I Am

I am thinking about the bombing in Jaipur (India) today.
I am saddened and angered at violence and the death of the innocent. How long O Lord will you delay justice? How long will war and death continue? How long?

I am listening to "Sara" by Bob Dylan, Bob Dylan Live 1975 – The Rolling Thunder Revue.
This is a song of heartache and lost love. What a sad song. Why does lament make such great poetry?

I am reading The Broker by John Grisham.
Nothing deep nor theological, just light reading for fun. Although the main character in the book did get me thinking when he asked, "What do we gain by recklessly pursuing the American Dream?" I have some answers, but I am afraid that if my thoughts dreams…could be seen…they probably put my head…in a guillotine.

I am getting ready for vacation.
Two weeks to Missouri and back. We leave Sunday after church.

I am feeling writer's fatigue.
I am nearly half way through a book manuscript, but I have hit a wall. So I am doing what all good writers do. I am going to let it sit until after vacation.

I am surprised at how much I like facebook.
I thought social networking sites were a waste of time. I thought wrong.

I am looking forward to preaching through Philippians this summer.
I have got into a good routine of preaching through a book of the Bible and then preaching a few topical messages and then back to a book. I have been alternating Old Testament and New Testament book too. The last book of the Bible I preached through was Malachi. Before that, I think it was 1 Corinthians. Mark Dever is right. When I pastor preaches topical messages he preaches up to his knowledge level, but when a pastor preaches through a book of the Bible, then both the pastor/teacher and the congregation learn together.

I am planning on watching The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and the new Indiana Jones movie this summer.
We have been watching the first three IJ movies with Wesley. They were on USA on Saturday and we TIVO'd them.

I am voting for David Cook.
The AI rocker from Kansas City. I liked Brooke White a good deal, but now that she is gone--my money is on Cook.

I am going to be late…
Wesley's last baseball game starts in about an hour. I gotta get out of here…

Wesley's Game

Wesley had a game this morning and I finally got around to bringing the camcorder. Wesley is playing in a 7 & 8 year old rec. league. They use a pitching machine, pitching the ball 35 MPH. There is no stealing and there is a five run per inning mercy rule. The games last five innings. Wesley normally plays second base, but he is the backup catcher and got called upon to play catcher today. He did really well. His team won.

I got about 13 minutes of video, which I am burning onto a DVD. Here are some clips.

Wesley catching--




Wesley hitting--



Wesley's commentary--


BTW, my Wesley was named after John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. John Wesley’s game wasn’t baseball, but preaching. During his ministry in the eighteenth century, John Wesley traveled over 250,000 miles preaching more than 42,000 sermons. [Source]

Wesley (the founder of Methodism and not my son) trained and sent out countless numbers of preachers and circuit riders to preach the gospel. He gave his preachers twelve rules. Some of them need updated, but as a whole it helpful to see Wesley’s passion for preaching in these rules. I don't think Wesley would like jokes in my sermons!

Wesley’s Rules for His Preachers
1) Be diligent. Never be unemployed. Never be triflingly employed. Never while away time, nor spend more time at any place than is strictly necessary.

2) Be serious. Let your motto be, “Holiness to the Lord.” Avoid all lightness, jesting, and foolish talking.

3) Converse sparingly and cautiously with women, particularly with young women.

4) Take no step towards marriage without solemn prayer to God and consulting with your brethren.

5) Believe evil of no one unless fully proved; take heed how you credit it. Put the best construction you can on everything. You know the judge is always sup¬posed to be on the prisoner’s side.

6) Speak evil of no one, else your word, especially, would eat as doth a canker; keep your thoughts within your own breast till you come to the person concerned.

7) Tell everyone what you think wrong in him, lovingly and plainly, and as soon as may be, else it will fester in your own heart. Make all haste to cast the fire out of your bosom.

8) Do not affect the gentleman. A preacher of the Gospel is the servant of all.

9) Be ashamed of nothing but sin; no, not of cleaning your own shoes when necessary.

10) Be punctual. Do everything exactly at the time. And do not mend our rules, but keep them, and that for conscience’ sake.

11) You have nothing to do but to save souls. There¬fore spend and be spent in this work. And go always, not only to those who want you, but to those who want you most.

12) Act in all things, not according to your own will, but as a son in the Gospel, and in union with your brethren. As such, it is your part to employ your time as our rules direct: partly in preaching and visiting from house to house, partly in reading, meditation, and prayer. Above all, if you labour with us in our Lord’s vineyard, it is needful you should do that part of the work which the Conference shall advise, at those times and places which they shall judge most for His glory.