to the great weather, I had the pleasure of having Merilyn, Sarah and Blake come for a visit. They arrived around 9 p.m. on Friday evening. We got them settled into my apartment then we got to bed at a reasonable hour so we could be ready for Saturday's activities...the Oklahoma-Texas football game at the Cotton Bowl and the State Fair of Texas (SFOT)!
We decided to go on up to Fair Park in Dallas before the 11 a.m. kickoff because some of Blake's buddies told him that they had been to the game before and there were some big screen TV's around the grounds. That way we could watch the game and be there to enjoy the SFOT, too. We left Ennis around 9:45 for the 30 minute drive to Fair Park and everything was going smoothly until we got about 1/2 mile away from the park. What a madhouse! There were traffic jams and people everywhere. We saw a sign that said the public parking areas around Fair Park were full so we started looking for one of the numerous private parking places. The folks around the area must make a lot of money during SFOT time. Everyone who had space in their yard or a parking lot were packing cars into every available spot. We ended up paying $20 to park but we ended up only about 2-3 blocks away from the main entrance so it wasn't too bad. Then when we were in line for our tickets, some nice lady came and gave us coupons for $4 off each ticket. Bonus! Once we got in the gate, our first order of business was to find a TV. We got around and found where they did ESPN Game Day. They had a huge TV up so we thought we were in good shape. About 2 minutes after we got there, they turned it off and started to take it down! We saw some Dallas Police on horses, asked if they knew were a TV was and they directed us to the Toyota display. We scrambled over there and found a pretty nice set up where we could watch the game with 500 or so other fans. I've never seen so much burnt orange color before. It was an exciting game just because it was so close, but both teams made lots of mistakes.
At halftime we went to find something to eat. The first place we tried was an indoor food court. There were so many people in there that it was almost claustrophobic so we left. If I have ever seen a place that was more crowded with people, I can't remember where it would have been. There were over 96,000 people in the Cotton Bowl for the game and I have to believe there were 2-3 times that many out in the SFOT. Just about everywhere we went, it was wall-to-wall people. I'm planning on having some of my pictures downloaded to the computer today and I will see if I can post some on the blog tomorrow. Anyway, we went on down the lines of food vendors and finally found an area toward the rear where it was less crowded. During the course of the afternoon, we enjoyed several of the delicacies of the SFOT: sausage on a stick, famous Fletcher's corny dogs, fried butter, fried Oreos, fried Moon Pie and fried churros. Fortunately, we shared most of the fried foods so none of us got too sick from the intake of those items. Sarah's tummy got a bit queasy later in the day, but overall it was OK.
As we were wandering around we just happened to come upon the area where the Texas and Oklahoma football teams were boarding their buses to leave. Not long after we got in there, security cordoned off the area to prevent the crowds from coming in. We were in there with player's families and others who were supposed to be there. We saw Sam Bradford, Trent Williams and several other OU players. Both the Texas and Oklahoma bands marched right past us playing their marching music. The Oklahoma Boomer Schooner drove right past us. We saw Mack Brown, the Texas coach on one bus. Sarah motioned to him to come out because she wanted a picture with him, but he motioned to her shirt and shook his head "No." She was wearing an Oklahoma Sooner shirt. After the buses left, we were walking back around the Cotton Bowl. Sarah was saying she wished we could go inside. We passed by an open gate and there was a worker there. She asked if we could go in and he said, "I don't care. I'm just a TV guy." So we went in. There were quite a few workers going about their business. On the field there was a number of TV sports reporters wrapping up their reports. We got to walk into the lower seats of the stadium and stayed as long as we wanted. Sarah and Blake went down on the field and got a picture. BEVO, the Texas mascot, was laying out on the field with several folks around him. That is one big piece of longhorn beef!
After all that we were all ready to take off. We made our way back to the car and had a surprisingly easy time of exiting the area. Since we were fairly close to the headquarters of the Dallas Police Department, I drove over there so Merilyn, Sarah and Blake could see it. We all like to watch The First 48 police show on TV and they show the front of the building on it when they have episodes from Dallas. We came on back to Ennis, ate at Taco Cabana and got back to the apartment for the last few minutes of the Arkansas-Florida football game. What a heart breaker for the Hogs! We got showers and spent the rest of the evening relaxing and watching more football on TV.
Sunday morning was another beautiful day weather-wise. It was great to have Merilyn, Sarah and Blake with me for worship. Quite a few of our folks were out of town but we had a good morning. One of our elders and his wife took us out for lunch to a nice Italian restaurant then we got back to the apartment and loaded up for their return to Springdale. Fortunately, they had an uneventful trip back home. Merilyn and Sarah were surely glad to see their "babies," Chloe and Mollie. Merilyn had arranged with a co-worker's daughter to stay at our house and watch the dogs. The rest of my Sunday went well. Of course, I was a bit lonesome after everyone left but I am surely glad we are close enough so that we can still see each other every so often. It is always better to count your blessings than to count your troubles.
God is good. He will take care of us and work everything out for our benefit as long as we will be faithful to Him. It looks like it is going to be another beautiful day in north Texas today. I hope it is a good one where you are. Enjoy it, and thank God for it!

We know that in everything God work for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Another broken record

Official confirmation came on the news last night. It is not just my perception of the weather situation here in the Dallas area. The weather reporter said that this October has new entered the record books as officially the gloomiest start to the month ever. He said that since October 1, we have not had sunshine for 86% of the time. I'm glad to know it was not just me! We got some sunshine yesterday afternoon and it surely warmed things up. By the time I went out to the park for my afternoon exercise it was close to 90 degrees. It was nice to have the sunshine, though, and the forecast is for a cold front to come through today that will clear things out so that the weekend is supposed to be clear with high temperatures in the upper 60's to lower 70's. Now that is just about perfect!
The sports pages in the newspaper this week are full of stuff about the Red River Rivalry, which is what they call the Texas-Oklahoma football game. As you might expect, most of the writers are choosing Texas to win the game, but they also say that you can never know what will happen in such a contest. I'm glad that Sam Bradford is back as the quarterback for the Sooners. With both teams at full strength, it should be a whale of a ball game.
I am especially looking forward to the weekend because Merilyn, Sarah and Blake are coming for a visit. Blake is a huge OU fan so it will be fun to watch the game with him. Afterward we are going out to the State Fair of Texas which is held in the Fair Park area of Dallas. That is also the location for the Cotton Bowl where the Texas-Oklahoma football game is played so the crowds and traffic will probably be crazy but I reckon we'll just get in there and be crazy with them.
Have a good weekend and Sunday. Enjoy the beauties of the Fall season!

The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims He handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. (Psalm 19:1-4)

Broken record?

Back in the "olden days," if someone kept repeating something you could say that they sounded like a broken record and everyone would understand what you meant. Everyone would have had the experience of putting a record on the record player and if the record had a bad scratch or a crack, the needle would hit it and keep repeating a short part of the song. Now if you say "record" or "record player," most folks under the age of 25 or 30 don't know what you are talking about. How long has it been since you have even seen a record player? Ah, the wonders of the digital age! Anyway, my point in saying all that is to say that we have had another day of rain in this part of the world so I know I am sounding like a broken record. The weather report last night said we got another 2-3" which caused some flooding in the surrounding areas. The reporter also said that we have had rain for 11 of the first 13 days of the month of October. That is on top of the 12-13" that we got during the middle parts of September. If this keeps up, we may be living in the middle of a tropical rain forest before too long! But relief is on the way. The forecast is for sunshine to return tomorrow afternoon and then for the weekend to be beautiful with temperatures right around 72. Merilyn, Sarah and Blake are coming down for the weekend and we are planning to go to the Texas State Fair in Dallas on Saturday so I hope the forecast is right.
There was an interesting article in the Dallas Morning News yesterday about the worst cities in the nation for allergies. Dallas ranked #11. It had a listing of the top ten and most of the worst places for allergies are in Texas. Whether it is the rainy weather causing mold, or ragweed, or some other allergy producing cause, it seems that nearly everybody down here is fighting some kind of upper respiratory congestion. Lots of folks are sick with sinus infection, bronchitis and other ailments like that. I talked to Sarah last night and she sounds like she's coming down with something like that, too. I hope she can get it treated and squared away so she can feel good for their trip down here this weekend.
Enjoy the day. Be grateful for every blessing you receive from God today!

This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:24)

A cheerful heart is a good medicine, but a downcast spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:22)