tommyTALK
Miscellaneous Meanderings from the Minister

Congratulations to one of our students, Sarah Wilson, who meticulously discovered that I used the wrong title for the Langston Hughes’ poem I used Sunday morning. I called it “A Dream Deferred,” but Sarah’s American Poetry emergency beeper started beeping. She told her parents that the correct title of the poem is “Harlem.” Way to go, Sarah, and kudos to the English department at New Lima High School.

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I visited with Coach David Carter about his brother, Brad Carter, who is serving in Iraq. These men and women need our continued prayers. David and I talked about how peaceful our lives are over here, and how that peacefulness is a consequence of their risky and sacrificial work on the frontlines of battle. Remember Brad’s wife, Shari, and their two girls, Abby and Maya in your prayers. Also, remember Brad’s parents, Mac and Kathy Carter, as they hold down the homefront while Brad is serving in Iraq.

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Speaking of battles, we finished our last session of Men’s Fraternity this past Tuesday morning. Over fifty men completed the first year’s curriculum, and there’s not enough room to even begin sharing the life changes happening in marriages and family. I’m convinced a strong nation has strong states, strong states have strong communities, strong communities have strong families, strong families have strong marriages, and strong marriages have strong men who are servant-leaders and God-lovers. Thanks to Lewie Watters and Artie Hudson, our Men’s Fraternity hosts, and to Terry and Rob Fletcher, who arrived an hour early (that’s 5 A.M.!) on Tuesday mornings to make breakfast. The Spirit of God is really changing and transforming the lives of men in our church, and it is an adventure to watch it happen. God is raising up new men to be lifelong followers of Jesus. A few weeks ago, I shared the following statistics:
• If 100 kids came to this church, about 20 to 25 families will follow.
• If 100 wives came to church, about 20 families will follow.
• If 100 husbands came to church, 97 families will follow!

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Knock on wood, but my oldest progeny, Garrett, is batting 1000 on the Seminole Junior High team. For those of you who are not baseball fans, batting 1000 means that the player has had a hit or walk every time he is up to bat. Now, statistically and realistically, no player makes it through the season batting 1000. I mean if you can hit the ball 3 or 4 times out of 10, the experts will call you a superstar and give you a Nike contract. In life, we don’t always bat 1000 but Jesus did, and because Jesus lived a perfect life, He was the perfect sacrifice for us on the cross. And because He was the perfect sacrifice, He is the perfect Savior to redeem us and empower us to live the godly life we are called to live as Jesus-followers. The apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians, “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). In life, we are going to strike out a lot, but in Christ we keep stepping up to the plate. So when the batting slump comes, remember the words of Yogi Berra, “ Slump? I ain’t in no slump….I just ain’t hitting.”

Category : Tommy Talk