Paul Strahan....my personal blog!

Kids and Dreams

2010-09-10T09:56:00.010-05:00

Let me preface this subject by talking a little about my College. I graduated from William Carey College (now University) in Hattiesburg MS. William Carey is a small Baptist school and is the common denominator ofthe three stories I share with you now. The stories are about children of three different friends who attended William Carey, two of whom were in school with me.

Steve Perry graduated from William Carey and now resides in Tennessee. His three children are making big waves in the Nashville Country Music scene. If you like country music then chances are you have heard of his children. The name of their band is "The Band Perry." Their most current song is entitled "If I Die Young" and is in thetop 20 of the Country music charts. They will perform at the CMA's in November and have been nominated for "Vocal Group of the Year." To cap it all off they will be touring this fall with Alan Jackson. You can learn more about them on their website at http://www.thebandperry.com
John and Mary Miller graduated from William Carey and now reside in my hometown of Poplarville Mississippi. They are both educators. Their daughter Whitney Miller auditioned for the Fox channel's television show "Master Chef" and made it out of 10,000 nation wide. The show takes amateur chefs - many of whom simply cook as a hobby - and attempts to turn one of them into a culinary master. Contestants are put through various challenges as they compete head to head to create delicious dishes. Whitney is in the final four and the show will be on this Wednesday night at 7pm.

3. John Lindsey played baseball at William Carey College in Hattiesburg prior to my days.

I got to know John because he hung out at the baseball field while I was at College. He is probably 5 years older. Anyway John Lindsey's son, John Lindsey, was drafted by the Colorado Rockies out of Hattiesburg High School in 1995. This week the Los Angeles Dodgers (his current team) called him up to the Big leagues after 16 years in the minor leagues. This is a great story and they are a wonderful family. You can see a video on him being called up by the General Manager on the website of the Dodgers.

Seasons

2010-09-07T06:56:00.005-05:00

Fall is a wonderful time of the year. But don't we say that every time there is a change of season. However, change is difficult for most people. We are told to take things slow, don't change for change sake but we all know change is inevitable. Change comes whether we like it or not! I find it interesting that when seasons change we always seem to welcome it. From Fall to Winter to Spring and Summer, it is a good thing.

As I read the Word of God concerning my own spiritual walk God is seeking to make changes in my life. I may not like it but it is necessary for me to become like Jesus Christ. Paul says " I want to know Him in the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings" and that requires change(s). What is God changing in your life? Remember He is the potter and we are the clay! Let's ask God to "mold us into the image of His Son Jesus!"

A Fresh Start!

2010-08-31T01:50:00.003-05:00

I have been preaching through the book of Ephesians since early January and the end is in sight. We will finish this Sunday with Ephesians 6:18-24. It has been, at least for me, very fulfilling and enjoyable. I am so thankful to the Lord for what I have learned and continue to learn in this wonderful epistle. Thanks also to the wonderful people of First Baptist Church Owensboro for their encouragement. God is good! One of my favorite verses I have been using in my personal prayer comes from chapter one verse seventeen and is Paul's prayer for the believer.

"I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better."

I desire to know Him better!

I'm Back!

2009-10-15T11:13:00.003-05:00

Here is a question especially for those of you who are members of FBC Owensboro but any of you are free to answer. Would you use the option of automatic bank draft in giving to the church if offered? If you already use it, let me know what your thoughts are about it.

Yes!
No!
Using it now and love it!
Never!!!

A Late Post!

2009-07-08T09:09:00.003-05:00

On Father's Day I shared some questions to ask your children as a Dad. I was asked by someone to print these so I apologize in the delay in doing so. I read them on Tony Merida's blog. Tony is the pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Hattiesburg Mississippi. Here is what he wrote:

Today I mentioned several resources of parents. I have been blessed by Tripp's Shepherding a Child's Heart, The Jesus Storybook Bible bySally Lloyd-Jones, and My 1st Book of Question and Answers by Mackenzie, to name a few. I also mentioned some questions that a Sovereign Grace Pastor shared with Piper, and he in turn footnoted the book Stand: A Call for Endurance of the Saints (p., 132, footnote 2). Piper honestly admitted that if he could anything over, after a long ministry, that it would be with respect to asking "heart questions" (my phrase) to his kids. He met with them regularly but wished that he would have probed deeper. I went through the questions quickly today in the sermon, but wanted to make the available here. Here are the questions

How are your devotions?
What is God teaching you?
In your own words, what is the Gospel?
Is there a specific sin that you're aware of that you need my help defeating?
Are you more aware of my encouragement than my criticism?
What's Daddy most passionate about?
Do I act the same at church as I do when I'm at home?
Are you aware of my love for you?
Is there any way I've sinned against you that I've not repented of?
Do you have any observations for me?
How am I doing as a dad?
How have Sunday's sermons impacted you?
Does my relationship with Mom make you excited to be married?

MONDAY!

2009-07-06T10:00:00.003-05:00

A lot has happened since I last posted. Celebrities Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Karl Malden, and former Tennessee Titan Steve McNair have all died. The news has been mostly filled with stories of their lives and the events surrounding their deaths. Much has been said about each of these people and much will continue to be written and spoken about them. Their deaths have reminded me what the writer of Hebrews says to us in the ninth chapter verse twenty seven. He writes "it is appointed once for man to die, after this comes the judgement."

Regardless of what you have been taught or believe the Bible says we have an appointment and it is one we will not miss. The good news is that you can be ready for that day but you must make preparations for it. Jesus Christ made the preparation for us as He willingly died on a cross for our sins that we might have eternal life. If we will but place our faith in Christ alone, then our preparations will be complete.

Death has a distinctive way of shaking us into reality and reminding us of our mortality. Life does not end at death and we will spend eternity somewhere. Either in Heaven with God or in Hell, a place of torment and without Christ! We have a choice to make! Will you today trust in Him (Jesus) who has the power of life and death! Will you choose life? Let me suggest some scripture for you to explore known as the Roman road.

Romans 3:23

Romans 5:8

Romans 6:23

Romans 10:9-10, and 13

VBS, SBC, and IWALAHY

2009-06-24T14:46:00.007-05:00

We are in the middle of Vacation Bible School. Those of you who grew up in church know VBS stands for Vacation Bible School which means kool aid and cookies for most of us. The refreshments, crafts, and recreation have certainly improved with time but the fun has always been off the chart. VBS has traditionally been one of the biggest outreach tools for our church and this year will probably be no different. Tomorrow is one of the most important days when I share the story of Jesus with grades 1-5. If you think about it, pray for our time together! A special thanks to our 76 plus volunteers who made it happen this week. I am making a promise for next year. I will work somewhere in VBS next year, how about you?

SBC..this stands for the Southern Baptist Convention of which our church is a part. Every year there is a 2-3 day business meeting mixed with some of the best preaching in our Convention. This year it was held in our state of Kentucky. I had the opportunity to go over for a short time on Tuesday. It is a good time to re-connect with other ministers and their families.

IWALAHY....This is what is inscribed on the inside of my wedding ring given to me by Leigh Ann. I can't tell you everything. It has been this way for 19 going on 20 years. Feel free to make a guess! What does it mean IWALAHY? Ditto from me to you Leigh Ann!

Your Favorite Day of the Week?

2009-06-15T08:12:00.003-05:00

What is your favorite day of the week? Most of you would probably say Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.

Today is Monday and it seems to always bring a new set of challenges. I know Sunday is the first day of the week but most people feel as if Monday begins the week. Monday has taken a bad rap for a long time. It is probably the least favorite day of the week.

However, Monday is a welcome day to many preachers. Some pastors probably Monday as a day off after a long day on Sunday. My day off is Thursday and it works well for me.

Monday does seem like a vacation day because Sunday is such a busy day for pastors. For me it is a time to rest and re-engage, to think about the week ahead, to remember what God did the day before, to recall what didn't work with the sermon, to evaluate the whole worship experience, to begin again the process of putting together the sermon that will be preached in less than 7 days.

On this Monday there is also a funeral. Ministry sometimes can be planned but sometimes it must happen.

Today is a great day because the Psalmist reminds us "Today is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it". I pray today you can and will rejoice whether or not today is your favorite day or least favorite!

Back in the Saddle

2009-06-09T12:33:00.003-05:00

It was good to be in Nepal with our missionaries Bo and Summer. We had a fantastic time and learned a great deal about the commitment level of people like Bo and Summer. There are others who are walking with God by faith in other areas around our world. I think of Jeff and Denise Gray, Judy Miller, and even those in the states where the gospel is not being preached. Let's pray for these and others who have given their life to the greatest mission cause ever, the spreading of the good news to the nations. I am proud to be a part of the greatest mission effort in the world... the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention.

Here are a few more pics from Kathmandu Nepal.

Nepal 2009 by Brad Erickson

2009-06-02T05:58:00.002-05:00

It has been an incredible trip and hard to believe that it is coming to a close. Each day has presented us with new and unique opportunities. Yesterday was no different. Bo met us at our hotel at 5:30 a.m. to hike to a local hill-top Tibetan Buddhist monastery. Along our way to the “hill” (which seemed less like a hill and more like a mountain) two national believers joined our group.

Though our inexperience of hiking in such high altitudes slowed our progress, we eventually made it to the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery at the top. After praying around the top for the city of Katmandu stretched out before us, we sought a monk to whom we could dialogue with and share the gospel. We were unable to enter into lengthy conversation with any of the monks, because their classes were starting at 8 a.m., but the Tibetan believers in our group distributed gospel tracts and discussed them with several monks.

Upon finishing our descent, we loaded into Bo’s car and drove to the top of the Swayambu Stupa for lunch at Doma’s (the Tibetan ‘Miss Barbara’) restaurant. Earlier in the week, she had promised to make us a traditional Tibetan lunch, and that she did. We ate Tea Momo’s, which were comprised of Tibetan Tea (made from milk and butter), barley flour, and butter. After adding all the ingredients in a bowl, we mashed them together to create a large, glutinous ball from which we picked and ate from. Though the texture reminded us of sand, they tasted very good. At the end of lunch, Doma, who is not a believer, allowed us to pray with her and for her elderly mother, who has recently fallen ill.

After returning from the Swayambu Stupa, Paul and Matt lead a series of church leadership lessons with several Tibetan believers. Paul’s lesson covered the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which he encouraged the believers to practice both. Matt’s lesson focused on instilling biblical and practical methods of discipleship. Following our hours of study, we journeyed to a local Tibetan / Chinese restaurant and ate with the Tibetan believers. Our night concluded with two hours of praise, games, and lessons at a local orphanage.

One of our largest events of the week took place this morning at the Swayambu Stupa, where we distributed water and gospel tracts to Buddhists worshiping at the site. We awoke early again and joined up with several Tibetan believers and began our work. We distributed over 500 bottles of water in under 45 minutes. Though we were more than happy to satiate the Buddhists’ physical thirst, our prayer is that the gospel message sent forth this morning will satiate the Buddhist’s spiritual thirst.

The trip has been incredible for many reasons. One of the most incredible is seeing the faith of Bo and Summer. How easy it is to practice Christianity in a city, state, and country where we are not required to sacrifice. During this week, I have often been reminded of the early church and the sacrifices its members are recorded to have made. Time and time again, we have seen the IMB missionaries and Tibetan believers make these same sacrifices in their striving to share the hope they have in Christ. We have all personally been touched by their dedication and obedience.

Though our time in Katmandu has come to an end, the work needed in the city has only begun. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers truly are few. I encourage anyone who reads this to consider spending a week, a month, or even a summer in Nepal. God has already called us to make disciples of all nations. Are you willing to answer the call?

Sunday Worship in Katmandu

2009-05-31T15:11:00.004-05:00

We began our day with worship at the only Tibetan Christian church in the Swayambhu region of Katmandu. The pastor is Kel-Sang and he also pastors 2 other fellowships around the valley. Church is held in the pastors home and when we arrived there were about 5 other believers along with pastor Ke-Sang present. When the service started the children from the orphanage came in along with a few other believers. In all total there were 9 adults and 18 children at worship. They welcomed us as guests and then everyone introduced themselves including the children. Pastor Kel-Sang played the Tibetan guitar and we sang several worship songs. One of the songs they sang in three different languages, Tibetan, Nepalese, and English. At one point the offering was taken and then I was given the opportunity to preach with a translator. I shared with them "why God allows problems in the life of believers." After the preaching we took prayer requests and we all prayed together at the same time and then the pastor closed the prayer time. We were then served Nepali tea and some cookies. What a great worship experience!

We had lunch with a couple of the believers at a Tibetan owned restaurant. And then we headed on to try and engage some people with the Gospel. We went to a Stupa nearby where mostly Tibetan Buddhists would be going through the rituals of their faith in order to recieve karma, blessings, and cleansing from Buddha. Stupa's are imposing temples that dominate the area. They are difficult to describe but are holy to the Tibetan Buddhists. This particular one is known in the city as the "Monkey Temple" because there are lots of monkeys in the area. We had an opportunity to share tracts with some of the people and did a lot of prayer walking. I think one of the best ways to describe the people of Tibet is they are in darkness and in need of the Light of the World. Pray for the darkness to be dispelled!

Bo had to do some orientation for some people who had arrived for the summer so we took a taxi back to the hotel to rest for a few hours. The taxi ride is indescribable but I have video for your enjoyment when we return.

One of the highlights for us was dinner at Bo and Summer's house that evening. Summer cooked mashed potatoes, fried okra, fried chicken, and cornbread. We felt right at home and my stomach was having a party!!! What a way to end the day! Tomorrow will be a long day with a full schedule!

Until tomorrow!

Nepal 2009 Guest Bloggers Matt and a little bit of Brad

2009-05-30T22:00:00.002-05:00

Today was a great day. With our fearless leader sidelined with sickness, Brad and I had to venture out alone. We began with going to a local monastery to talk with one of the Tibetan Buddhist monks that Bo had built a relationship with. When we walked into the monastery, it was surreal. There were hundreds of worshippers their, sitting in front of a golden statue reciting their mantras. We went to an adjoining room and sat around a table when another monk joined us. It was not Bo’s friend but a visiting monk from Hong Kong. It didn’t take us long to see that this monk was really advanced in his position in the Buddhist hierarchy. He spoke flawless English and then we noticed his picture was on the wall. These pictures are generally reserved for key leaders and this was no exception.

We spoke for two hours, sipped tea and had a really great conversation. He was very hospitable and eager to share with us the teachings of Buddha and to learn more about Christianity. When we began our conversation, he mentioned that the two faiths were essentially the same. After we had an opportunity to explain the Gospel, he could see that they were indeed very different. He taught that people are all good and simply had to remove the evil things from our lives to achieve Enlightenment. Buddha offered no help, he simply showed the way. Almost like a hidden treasure underneath a pile of garbage. Once the garbage was removed, we could know our true selves. We told him the Bible taught that were we flawed and fallen. We were wrecked by sin and needed God to save us. This could not be done on our own merit, but was rather an act of God’s grace given through Jesus. The monk had many good questions, and we agreed to each take a deeper look at Buddha and Jesus respectively.

After our meeting, we were really pumped about the opportunity and headed to Swayambhu. Swayambhu is a Buddhist and Hindu temple on top of a mountain overlooking the Kathmandu valley. It was quite a hike to the top. I am glad Bo was winded as well so I didn’t feel like such a wimp when I was breathing hard when we reached the top. It was a great view but really heart-breaking to see these people bow before man-made images. The desired to give sincere worship but sought created things rather than the Creator. We had lunch at a small shop with a Tibetan Buddhist lady. Bo said she was a woman of peace. This is someone who was not a believer but open to the conversation. He referred to her as “the Tibetan Ms. Barbara.” It was a good description. She was very sweet and a very good cook. We talked with her for almost an hour and she is hopefully going to meet us at church this morning.

On the way down from the temple we had tea with another Buddhist friend of Bo’s. He teaches English and has had many conversations with Bo concerning the Gospel. We enjoyed each other’s company before we had to leave to meet the pastor of the only Tibetan Christian church in the Swayambhu region of Kathmandu.

The pastor of this fellowship has an incredible testimony. His name is Kel-Sang. His passion for Christ is contagious. Kel-Sang also runs an orphanage that has 17 children. We played games, sang songs and had a great time with the children. The older children spoke English so they were able to interpret for us. We were also reminded why kids in America don’t play “Red-Rover” any longer when one of the children was almost decapitated. Tibetan Christians make up 0.02% of the population of Kathmandu and part of Kel-Sang’s vision is to continue to adopt these unwanted children and disciple them to make an impact for Christ as they grow older.

Friday 5/29 NEPAL!

2009-05-29T11:16:00.006-05:00

Our day began early because Matt, Brad, and I are still trying to get on local time. Bo met us at the hotel and we walked to his home which is about 30 minutes away (my Dr. would be proud). Bo wanted us to see what Katmanduh and the people are really like. It was eye-opening. We saw Hindus, Nepali's, Buddhist, Tibet Buddhist Monks, monkeys (yes, real monkeys) and the streets are crowded with locals selling their wares. Did I mention cars, trucks, and motorcycles in abundance?

We spent the morning listening to Bo and his team leader, Ryan Parks share with us their passion, goals, and strategy for reaching the Tibetan Buddhist. We will share more details about the Tibetan Buddhist when I get home. We also had the privilege of visiting with Summer, Sophia, and Isabella. What a sweet family!

Lunch was at the "Lazy Gringo". I rode on the back of Ryan's motorcycle from Bo's house. It was like being in a real video game as we honked (the horn is invaluable, kinda of like a seat belt back home) and dodged our way past trucks, cars, other motorcycles, bicycles, children and adults en route to lunch. More about that later as well. A great mea!

After lunch we met with some national believers, one the Pastor of a local church, at a Buddhist Stupa. A Stupa is a holy place for Buddhists. We observed hundreds of Tibetan Buddhists zealous and committed to a faith which provides little or no hope for this life or the life to come.

We ended the day over another meal with the Team leader, his family, the nationals, six college students who had just arrived for two months, and a journeyman.

I was reminded of the 1st commandment which says "Thou shalt have no other gods before me". I wonder how many times I have made other things my god and broken God's first commandment.

I was also reminded of the words in the beginning of the Great Commission, "Go into all the world". I can see and hear it more clearly today!

Until tomorrow!

We Made It!

2009-05-28T08:58:00.002-05:00

We are in Katmandu. We arrived around 2:30pm on Thursday May 28th. It was quite an experience and trip so far. We left Munich and it took us only 6 hours and 45 minutes to get to Delhi India. We had a layover in Delhi for a little more than 5 hours. The only problem was Delhi's airport is the anti-thesis of Munich. Munich is very much up to date and seems to be very new. Delhi on the other hand was quite different. In their defense they are in the middle of constructing a new airport and it will be much improved. We had to stay in an area of the airport that was separated from the main terminal because we did not have boarding passes for our last leg of the trip. We did finally manage to get our boarding passes, had lunch at the SubWay airport and then boarded our plane for the final part of our trip. Unfortunately the air conditioning was not functioning properly and we were on the plane for at least an hour. It felt like a sauna. We did not complain out loud and our flight was only 30 minutes later than planned.

Bo met us at the airport then took us to our hotel. We showered, (well deserved since it has been since Monday night) and then Bo, Summer, Sopia, and Isabella picked us up and we ate pizza at Fire and Ice. We were joined by the other missionaries working in Nepal, Ryan and Kristen. They have twins Gracie, and Keane. Isabella slept the whole time and Sophia is precious.

I cannot describe what the town of Katmandu is like nor what driving in the city is like. Maybe we will be abel to put pics on soon if not then we will show some when we return.

Well, we are beat, jet lagged and plain ready for a good night's sleep horizontally. Until tomorrow!

Paul

Wednesday in Munich

2009-05-27T08:01:00.002-05:00

We arrived in Munich around 8:30am Munich time. We are 7 hours ahead of Kentucky Central time. Our flight was smooth but long. We watched several movies including "the Mall Cop" and "Marley and Me". As soon as we arrived in Munich we took the train into the city center known as the Marienplatz. The attraction is the Glockenspiel and you can read more at this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rathaus-Glockenspiel. The city of Munich is beautiful, very green and lush. The weather is probably 68 degrees with little or no humidity. We have about 5 hours until we board the plane for the next leg of our journey. We will spend another 8 hours in flight to Delhi and then another 2 hours or a little less to Katmanduh. Our sleep and time are messed up so maybe we can catch up on the next flight. Thanks for your prayers.

Headed to NEPAL!

2009-05-26T05:50:00.002-05:00

We (Matt, Brad, and I) leave today for our Mission to Nepal. I hope to be able to blog regularly about our trip and keep an update on our experience. Thanks to all of you who have been praying and we continue to covet your prayers. I believe Nepal is about 10 and a half hours ahead of Central time. I am not sure what day it will be when we arrive. We have a couple of long flights, one to Munich and another to Delhi before we arrive in Katmanduh. Here is a portion of one of my favorite Psalms, the 34th.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.
      Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
⁹ Fear the Lord, you his godly people,
      for those who fear him will have all they need.
¹⁰ Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
      but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.

God is good all the time.

Louisville, Charlotte, Munich, Delhi and on to Katmanduh

2009-05-22T06:18:00.005-05:00

I have shared with you before that I will be leaving for Nepal soon along with Matt Mason and Brad Erickson. We will be in the air for a long time and on the ground in Munich for an extended period prior to arriving in Katmanduh. I am looking for some good books to read en route. What say you? Email me at pstrahan@fbcowb.org or leave a comment. What have you read lately? I tend to read books that deal with ministry. I need to broaden my reading and I need help! I hope to have the ability to blog about our trip while we are there or at least twitter.

Must There Be A Title?

2009-05-19T05:42:00.005-05:00

Thanks to everyone who was involved in focus groups!
Learned a lot about our church and myself as we had George Bullard in for the weekend.
We now must process what we learned and how to implement the findings.
I am encouraged and refreshed through the process.

Next Tuesday Matt Mason, Brad Erickson, and I leave for Nepal, pray for us!
Pray for our families as we are away. I will miss my 19th wedding anniversary. I love you Leigh Ann!
Pray also for Bo, Summer, Sopia, and Isabella that we will be an ecouragement to them.

I am glad fastpitch softball is done. Pitching dominates this sport especially when you are first learning the game.

Learning about the immanence of God! (For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.) Colossians 1:16-17

I liked it and thought you might!

2009-05-16T09:43:00.004-05:00

Don Davis is pastor of FBC Alexandria VA. He writes a journal(like a blog) and in April this was his entry. I identify with much of what he said and added some of my own thoughts in parenthesis.

Strictly Off the Record

I am still in a confessional mood coming off Sunday’s sermon and my comments about playing the board game, Monopoly. Confession is good for the soul, they say, but bad for the reputation.

Here are some things you may have already suspected. Don’t hold me to any of this. In fact, delete after reading, please.

– Theologically I am neither Calvinist nor charismatic, fundamentalist, moderate or liberal. Just a Baptist Christian with a little mix of all the above. (My Dad was Baptist and my Mom was Pentecost)

– Pastoring churches is the only job I have ever had (except for appliance salesman at Montgomery Ward my senior year of high school). (I've had several jobs including Jewelry store manager)

– I love Tyler Perry movies that feature Madea!

– No, I don’t actually read all of the books that I mention in my sermons. Who has the time? But I do read book reviews in magazines and online.(ditto)

– I never learned to type in high school. This explains why my e-mail replies (if you get one at all) are so short and to the point.

– Yes, I do occasionally repeat sermons. Some of these are from Danville days, but updated and freshened. Almost all my messages now are new ones, written specifically for First Baptist Church Alexandria.(ditto and finding out most of my old ones need to become sacrifices on an altar)

– I am the least mechanically - minded person you know.(me too, and my father-in-law can do anything)

– My recurring nightmare: it’s the end of the school semester and I realize that I haven’t been attending class for weeks and have no idea what the final exam is asking. I had the dream again last night.

– My biggest addiction: Hubbs Peanuts.(reeses, butterfinger, etc. do you see a chocolate pattern?)

– I have a real phobia about snakes!

– I admire and respect each of my predecessors at FBCA. I envy Vernon Davis his intellect and long tenure, Jay Wolf his incredible people skills, Gary Hollingsworth his easy, relaxed personality and John Compton his administration ability. Every pastor has his own unique gifts, though, and I can only be who I am. (I Cor. 3:4-7) (ditto)

– I still fear that old high school or college girlfriends will one day re-surface with caches of my poetry and embarrass me clear out of town. (no worries here, I can't write poetry)

– My favorite musical play is Les Miserables and the last time I saw it, at the Signature Theatre in Shirlington, I literally sobbed from the overture to the final curtain.(the Music Man)

– My wife is a better Christian than I am. Kinder, more sensitive and grace-filled.(double ditto, and I am guessing probably true for every preacher and man whose married)

– I wish that I was as quick - witted and funny as my son.(I wish I were creative)

– If I were President of the United States the first thing I would do is mandate that every man, woman and child take remedial courses in US history and the Constitution, putting into context the day in which we live.

– Audrey scared me the other day when she threatened to have Sinatra’s “I Did it My Way” played at my funeral. Don’t let her do that.

– Pastoring this church is the only job I’ll ever want. It fulfills the vision God gave me when a teen-ager (Vision? Hey: guess I’m more charismatic than I thought.)

There now, I feel better getting all of that off my chest. Sometimes I just need to talk. Don’t you?

Thanks Pastor Don for being transparent.

Baseball and Movies!

2009-05-10T21:04:00.007-05:00

NAIA college baseball regionals begin this week and my Alma Mater is hosting one of the regionals. William Carey University (College when I played) in Hattiesburg Mississippi is seeded number 2 in the regional with a record of 33-20. The number 5 seed in the regional is Brescia University 33-22. Ironic and interesting. Our Recreation Minister, Wes Dunn, is a former Brescia player. Go Saders!

My wife and I saw "The Soloist" last weekend. I give it 3.5 stars because it was a true story. Very inspiring however, I give the producers 1/2 star for inserting 2 vulgar words which added nothing to the movie. As a matter of fact, it did more harm than good in my opinion.

One of my all time favorite classic movies "Witness For The Prosecution." If you haven't seen it, I would suggest you rent it. A great court room drama with a very surprise ending.

Empty Me

2009-05-07T05:00:00.004-05:00

"Empty Me" is the title of a song written and sung by Chris Sligh. He is a singer/song writer who was a finalist on American Idol a few seasons ago. The song was nominated this year for a Dove Award. I share the lyrics it to simply say this is what God has been saying to me in my time alone with Him. The chorus has really spoken to me and maybe it will to you.

I've had just enough of the spotlight when it burns bright
To see how it gets in the blood.
And I've tasted my share of the sweet life and the wild ride
And found a little is not quite enough.
I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change.

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.

I've had just enough of the quick buys of the best lies
To know how prodigals can be drawn away.
I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change.

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.

Cause everything is a lesser thing
Compared to you, compared to you.
Cause everything is a lesser thing
Compared to you. So, I surrender all!

Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
Empty me of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition and the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me so I can be
Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.
Oh, filled with you.
Empty me.

A Monday Morning Medley!

2009-05-04T10:26:00.007-05:00

I am enjoying the fellowship of Whitesville Baptist Church this week. Pray for their church, their Pastor Jonathan Baker, Wendy and his family! A beautiful and sweet family and did I mention they are from MISSISSIPPI!
The Swine Flu.....how concerned are you and what are you doing about it?
I woke up one morning this past week and was led to Psalm 43. What a good read!
We had a good time with my In-laws over the weekend but my girls never want them to leave. I am glad they love their Grandparents. Unfortunately, I never knew mine but Heaven awaits.
I will ask again.... Does anyone know when the Chick-Fil-A is going to begin construction on Fredrica Street?
I am still pulling for Danny Gokey on AI. I really liked Matt and Chris as well.

Just Thinking!

2009-04-22T08:16:00.005-05:00

I am proud of Miss California for having the courage to speak her convictions even if it is not politically correct. Jesus never once mentioned being politically correct but He did say we are to be salt and light.
Scheduled to go to Nepal at the end of May, what about the Swine Flu?
Fast pitch softball can be boring!
I still haven't played golf. My clubs are in the attic. I have watched it on television.
Making disciples of Jesus Christ is a priority we have missed as Southern Baptist.
Danny Akin, President of Southeastern Seminary in North Carolina shared in chapel with his students some interesting thoughts on our Convention. Here is the link to watch/listen to his sermon. http://www.sebts.edu/news-resources/multimedia.aspx?type=chapel&Vid=129
Another sermon from a pastor in Memphis. The title is "John Calipari ain't Jesus Christ" go to youtube and type in the title. Check out part 1.

Does anyone know when Chick Fil A is going to begin building in Owensboro?

He is Alive!

2009-04-12T10:29:00.002-05:00

Here are a few questions to consider.

If you believe Christ is alive, what difference has it made in your life?

Are you being transformed in His image?

Shouldn't every day be Resurrection day for the believer?

If I believe Christ is Alive, so what? Am I changed and do people around me know why?

I don't want to simply celebrate it and say it, but I want it to make a difference in my life!

HAPPY EASTER! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

It's Holy Week

2009-04-06T10:33:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow night we will observe "Maundy Thursday" the Last supper Jesus spent with his disciples before going to the cross for us on Friday. It's good to be reminded of the events of Holy Week. Let me encourage you to read the account of it in the Gospels. WHAT A WEEK! WHAT A SAVIOUR!"

SUNDAY IS COMING!!!!

It's Monday!

2009-03-23T10:00:00.005-05:00

I feel guilty because it's been a long time in between blogs. Why should I feel that way? I am not of the persuasion my blog is a lifeline for anybody. I, my blog nor anyone else's blog is that important. Anyway here are some thoughts on my mind this morning.
I need change in my life sometimes just for the sake of change. I realize it's not for everyone but I need that. I was just speaking to a friend of mine who feels the same way. He helped me to see that I am not alone. Maybe we are weird. It won't be the first time anyone has thought or said that about me.
Have you heard of Ethan Bortnik? He is a 6 year old piano prodigy. You can google him on the Tonight Show. It is unbelievable and worth 7 minutes of your time.
How is your prayer life? I read an article written by an Army Chaplain entitled "Some Pray and Die" which I believe is very profound and insightful. Here is a little excerpt... Is there such a thing as getting the "breaks" in prayer? What about the fellows who pray regularly, but get killed regularly? I wish people would stop writing about the soldiers who pray and have their prayers answered by not getting killed. Why do all the other soldiers seem to get the wrong answer?
I only watch College basketball when "March Madness" begins. Since Kentucky failed to make the tourney why not pull for Louisville? I also like NC because of their coach Roy Williams. He is a Follower of Christ!
Danny Gokey is still my favorite to win AI!
Spring Break begins this weekend and I am looking forward to spending time with my family.

Just some thoughts!

2009-03-06T14:51:00.002-06:00

God is not surprised by the economic downturn and it could be a great blessing. God has a way of making good out of bad you know!
I am ready for SPRING weather.
God is teaching me a lot in the book of Philippians.
It's hard to lose weight at 51 because I have a greater desire to eat and less desire to exercise than I did at 21.
I have never seen an episode of 24.
I believe Danny Gokey (contestant on American Idol) is my favorite!
A former contestant on AI has been nominated for a Dove Award. His name is Chris Sligh! You can vote for him at http://www.gospelmusicchannel.com/dovesvoting

One many will miss!

2009-03-01T08:01:00.002-06:00

I just found out this morning about Paul Harvey's death. What a wonderful commentator, gifted communicator, and radio personality. There are many more terms which could describe Paul Harvey however none would be more honorable than "Christian Follower of Jesus." He was a believer in our Lord. On Saturday he died at the age of 90 and as he so often said, "Now He knows the Rest of the Story!"

"Absent from the body present with the Lord"

A Short Pencil!

2009-02-26T08:18:00.004-06:00

Someone once told me "A short pencil is better than a long memory anytime!" In other words, we need to write things down as opposed to depending upon our memory. You see, the majority of people are not blessed with photographic memories. I am convinced one reason many people in the pew are spiritually anemic is they depend upon their memory to make them mature. Last week I encouraged and admonished our people to take notes or write in their Bibles.
I remember being in class during school and some times the teacher would say "You might want to write this down because you may see it on the test!" Everyone would get that information down so proper preparations could be made for test day. As I understand it one day we will all face a TEST and proper preparations must be made. As we study the Word of God week after week we should be writing down what the Holy Spirit is revealing to us? I am as guilty as the next person in the pew. I have, like the prodigal son, squandered much of my time over the years by not being diligent in learining the important truths of Scripture by note-taking.
This week I am going to test a generic "sermon listening sheet" with my congregation. Here is the condensed outline:

Sermon Listening Sheet

Title

Text Date

Observation: "Key Points to Remember"

Inspiration: "Related Scriptures"

Interpretation: "What is God saying to me?"

Application: "Now What?"

I will do the following in response to God's Word.

Each of these points are important but if I fail to share the Word of God in a way people cannot apply it then I have failed. I understand many times we are preaching information but information alone will not transform lives. We must make application.

I pray God will be glorified in this process and we will be transformed into the likeness of His Son Jesus Christ.

Time Flies!

2009-02-18T08:13:00.006-06:00

It's been said many times before the older you get the faster time seems to pass. It feels like yesterday I was getting prepared to graduate from High School. I can still remember my college days very clearly. It is 2009 and 30 years ago in 1979 I graduated from college. I can't believe it! Where have the days, months, and years gone? There is a book written by a man whose name escapes me but its' title is "Half Time." I think much more about the 2nd half today! I want to finish well. I want my life to count and have purpose. I want to be fulfilled! I realize that true fulfillment comes only in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ! He alone satisfies.

John Piper has written a book entitled "Don't Waste Your Life!" I think that says what I feel. I don't want to waste my life or time. One of the frustrating things for me is "time management." I fear time is managing me instead of me managing time. Anybody out there understand? I am sure some of you have tips or advice on how to best manage time. I would love to hear from you. Email me @ lapstrahan@gmail.com.

Hello Again!

2009-02-06T21:27:00.005-06:00

We have survived the ice storm. I have been told by many people that this was the worst storm they have witnessed during their lifetime. And that is from many lifelong residents of Owensboro. A big THANKS to many people who helped us make it through those difficult days. The hundreds of utility workers who went above and beyond the call of duty for the sake of others. To the many members of FBC Owensboro who worked tirelessly in providing a warm and safe place for those who were without power. To our maintenance staff, professional ministerial staff, the kitchen staff, and lots of volunteers who became the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need. Thanks seems so inadequate but you are greatly appreciated. It is good to be almost back to normal.

The Weather and a new Word!

2009-01-27T09:42:00.004-06:00

We got ice instead of snow. Snow is much better and more desirable. My driveway is on such an incline that I am afraid to leave the garage with ice this thick. I am afraid I would not be able to stop and run into the mailbox or worse the house across the street. I am staying in today. Thank the Lord for internet because I can still work.
I was listening to a sermon by a very well known Pastor in Southern Baptist circles and he was preaching from the book of James. It was the passage which says; "Count it all joy brothers when you encounter various trials." He then used a word I had never heard before. Here it is; PUSILLANIMOUS!
Who knows what it means without looking it up? I will give you a hint.
One of Dorothy's friends on the yellow brick road would have best been described as pusillanimous. Let me know if you knew the meaning.

4 Pet Peeves

2009-01-22T13:50:00.005-06:00

People driving out the wrong way when they leave a parking lot (specifically WalMart)
People who drive at night with their lights on bright with no thought of oncoming drivers on 2 lane roads but also 4 lane interstates
People who are too lazy to return shopping carts to their proper place
People who go through express lanes with double the number of items allowed

I think I need to re-read "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff!"

Here is a scripture to commit to memory.

"Don't be selfish; don't try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don't look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too." (Philippians 2:3-4)

I think I am spending way too much time at WalMart.

It's Monday!

2009-01-19T07:36:00.002-06:00

We (my wife and I) had a wonderful weekend in Lexington Kentucky. We attended a conference called "Shepherding the Shepherd." The Kentucky Baptist Convention has been putting it on for the last eleven years. It is designed for pastors and their wives, no children allowed. If you are a minister it is worth checking out. Here is the link www.kybaptist.org then search for the name of the conference.

Have you ever heard of the Doerfel's? We had the privilege of having them in our Sunday evening service and they are amazing. They play bluegrass and they have 10 kids. They are a joy! Here is a link where you can learn more about them http://web.mac.com/tjdoerfel/DFB/Welcome.htm.

Quitting Golf?

2009-01-12T09:27:00.004-06:00

Every year when it turns cold I lose interest in golf. I decided this year I was going to quit playing and have told a few people. When I say that they look at me like I have 2 heads. The response is always "you like it too much" and "WHY?" Well, the truth is I really do like it and think it is the greatest individual sport but the reasons to stop are compelling.

I probably will not get any better because it takes practice and I don't like practice. Not that I am any good now!
It is an expensive hobby!
The most compelling reason is 2 young girls, my daughters. As many of you know it takes a good 4 hours to play a round of golf and that is 4 hours I should be using in a more productive manner.

Well there it is. Will I really quit? I may play sparingly but I don't want to become obsessed with golf. I want to focus this year more on my FAITH, and FAMILY!

ps Will it be OK if I decide to take a MULLIGAN?

Potpourri

2009-01-10T12:25:00.002-06:00

What about those Gators? Unfortunately for me I was pulling for the Sooners. It's not that I dislike TEBOW or the SEC. I am a huge fan of the SEC and Tebow is wonderful witness for our Lord. I really like Sam Bradford and Bob Stoops. Well put me in the loser bracket. It won't be the last time. It was a good game!

Who are you pulling for in the NFL? I like the Giants, Titans, and the Cardinals.

SUPER BOWL is February 1.

A New Year!

2009-01-02T22:00:00.004-06:00

My family and I have enjoyed Christmas and the New Year. We spent about a week in Rockwall Texas (at the home of my in-laws) and had a good time with Leigh Ann's family. My family is somewhat scattered and both of my parents are deceased so the only Grandparents my 2 girls have are in Texas and we always enjoy spending time with them. While there I worshipped at the FBC of Rockwall with my friend Pastor Stephen Swafford. Steve has pastored FBC for about 13 years and they have been a leader in the SBC in "Mission Giving". The Sunday I was in attendance they announced they had reached their Mission goal for the year which was a little more than $500,000. I am inspired by their giving.

I also attended the First United Methodist Church of Rockwall. I enjoyed worshipping with my Methodist brothers and sisters. I like to take the opportunity to visit other denominations and churches when I am away and encourage others to do the same. We can learn from others.

What does 2009 hold for you? Well, only the Lord knows for sure but we are responsible for planning and making preparations. On Sunday morning January 4th I challenged our people to make 2009 a year of sharing our faith and telling our story of what God has done for us. That is one of the purposes for our existence. I gave them a prayer formula to use daily as we seek to make evangelism a natural part of living the Christian life this year. I put it in acrostic form. I firmly believe if we pray in this manner God will answer our prayer! I challenge you to give it a try! Pray "BAPOW"!

BOLDNESS. pray that God will give you boldness to speak for Him. (for God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self-control)

AWARENESS. pray for awareness of those around you who need to hear the good news.

POWER. pray God will supply you with power/strength to do what is contrary to the flesh.

OPPORTUNITIES. ask God to provide opportunities for you to share your story with others

WORDS. finally pray and ask God to give you the words to say that you might be salt and light to those around you.

My Daughter's Favorites!

2008-12-19T20:52:00.008-06:00

My oldest daughter wanted to have her own blog which I said NO! I did concede she could write on my blog provided I proof it. So here you go;

Anna’ s Favorite Things:

· Full Name: Anna Leigh Strahan
· Birthday: April 23rd
· Siblings: Katherine (sister)
· Favorite Color: Pink and Lime Green
· Favorite Food: Baked Potato
· Favorite Subject: LUNCH!!!
· Favorite Day of the Week: Friday
· Pets: Belle (dog) and Jasmine (cat)
· Favorite Sport: Softball
· Grade: 6th
· Favorite Holiday: Christmas
· Favorite Band: Jonas Brothers
· Favorite Guy Singer: Joe Jonas
· Favorite Girl Singer: Taylor Swift
· Favorite Guy Actor: Mitchel Musso
· Favorite Girl Actress: Selena Gomez
· Favorite Movie: National Treasure 2
· Favorite Number: 88,888
Favorite Animal: Panda

Merry Christmas to each of you! May the Lord Jesus Christ reign in your heart and home this Christmas!

The Christmas Season

2008-12-13T08:13:00.006-06:00

Most of us get excited during the Christmas holidays and rightfully so. If you have children the celebration of giving gifts during Christmas seems to be taken up a notch. Having said that, many folks in our wonderful country experience difficulty at this time of the year. The reasons are many.

Many people have buried loved ones and you especially miss them during the Holidays
A lot of people can't afford to provide Christmas gifts for their children let alone exchange gifts with friends
I know personally of families who will be separated during Christmas because of the wars
I know others who have little or no family with which to share the holidays
Many people will celebrate Christmas but not celebrate the Christ child because they don't have a personal relationship with Him
Missionaries will celebrate Christmas but very far away from any family

There is a family who left our church to go to the Mission field 3 years ago and I received an email from them. I want to share a portion of that with you.

This will be our third Christmas away from friends and family. This season is probably the most difficult time for most missionaries. HOWEVER, the Lord laid something on my heart and I thought I would share it with you. Christmas is an amazing holiday but we often forget what it's all about...So, yesterday in my quiet time the Lord laid something on my heart. Here' goes...

Typically, Easter is the time that we focus on the days leading up to Calvary and the pain that Jesus experienced. Yesterday I realized that the sacrifice began at Bethlehem and not Calvary. It is my prayer that God will give me the strength to submit myself to Him daily and that I would find great joy in sacrificing myself for the sake of my Lord and King.

What a merciful, and loving God we serve. It is our prayer that FBC experience the true joy of this blessed season by remembering the great sacrifice that was made at Bethlehem.

We love you in the Triumphant and Blessed Name of Jesus!

Jeff and The Girls

Jesus Loves You Chiyawo: Isa Akunonyela Wawo gajenji

I pray as you share with your family the celebration of Jesus that you include others who need to be reminded that Jesus came for all people.

Merry Christmas!

JUDGEMENT DAY!

2008-12-06T12:48:00.005-06:00

The bible speaks plainly about a judgement day for all people which includes followers of Christ and those who reject Him. In Hebrews 9:27 the Bible says; 'It is appointed once for men to die and after this comes judgement.' God's Word teaches that He will judge lost people(those who reject Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord) for their sin and He will judge saved people(those who recieve Jesus Christ and follow Him) for their works. Nevertheless, we will all be judged.

I had sort of a "judgement day" on Friday. Last month I received a warning for speeding and given a ticket because I could not find my insurance card. I was to appear in traffic court on Friday morning. I was told by the Policeman most of the time if you will simply show your insurance card to the judge they will dismiss your ticket. That is what I was hoping would happen.

Well I showed up for court on Friday with somewhere around 75 other folks each with traffic tickets of some kind. I took my place in the pew (yes, they have pews for you to sit in while waiting for the Judge) near the front row and made small talk with the lady next to me. She informed me she had not had a ticket in several years and was a little apprehensive about what would happen to her. I couldn't say that.

As we all sat waiting patiently for the Judge to appear, it occured to me that one day I and everyone else in that room would be facing another Judge which the Bible mentions. I then began making some comparisons with my present experience to the judgement the Bible describes in the future when this life is over. Here is what the Spirit of God reminded me about our appointment with God.

One day we will all find ourselves before God and give an account of our lives. (Romans 14:12) The apostle Paul says good or bad we will give an account of everthing.

He will either be our Judge or Savior depending on what you have done with Jesus Christ.

There will be but one plea for all.................GUILTY as charged. (Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned")

There will be no attorneys pleading our case.

However, for followers of Christ the Bible teaches that there is one mediator between God and man. His name is Jesus! (1 Timothy 2:5) John calls him our advocate. (1 John 2:1)

I felt more at ease than most of the people in the room that day and the reason was; I knew the judge personally and the judge knew me. I am glad to say that I know the God of creation who will judge the living and the dead.

Are you prepared to face the judgement day in eternity? The best preparation is to know God. Do you know Him? The Bible promises you can Him. Listen to what the Word of God says.

'for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God' (Romans 3:23)

'but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.' (Romans 5:8)

'For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.' (Romans 6:23)

'because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.' (Romans 10:9-10)

'For "everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)

JUDAS ASPARAGUS

2008-12-01T13:38:00.004-06:00

A friend of mine gave this to me and I wanted to pass it on. Even if you have seen it enjoy it again.

A child was asked to write a book report on the entire Bible. The title is

THE CHILDREN'S BIBLE IN A NUTSHELL

In the beginning, which occured near the start, there was nothing but God, darkness, and some gas. The Bible says, 'The Lord thy God is one, but I think He must be a lot older than that. Anyway, God said, 'Give me a light!' and someone did. Then God made the world.

He split the Adam and made Eve. Adam and Eve were naked, but they weren't embarrassed because mirrors hadn't been invented yet.

Adam and Eve disobeyed God by eating one bad apple, so they were driven from the Garden of Eden. Not sure what they were driven in though, because they didn't have cars.

Adam and Eve had a son, Cain, who hated his brother as long as he was Abel.

Pretty soon all of the early people died off, except for Methusaleh, who lived to be like a million or something.

One of the next important people was Noah, who was a good guy, but one of his kids was kind of a Ham. Noah built a big boat and put his family and some animals on it. He asked some other people to join him, but they said they would have to take a rain check.

After Noah came Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Jacob was more famous than his brother, Esau, because Esau sold Jacob his birthmark in exchange for some pot roast. Jacob had a son named Joseph who wore a really loud sports coat.

Another important Bible guy is Moses, whose real name was Charlton Heston. Moses led the Israel Lights out of Egypt and away from the evil Pharaoh after God sent ten plagues on Pharaoh's people. These plagues included frogs, mice, lice, bowels, and no cable.

God fed the Israel Lights every day with manicotti. Then he gave them His Top Ten Commandments. These include: don't lie, cheat, smoke, dance, or covet your neighbor's stuff. Oh, yeah, I just thought of one more: Humor thy father and thy mother.

One of Moses' best helpers was Joshua who was the first Bible guy to use spies. Joshua fought the battle of Geritol and the fence fell over on the town.

After Joshua came David. He got to be king by killing a giant with a slingshot. He had a son named Solomon who had about 300 wives and 500 porcupines. My teacher says he was wise, but that doesn't sound very wise to me.

After Solomon there were a bunch of major league prophets. One of these was Jonah, who was swallowed by a big whale and then barfed up on the shore. There was also some minor league prophets, but I guess we don't have to worry about them.

After the Old Testament came the New Testament. Jesus is the star of The New. He was born in Bethlehem in a barn. (I wish I had been born in a barn too, because my mom is always saying to me, 'Close the door! Were you born in a barn?' It would be nice to say, 'As a matter of fact, I was'.)

During His life, Jesus had many arguments with sinners like the Pharisees and the Democrats.

Jesus also had twelve opossums. The worst one was Judas Asparagus. Judas was so evil that they named a terrible vegetable after him.

Jesus was a great man. He healed many leopards and even preached to some Germans on the Mount. But the Democrats and all those guys put Jesus on trial before Pontius the Pilot. Pilot didn't stick up for Jesus. He just washed his hands instead.

Anyways, Jesus died for our sins, then came back to life again. He went up to Heaven but will be back at the end of the Aluminum. His return is foretold in the book of Revolution.

Monday Ramblings

2008-11-24T07:57:00.006-06:00

Just getting my head clear from the weekend. Had 7-9 middle school girls for Disciple Now stay at our home. I am doing things that I used to say only old people do. For ex; 10pm is bedtime, silence and solitude is therapeutic, having a place for things and things in their place is a good thing, it is good to be grown-up(I think)

Enjoyed our Worship yesterday. Our focus was on Missions. Was reminded by one of our men the only thing we failed to do during the service was to PRAY for the people the missionaries are ministering to and he was right. They need our prayers as well. Don't forget to pray when you put on your shoes! "how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace"

Our church family enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal together last night and then shared some things for which we are "thankful." God is good.

I have an idea for "Thanksgiving." Tell me what you think. Let's serve the community a "thanksgiving meal." I realize we can't serve everyone but we could select some of those less fortunate year by year. What do you think?

Soap Box Items

2008-11-19T21:03:00.003-06:00

Ted Stevens......shouldn't a felony conviction eliminate you from serving as a US Senator no matter how old or how long you have served? You probably would be turned down for a job at most fast food restaurants with a felony.

The Big 3 CEO of automakers.....did you see where they flew on private jets to DC to ask taxpayers(you and me) to bail them out to the tune of 25 billion?

Cell phone companies.....There is no loyalty for existing customers. You are treated much better if you are opening a new account...Has anyone ever noticed this?

Pacman Jones.....Will he ever learn?

An 8 year old murderer.....Is anyone surprised?

Phone bills......I have a bundle package......What degree must you have to be able to read and understand the bill?

No car insurance card......If you can prove it within an hour or so, does it really matter if it's in the car? Evidently it does, and I've got proof of that.

I'm weary of Brangelina, Brittney, Lohan, and Hilton everywhere you turn.

I am of the opinion that if Senators, Congressmen,Governors, or any other public servants decide to run for the Presidency/ Vice Presidency, they should resign their present position while campaigning or at least be on leave without pay. They certainly aren't serving their constituents jetsetting around the country. Is that too harsh?

Jonestown.....30 years ago. That story is still sad and yet intrigues me how one man was able to orchestrate the death of 900 plus people.

What's on your soap box?

The Barber Pole, Andy Griffith, and the NFL

2008-11-18T07:19:00.000-06:00

I still go to an old fashion Barber here in town. (yes, I go and get my hair cut and people who are there waiting wonder why? It's because I like it!) Anyway as I was sitting in the chair early Monday morning, I became intrigued with the Barber pole. You know the red, white, and sometimes blue pole. So I asked my barber about the origin. I thought it was interesting and for those of you who aren't familiar with it. Here it is.

In the Middle Ages, hair was not the only thing that barbers cut. They also performed surgery, tooth extractions, and bloodletting. French authorities drew a fine distinction between academic surgeons (surgeons of the long robe) and barber surgeons (surgeons of the short robe), but the latter were sufficiently accepted by the fourteenth century to have their own guild, and in 1505 they were admitted to the faculty of the University of Paris. As an indication of their medical importance, Harry Perelman points out that Ambroise Pare, "The father of modern surgery and the greatest surgeon of the Renaissance," began as a barber surgeon.
The barber pole as a symbol of the profession is a legacy of bloodletting. The barber surgeon's necessities for that curious custom were a staff for the patient to grasp (so the veins on the arm would stand out sharply), a basin to hold leeches and catch blood, and a copious supply of linen bandages. After the operation was completed, the bandages would be hung on the staff and sometimes placed outside as advertisement. Twirled by the wind, they would form a red & white spiral pattern that was later adopted for painted poles. The earliest poles were surmounted by a leech basin, which in time was transformed into a ball.
One Interpretation of the colors of the barber pole was that Red represented the blood, Blue the veins, and White the bandages. Which has been retained by the modern Barber-Stylist.

If you are asked the question on "Who wants to be a Millionaire?" then don't forget where you found the answer!

Andy Griffith trivia question

Well, the question was a little more difficult than I thought. I had a few people who told me they simply didn't know it and I had one correct answer so far and that was from Howard and Clara. CONGRATS TO HOWARD AND CLARA!

The answer I was looking for was "good ole 14A" or the original title of the song was "Welcome Sweet Springtime".

HERE IS A NEW QUESTION!

In the episode titled "The Manicurist" what was the name of the manicurist played by Barbara Eden? (she was best known as I Dream of Jeannie)

Titans Go 10 and 0. Can they do it? I would love to see it happen but they have some tough games remaining.

They have the Jets at home (who are playing pretty good and they have Brett Favre, from Mississippi)

Then the rest of the schedule is as follows;

at Detroit

Cleveland at home

at Houston

Pittsburgh at home

at Indianapolis

Time will tell!

A Me'lange

2008-11-14T21:21:00.000-06:00

I, like many other people, have enjoyed certain television shows through the years and am grateful for syndication. My all time favorite would have to be "The Andy Griffith Show". About 15 years ago I had the bright idea of putting together an "Andy Griffith trivia book". I worked tirelessly watching episode after episode on VHS in order to compile a list of questions that would make up the content of the book. Ita wasn't easy fast forwarding, and rewinding those vhs tapes to make sure the answers as well as the questions were correct. That was before DVDs and DVRs.

Anyway, to make a long story short, I submitted a proposal/idea to a couple of publishers but received no takers. It was and in my opinion still a good idea. I have a few variations if anyone is interested. Nevertheless, all of the handwritten notes I spent hours watching the episodes were for naught. I was looking through some old stuff the other day and came across those hand written trivia questions. I had a new revelation. I know many people out in the blogosphere enjoy TAGS and so I am going to post an Andy Griffith Show Trivia question every so often. I think it will be fun. Send your answer to lapstrahan@gmail.com and I will post the answer and the first names of those who guessed correctly. No looking it up on the internet or googling. Let's get started and we'll begin with an easy one. As Gomer would say; "Lots of luck to you and yours!"

Trivia Question of the Week

In the episode "Barney and the Choir" what was the name/number of the song the choir was practicing?

What is your favorite episode?

Friday's are Fun!

2008-11-14T07:10:00.000-06:00

Most people enjoy Fridays whether they are working or not because it means the weekend is about to begin. I don't mean to be technical but Sunday is not a part of the weekend. Sunday is the first day of the week but over the years it has come to be known by many as the end of the weekend because our work week begins on Monday.

Friday is casual day for some people, in other words they don't have to dress in the normal attire. We let our people come to the office in blue jeans. On Friday our office (for the secretarial personnel) closes at 1:00pm. There are a couple of staff folks here on Friday afternoon, including me, which I use for study because it is very quiet. Friday is a fun day because for most of us Saturday is an off day. There is no school, lots of football, golf, movies, eating out, shopping, and many other options for you to involve yourself depending on the time of year.

Some people live for the weekend. They work all week just to get to the weekend. Their life begins at 5:00pm on Friday and comes to a close early Monday morning prior to the beginning of a new work week. Songs have been written about the weekend. Remember this one from the 80's "Working for the Weekend" by Loverboy. Now there is a good name for a band! Steve Wariner sang a song simply called "The Weekend." Barry Manilow sang a song entitled "Weekend in New England". Well I am sure there are others. What are you going to do this weekend?

Let me suggest something for you to do this weekend. Attend a Worship service where you can connect with the Creator of this Universe, Jehovah God! During these difficult economic and unstable days it will be a breath of fresh air to your soul and will encourage you. Don't go alone, take your family or a friend with you. Let the Lord Jesus Christ speak a word of comfort and grace to you! The weekend will take on a different meaning when you make Worship a priority. We were born to Worship the Creator! Listen to this Psalm from King David!

1 I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.
2 I will boast only in the Lord; let all who are helpless take heart.
3 Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.
4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.
6 In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.
7 For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.
8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
9 Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.
10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the Lord will lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the Lord.
12 Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous?
13 Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!
14 Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
15 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.
16 But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth.
17 The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
19 The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
20 For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!
21 Calamity will surely overtake the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
22 But the Lord will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned

I hope to see you this weekend in Worship!

Random Thoughts

2008-11-12T08:14:00.000-06:00

God is in the news!

In Ratanur Nepal, many believe that Buddha has re-emerged from the jungle. The reincarnated Buddha is an 18 year old boy. He was first recognized in 2005 in south Nepal where he spent months without moving, sitting with his eyes closed beneath a tree. One believer said "I have no doubt in my mind he is a god, he has been meditating without food and water and no human can achieve such a feat."

In DC a group of atheist have launched an ad campaign under the title of "Why Believe in a God?" The American Humanist association has spent $40,000 to run these ads on buses in the city and they will run through December.

In Exodus 20 the bible records these words "You shall have no other gods before Me." The writer of Psalm 73 asks the question "Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. I have put my trust in the Lord God, That I may declare Your works."

We must "go into all nations and tell the good news". From D.C. to Nepal and every place in between, people need to know the Lord.

I want your opinion. I am going to replace my computer. In the upper right there is a poll. Tell me what you think.
I hope to have last Sunday evenings sermon on the website by the weekend. You should be able to find it at this link http://www.fbcowb.org/resources/sermons.php

Hot Topic on Sunday Evening!

2008-11-11T01:04:00.000-06:00

Alcohol was the topic for this past Sunday evening and the bottom line for me is abstinence. I shared with my congregation my upbringing and other factors which began to form my conviciton in the area of alcohol. I grew up in a small town in South Mississippi where you could not buy, and still cannot to this day, alcohol of any kind(legally). Alcohol was not a part of my home life and it was always looked upon with disdain. As I grew I was exposed to the damaging effects of this addictive drug and today through a study of the Word of God I realize the choice for me is to abstain. That is my desire for everyone especially "followers of Jesus"! It is an issue which evokes many emotions but one that is settled between you and God.

Abstinence is not required (for everyone) in the scripture but I believe it is recommended. The bible does not say drinking is a sin but certainly can lead to sinful behavior and even drunkeness. Drunkeness is clearly sinful to the point of keeping someone out of heaven (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

I shared some reasons for abstinence (credit James MacDonald, they are not original with me). Here they are:

Alcohol is an unnecessary drug. ( it is one of the most abused drugs of our day)
Alcoholism is a sin not a disease. (1Corinthians 6:9-10)
Alcohol is addictive. (some people become alcoholics)
Alcohol is destructive. (the statistics are mind boggling)
Alcohol impairs wisdom. (Ephesians 5:18)
Wisdom calls on us to set it aside.

One of the major reasons for abstinence as I see it is the damage it does to our witness for Jesus Christ. Paul mentions it a couple of times in 1 Corinthians and Romans. He also tells us many things are lawful but not everything is helpful. In Romans 14 he reminds us that we don't live to ourselves but to Jesus. The Christian life is not a life lived selfishly but for the glory of God so others might be drawn to the Lord Jesus Christ. One question we must ask is "Can I use alcohol socially and be a positive witness for Jesus Christ? The answer for me is very clear!

Look at this old newspaper article.

A member of Alcoholics Anonymous once sent columnist Ann Landers the following:

We drank for happiness and became unhappy.

We drank for joy and became miserable.

We drank for sociability and became argumentative.

We drank for sophistication and became obnoxious.

We drank for friendship and made enemies.

We drank for sleep and awakened without rest.

We drank for strength and felt weak.

We drank "medicinally" and acquired health problems.

We drank for relaxation and got the shakes.

We drank for bravery and became afraid.

We drank for confidence and became doubtful.

We drank to make conversation easier and slurred our speech.

We drank to feel heavenly and ended up feeling like hell.

We drank to forget and were forever haunted.

We drank for freedom and became slaves.

We drank to erase problems and saw them multiply.

We drank to cope with life and invited death.

Can a Christian drink alcohol? yes. The title of my message was not "can" but "Should a Christian drink alcohol?" I am convicted wholeheartedly the answer is NO!

(1 Corinthians 10:31) "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everthing for God's glory."

(Proverbs 31:4-7) (Proverbs 23:29-35) (Proverbs 20:1) (Romans 14) (1 Cor. 6: 19-20)

I realize many people disagree with my position (which is OK) and sometimes you simply have to disagree. My purpose is to share my conviction. You must come to your own conclusion. Thanks for reading my blog and I hope you come back.

Here are a few helpful websites. You probably know more. Send them to me!

http://www.alcoholfreechildren.org/en/index.htm

http://www.cdc.gov/

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/

http://www.toosmarttostart.samhsa.gov/

My Promise to You Mr. President!

2008-11-05T03:18:00.001-06:00

History has been made! Change is coming! America has spoken and we must move forward. One of the greatest single mandates given to me and other followers of Jesus Christ is that we PRAY for our President. That is my promise to President Obama and Vice President Biden. I will pray for you. I will pray for;

Wisdom
Guidance

Discernment

Good counsel
Protection

Health

your family

you to be influenced by the Holy Spirit of God

that God will place around you people of God on whom the Spirit rests

As my friend used to say "You need the prayers and I certainly need the practice!"

"far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you." (1 Sam. 12:23)

Election Day is Here!

2008-11-04T08:01:00.000-06:00

I trust you will vote today or already have this morning. It is a privilege we should not take lightly. I was reminded last week by Brenda, one of the ladies in our office, no matter who wins God is still in control. You may have seen them. They were given the title predictions but I believe they are promises.

TOP 10 PROMISES---IF EITHER MCCAIN OR OBAMA WIN
10. The Bible will still be reliable

9. Prayer will still be answered.

8. The Holy Spirit will still exalt the Lord Jesus.

7. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.

6. God will still use the preaching of the gospel.

5. The purposes of God will still not be thwarted.

4. God will still care for His people.

3. There will still be room at the Cross!

2. Jesus will continue to save sinners and continue to build His church.

1. Jesus is still coming again.

"The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,
Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes" (Proverbs 21:1)

Judy, a lady in our church, came up to me and said there was an 11th one;

11. Whichever candidate wins the White House it won't be long before He wishes the other man had won. (that may be true)

Let's vote today and as you are bombarded with the news of the election throughout the day pause and PRAY for our country and the candidates that above all God will be Glorified!

Fireproof the Movie

2008-10-31T06:14:00.000-05:00

Well, Leigh and I finally got to see Fireproof. I've encouraged all of our church members to go and many of them have been. The reviews I've read and their comments have all been very positive. I concur with all of those who have said "you need to see it". It truly is a "must see" movie for everyone. People who are married, those who plan on being married and those who never marry can all benefit from this film. It is biblically solid and very well produced. Kirk Cameron is the only well known professional actor. The other actors and actresses are people like you and me. You can go to the website http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/ and read the bios of the actors, the production crew, view a commercial (at the bottom of the blog), and many other options. The film is a ministry born out of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany Georgia. This is the third film they have released. If you haven't seen the other two, then you ought to check them out. They are; "Flywheel" and "Facing the Giants". We have them in our church library but you can find them at video stores, LifeWay, and other place which sell movies.

Here are a couple of reviews.

I've spent my entire life trying to win in two different pro sports. What I appreciate about FIREPROOF is that it's an entertaining and challenging reminder of what it takes to win in marriage!" Joe Gibbs, Owner, Joe Gibbs Racing

"Amazing! Action-packed, heartwarming, and a great resource to help strengthen and affirm marriages!" Dr. Gary Smalley, author of Change Your Heart, Change Your Life

You can read more reviews on their website. You can also read stories of marriages that have been positively affected by this film.Husbands and wives together can learn some great lessons about love and marriage from this film.

I want to encourage you to pray for Sherwood Baptist Church (http://www.sherwoodbaptist.net/templates/cussherwoodbc/default.asp?id=33770)

and their staff many whom are very involved with the acting, producing, directing and the many other aspects of producing a movie.

If you haven't seen the movie take 2 hours and go, it will be worth it.

Thanks to my sister-in-law Susie who watched my children so we could watch the movie.

It's a Privilege to Vote but Here's Another Good Reason!

2008-10-30T08:20:00.000-05:00

As followers of Christ we have a responsiblity to cast our ballot on election day. I realize many of you are frustrated with the choices we have been given. That frustration is seen not only in the national election but also in the local and state elections as well. Never the less it is a privilege to vote and I pray you will this Tuesday November 4th, if you haven't already.

To those who may require a little more motivation to go to the polls here it is.

p.s. I am considering going to Evansville as soon as I cast my ballot and I hope the light is on! Who's driving?

What's so Conservative about Jesus?

2008-10-29T20:30:00.000-05:00

I mentioned a coupld of posts back that Jesus was liberal in love, patience, and giving. The group I meet with on Wednesday evening came up with a few more areas where Jesus is liberal. They noted He was liberal in forgiveness, healing, grace, mercy, and the list goes on. Maybe you have thought of others. Aren't you glad He is liberal in these things?

Well then, how was Jesus conservative? The definition for conservative is "disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change" and "having the power or tendency to conserve; preservative".

When it came to moral issues Jesus was conservative. In other words, He had the power to conserve and limit change. He preserved the existing condtions. The bible tells us "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever". Jesus called his followers to "be holy" as He was holy. He was unwavering in His stand against the moral issues of His day, which by the way are the same ones we face today. For example when Jesus confronted the woman who was brought to Him in adultery, He called her adultery "sin". He did not simply excuse her and say "everybody's doing it". He didn't compromise and turn the other way. He confronted it with love, mercy, and grace. He was conservative.

Jesus held His ground in regards to those who wished to follow Him. He said some very difficult things to those who considered "following Him". On one occasion He told a man who, instead of following Jesus, wanted to bury a loved one, "let the dead bury their own". On another occasion Jesus said "he who does not hate his brother, sister, mother, or father cannot be my disciple". He was conservative and liberal but always at the proper moment! Lord help me as I seek to be like Jesus. In what ways do you see Jesus as conservative or liberal?

Is Jesus Liberal or Conservative?

2008-10-29T13:59:00.000-05:00

I am convinced Jesus is both. There is no way you can make a solid case for Jesus being one or the other. I believe he was liberal and conservative, but not at the same time. I shared in a message once some areas I found in the Word of God where Jesus is clearly liberal and we should follow His lead. Here are 3;

He was liberal in His Love for People! (John 15:12)
He was liberal in His Patience towards People! (2 Pet. 3:9) (Exodus 34:7)
He was liberal in Giving His Possessions and His Person!(Phil. 2:3-5) (Matt. 8:18-20)

I am glad Jesus was liberal in how He loved me? Someone has said correctly "There is nothing I can do to make Him(Jesus) love me any more nor any less." He loves me liberally with an everlasting love. (Jer. 31:3)

I am so glad Jesus was patient with me? The passage in 2 Peter tells us that God is not willing that any should perish but He is longsuffering. I am so happy He was patient with me.

I am glad that Jesus was liberal when it came to giving! The bible tells us in the most famous passage of all "For God so loved the world that He GAVE His only Son." Jesus said "No one takes it(His life) from Me, but I lay it down.

The Good News is that Jesus feels that way about you as well. "Aren't you glad that Jesus is Liberal?

What other ways do you see Jesus being liberal? I would love to hear from you.

My Introduction to the Blogosphere!

2008-10-28T15:23:00.000-05:00

Here are some things I am discovering about the world of blogging!

It is something I should have been involved with sooner! (not because my life or thoughts are interesting and important but it is a healthy discipline for me as a pastor) John Piper writes there are 6 reasons pastors should blog!

http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/1156_6_reasons_pastors_should_blog/

I enjoy reading what's going on in the world of other friends and acquaintances. Many of the blogs I follow are fellow ministers.

Reading is one of the best ways to gain knowledge.

I am discovering many blogs contain sermon fodder with stories, illustrations, quotes and etc.

It is a good way to keep up with people from all over the world(literally).

There are common issues facing all of us and opinions vary tremendously. It is helpful to hear how people view these issues. (often times different than I do)

It is a good way to journal and also to vent.
Thank the Lord it is easy to edit your post!

I want to encourage you to check out my blog list. What blogs do you follow? Email me some of your favorite blogs especially your own. You can contact me by going to my profile.

I close with one of my favorite quotes by Jimmy Stewart from his movie "HARVEY"!

"Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be," - she always called me Elwood - "In this world, you must be oh so smart, or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

My Girls!

2008-10-27T18:24:00.000-05:00

Will this election please!! come to an end?

2008-10-27T09:04:00.000-05:00

I have an idea many of you feel the same way I do about the present election and the campaigns that seemingly have been going on since George W began his last term. We have been inundated with piles of minutia concerning each candidate. I realize the importance of voting and the privilege we have in the good ole USA of casting a ballot. However, while repitition has proven to be a good teacher it can quickly become monotonous. These campaigns have done just that to the point someone yesterday suggested campaigns be limited to 6 months prior to the election. I would cast a vote for that! I am reminded that no matter who is elected they cannot remove the LORD JESUS CHRIST from the throne. He Still REIGNS! Amen and Amen!!!!