Bittersweet Farm
Woody Shoemaker
Friday Woody Shoemaker stepped into my office. It’s always a good part of my day when Woody stops in. We have both been pastors for years and together we solve the world’s problems and swap old pastor stories. When he stepped in I was thinking about what I was going to say later that evening to the men in Grosse Pointe. My job was to convince men who were already swamped with responsibilities that they should help form a men’s ministry in the church.
I am often asked to speak about how to protect our children from rebellion and I am asked to address why young people turn from the faith or apparent faithfulness. I am convinced that we have lost a handle on what it means to protect our sons and daughters from danger. We live in a time when it will be unusual for sons and daughters to go on for God. If it happens they will be a part of a remnant and it will be an unusual thing. It will be a work of God. (Read Ezekiel 14)
[Read more…] about Spiritual Protection
There is a fine line between a merry heart which is like a continual feast and folly which is like scratching your fingernails on a chalkboard. Part of growing into manhood is discerning that subtle difference.
[Read more…] about Misplaced Humor
When I was about sixteen Niles Eikenberry hired me to work in his grocery store. My job was the clean the meat department every night. It was important that I did my job well. If the meat department was not perfectly clean people could become very sick. It was hard work back there and lonely. I worked back all night every night. It was monotonous work and there was no one to talk to. I didn’t do well. I should have but I just didn’t.
[Read more…] about Niles Eikenberry
In the seventies the Cincinnati Reds were playing in massive Riverfront Stadium and they were in their glory. They were known as the Big Red Machine and they were a pennant-producing powerhouse. Summer nights I lay in my bed and listened to the heroics of Johnny Bench, Pete Rose, Dave Concepcion, George Foster, Ken Griffey, Joe Morgan, Cesar Cedanio, Don Gullett and company on my little radio. It was lined with leather with a little leather strap across the top and a silver metal face. It was a neat little radio. I set the radio on my headboard, enamored as my Grandpa Shipley always was by electronic gizmos. If the Reds were on the west coast I often fell asleep before I knew the outcome of the game.
[Read more…] about Pedro Borbon
On a Friday night before the Ludington Lakestride Half-Marathon we were eating a pre-race meal with the family in a little Italian Restaurant. During our dinner we were talking about my friend Dan, who is a Marathoner. He ran the Boston Marathon this year. He is very, very quick.
[Read more…] about You Have to Do the Miles
Recent Comments