The tree trimmers moved through Big M last year. Huntsville Utilities periodically “clears the lines” to minimize power outages by cutting back any tree or branches that could potentially fall onto a power line in a storm. Several of the maple trees in my front yard got cut back, again. They often look a little funny right after but when spring comes the trees grow back. But some of my neighbors had trees with huge holes cut out, right through the middle of a tree’s canopy.

One day, many years ago, I sat in a very familiar room. It was one of the examination rooms for Pediatric Cardiology, buried deep in the UAB complex of medical buildings. We were waiting for the doctor who had guided Lauren’s cardiac care for the previous 20 years. He came in and described her last procedure. He made some general observations and patiently answered our questions. In the process of predicting her long term care he made a passing reference to a drug that man

1776, the founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence. Later on that same day, a British armada carrying some 34,000 British soldiers began landing on Staten Island where Lt. Gen. Sir William Howe made his headquarters. On August 22nd, the British began preparing to cross from Staten Island to just south of Brooklyn on Long Island and by August 26th those 34,000 British troops were heading toward Brooklyn which was being defended by George Washington's Continental

I had an interesting experience once at the hospital. Having parked on the second floor, I was walking to the elevators. Just as I arrived the doors opened and I stepped into the elevator, right behind a woman who had been standing there waiting already. Three women were already in the elevator and I assumed they parked above us and we were all going down into the hospital. As soon as the doors closed we began to move and the woman who got on with me blurted out, “Are we g

How many times in your life have you felt or expressed your frustration that life is not fair? Probably every parent has heard these words groaned with varying degrees of grief from their children. God has heard these words many MANY times, even from adults. Usually these are the words of pain or sorrow or sickness or jealousy or even fear. We see the good fortune of others and feel somehow that we have been deprived of what we deserve! The scriptures record many heartaches i

My mother's teachings came in the form of advices mainly from the word of God. But the most powerful teaching and advice came from her example. Of all her teachings that she taught me, from example is the most important and most powerful teaching. The Power Of Example During the summer of 1974, one missionary came to the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. This missionary knocked on doors and tried to set up home Bible studies. One of those Bible studies was held at my parents' home

I was helping a friend get an air compressor working again. After finding and fixing a defective switch it was time to make sure everything else was working properly. It started up and began to run... (yay!) and run... and run... and run... and run... and run... (uh oh! not yay). A little more detective work uncovered a fitting leaking out air; just enough so the compressor would never achieve a satisfied pressure. Some words are deflating. Some people are. You've been there.

Let me tell you a little story... in the summer of 1979 I was working as the associate minister (youth minister/song leader) for a TN church. All the youth kids wanted to go canoe the White River in Arkansas. It was my first youth group in Somerville, TN. Libbie & I were newlyweds. I was too young to perceive the cliff approaching! I had organized zero canoe trips before. And after we made that trip, I immediately made plans for the next one - never, ever, ever! Actuall

A well-dressed couple came into a toy shop with their two children in tow. “We want some toys that will keep the children entertained,” the mother said. “My husband and I both work long hours and the children are alone a great deal.” The salesgirl showed them a variety of games and play equipment, but to each there was some objection. “It seems to me,” the mother finally said impatiently, “that if you knew what we are really looking for, you could find it among all of the

My mother came from a family with thirteen children. She had seven brothers-in-law. One of them, my uncle Clayton gave me my first model airplane, a Chance-Vought F4U Corsair, an airplane for which I still have great fondness. The model was made of plastic and had many parts that had to be cut apart and assembled together with glue. It was a beautiful radial engine WWII fighter with a distinctive gull-wing design that I still think is one of the best looking airplanes eve

At some point we have all anxiously waited for something good to come. Perhaps a trip or holiday filled us with such anticipation that it made normal life each day hard to move through. Then there's the other side... dread. Something bad is on the horizon and there is nothing we can do to stop it. It moves towards us "X-ing" off days of the week one after another, like a stalking beast, only the jaws soundtrack of the shark attack is missing. The awareness that events are ap

It is strange how we can sometime ascribe to God faults that are found in ourselves, especially our prejudices. There were those Jews who believed that every Jew would be saved simply because he was a Jew, and that every Gentile would be lost because he was a Gentile. However, God is not biased against any one. God loves and cares for all people. Notice the prayer of Solomon in I Kings 8. “Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a f

I hired a plumber to help me restore an old farmhouse, and drove him home after he had just finished a rough first day on the job. A flat tire made him lose an hour of work, his electric drill quit and his ancient one ton truck refused to start. While I drove him home, he sat in stony silence. On arriving, he invited me in to meet his family. As we walked toward the front door, he paused briefly at a small tree, touching the tips of the branches with both hands. When opening

In the book of Judges, we read about a time when the nation of Israel was overrun with Midianites. They would rob God’s people of their harvest and do even more evil things to God’s people. Israel prayed and begged God to send a leader who would run the enemies out of their land and peace would come. In Judges 6:12, the Angel of the Lord addressed a coward by the name of Gideon. The Angel said: “The Lord is with you mighty warrior.” The Lord didn’t see Gideon in his present s

Today, I will live as if it is the most important day I possess, because it is actually the only day I have. Today, I will whine and complain less. I will be thankful more, because I know that gratitude makes a better person out of me. Today, I will criticize less and praise more, because the people I love need to know that I love and approve of them. Today, I will take more time with God my Father and less with earthly pleasures. I know that I need His strength and guidance.

Many, many years ago a story is told of a good king in Spain known as Alfonso XIX who learned that the boys who served in his court were forgetting to pray before their meals. So, he decided to teach them a lesson. He gave a banquet and invited them to attend. Midway through the dinner a ragged beggar came in, sat down, and began eating ravenously. When he was finished, he went out without saying a word. “That ungrateful wretch ought to be whipped,” shouted the boys. “He ate

Syncretism is defined as, “the union of conflicting beliefs, especially religious beliefs.” It fits the spirit of this post-modern age but is offensive to God. Worship of the true and living God while also paying homage to other “gods” is stoutly condemned in Scripture. God said, “I am the lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt; you shall have no other gods before me... .You shall not bow down to (idols) or serve them, for I the lord your God am a jealous God”

Do you wear a mask? I can remember being so excited one year at Halloween. I found a mask on clearance. It was a full head mask with light up eyes and a voice changer built in. That thing was so hot, and my breath condensed on the inside, but man, I can remember how excited I was to wear it. We often wear a mask. Our behavior and attitude changes depending on where we are and who we are with. People act one way when they are around their family, and a different way when they

People sometimes look in the wrong place to find power. Folks look for power in the teachings of human beings. We humans are sometimes amazing. But, when it comes to true power we suddenly find ourselves unable to do very much. The teachings of Confucius are not divinely inspired and cannot provide salvation. The writings of John Locke influenced the writing of the Declaration of Independence and the creation of the new government of the United States, but Locke believed we c

It is called “fuegos artificiales” in Spanish. It means fireworks. This form of entertainment was one of the most awaited for my family in Mexico. The reason was because it was free. The government usually celebrated important events with fireworks. My family was one of hundreds of families gathered at downtown Merida for those special occasions. “Fuegos artificiales” has always attracted people. I remember on one occasion when there was a big storm about an hour before they