Recently, while taking a week of vacation, my wife, daughter, and I tried our hand at miniature golf.  Miniature golf is usually a part of our activities while on vacation in Colorado; so, having decided to stay in Oklahoma this year (due to covid-19), we wanted to include this in our week of "at home" activity together.  We played at a very nice miniature golf course in Tulsa.  It had lots of fun "twists," "turns," and "obstacles."  From a competition stand point we didn't do very well.  But we did, at least, have fun.  But in addition to our personal golfing experience, we also had fun watching and visiting with other families.

One of the families, that was just ahead of us, included:  parents, three children, and a grandmother, (whom I'm guessing might have been in her late 70's or early 80's), who was doing very well.  That is, until she came to hole 11 which started off with a significantly steep sloop and a dramatic turn to the left.  The slope was so steep that when I had my turn I had to "tee off" three times just to get my ball up the hill.  It was no wonder "grandma" was having so much difficult getting her ball to the top.  Every time she hit it, the ball would roll half way up then come rolling down again.  But then something wonderful happened...

What is the difference between a sprint and a marathon?  A sprint is a short race; one in which the runners can easily see the end-line.  A marathon is a long race; in a marathon, until the very end, the participants cannot see the end line.  They are two very different races and involve different strategies.  A sprint requires a burst of energy for a very short period of time.  A marathon requires a management of energy and can go on for several hours.  So with the COVID-19 virus crisis, it is helpful for us to realize that we are "running a marathon," not a sprint; and we will need a sound strategy if we are going to cross the finish line...

Faith, hope and love are described by the apostle Paul as the three qualities that last forever.  In my experience,  we hear a lot about faith and love, but some how the quality of hope doesn't seem to get as much attention.  Still, Peter tells us that hope is an essential aspect of our new life in Christ.  He says it in these words, "You have been born again to a living hope..." (1 Peter 1:3).  Psychologists and Social Scientists tell us that as long as people have hope they will continue to:  fight, move forward, and hold on.  It is when people loose hope that they tend to give up and give in to the destructive situations and challenges they face.  I think that in the face of the covid-19 virus crisis, this is a time, especially, when people need to hold on to hope.  I would like to share two examples of what I mean...

I've heard many inspirational speakers over the years but recently I heard the testimony of a man who challenged my heart, mind, and soul.  The setting was the "Wild Beast Feast" (a weekend fellowship and training for Christian men) sponsored by the Friendship Baptist Church of Owasso.  The speaker was Clay Dyer, who is a professional fisherman and Christian speaker.  Now what's so special about hearing the testimony of a professional fisherman?  This professional fisherman was born without legs, and with only one (partial) arm.  Still, with all of these limitations he has managed to accomplish many great and wonderful things....

Recently a friend of mine, Karen "Girl" Friday, shared a post on linked-in which included a picture of a cross and this prayer, "Lord, place the cross and the blood of Jesus between me and the enemy, and between me and difficult people and circumstances.  There's nothing your redemptive blood doesn't cover.  And there's nothing it can't redeem.  In Jesus Name.  Amen."  Her post reminded me of an experience I had many years ago, and of my own Reconciliation Cross....

There are two amazing tools that scientists use, but each for a very different purpose.  With a microscope one can look at very small objects and make them appear to be very big.  Something as small as a germ can look like a monster when viewed through a microscope.  In contrast, with a telescope one can look at very large objects (which are miles and miles away) and they will appear in a "manageable" size for us to examine.  Through a telescope we can look at the moon as easily as if we were holding a 4 x 6 photo.  In simple terms:  with a microscope small items can look big and with a telescope large items can look small.  So when it comes to your problems, through which scope are you peering?

Important decisions come at all stages of life; this is especially true of spiritual decisions.  We were reminded of this as our 2020 was launched with the baptism of our grandson, Sam.  He had mentioned, to his parents, in November that he wanted to be baptized.  After several conversations, with both parents and Pastor Keith, it was decided that his baptism would occur during morning worship, the first Sunday of the new year.  He was surrounded by his family (parents, grandparents, aunt, and brother), the children of the church and a host of church friends.  Pastor Keith read about the significance of baptism, asked him some personal questions, and then lowered him down and up from the water.  Though he is only 7 years old, Sam had made a decision that we wanted to follow Jesus...

As my son, John, approached his 16th birthday, he was actively shopping for his first vehicle.  One day a friend of his called him and said, "Hey, you've got to take a look at this 1966 Ford truck.  It doesn't run, but it can be fixed up and you can get it for a steal."  The next day John and his friend (who happened to be his former grade school principle) came home towing "Old Red."  It needed paint; it needed repairs to the engine; it needed repairs to the bed; but together John and Mr. Flurry worked on this old truck.  Then one day, John came running into the house shouting, "It's running! It's running!"  Though it still needed a lot of work, together they had got the truck running.  But that was only the beginning.  Over the years, as time and money have allowed, John has continued to repair, fix-up and restore that truck.  John is now in his 30's and "Old Red" is still a work in progress...

The story of the birth of Christ is recorded in both Matthew and Luke.  Both stories are beautiful in their own right, but recently the passage in Matthew (1:18-24) has especially caught my attention.  I would invite you to grab your Bible and read this story once again.  As you do, please notice how the message unfolds with key words, each of which begin with the letter P:...

I have known Mike Platten, who is a Christian professional magician, for years and have enjoyed watching him perform and share his testimony on several occasions.  Recently he shared his gifts both in public worship and for the children's Christmas party at the 1st United Methodist Church in Sapulpa.  As Mike began his performance, he made it clear that the "magic" he performed was just a "trick" based on illusion, and that the only one who could truly perform miracles was Jesus Christ.  He brought his point home in an effective way by doing a card trick featuring the "king of hearts" and reminded the audience that we need to remember, this Christmas, that Christ came into the world to be the King of our heart.  But it was his statement, "Jesus is the only one who performs true miracles" that caught my attention.  It reminded me of the wonderful miracle that we know of as Christmas...