OUT TO PASTOR: My favorite day of the week... is tomorrow

It was one of those weeks when the more I completed, the more I had to do. These are not my favorite kind of weeks. So frustrating. During these weeks, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage finagles her infamous “Honey-Do-List” in my direction.

FRONT PORCH GOSPEL: Scholars Henry, Maclaren join us on the ‘Front Porch’

Part 1 Every now and then I will run across a writer whom I find particularly intriguing. I was just a young man when I happened onto a one-volume commentary on the Bible by Matthew Henry, written in 1706.

HOPE FOR TODAY: Lay your burden down

There are millions of people carrying such heavy burdens all across our world. They cannot sleep at night and wake up tired. They have regular appointments with their counselors. Their attempts at hobbies and exercise are strategies to find relief. What burden are you carrying?

OUT TO PASTOR: Let the Summer fun begin

Now that summer is upon us, we can turn our back on those frosty days of winter. I like winter as long as it is in the past tense. Otherwise, all that cold tenses me up something terrific. My plans for the summer have already been established.

FRONT PORCH GOSPEL: Pass the best recipes along

Good week to all. Welcome to the “Front Porch.” I write to you today from Huntington Beach, California, just a stone’s throw from the Pacific Ocean. Every summer the amazin’ blonde and I take our excursion here to see our son Malachi who is making his way in life far to the west of us.

OUT TO PASTOR: What ever happened to the simple things in life?

I’m not a very complicated person. I like simple things – things nice and easy. Occasionally I will do a crossword puzzle, but beside that, I enjoy the simple life. On the other side, the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage is very complicated.

FRONT PORCH GOSPEL: Make God REAL!

Good week to all. Welcome to the “Front Porch.” Over 50 years ago, country singer Don Gibson came out with a great song with a poignant message. “My God is real” he sang in a beautiful twang, “he's real in my soul, my God is real for he has washed and made me whole.

OUT TO PASTOR: One man’s joke is another man’s discount

The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage and I were dining out at a very nice restaurant. We had been on the road for two days and were weary of travel. At least, I was. Nothing I hate more on a vacation than travel. But this time it was not so bad because my wife was doing all the driving.

FRONT-PORCH GOSPEL: Don’t accept the gifts some offer

Good week to all. Welcome to the “front porch.” This past Sunday we were blessed to worship and teach here with our friends in Red Oak, a rare occasion due to our travels.

HOPE FOR TODAY: What is a real man?

Tony Fadell was the architect of something you have probably heard of – the iPod. Under the direction of Apple CEO, Steve Jobs, Fadell and his team developed the new technology. What was the purpose for this industry-changing gadget? According to Jobs, it was to put “1,000 songs in your pocket”.