My first "blogger' book review, One of the Few by Jason Ladd

Having seen my name on another book blogging site, Mr. Ladd reached out to me, looking for an early review. Because I did not have an e-reader and was not interested in reading an entire book on a phone screen, he was kind enough to send me this very nice hard cover copy, including his signature on the title page. I must confess, I have not read the entire book. In fact, I have read a few pages short of half of the book.

Mr. Ladd is a Marine and for his service to our country I am grateful. In this autobiographical book, he shares the real life experiences of a young man making life decisions and navigating a career in the military, and then relates those experiences to a biblical truth regarding his relationship with Christ, making this a very practical book. Unfortunately for me, the book just didn't flow. The constant "herky-jerkiness" of the back and forth of real life to spiritual application and back again throughout the book made it difficult for me to stay with it. Additionally, the author's regular use of military terms and acronyms made for a challenging read to a non-military person like me.

Even though some of the practical applications drawn from the events of his life were, in my opinion, a bit of a stretch, his description of them was both interesting and enlightening. I feel that this book was written to a specific audience, of which I am not a member. I would strongly recommend this book to any with a military background. The accounts and unique spiritual discoveries would be a tremendous encouragement, especially if the reader is on their own spiritual journey toward/with Christ. Their understanding of the environment and acronyms will serve as a help to identify with the author and connect with his challenges. At this time of year, and any other time, this would be a great resource to give a soldier in your life. It will certainly offer clarity in a world of confusion for those seeking honest answers to life's tough questions.

Where do I go next?

Yesterday was my 47th birthday, which makes today the last day of November, the month that so many use to express their thankfulness. My eldest child posted a happy birthday message on my Facebook wall, along with a picture that is around 16 or 17 years old. I didn't even know it existed. As one of the coaches of her T-ball team, I was coaching at first base. She obviously has successfully hit the ball and stands securely at first base, looking for the next base to run to and I am pointing it out to her. Being Bethany's ball coach for around nine years was one of the funnest things in my life. It gave me a lot of time with her and it gave me a tremendous thought today.

If you are a daddy, I hope you feel the same way about it as I do. Personally, I think "Daddy" is the about the greatest title a man can hold. I have savored every minute of it. Of course, now it's usually "Dad" and I've added a couple young men to the list of individuals that call me such, but it's still great. Daddy and coach are pretty similar if you take the title seriously. For instance, take this picture...

As I stood at first base, Bethany stood at "home" with her first goal in mind, get to first base. When she reached first, although it isn't evident in this picture, I am sure there was a lot of congratulating and celebrating. By the way, there's also a big bunch of pride in the both of us once that goal is reached. I can almost hear the question, " Daddy, where do I go next?". Ergo, the picture of me pointing to second base, the next goal. Since this is T-ball we are talking about, I am sure that once her eyes were fixed on that goal and the first base coach sent her, she achieved that next goal.

From her position at "home", I have had the ultimate privilege to see goals placed before her, either by her or by me, and watched her successfully reach them. I have congratulated and celebrated so many times, I could not count them. I have also had innumerable opportunities to stand (or squat) beside her and answer the question, "Daddy, where do I go next?" and point her in the right direction and send her off. I have been blessed to be a part of every major decision that she has made. I do not take that for granted. It has been a highlight of my life.

Well, my little T-baller grew up and now she is playing some "major league" life. Again, after much coaching, she got up to bat...this time the goal wasn't as clear, but it became clear when she met him. With Mom and Dad's prayers and God's help, she reached that goal too. She's standing securely on first base, engaged to a great young man, and I'm still standing right there with her...and now we're both looking at "what's next". On March 18, I'm going to walk her down the aisle, but before I do, perhaps I'll stop for a moment and just for old times sake, whether she asks or not, and I'll just point to what (or rather, who) is next before I send her off. It'll probably be all that I can do while I cry tears of love, congratulations, and celebration. And as she rounds that next base, her eyes will fix on the next man, waiting to stand with her, set new goals, and celebrate all of her successes.

But hey, I'm still on the team, so I'll celebrate them too. This November, I am so thankful for the blessing of fatherhood and the children that made it a reality. If I may offer advice...take the title seriously, teach and direct accordingly, celebrate the successes, and always, always be there for the next, "Daddy, where do I go next?"

One of the most influential people in my life

For nearly 27 years, I have called her Mom, and as such she has, for every one of those years, been a teacher, guide, cheerleader, prayer warrior, example, and friend. Just as a mom should, she has corrected me, advised me, cried with me, prayed for me, and most tenderly loved me. But more importantly, she has done the same and more in the life of my wonderful wife, as her devoted mother. Those who know me know I am not a fan of the term "in-law". When I married Jennifer Burroughs, I inherited a family with no dashes or strings attached. Jen's mom is my mom. I propose a better reference to replace MIL. How about MOMS, Mother Of My Spouse?

I am grateful for her and have chosen today to express as much because tomorrow is her birthday. But this is no attempt to butter her up or gain brownie points. I finished that during our courting years when I wrote in a Mother's Day card, "My dad told me if I want to know what my wife will look like, just look at her mother. If that is true, then I am a lucky man." Pretty good, huh? That might not be exactly what I wrote, but it is very close and most of all, it worked. I have been putty in her hands ever since. No, I did not mix that up ;) My actual intention is to raise awareness of the tremendous good our MOMS are and do, yet their reputation does not reflect that. Believe me, I have seen and heard why. MOMS, in many cases, have not aided their cause. Unfortunately, these bad apples have spoiled the bunch. So if you have a good and godly MOMS, say as much. Certainly say it to her. She has doubly influenced your life for the good, in raising a husband or wife who loves Christ and you, and then she has taken you in and lead and loved you as her own. At least, that is what she has done in my life. Now take that understanding and, while you have time and opportunity, give honor where honor is due. Don't allow society to dictate how you talk about her. Don't give in to the assumption that "mother-in-law" jokes and insults are normal. MOMS and future MOMS, don't live up to this "popular belief". Influence your children for good. Their future wife/husband will be blessed by your efforts. If you are already in this position, use your influence to encourage and mentor a well-lived life. You can have that kind of influence if you refrain from complaining, interfering, and bossing.

So Happy Birthday (a day early) Mom. I love and appreciate you. You have been an example to my wife, to me, and I have to assume, to many other ladies who have endeavored to serve the Lord and raise a godly generation.

A new way to look at the scripture

I am not very good at developing "click bait" titles to bring in the traffic, but maybe today's got you. No, I am not getting ready to espouse some updated attempt to translate scripture. I am getting ready to tell you how my devotion time has been helped and blessed by looking at the scriptures through a specific set of lenses. Perhaps your devo time has gotten a bit stagnant, mired by the habit of it all. I know some people that like to rotate how they do or what they read during their private time with the Lord each day. Wait...You DO have a private time with the Lord each day, RIGHT? Well, if you don't, you may not even know where to begin so keep reading.

But you should have a private (=intimate) time with this person you say you love and who loves you most dearly.

Over the last several weeks, a few points have emerged from my devo time and I have been literally writing them down and responding to them. To the point, here they are with a little explanation.

• Personal Impression...Did you know that the Lord Jesus Christ can seen on every page of your Bible. He should. He is the Word. John 1:1 tells us, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." A pastor friend of mine is spending every day of this year presenting Jesus from the pages of the Bible, even from the Old Testament. It's a very good video series that you can find on this Facebook page. During your time in God's word, realize the personal impression of Jesus in the passage. What attribute, characteristic, or quality do you see? Is there a picture or type of Jesus? An easy example would be Psalm 23 where the Lord is pictured as a shepherd leading, providing, and protecting. 

• Practical Implication...The Bible can be broken into some very distinctive segments: poetry, history, prophecy, and several others. In every one of those portions of scripture there is a encouragement to be found to help you live a life that would lift up Christ and glorify God. In our example of Psalm 23, the first verse says, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." What practical action can I take to more live a fuller and richer life for the glory of God? from this verse, I can begin to live a life of contentment and gratitude. Or perhaps the implication there is to stop complaining. Listen, the Bible is a great read, but James says in his book in chapter 1 and verse 22, "But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."

• Prayer Imperative...If the Bible is God speaking to you, and it is, then the appropriate response is to speak back. "I don't know what to say." I know. Many times, I do not either. When I do know what to say, it becomes a "Christmas Wish List" of blessings here and there. The psalmist wrote, "I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name" in Psalm 138:2. God has magnified His word above His own name. That tells me that this word is probably His favorite thing to hear. What better words could be used to pray than His own? As you read, be aware of the things God is revealing about himself, about your self, things that you should be praying about. Perhaps you are convicted of sin. Note that and in prayer, confess it. Maybe you see something you should be or should be doing. Give it to the Lord in prayer. Again, from our example, you might pray, "Lord, help me to be obedient and submitted to your will as you lead me in paths of righteousness and may I learn to trust you and not fear, knowing your presence is always with me."

I hope that you can use these three "lenses" to view your Bible reading through and that as you see Jesus revealed, as well as Bible truth for your life, you would go to the Lord in prayer. This certainly is not the only or best way to study the Bible, but it has sure been helpful for me and I pray this perspective helps you.    

So, Why Was He Born?

Merry Christmas! Here we are in the middle of my favorite time of the year again. I love Christmastime. There is so much I love about it that if I started listing it, you wouldn't stay around to read the actual meat of the blog post. Have you ever noticed that there are a ton of things about the season that we just seem to accept? We accept December 25th as some sort of Holy Day. We accept the magi being in our nativities. We accept "oh how the angels sang" when the Bible doesn't record them singing. Not big deals to me or my celebrating. For the most part, it adds to the enjoyment of it all. However, there is one thing that has been recurring this year that I just can't accept anymore.

Why was Jesus born?

Short answer, heard in song and sermon alike, is "to die".

Nope. Nope. Nope. Well, not exclusively. He did come to die, for which I am ever grateful, but follow me for a bit here. For us to believe and promote that Jesus came to Earth to die, and some have said, "Just to die", is to imply that God wasted what we believe to be a little over 33 years of a wonderful life. I'm going to break the bonds of paragraph and give you some other reasons why He was born. I'm sure that this is not even close to an exhaustive list.

1. Matthew 5:17, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy but to fulfill." Our Bible is full of pages and pages of the law and the prophets and so much of it points to the purity and innocence of the Son of God. There is an inherent righteousness in the law of God and it is to be obeyed (Romans 8:4). The children of Israel said that they would fulfill it (Deut. 5:27) but they couldn't. No one can, not in our sinful flesh (Romans 8:3), so the Bible tells us that God sent his son in the likeness of sinful flesh to condemn sin in the flesh. So now, according to scripture, those who are in Christ are now able to fulfill the righteousness of God, His law, by virtue of the life of Christ and the reality of Christ in the believer. We need his life for ours. 
2. That was the "law" part of Matthew 5:17, now for the "prophets" part. I believe that, aside from creation itself, fulfilled prophecy is one of the greatest evidences of God's existence, as well as evidence of His inspiration. According to your source, you will find that Jesus fulfilled around 300 prophecies, and quite probably more. Without the years of His life being lived out, recorded, and even historically verified, where would your confidence in God's word come from? I know, I know...God said it, I believe it...yeah, me too. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God, so let me copy in something here from somebody who has already done the math..."According to “The Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy” by J. Barton Payne, there are 1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament and 578 prophecies in the New Testament for a total of 1,817. These prophecies are contained in 8,352 of the Bible’s verses. Since there are 31,124 verses in the Bible, the 8,352 verses that contain prophecy constitute 26.8 percent of the Bible’s volume." Isn't it awesome that so many of them have been fulfilled already?
3. Speaking of confidence, look at Hebrews 4:15, "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin." The Lord Jesus Christ has "been there" and can empathize with us. Salvation is not about our feeble or most pious efforts to reach out to a holy God. It is the story of how the holy God reached out to us in the most compassionate way, walking in our shoes, experiencing our hurts. No wonder the Bible can immediately say, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need." 
4. Enough for confidence. How about some comfort? John 16:33 says, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." Isn't that a wonderful comfort? Would it be found in a Bible that had no life of Christ in it?
5. You know what else would not be found in the Bible, without his life? His words. Luke 4:18 gives us the account of Jesus reading scripture from the book of Isaiah, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach..." and three verses later he said, "This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears." Jesus used the years of life in ministry to preach with words and actions, which we now follow after, fulfilling the great commandment and the great commission.  

These are but a few, but I think the point is made. Jesus was born for much, much more than just to die. He was born to live and in living he gave us words to live by and preach, an example of servitude and righteousness, and great confidence to live for God for we know He is faithful and true to His word and wants to hear from us (I John 5:14, 15). So let me enjoy Christmas and the birth of my Savior. Don't get me wrong, I am glad that he died for my sins...but I'm also glad and privileged to strive to walk in the steps of a life well lived. 

And again I say, Merry Christmas!

p.s. Sorry it's been so long. I will try to do better.

Merry Christmas p.s.

Merry Christmas to you all! I love to say that and so is it any wonder that I am still saying that? And you do know what p.s. means, right? Just in case you don't, it means post script. It is commonly known as the piece of letter after the letter. So, my letter, or main message to you is Merry Christmas, meaning a couple things which I shall channel Gandalf in order to make them clear...

1. I wish for you a merry Christmas.
2. It is a merry Christmas, whether you want it or not.
3. I feel exceedingly merry this Christmas.
4. And yes, this is truly a Christmas to be merry on.

All of those speak to the relationship between my/your happiness upon the event of this holiday and I do wish to communicate every possible permutation of that hope for you and me. Christmas has brought and should always bring a great message of peace, joy, and good will toward men. At the risk of sounding elitist, I believe that the best people to carry such a message would have to be those who not only recognize the event as a Holy birthday, but have received the gift of salvation made possible by the coming of the Son of God. That brings me to my "p.s.".

I saw an advertisement during the holidays that stirred my thoughts and emotions. It was based on real events that took place on one Christmas day during World War I. I have posted the link in case you missed it. It is a powerful reminder of the real Spirit of Christmas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWF2JBb1bvM

This year, more than ever, I read, heard, and heard of more debate from those wishing to make Christmas a platform for disagreement. Whether it was about the use of a Christmas tree, the real date of Christmas, the reference to Santa Claus, the actual time the wise men arrived, and on and on and on, there seemed to be more concern for the defense of a position than the advancement of the authentic message of Christmas. In hind sight, I could have stayed out of the discussions. I could have taken a lesson from the soldiers on that Christmas day 100 years ago. I could have been more focused on sharing the good news, the angels called them glad tidings, of a Savior who was born to save us from our sins, to forgive us our unrighteousness, and to bring peace, an indescribable lasting peace. I realized, this year, how important it is to ever and always exalt Christ. Many illustrations from my past convince me that the best thing that I can do, and it is what I am called to do, is make Christ known, give Him all the glory, all of the preeminence. I have said from the pulpit of Franklin Baptist Church many times, "You don't sell a Ford by kicking a Chevy." I have gained nothing by disputing or insulting, but if I lift Christ up, he said he would draw all men to himself.

So here it is, my p.s...I hope you were able to celebrate Christ. It doesn't matter to me if you pretend there is a Santa; it's none of my business if you decorate a Christmas tree or not (either way, you are not violating scripture); and even if Jesus' actual birth was some other time of year and it took the wise men longer than a night to get there, I pray that you celebrated Christ. I pray that you rejoiced as the shepherds did when they witnessed the reality of the coming of Messiah, as the wise men did when they saw the Star, and especially as Mary when the Only Begotten of the Father was born in her. I hope you were able to celebrate Christ. And if you were, don't stop. If you didn't, it's not too late. It's never too late. Christ came to bring you salvation. That is a gift that is always available. Thanks for reading my Perspective.

Where is everybody, Part III

Hello, hello. What a beautiful morning. As I type this, I can watch out of the dining room window as huge flakes of snow steadily fall. It is the day before Thanksgiving and so my home is filled with the aroma's of the season...my pellet stove burning, a freshly made cranberry and orange relish, and the beginnings of an apple cake. This is a great day. But I have to tell you, in spite of the wonderful day we have planned tomorrow when 12 people will be sitting where I am now and eating a blessed meal, my birthday celebration on Saturday, and perhaps best of all, the presence of my college freshman home for the holiday, my mind is on this coming Lord's day. It won't be a "regular" Sunday, by any means. Because it is the fifth Sunday of the month, we have Youth Sunday. It's a day where the teens are given an extra role in the day's ministry. They lead singing, play music, usher, sometimes teach Sunday school, and especially for this month, present the word of God as the main speaker.

That brings me to another great reason to be in church, not just this week or month, for the holidays's sake, but every opportunity you get. It should be understood that God's plan is for the spreading His gospel to all of humankind and one of the most emphasized methods in the Bible is generationally. Starting with the first family, it was Adam's responsibility to teach his children the ways of God. As the patriarchs of the Old Testament raised their children, they would bless them and encourage them in the ways of God. In Deuteronomy 6, we read of God's plan for His word to be passed on to the next generation...

 Deuteronomy 6:7  And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 

In the New Testament, especially in Paul's writing, this generational approach to instructing (which is not just speaking, but a living example) is very clear as he addresses the aged men and aged women. And so the Biblical standard is clear. The members of the older generation have a responsibility to the younger generations as teachers, examples, leaders, and mentors. This is, first and foremost, to be carried out in the home from grandparents to parents to children. Family devotions are the beginning of this teaching, but quickly on its heals is the need to worship together in a church or public setting. Public identification with Christ is completely scriptural as seen by baptism and witnessing. All too often I hear a parent ask the question, or one similar to it, "What happened?" or "Where did I go wrong?" I believe the solution to the problem of the younger generation forsaking the local church, and worse, the faith of their fathers altogether, is rooted in the dedication made evident or shown to be lacking by our interest to gather and worship together. Parents, come to church and bring your family with you. Worship together.

It certainly begins at home, but II Timothy 2:2 gives us a tremendous principle for carrying out local church ministry. Notice the scripture, "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also." Church attendance gives each child of God the opportunity to directly influence a younger generation. The encouragement offered to children and teens alike, by your attendance and attention is beyond explanation. And believe me, they are watching. They are looking for you when you are not there. THIS Sunday will be a very special chance for you to be a blessing and encouragement to the youth in your church, even if it is not "Youth Sunday" there. If you are an attendee of Franklin Missionary Baptist Church in Darlington, Maryland, you have, not just an opportunity, but I believe a scriptural obligation. From someone who has been involved in active youth ministry, talking, interacting, and even counseling them, for nearly 20 years, that is my perspective.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Please take time to share the blessedness of your life with someone else.

Where Is Everybody, Part 2

Well, the first installment of this discussion garnered a pretty good bit of traffic so let's continue the thought...where is everybody, referring to the lack of interest in attending church, especially the "extra-curricular" Sunday evenings and Wednesday nights. Remember as you read, I am totally avoiding any legalistic implications. I believe the Bible not only speaks of public gathering and worship, but literally encourages it through scriptural principles that we should be familiar with. So, last time it was a matter of gladness, or happiness, in our lives, to attend the house of God. Today I want to approach this subject from the perspective of hunger.

It is an interesting phenomena, convenience stores. As a child, I remember 7-11 stores scattered around, with an occasional High's Dairy Store. Nowadays, there are at least two convenience stores at every major intersection and just about every gas station has its own version of the mini-mart. What has brought about the proliferation of Royal Farms, Wawa, Turkey Hill, High's, 7-11, Sheetz, Rudders Market, as well as ExxonMart, CitgoMart, BP, Shell, Sunoco, and Crown with all of their sandwiches, snacks, and sodas? We eat as soon as we even get a twinge of hunger. We don't even know what it feels like to truly be hungry in this country. We feed our self, sometimes when we don't even need to.

The Bible says in 1 Peter 2:1-3, Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Notice the instruction to desire the sincere milk of the word. In some parts of the world, the feeling of hunger is so much a part of living, that it can even be ignored to a point. It seems to me that if an individual has "tasted that the Lord is gracious", in other words, experienced or known the grace of God as in through the gift of salvation, the Bible is saying that we should be desiring, or longing for, the word instead of ignoring the need for it in our life. Are you hungry for the word of God? Do you see the opportunity to sit under Bible preaching as a blessing? Or is it a Sunday morning requisite? We would no sooner try to live off of one meal a day, let alone one a week, but we starve our inner man to a place of spiritual malnutrition. An indication, a birthmark if you will, of the new birth is a hunger for the word of God.

Think about it. Have you been frustrated by a lack of growth, that stuck in a rut feeling? Are you still struggling with the same things that troubled you months and years ago, you just can't seem to get past it? Come on back to the house of God for some preaching, teaching, and singing from the word of God. Get fed. Grow. Get perspective.

Where is everybody?

Wow, has it really been a year since I posted a blog entry? I was afraid that might happen when I started the blog in the first place. A TON has happened since my last post, but instead of trying to catch you up in one fell swoop, I want to just act like I never missed a beat and continue on with blogging and maybe, just maybe, I'll fill in some blanks along the way, so here I go again...

Hello, my name is Rick and I am a recovering legalist. That's right, from a very strict "holiness" upbringing to being awed by shock-jock preachers with a rock-star mentality early in my ministry, I used to be quite the rigid militant fundamentalist. I am glad to say that by God's grace (how ironic), I have come a long way. I only say that to set up my perspective on a specific issue...church attendance. There is certainly a wide range of opinions regarding church attendance, from "I can worship the Lord in my home just as good as in church" to the proverbial "drug" problem. You know, that's the problem characterized by being drug to church every time the doors were open.

I am not here to discuss the nuances of what "the church" is. My folks hear me regularly say, "The church is a body, not a building. It is people, not a place." Nevertheless, the scripture is full of references to assembly and corporate worship. I am not saying that  there is only one place, a sanctuary, to worship, nor am I saying that there is only one time, 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Sunday and 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, to worship. What I am saying, rather asking, is why do people not attend church as they once did?

I will be hitting this topic for a little while because there is no way to hold you here indefinitely to read the longest blog ever, but I want to encourage you and others to get back into church. Not as a required religious exercise. Not because I believe God takes attendance every service looking for the naughty and the nice. Not because I think your salvation depends upon "Perfect Attendance". No, but there are lots of legitimate, good reasons to get yourself together and get yourself down to church as often as you are able.

Here is the first reason. In the life of the believer, it would seem, that the opportunity to meet publicly and corporately with others of God's people is a source of happiness, or more specifically...

Psa 122:1  A Song of degrees of David. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

Glad = śâmach
Pronounced saw-makh'
A primitive root; probably to brighten up, that is, (figuratively) be (causatively make) blithe or gleesome: - cheer up, be (make) glad, (have make) joy (-ful), be (make) merry, (cause to, make to) rejoice, X very.

Do you see that? Going to church made David joyful and merry, and what's more, it was multiplied times "VERY". I wonder if today's Christians are the least joyful in history (personal generic commentary) because they don't frequent the assembly of the only people on this earth that have the MOST important things in common with them, people who are theoretically on their side. Church is an oasis of grace in a world of grief. Come on in and take a load off. I know I am the Pastor, but it shouldn't just be my perspective. I'm glad to be back with you.

Keeping the Perspective

You have probably never woke up in the morning with the immediate thought of the trouble awaiting you today. I guess I should not have been surprised, for I left the thoughts of this trouble right beside my pillow last night. A bit of transparency right here...I just preached the midweek service, including the principle of casting our burdens on Him, not keeping or carrying them. EPIC FAIL. Anyway, when I woke up, POW, there it was; an overwhelming cloud of question and uncertainty. As I sought the Lord in prayer this morning, I pleaded for His direction and help through His word. Please continue reading to see the help I received.

I enjoy reading a chapter of Proverbs each day, the one which coincides with the date. [Editor's note: I highly recommend this.] As I read chapter 5, familiar with the contents and already doubting I would receive anything from it, I got sucker-punched. Those wonderful words of verses 15 through 18 reminded me of my lost Perspective.

Have you ever thought about who winds up being the first to suffer, as well as the worst to suffer through your difficulties? I can easily hit the rewind and see that when I physically hurt in my body, I just want to lay down and crash. When I am trying to deal with emotional hurts, I retreat to my "happy place" which is a table for one at Pity's Pub. It seems to me, when anything goes wrong in my life, my wife is the real victim. Is it because I love her less? Is it because she loves me less? Is it her fault that these things came about? Most definitely no, no, and no. If you are nearly as blessed as I am, then you have a wife, or husband, for you ladies, that strives to be supportive, helpful, and loving. I haven't pushed her away on purpose, but today the Lord reminded me that the command is to rejoice with my wife, regardless of what else may be happening in my life.


If God has filled your life with the love of a loyal spouse, understand that
they are going through your trouble with you, if you let them. Solomon
reminds us of the strength of a three-fold cord. Allow the Lord to minister to you by way of that third cord. And don't let the stuff of life interrupt the rejoicing that should always be taking place in your marriage. Through the hard times, keep the right Perspective.

The Kite Principle

My son, Ricky, enjoying  flying a kite in Panama City, FL.

I am not a kite person. I never had one as a child and still have no interest in building or flying an actual kite. My wife, on the other hand, seems to be an avid kite lover. I don't know the history behind Jen and kites. There may be no history at all, but I can assure you that right now there is a kite in the side box of my pick-up truck cap and it is just waiting for the chance to be freed from it's place of bondage and set loose on a glorious journey of the sky and Jen would be the one to suggest it, not me. It also would seem that there is an ideal place for kites to be flown...at the beach. I am a beach person. Our family has had the great pleasure of spending hours, days, and weeks on the sands of several beautiful beaches including Panama City Beach, Virginia Beach, Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island in Florida, Bethany Beach, and our all time favorite, Topsail Island, North Carolina. Now I will not exaggerate and say that we have flown kites at each of these venues, but rest assured, the kite was probably there and/or the idea was brought up by Jen. Needless to say, I have gleaned some knowledge regarding the proper launching and subsequent flying of a kite. I must say that the one instance that sticks out in my mind under the heading of "kite flying" was not completely my doing, but I did have a part in it. One year, at Topsail with family, lots of family, a Superman kite had made the trip with us. (I have come to notice the correlation between the presence of children and kites. That is probably the source of my wife's kite affection-her children.) Without getting into the minutia of getting it into the air, I so remember how high, for how long, and just how awesome a sight it was to see him flying up there. See, we had spent so much time flying this kite that we were able to release the entire ball of string and even let that go, as we tied it to one of the railings of the deck or catwalk. Of the dozen or more people on that trip, each and every person would take a few seconds to look up from a beach chair or look out a window to see where the kite was. If memory serves me, that kite flew for hours and hours without any hand holding the string before we had to reel it back in.

I am a daddy. I love being a daddy. I have had the opportunity to co-raise three awesome kids; two girls and a boy. One of those girls is 18 years old and so far, a fresh high school graduate. Right now she is out of the country on a mission trip to Grenada where she is using her talents, singing, playing the guitar, and my favorite, sharing the word of God, to make a difference in the lives of the people of that island, but especially a group of children four to six years old. My wife and I have obviously spent a significant amount of time preparing her for now. You know where I am going with this. You see, all of a sudden I realize how much I love kites and flying them, still not the actual ones, but the ones illustrated by our children. There is a huge similarity. There are memories of running and running as hard and fast as I could to try to get that kite up into the breeze. We sure have had our share of changes in the wind with accompanying nose dives. I will never forget the times that I had to quickly wind some string back onto the ball because there was too much slack and the kite began to falter. On the flip side, I have stood and felt the refreshing breath of God blowing in our life and felt as the string began to pull snug in the breeze. Her mother and I have watched as she has pulled away from us, climbing higher on the current of this blessed breeze, sustained by this heavenly wind. I now understand that I can build the kite, make her fit for flying. I tie my string to her, not to hold her down, but to help her fly. Have you ever seen a kite fly without string? Our malls are full of them, kites without ability to fly on their own, blowing wherever the harsh gusts of society choose. These are surface winds. Our desire should be to get them up from the ground and into the air. Isn't it interesting that the term used to parent a child to adulthood is "raise". The Bible uses the phrase "bring them up". So no, it's not by my power that they fly, but they need the string. I thought I needed the string. What I am seeing now is that the string no longer needs to be in my hand. She is on the wind, flying high. She still needs the string, but I don't. I think I'll tie it to something that won't move. By prayer, I will leave her in the care of the Rock that is higher than I, Psalm 61:2. Now I will bask in the awesome sight of my high-flying kite way up in the wind and I will watch as passers-by stop to watch it too. To them it will look like she has no string, but I know she does and I know Who is holding it because I can see it...from my Perspective.


Now for one of the best post scripts ever....

It has been over a year since I wrote this original content above and there have been a couple times I began to question its authenticity. The beginning of this year was rough and I gotta tell you, I wondered if my precious kite would stay airborne. Storm winds blow into our lives and can wreak havoc on a kite that "refuses" to come down. Well, I am thrilled to give you a refreshed view of my kite. My now 19 year old daughter is a missionary on deputation with the Gospel Preachers Association/Mobilization Ministries to raise support so that she can go back to Grenada for a six-month "tour" as a missionary teacher on February 11, 2104, right after her 20th birthday. She will be imbedded in Maranatha Baptist Church, where she will be teaching preschoolers through the week, working with teens on Saturdays, and on Sunday, teaching Sunday school & participating in the services at her home church. Feel free to check out her Facebook page and be sure to "like" it while you're there to receive her updates. In fact, if you feel inclined to join in her "flight", you can go here and donate.

God has amazed us with His ability to add string to the kite, even while it is flying. I've never had to do that before, but I am so glad He has. Now I can't wait to see how much string He has added. Have I mentioned that I love flying kites?

An open letter to BSA Chief Executive. Please share.

Good morning Mr. Brock,

I have just finished reading several pieces of information regarding the conflict that now exists in the leadership ranks of BSA. I am writing to implore you, as well as the full leadership body of BSA to stand strong and resolute upon the moral conviction of this great institution. As a husband, father of a 12 year old contemplating membership, pastor of 60+ families, Life scout from troop 155 of the Parkway District of the Baltimore Area Council, and member of The Order of the Arrow, I am pleading for the consideration of all that should be held masculine and moral in our society. Without a doubt, the BSA had the greatest influence in my life and my Scout Master, Harry Mackey, remains one of the most influential men in my life, even after losing contact some 25 years ago. I am sure that this statement would be repeated across this country and even around the world. You are on the precipice of forever changing the healthy and proper view of the God of this universe, as boys will recite, “On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country…” Is this acceptation of homosexuality really our best as we consider our duty to God? Is it really the best for our country to further emasculate the male gender from which our country has always drawn strength and leadership? And as I recall the words, especially the last, of the Scout Law, how reverent is it to look a Holy and Just God in the face with full knowledge of the Holy Bible and its words, and contradict what He has said is unnatural, Romans 1:24-27?

Mr. Brock, I urge you to look at the mountain of evidence and listen to the encouragement to remain stalwart to the heritage of scouting. We, the people, do not want this type of change. America is still overwhelmingly in support of your organization remaining “straight”. In closing, I am no prophet, nor the son of one, but I can assure you of this. Even though there is a large amount of support from VFW’s and other civic organizations, one of your largest proponents is the church, with BSA recognizing this with more than 75 emblems representing at least 35 religious groups. There will most certainly be a backlash. To change your stand now would change the complexion of Boy Scouts immediately, but worse yet, it will be the ultimate demise of BSA as churches across this country and around the world turn to alternate groups. These groups are already on the rise and they provide scouting-like experiences without the infringement of societal deviations. I am sure you are aware of several of these but I thought I might give a few examples: Royal Rangers, Royal Ambassadors, Pathfinders, Christian Service Brigade, Awana Club, Pioneer Club, ConQuest, Kids 4 Truth, and Master Club, among others. In fact, my church is already on the path to taking youngsters camping in our Master Club program where they will learn and earn badges for cooking, camping, first aid, etc. I am excited to be chaperoning that trip myself. This migration from BSA to other groups will only lessen the influence and promotion of BSA until you sadly fade away or even worse, become the antithesis of who you were thirty-two years ago, as I entered the Calvary Lutheran Church as an eleven year old boy, anxious to learn how to be a man.

Joyfully Serving,

Pastor Rick Wilson

Franklin Baptist Church

2106 Franklin Church Road

Darlington, MD 21034

To know Christ and to make Him known.

Down with excuses

As I started my devotional reading today, I was challenged by the scripture in Exodus 4:1-7.

And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee. And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee. And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.

We can give a great many excuses for neglecting our personal witness of Christ in our life, but right here there are three excuse busters. First, we have the call of God on lives. It doesn't matter what people say. It only matters what God has said. Second, he has put something in our hand, as the rod was in Moses'...a Bible. God has equipped us with all that we need to stand and proclaim Him. And third, just as Moses experienced, we have experienced a change in our life that only God could effect. For Moses, it was the healing of leprosy. For you and I, God has provided for the healing of our spiritual leprosy, sin. What else could we ever need? We have the call of God in our life, the word of God in our hand, and the gift of God upon our soul. We have no excuse.
We can give a great many excuses for neglecting our personal witness of Christ in our life, but right here there are three excuse busters. First, we have the call of God on lives. It doesn't matter what people say. It only matters what God has said. Second, he has put something in our hand, as the rod was in Moses'...a Bible. God has equipped us with all that we need to stand and proclaim Him. And third, just as Moses experienced, we have experienced a change in our life that only God could effect. For Moses, it was the healing of leprosy. For you and I, God has provided for the healing of our spiritual leprosy, sin. What else could we ever need? We have the call of God in our life, the word of God in our hand, and the gift of God upon our soul. We have no excuse.


What is keeping you from sharing your faith in Christ with another? In 2 Peter 1:3 we read, "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:" We have been given everything that we need. I have heard several "misquotings" of the what we know as the Great Commission. Some have said it is the Great Omission and others have referenced it as the Great Suggestion. Both of these should be a prick in our soul. Has personal evangelism been omitted from your life. Do you see the command of Christ as just a good idea, but not necessarily for you? Let's stop making excuses and live from the Perspective of this great verse.

Matthew 28:19, 20  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

A New Year's Perspective

Happy New Year! Well, it's really not so new, but considering how long it has been since I have blogged, this is new. This year is our fifth year emphasizing a certain theme or focus for the calendar year at Franklin Baptist Church. With the help of my friend, Josh Berg, it is not just my favorite annual thought, but it is also my favorite annual visual. As I have meditated much upon this theme, I have realized a new perspective at work in my heart. That is, am I considering or acknowledging Christ in every aspect of my life? Does His word trump every notion, tradition, and influence in my life?

Today's chronological Bible reading schedule stop had me reading Genesis 12-15, and in the first couple verses of reading I could not help but stop and address a real issue in my life. We are all very familiar with the man Abraham. Many of us even know that he was called "the friend of God". God had many promises the He desired to fulfill in Abraham's life but it all started in Genesis 12:1, "Now the Lord said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee..." and God follows with the first promise of blessing in Abraham's life.

The word for the day is distraction. God knew that for Abraham to be free to obey Him, he needed to be free from distractions. These were God's very first recorded words to Abraham. That is significant. We long for the best God has in store for us. We say that we desire His will for our life. God may not expect you to move away from your home and family but I can assure you that there are some things that He would like to see you distance yourself from. Now, to put that back into context, what am I (or are you) allowing to take the priority in life away from the Lord Jesus Christ? I am painfully easy to distract. A standing "dig" that I hear regularly is "Look, something shiny!" I am finding that I must be intentional about placing Christ upon the throne of my life daily. Without the very distinct realization of distractions in front of me, I would allow tasks, other people, and amusement to usurp the throne of my heart, and anything or anyone other than Christ in that place would surely be a hindrance to God's plan for me. And without starting another whole post, I will say that that is exactly what the enemy wants. I don't have to list the distractions. You know them and more importantly, you know your's. Forsake it today. As you bow before that throne today, make sure it is Christ that wears the crown.

A plea for revival in America

II Thessalonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work:only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

This scripture has commonly and correctly been referenced to speak of the restraining ministry of the Holy Spirit of God regarding the rapture of the church and subsequent departure of the indwelling Holy Spirit. I do not wish to diminish that thought today, but as I have read and heard of the tragedy in Connecticut and the horrible act of wickedness, the taking of so many lives, I could not help but see this scripture from a different perspective. 

The wicked one, the adversary of righteousness, is alive and well today and active on planet Earth. Many will ask why or how something like this could happen if there really were a God in heaven. The question that should be asked is, "How much more will we remove God from our lives and allow these things to take place more and more?" Without the authority of God and His word ever-present and at work in the world today, it would be far worse. The power of God lived out in His people acts as an influence in society. This influence was once a prevailing force in society, when the truth of the Bible was revered, the holiness of God was respected. Now we watch as that influence is diminished in society by the dilution of political correctness and globalism. The concentration of all that at one time was good and right in America has now been watered down to a cloudy scum pond fostering the growth of immorality and violence. As we have, for all intents and purposes, taken God out of the way, what is left to stem the tide of these actions in our land?

O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.

The best view of the best shooting stars, ever

Season's Greetings and Happy Holidays! Oh forget that...Merry Christmas! It is my favorite time of the year. It is for a lot of people, but for me, Christmas highlights why I love to be a "family" man. Many will say that Christmas is just for children. Sorry, I'm not going for that. Because Christmas is about a person, not all of the stuff and fluff, everyone can and should enjoy the blessedness of the season. Anyway, with all of our traditions and their corresponding memories, I find it so easy to love being a husband and father. I so enjoy time spent together and giving of gifts, etc. etc.

Well, last night I was reminded how totally awesome it is to be a daddy and it really had nothing to do with Christmas. After getting home from coaching my son's basketball team (great stuff all by itself), and seeing on Twitter that many friends were out watching the meteor shower, we headed out the back door. Now, I have always loved where we live because we have always had a great sky view, but last night was perfect. The sky was cloudless and because we live in the boondocks, we have little to no light pollution. Before long, there were four bodies side by side by side, me and my three kids, laying flat on our deck with nothing but wide open sky and the Geminids straight up. All of us were sharing one huge quilt, and there we lay for over a half hour. We "Ooohed" and "Aaahed", counted, compared, and shivered. The only thing that hindered our view of the night sky was the thick clouds of our own breath. We scooched as tightly together as we could to keep warm and laughed at how cold and crazy we were.

In spite of the 27 degrees, I forgot how cold I was for a while as I laid there listening to the wonder and excitement of three people that bring the same to me. I was reminded of the great privilege I have had to be a part of God's great plan for three people who, I am sure, will change the world; three individuals with the awareness of a great God, His awesome creative power, and His ability and desire to create something wonderful in them. I was reminded how great it is to spend time together without a TV, DVD, Wii, or anything else; just each other, a blanket, and a God who loves us. It could be said that last night was exceptionally special for one of my kids who said, "Don't you know? It is my lifelong dream to see a shooting star?" Well, there was her dream come true, but from my Perspective, my dreams came true 19, 17, and 12 years ago, and I am reminded that they keep coming true as I watch my children, like shooting stars, burn brightly across the sky of my life, unfortunately far too quickly.

Above and beyond the call of duty.

Merry Christmas everyone! It is truly my favorite time of the year. During this great season, I walk the razor's edge of emotions and it seems that everything touches my heart. I was doing some reading this morning and came across this great news piece about an NYPD officer who performed an incredible act of kindness. I quickly shared the article on Facebook, as I know several law enforcement officers and I knew the positive publicity would be encouraging. Unfortunately, in this day of cell phone videos and greedy lazy people looking for a way to make a name or get rich quick, the internet is full of stories about the "bad apples". One of my Facebook friends made the comment, "That is definitely an example of going above and beyond the call of duty." And I totally agree. I am so impressed by a law enforcement officer displaying such compassion for a citizen "down on his luck". I see it not as an act of professionalism, but as an act of humanity. 

Last Sunday I preached a sermon entitled, "A Heart for Humanity" and my mind is still filled with the spirit of that message. It was equally for me and my church. That being said, I could not help but be overwhelmed with this thought...That IS our call of duty. Sure, for this officer, it would definitely be an out-of-the-box approach to his job, that is, unless he has accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. Frances Chan, author of Crazy Love, asks this question; "How would my life change if I actually thought of each person I came into contact with as Christ...?" He poses this question after referencing the scripture Matthew 25:45, "Inasmuch as ye did it not unto the least of these, ye did it not to me."

My call of duty as a born again believer is to give meat to the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, take in the stranger, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned, and last but not least, shoe the shoeless (my words, not scripture). My hat's off to officer Lawrence DePrimo, but for each of God's children this singular act of kindness should be an example of our lifestyle of compassion. 

The rite of passage

I have been silent for quite some time, blog-o-sphere wise. There has been so much to write about, but because it is all happening so fast, I haven't had a chance to sit down to type it out.

A month ago I embarked on one of the greatest journeys ever. I took my son away for several days on a camping trip and with a little help from Family Life Today, I walked him into the knowledge of manhood. My wife had taken the same journey with our two daughters, respectively, of course. My wife and I chose the age of eleven years old hoping to catch them before they had been exposed to a tainted message of maturity, but old enough for it all to be relevant.

Ricky crossing from tree to tree.

With our cabin booked at the KOA in Hagerstown, MD, we took off for three days and two nights of masculinity at its finest; fishing, cooking and eating a whole lot of meat, fire, and outdoor activity. Oh yeah, there was a pretty good bit of World Series baseball too. We didn't rough it too much. As I said, Family Life helped out greatly. All three of our children received "the talk" from Dennis and Barbara Rainey, and let me tell you, as uncomfortable as the whole situation can be, they made it significantly simpler. With their help, I was able to equip my son to navigate life's most difficult obstacles, even harder than this one at River Rider's aerial adventure park.

A couple things here. First of all, parents, you gotta do this. No matter how you found these things out, the best way for your young person to get this kind of information is straight from mom and/or dad. It IS awkward. It has the potential to be embarrassing. It is so much easier for them to just pick it up somewhere from a friend, or something. You gotta do this.  You've heard the adage, "If you want something done right, do it yourself." Trust me. You want this done right. This is responsibility at its highest level.

Doing some serious reading and thinking.

Also, don't feel like there is only one uncomfortable way to handle this. This time away was one of the greatest times I have ever had as a father. I heartily endorse the Passport to Purity materials. I was never sat down and given the low-down on the facts of life. I had nothing to draw from (aside from my own life now) and I am sure many, if not most, of you are in the same boat. Using this gave me the platform to communicate to my son all that was on my heart. It helped us both to open up, to be transparent and talk about some tough stuff. But now...what can't we talk about? Nothing. There is nothing off limits. We can talk about anything, especially now that we've taken on the mechanics and the biology of the birds and the bees.



 God has blessed me with tremendous family relationships. I am excited to say that the bond between my son and I has been strengthened 100-fold through the time that was intentionally given to dealing with some of life's most complicating things, manhood, purity, sexuality, and relating to the opposite sex. Don't dodge it. Take it head on. Make it something to celebrate. You'll be so glad you did.

Build a bridge and get over it.

Sorry for the sarcasm of the title. It's catching, though, isn't it?

Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always in all things unto God...

I have noticed an interesting contrast on Facebook this week. Nine days ago, many of my friends started expressing thankfulness for the manifold blessings in their life. It has been wonderful reading these and I appreciate the spirit of such an exercise. It is a great testimony of the grace of God at work in our life. 

At nearly the same time, a few days ago, many people, including some that are expressing thanks for some things in their life, are or have been engaged in murmuring, complaining, and even darkly prognosticating the future. This my friends is what James referred to as a fountain yielding fresh water and salt water. He goes on to say, "These things ought not so to be." 

Please consider the scriptural mandate in the life of a child of God...always in all things. 

Two things. First, if things truly do get worse, it is Bible prophecy being fulfilled and the coming of my Savior is ever nearer. The Bible is clear that everyone will turn their back on Israel. Secondly, remember Nineveh. They were bad from the king all the way down. One half hearted man of God, who finally obeyed God saw God turn that place around. What could have happened if the half hearted servant had been enthusiastically obedient? Let's find out. Let's serve God and trust God. Let's enthusiastically obey the Lord and let's just see if these have to be the last vestiges of freedom as we have known it. My freedom comes from the Son so I am free indeed.

And then I want to say to men of God who may be reading this, ministers, preachers, missionaries, and others in authority as you handle the word of God. I believe God's men ought to set the example. Paul gladly took that challenge upon himself with the Lord Jesus Christ as his pattern. Listen, the election is over. Romans 13:1 tells us that the powers that be are ordained of God. God's will was accomplished. Stop defending Him like He is a poor bullied student on a playground. Lead, exemplify, pray, and lead a peaceable life.

An Appropriate Response

Okay, I have probably spent too much time reading the post-election comments. I have even formulated and deleted some of my own. We are certainly free to our opinions and even the expression of them. (Not sure for how long.) Sadly, the caustic banter that was engaged in before the election seems to have deepened. I have dozens of thoughts that I would want to share, starting at the most elementary; Don't be a sore loser. (BTW, I lost too.) Instead, I want to share the most non-partisan, unbiased perspective of all, the Bible. The worst part about that is that, well, it comes down hardest on those that say they believe the Bible.

• Don't complain...Philippians 2:14, 15  Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 
• Don't engage in "mud-slinging"...Romans 12:17  Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 
• Pray for the leadership of America...I Timothy 2:1, 2  I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.
• Trust God...Psalm 25:2  O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me. I have to comment here because all to many times we are quick to trust Him when it seems to be easy. That's really not trust. That is taking for granted. 

Notice how in each of the passages, our response directly affects the people around us because of the testimony of our living. We are forgetting a great truth. We ought to be letting our light shine so that others will see the difference in us and thereby see and glorify God. As is usually the case, we are fretting over things we cannot change. God never changes. Trust Him. Trust Him for today. Trust Him for the next four years. Trust Him for eternity. I have much to work on with this one, but it is the appropriate Perspective. 

I wish to leave you today with a prayer that has circulated on my Facebook page:

Lord, please be with our President. Give him guidance, wisdom, & direction as he leads our nation for the next four years. May he turn his heart to you. 

Nothing is too hard for You, as You have proven over and over throughout history. Bring revival to our country. Stir up our churches.

Jesus, before I try wishing for Mr. Obama to be what I want him to be, please start with me, and make me who I ought to be and the man, American, & most importantly, the Christian You want me to be. Amen. ~Mike Thompson~