Keep on Keeping on

  In his letter to the Christians at Philipi, he told them to keep on keeping on.  Ok, he didn't say it quite like that but similiarly he said it.  He said "Do not worry about anything, but in everything by your prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."--4:4 
 
Paul goes on to say, "Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me--everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you."--4:9. I love how Paul said, "Then the God of peace will be with you." and how he said, "Keep putting into practice...".

  So when we translate all this into Bobbyology it becomes clear that what Paul was attempting to say in his round-about-way was "Give it to God and keep on keeping on."  Paul knew his stuff, he just wasn't familiar with Bobbyology yet.

A Road Side PicNic Table

  Let's take a trip. Drive on Hwy 242 East out of Roseboro and keep going right into Bladen County.  Go all the way to Hwy 53 and make a left and then an immediate right onto Hwy 701 and drive into Elizabethtown. Be ready to stop at the traffic lights because if you've ever driven through E-town, you know you'll run into a red light. When they turn green keep going down Hwy 701 to Hwy 87. I believe I've had to stop every time at the traffic light at 87 and 701. When it turns green, go straight across. A short distance down on the right hand side of the road you will see a blue NC DOT sign that reads "Roadside Table Ahead". Sure enough, a short distance further on the left side of the road is a roadside picnic table that is chained to a tree.

  When I first saw this picnic table it brought back memories of my childhood. My mom and dad separated on Halloween, 1972, but before that I remember that every Sunday we took day trips. Don't remember where we went but I know we went. You wouldn't find a fast food restaurants on every corner back then.  If you wanted fast food you would pull over and go to the trunk of the car, because that's where momma would keep the basket full of fried chicken, potato salad, homemade biscuits and the jug of sweet tea.

  On our family day trips, daddy would pull over at one of these tables and all of us kids would jump out of the car and take off into the woods or the fields and go exploring or playing. Daddy would walk around or sit at the table and just seem to relax. Momma would go to the trunk of the car, get out the baskets and go to the table, spread out a table cloth and put out all that food. When it was ready, daddy would holler for us to come and eat and we would come running. At that time I was next to the youngest which meant I had the fourth shortest legs so I got to the table behind my two older brothers and sister. This meant my younger brother and I would be left the two chicken legs.

  After we finished eating, off to the woods we would go and momma would clear off the table, repack the baskets and dad would call us to get back into the car and off we would go to continue our journey fully filled and refreshed for whatever came next, and we would never know what it would be.

  We as Christians and we as the church are like roadside picnic tables.  We should be a place where one can pull over from the journey of life; be a place where one can find a place of peace; be a place where one can receive the nourishment of the faith we share and gift of the Spirit that we hold dear.  We should be the place where one can be ready to continue the journey of life prepared, equipped and ready for the road ahead and the missions that God lays along the way.

  When we describe our churches, just maybe, instead of describing the beauty of the churches in which we worship, just maybe, just maybe we can say "We have four legs, we're wide at the bottom and we're flat on top and we're here for you."

Don't Waste Your Time

Tick tock, Tick tock, Tick tock, Tick tock, Tick tock, Tick

"So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or the hour of my return." Matthew 25:13

Life is a Puzzle

Life is like a puzzle with a missing piece. Even with a missing piece, a puzzle can be a beautiful picture as long as we do not allow the empty spot to dominate the rest of the picture. Once we see the rest of the picture, we're know what the empty spot held.--Bobbyology

Are We the Church?

Matthew 25:35-36  "For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me."
                                                            

Church is the church when the un-church sees the church moving, breathing, working, loving, sharing and being. In other words, we are the church when we become the hands and feet of Jesus Christ.--Bobbyology
  

Childlike Faith

"If I could see the world through the eyes of a child, what a wonderful world this would be. There be no problems and no strife, just a big happy life, with a bluebird in every tree."--Patsy Cline.

Where along the journey did we lose that childlike faith? Oh how I wish I still believed that chocolate milk came from brown cows.--Bobbyology

Think People Think

Stop being ashamed of what we are or have been, and start thinking about what we can be.--Bobbyology

Feeling the Wind

My hair didn't move, but I felt the wind blow and knew that God was here.--Bobbyology

"..while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters." (Gen. 1:1).

Sour Grapes

Have you ever bitten into a sour grape? What did you do with it? Now read Isaiah 5:1-7 and ask yourself, "Am I sour?"--Bobbyology

When you pray...

Oh, hey God. Sorry, I didn't see you there. I was just praying.--Bobbyology

Ask yourself, "When I pray, am I just talking?"

!!!!!!

There comes a time when we realize, saying, "Damn it!", just isn't enough anymore.--Bobbyology

Sacred Places

Everyone needs a sacred place. ---Bobbyology

On Holy Ground

How can you know when you're standing on Holy Ground? Wherever you're standing, look down at your feet and call upon the Name of the Lord and then you'll know you are standing on Holy Ground. ---Bobbyology

Standing

When you stand with a thousand, it doesn't mean you're standing for something. When you're willing to stand alone, then, it means you're willing to stand for something. ---Bobbyology

Take A Look, Open Your Eyes

Before taking a close look at the world around you, be sure to clean your lenses. ---Bobbyology

Are We Worthy?

A question we all should ask ourselves; Am I a pearl worthy of the price paid? If not, why? ---Bobbyology.

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!" ---Matthew 13:45-46 (NLT)

Pork-n-Beans?

Vision without action is like Pork-n-Beans without the pork.---Bobbyology

Bobbyology

The hard truth is that, God loves you.---Bobbyology

Bobbyology

Always keep an extra smile, someone else may need it. ---Bobbyology

Bobbyology

It takes the step of only one person to make a difference in the world around us.

Bobbyology

I saw a bird in the sky; I am blessed.

The point here is, does it have to be the big things?

Bobbyology

To reach those who need you, sometimes you have to drive until you run out of gas, then get out and walk.---Bobbyology

Bobbyology

We can see the blessings after the storm, whether in life or in nature.

Look at the top of the tree that's been twisted off and then look at the middle of the tree. It stayed in place during the tornado. This picture was taken in the yard of the family where our youth group spent all day picking up debris and tree limbs. We all received such a blessing today. Our God is so amazing. Please continue to pray for the Jackson family. Half their roof was ripped away but so thankful.

Shadow of the Cross

This week I had the blessing of working with fellow members of our conference evangelism committee at the Academy of Christian Witness. This event was held at Camp Rockfish and I was excited about going, not just to be in fellowship with many pastors and friends, but also because I was on a search.

I was on a search for the secret place. I wanted to find that place mentioned in Psalm 91: "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" (KJV).

That's what I needed. That's what I desired and that's what I craved. I needed to find that secret place where it would be just God and me, where I could hear him and where we could talk. I had some questions and I have been in one of those pits of time when I just wasn't able to "get my call through." I know God was listening and I know he never left me, it was all me. My mind was in one of those whirl wind of thoughts and I just wanted my God.

I actually asked some of the camp's staff people where was a "God's secret place"? And they all mention the same place, an outdoor worship area on the creek and they gave me the direction. I took an opportunity to walk out to the area and I found it. A beautiful place with benches set up in worship style with a small pulpit and three large crosses, all overlooking the creek.

I sat on one of the benches and stared at the center cross and I called out to God. Nothing. I talked to God. Nothing. I walked around the area. Nothing. I took pictures of the crosses with my phone. Nothing. "Oh well" I thought. "This must not be the secret place I was looking for."

I prepared to head back to the conference center but decided to get a close up photo of the crosses but as a tried to get in a position to get a good picture the Sun was blinding me. I moved around a little to get out of the brightness for the picture but there wasn't a good spot.

I finally knelt down and as I did I fell into the shadow of the cross and it blocked the brightness of the Sun and there on that ground on one knee, I found the secret place. There in the Shadow I finally cried and finally I felt the Hand of God on my shoulder again and I knew I was no longer empty but filled with the Spirit of My Lord. I truly found rest in the Shadow of the Almighty.

The picture above was taken as I was kneeling in the shadow of the cross.

See What I Am

It is wonderful when you can tell someone you are a Christian, but it's more wonderful when you don't have to.---Bobbyology

Walking the Path

If we walk a path without some curves and turns, it would be hard to keep our mind on the journey.---Bobbyology

The NewNormal - The Church's Response to the Stress of Military Life

Time Is Not Reversible

There is always a better minute somewhere on the clock, so don't dwell on the last one. ---Bobbyology

Which day? Who?

One day Jesus will place someone in our path to whom he will shine through us. We live not knowing which day or what person. I suspect that we should live like it's today and the next person is the one.--Bobbyology

All He Wanted Was My Hand

I saw my dad today like I've never seen him before. He underwent surgery yesterday in the hope that the surgery would put the cancer to sleep for an undetermine length of time. I didn't go see him yesterday knowing that he would be 'out of it for a while.' But I had to see him today.

He was in dialysis when we first arrived and was brought back to the room about an hour later. He had his eyes closed as they brought him in and arranged the bed in its proper place. He kepted his eyes closed until I called out to him at which time he opened them and began heavy crying and saying something about being with him and he reached out his hands.

I took his hands and assured him everything would be alright, trying to comfort him best I could. He said he hoped so and he pulled my hands close and tight to his chest and continued to cry.

I called out to God, "It's that time God! I need you to touch my dad. I need you to give him that comfort I've been praying for. I know you see him, Lord and I know you are crying with him. God please touch my daddy."

I could have three fingers amputated from my right hand and still count the number of times I've seen my dad cry on the same hand. Once was when he came to hear me preach a revival, the only time he has heard me preach, and the other as a little boy on the day we became a separated family. He has always been so good at holding in his emotions, but now the season has changed and the weather is bad. He doesn't understand what's happening and he's hurting so bad. Life can be so inhumane.

I held my dad's hand for a long time, first bending over his bed til my back was hurting to bad, then on my knees beside his bed til my knees hurted to bad then back to my feet, back and forth, back and forth. He held on, my hands in his, tight against his chest. He didn't speak much, just held my hands and closed his eyes and tears just streamed down the side of his face until he dozed off.

He didn't sleep long before the nurses came in and asked us to step out so they could do some of their duties that I won't describe here, but I told him I love him and I would be back. I had to come home, no, I wanted to come home. I wanted to get a way for a while and let it sink in a bit.

My dad, the strongest man I've ever known; my great teacher of compassion and love of family and friends; the greatest giver of a smile you could ever meet, and all he wanted was to hold my hand. How powerful and meaningful is the gift of a hand.

Merciful God, allow my daddy to feel the warmth of your hand and the gift of your grace. Amen

Words of a Father

This picture of

"Papa and the girls was taken about

two years ago.

I was just thinking about my dad. I've been at the hospital most of the day with him waiting for the doctor to come and share with me what options my family needed to choose from concerning his recently diagnosed prostate cancer and possible dementia.

Throughout the afternoon there were times when he called me by name, others when he talked with one of my cousins about me as if I wasn't there. He sometimes spoke in the present tense while other times he spoke in past tense way farther back than I could ever be knowledgeable of.

When it came to the word 'Love', it was obvious there was never a time zone involved. My daughters were with me and they would throughout the day tell my daddy that they loved him and he always responded with a smile and saying, "I love you too shug."

It brings to my mind Halloween 1972. This was the day that my mom left my dad. I was six years old and I was getting off the school bus and I saw my older brothers sitting on the porch and I saw my mom's car trunk open and my sister and mom putting stuff in it. I asked my brothers what they were doing and they told me that mom was leaving dad and that my younger brother and me, along with my sister were going with her.

I ran and jumped into my dad's van and grabbed the steering wheel determined not to let go of it. My mom came over and told me to get out of the van and go get into her car. Screaming NO!, I held onto that steering wheel with all the strength a six year old boy could muster. She finally told my dad to get me out and he came over and started pulling on me saying that I had to go with my mom. I kept on screaming 'Nooooo!!". I just knew that if I didn't let go of that steering wheel, they couldn't get me into mom's car and because they couldn't get me into her car, she couldn't leave and all would be well. The mind of a six year old child faced with the possibility of a broken family I guess.

But my dad kept on pulling on me and he placed his face against my face and he was crying and as he pulled on me he kept saying, "I'll always love you, I'll always love you, I'll always love you." Eventually he got me out of the van and into mom's car and forever a broken family we became.

Mom and Dad made peace along time ago and now, after nearly 39 years, they get along fine. They never got back together, mom remarried years later, dad never did, saying he married the only woman he ever loved. They are friends and they even tell each other those magically timeless words "I love you."

Hearing my dad telling my girls and me that he loves us, confirmed to me that those words he said to me inside that van all those years ago is something that he hasn't forgotten.

I'll always love you to dad.