Timberrr!



I hate that when that happens.



Dale and I live in an older neighborhood with a lot of mature trees. The trees are beautiful and provide wonderfully refreshing shade through these brutal summers. But they can be menacing, too.



What a storm we had last week! Last Wednesday we came home to find a tree toppled over against our house. It was a beautiful, 30', silver maple. And it decided it was tired of standing! Fortunately, only the very top of the tree hit the edge of the roof. The damage was minimal.

OBSERVATION:



I have an observation. Trees fall. It's what they do. Eventually.



Are you kidding me?



     Troubles come.





          Eventually.

               To all of us.

The only real variable is, how will we respond to them when they come?

CONCLUSION:



I don't think so.

I have a conclusion. It makes a difference what resources you bring to the troubles that come into your life. In my situation, the combination of the right tools, a great neighbor, Dave Mayo, my friend Weldon Price (Weldon knows how to do EVERYTHING!), and several hours of manual labor took care of the problem.



The word of God teaches us that we have to have the right resources at our disposal to deal with the threats and dangers of life. Paul wrote, "So use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing up. But to do this, you will need the strong belt of truth and the breastplate of God's approval.  Wear shoes that are able to speed you on as you preach the Good News of peace with God.  In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.  And you will need the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit--which is the Word of God" (Eph 6:13-17,LB).

Don't go out there alone. Trees fall.



Now that's more like it.



Father-In-Law



Rick, Eloise, Dale, Steve



Dale and I are on the north shore of Lake Ponchatrain in Abita Springs, LA, visiting my father-in- law (also known as Dale's father). He is an interesting guy with a great story. He grew up in New Orleans, was a star running back for Tulane University.

He was a high school history teacher by profession, but his real passion was high school football. He was the head coach of the largest high school in the metro area for many years--and he was very good at it.
After he retired he began training and racing thoroughbred horses. Turns out there are a lot of similarities between training athletes and training thoroughbreds. Again, he was very good at it. He'll turn 83 next month. Today his pursuits take a more pedestrian turn.

He was married to Dale's mother for 47 years, until her death 15 years ago. Two years after she died he reconnected with a wonderful lady he'd known and dated when they were high school students. They've now been married for 13 years. She's pictured with us.

My father died when I was 14. Six years later I married Dale and married into her family. I have a lot of experience being a son-in-law. I've been doing that for 34 years now. What I don't have any experience at is being a father-in-law.

That's going to change, however. Next month my son is getting married and I'll take on a new role. And we'll do it again in December when my daughter gets married.

In response to Congress' effort to define obscenity, former Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart famously said, "I don't know how to define it [obscenity], but I know it when I see it."



Steve and Rick



Father-in-law is a unique role. It's not a mini-father or dad-lite. It's its own role. I don't know how to define a good father-in-law, but I know one when I see one. I can already anticipate many times to come when I'll have to pause and ask myself, "Now what would Rick do?" He is steadfast in his commitments and optimistic in his spirit. I'm glad to have a model to draw on. I really have a great father-in-law.

I'm Rich! Rich!



Me and the Benjamins



I have great news to share! Through no real credit of my own I’ve just learned that I am going to receive 2.5 million dollars! It’s hard to believe, but it’s true. Dale will probably quit work and we may buy a little place at the beach. I just can’t believe how wonderfully fortunate we are. Two and a half million is a lot of money. Life is really going to be different now.

I just got an email from Mrs. Veronica Amadi. I don’t know how this happened, but there is a fund in my name at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). I know what you’re thinking, but you’re wrong. This is no scam. Mrs. Amadi has assured me that it is all legitimate. She is reaching out to me because she is a Christian. All I have to do is send a few hundred dollars to cover some paperwork. Seems reasonable to me!

Upon further reflection, I won’t spend any of this money just yet. When it all comes through, though, I’ll be happy to buy you lunch.

The fact is, we tend to overestimate what money can do for us. Paul reminds us that contentment is a gift from God, not something accomplished by circumstances. “I've learned to be content in whatever situation I’m in. I know how to live in poverty or prosperity. No matter what the situation, I’ve learned the secret of how to live when I’m full or when I’m hungry, when I have too much or when I have too little. I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me” (Ph. 4:11-13,GW).

When is enough enough?

Probably sooner than you think.

I Was Hungry



Workers on the assembly line



Who believes hungry kids should have something to eat?

Who believes hungry kids in Cobb County should have something to eat?

Who wants to help feed a hungry child in Cobb County?

Who wants to help feed a hungry child in Cobb County every day this summer?

Who wants to help feed 650 hungry children in Cobb County every day this summer?

Who’s available in the morning?

Those are the questions we put to our church, our Weekday Education parents, and our Upward parents. And even though the questions got progressively harder and closer to home, people didn’t put down their hands!



Susan Shay being interviewed by CNN



Our summer lunch program is going great. In fact, CNN was here last week to interview our Children’s Minister, Susan Shay, observe the mechanics of putting this many lunches together at one time, and ride along on one of the delivery routes. We’re looking forward to a feature story later this summer.



Our church is not the building. The building’s just the place we come for marching orders. Thank you to all of you who are helping us get our church into our community. I am proud of First Baptist.

For Christ,

Steve