wjcollier3

Moving Day!

2009-09-02T18:10:00.002-05:00

After much thought and consideration, I have decided to move my blog. I have enjoyed working on blogger, but it has its limitations. I have heard great things about Wordpress and have decided to give it a try. The address to my blog is almost the same. Just replace "blogspot" with "wordpress". The new address is wjcollier3.wordpress.com. I have saved my old account at blogger just in case this one does not work like I want it to. This move is immediate and you should start finding new posts there in a day or two. Thanks for reading and following me to my new blogging home.

Margaret Collier

2009-08-25T15:17:00.004-05:00

Margaret Anne Johnson Collier, age 59, died Monday, August 24, 2009, at Christus Spohn Shoreline Hospital in Corpus Christi, Texas. Margaret was born October 17, 1949, in Tupelo, Mississippi. She was the third of seven children. Margaret was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and Christian who faithfully served in all the churches of which her husband was pastor. Margaret was a retired employee of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and was employed by Windham Independent School District as a teacher.

Margaret had two great passions, learning and loving her grandsons. She returned to school later in life and achieved her dream of earning her college degree and teacher certification. She graduated with honors in 2007 from Texas A & M University – Corpus Christi. At the time of her home-going, she was six hours from her Master’s degree. She was also the proud grandmother of four grandsons. The joy of her life was spending time with “her boys.” She was eagerly awaiting the birth of two more grandchildren.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 41 years, Warner Collier; five children, Warner (John) Collier, III and wife Catherine of Tyler, Texas; Jason Collier and wife Angela of Alvin, Texas; Melissa Seal and husband Eddie of Corpus Christi, Texas; Elizabeth Collier of Beeville, Texas; and Matthew Collier of Beeville, Texas; and four grandsons, Warner Collier, IV, Jacob Collier, and Aaron Collier of Tyler, Texas, and Luke Seal of Corpus Christi, Texas. She is also survived by three brothers and two sisters, Bert Johnson, Jr., John Johnson, James Johnson, Sharon Ellis, and Brenda Collier, all of Lee County, Mississippi. In addition to her parents, Margaret was preceded in death by one brother, Frank Johnson. She is further survived by many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Services will be Wednesday, August 26 at 10 AM at Galloway and Sons Funeral Home in Beeville, Texas. Additional services will be pending at W. E. Pegues Funeral Home in Tupelo, Mississippi, with Rev. Warner Collier officiating. Burial will be at the Union Cemetery in Lee County, Mississippi.

A Tribute to Mark

2009-08-23T19:36:00.003-05:00

Our youth pastor, Mark, is a hunter. He really seems to enjoy shooting things. I think that is pretty cool. I also know he likes to bow hunt. I am certain he is almost as good a shot as the young man in the video below. This is a tribute to my friend Mark. Enjoy!

Anti-Lutheran Tornado

2009-08-21T21:16:00.005-05:00

This past week in Minneapolis, the nation’s largest Lutheran denomination has been having its convention. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America was meeting in the Minneapolis Convention Center, which is downtown and across the street from Central Lutheran Church. Wednesday afternoon at 2:00, the delegates were scheduled to debate and vote on their stance on the open practice of homosexuality among members of the church, including the clergy. At just before 2:00, a completely unexpected storm came through downtown. It included a tornado. The tornado damaged the roof of the convention center and broke the steeple of the church.

John Piper, who pastors in Minneapolis, posted some interesting commentary on his blog yesterday. In it he claims the storm was a warning from God given directly to the Lutherans meeting there to abandon their acceptance of immoral behavior. I am not one to find a spirit behind every bush. I try not to over-spiritualize things. This is pretty hard to ignore. I realize that sometimes a storm is just a storm, but this may have been something more. I don’t always agree with Piper, but this time he makes a great case.

What do you think?

What's He Really Thinking? by Paula Rinehart

2009-08-16T22:57:00.003-05:00

Paula Rinehart has attempted a difficult task in her new book, What’s He Really Thinking? She is trying to explain men, what goes on in their heads, what makes them do what they do. Perhaps the only more difficult topic would be to explain women!

First a disclaimer: This book was written for women to help them relate to the men in their lives. I am not a woman. I am the man in a woman’s life.

I found the book to be easy to read and understand. It would have been very easy for Rinehart to get highly technical in explaining the differences between the sexes and how to better relate. I also got the sense that she is qualified to handle that technical conversation. But she successfully avoided that trap.

Most books that deal with the relationships between men and women only consider the marriage (or at least unmarried romantic) relationships. This book is about women understanding men. She applies these principles to husbands, sons, brothers, and other male/female relationships.

At the back of the book is the “Relational Genius Guide”. This is a series of chapter by chapter questions. To me, they seem especially good for groups of women to discuss. The questions appear to be well thought out and well written, leading to fruitful discussion.

As a man reading a relationship book written for women, I have to say it was reasonably accurate in its descriptions of how men think. I would definitely recommend this book.

More information about What’s He Really Thinking can be found at Thomas Nelson’s product page. I am a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program.

Fairness

2009-08-03T11:56:00.004-05:00

I have read the book of Habakkuk many times over the years. I took my first really close look at the book about a year ago when I helped develop a discussion guide for my LIFE Group. After our group completed our study of the book, I had not given the book much thought. That is until a little over two weeks ago.

You see, the book of Habakkuk is about a man who followed God and had a strong faith in God. But he also struggled with God. There were things going on in the world around him that did not seem fair. There was great injustice in society around him. He knew God was there but God seemed to be silent.

A little over two weeks ago, my mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor. After consulting with a neurosurgeon, we came to realize that the situation was bad. The MRI showed a tumor that measured about 2.4 centimeters. The doctor told us that it appeared to be a highly aggressive, malignant tumor. After surgery, we found out that the tumor was much larger than anticipated. It was about the size of a tangerine. The pathologist confirmed our worst fears. It was a grade four (highly aggressive) glioma (malignant) tumor.

My mother is an active 59 year old woman. She just completed her bachelors degree a few years ago and had just taken a new teaching job a few weeks earlier. She is one semester away from completing her masters degree. She has had an almost perfect 4.0 GPA through all that. She has four grand-sons. She derives as much joy from “her boys” as any grandmother I have ever seen. She has a set of twin grandchildren on the way. They will no doubt be as precious to her as the others. I could point out many other things, but I am sure you get the idea.

This should not have happened to her. She has followed Jesus for a long time. She has given much of her life to service along side my dad in the church. Her trust in and reliance on God has been unwavering through circumstances both good and bad, easy and difficult. As far I can understand fairness, this is not fair. Not even a little bit.

But I need to rethink fairness. When I do, I realize that I don’t really want fairness. If God were completely fair, he would completely punish all of us. God does not always treat us fairly. He does much better than that. He treats us graciously. He has graciously kept my mother for 59 years. He graciously let her tumor be diagnosed in time to operate. He graciously gave her a skilled surgeon and others to provide medical treatment. He graciously gave her a large family that loves her and supports her completely. The Bible says that every good gift and every perfect gift comes from God and only God. There are some gifts from God that we would deem as not being good. Again, I think this is due to our not having a complete understanding of what “good” is. The Bible also says that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. That perfectly describes my mother. I cannot comprehend how this awful illness will work for her good, outside of taking her to heaven, but I trust God and his word that he will somehow work things together for her good.

It is the last few verses of the book of Habakkuk that bring me the most comfort and peace during this time. Even though the prophet still does not understand the mysteries of the way the Lord chooses to work, he still has confidence in God. He describes the devastation that he sees coming and expresses his faith. I pray God will grant me that faith as the storms of confusion and doubt come. Habakkuk 3:17-19 says: “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines, even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights.”

Failure

2009-08-01T09:13:00.004-05:00

I am currently reading Tony Dungy's book, Uncommon. There is a chapter in the book called "Failure" in which Tony describes his "success" in the NFL. He says he is often introduced as one of only three people to win a Super Bowl as a player and as a head coach. "What they don't always say is that there were twenty-seven straight seasons that ended in disappointment between those two Super Bowl wins."

If I were to be totally honest, I would have to admit that I often feel like a failure. I suspect this is true for most of us at some level. There is a difference between failing and being a failure. I need to work harder to keep this in perspective. I will fail often, but I am not a failure. It is alright to fail. In fact, it should be expected. This does not make me a failure.

I think God often allows us to fail. We can learn so much more from our failings than from our successes. There is a spiritual "urban legend" that many of us get sucked into believing. It tells us that God will not give us (or allow us to be burdened with) more than we can bear. I suspect this is a misquotation or misinterpretation of the passage that tells us God will not allow us to be tempted beyond the degree he gives us the power to resist. Please don't be confused. They do not mean the same thing.

I believe God specifically intends to give us more than we can bear. This is so we can fail on our own and learn to trust him. Would we learn it any other way? Really? When you fail, and you will, take time to learn from it. First remember that failing does not make you a failure. We all fail. In fact, failure simply sets us up for future success. To accomplish our goals, failing should be seen as part of the process. It has been said that Thomas Edison said that he didn't fail repeatedly; he merely found ten thousand ways not to make a lightbulb.

As I prepare to enter into ministry, I want to have the freedom to fail. I want the freedom to try things and learn from what works and what does not. I want to fail so I will not rely on myself. I want to fail so I will rely only on the God who gives me the strength to succeed through him. There is an old English proverb that says, "He who never makes mistakes, never makes anything." What are you making?

Rick and Bubba's Guide to the Almost Nearly Perfect Marriage

2009-07-20T22:43:00.003-05:00

Radio comics Rick Burgess and Bill “Bubba” Bussey have returned to the publishing world with their newest release. Rick & Bubba’s Guide to the Almost Nearly Perfect Marriage is a quick, easy to read collection of topics relevant to most couples. The forty-five chapters read like short humor pieces or columns. In this collection, the authors address such topics as: finding a mate, conflict, shopping, money and debt, respect, pregnancy, and grief and tragedy. They do this with the humor and style they have become known for. This is a pretty funny book.

That being said, the use of the word “guide” in the title should not be taken literally. While the book is funny, the advice is often not quite grounded in reality nor centered in the Word of God. It plays into the cultural stereotype that all wives blame their husbands for everything, thus belittling and devaluing the role and position of the husband as the head of the wife. While the Bible clearly teaches this position, Rick and Bubba do precious little to correct and teach their readers. There are other examples, but this is one of the most glaring.

If you want a decent laugh, I can recommend this book. If you are looking for guidance and advice for your marriage relationship, I think you should look elsewhere.

More information about Rick & Bubba’s Guide to the Almost Nearly Perfect Marriage can be found at Thomas Nelson’s product page. I am a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program.

Maybe I Should Get a Mac

2009-07-05T22:52:00.003-05:00

The last time I bought a computer, I seriously considered switching from a PC to a Mac. I just could not justify the cost. I have a couple of friends with pretty new MacBooks that have had some problems, so I was sure I had made the right decision. Until I saw this video. It is in French and I do not speak French. It does not matter. The message gets through. This is something that my PC definitely cannot do.

MacBook New Feature from COREANOMAC on Vimeo.

Michael Jackson Tribute

2009-07-01T17:33:00.003-05:00

Of all the tributes to MJ this past weekend, and there have been plenty, this is without question my favorite. Enjoy this cover of "Thriller" from one of my favorite bands. How about you? What is either your favorite MJ song, or even better, what has been your favorite MJ tribute? Chime in below.

For Brock

2009-06-30T16:03:00.003-05:00

This is a Fourth of July tribute to my good friend Brock. I love you, man!

Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl by N.D. Wilson

2009-06-25T16:52:00.003-05:00

In Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl, Nate Wilson takes us on a rambling journey exploring the world we live in and the God who created it. Taking his cues from the four seasons, he describes with “wide-eyed wonder” the work of God in creating and sustaining the universe.

When I referred to the book as a “rambling journey”, I am not kidding. There were many instances where I was, and am still, not sure where Wilson was going. He speaks in various creative terms: novel, play, poem, drama, etc. It was often hard to tell if he was talking about us as humans, God as creator and sustainer, or the earth as the creation. It might have been all of the above.

Perhaps, I am not the target audience. I accept that possibility. Someone a little younger than my less than forty years may get it. It is almost as if Wilson is trying a little too hard to write like Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz), another author’s popularity I do not understand. Maybe that is where I should leave this review. If you like Miller, you might like Wilson.

More information about Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl, including a preview, can be found at Thomas Nelson’s product page. I am a member of Thomas Nelson’s Book Review Blogger program.

Zoo for Dead Animals

2009-06-24T19:23:00.005-05:00

Ahh! I have you hooked already. You are probably asking yourself where this zoo is and how can I avoid it! It's the Brookshires World of Wildlife Museum and Park of course!
This fantastic park is located just outside Loop 323 in Tyler on Old Jacksonville Hwy. It is composed of a museum of stuffed and preserved animals (yes - real ones and some of them quite exotic) along with a country store. The animals were collected from the travels and hunts of the Brookshire family. The kids will love looking at toys and food items from yesteryear in the grocery store. The building is air conditioned which is a necessity on these hot Texas days, has great clean bathrooms (I know - it's a thing with me) and also a little general store where you can buy a little treat that probably won't break the bank. There are some vending machines as well as water fountains.
Outside there is a spacious children's park with lots of big shade trees and picnic tables. There's swings and play apparatus for the little ones as well as a fire truck, tractor and railway car to climb on. The older kids will love the the merry-go-round and jungle gym. There's a big slide and big swings as well.
Be advised that it gets very busy here - especially on Saturdays with it being a favorite birthday party destination - best to make reservations ahead! Yes - you can call and book some picnic tables for your party. They are closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Brookshires World of Wildlife Museum and Park - it's a great thing about Tyler!
Oh yeah! The zoo for dead animals is what my kids called it when they were little - they still like to go back again and again.

Love: A Godly Husband's Responsibility

2009-06-23T11:06:00.002-05:00

Last week, I wrote about the Christian husband's responsibility to be a leader. I really believe that all of the husband's responsibilities can be distilled down to just two: lead and love.

This love is different than the infatuation that we feel early in a relationship. This love is not just felt, it is intentional. It is a choice that we make. Here are some related passages of scripture followed by ten rules for Christian husbands.

Ephesians 5:21-33 (New Living Translation)

²¹ And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

²² For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. ²³ For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. ²⁴ As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

²⁵ For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her ²⁶ to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. ²⁷ He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. ²⁸ In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. ²⁹ No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. ³⁰ And we are members of his body.

³¹ As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” ³² This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. ³³ So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

1 Corinthians 11:3 (New Living Translation)

But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

1 Peter 3:1-2, 7 (New Living Translation)

¹ In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over ² by observing your pure and reverent lives.

⁷ In the same way, you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life. Treat her as you should so your prayers will not be hindered.

Ten Rules for Christian Husbands

1. The love you feel for your wife should be "agape" love: a divinely inspired love that reflects God's unconditional love for her.

2. Caring for your wife requires daily attention.

3. You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.

4. You should encourage your wife's spiritual growth as she seeks to follow Christ, but you can't dead her there if you're unwilling to go yourself.

5. You must strive to love your wife as God loves you. That means that you must love her regardless of her response.

6. It's important that you provide for your wife and family, but giving material possessions is not enough; you must also give yourself to her.

7. You are to love your wife as you love yourself.

8. Take care of her needs, like you take care of your own. Ensure that your wife's needs for rest and recreation, spiritual growth, and clothing are met.

9. As a Christian husband, your purpose is to prepare her in order to present her to her eternal Groom, the Lord Jesus Christ.

10. Remember that love is a permanent commitment, not a transitory feeling.

Is there one or two of these that you struggle with? Which ones? Make an intentional effort to work on those this week.

Narcissism, ADHD, or Stalking: Which Best Describes You?

2009-06-21T09:54:00.004-05:00

Like most of us, I use some social networking sites. I found this graphic a little disturbing. Is it accurate? Maybe to some degree. If you were going to give it a title, what would that title be? How about a caption? Have fun!

BTW: I will use Twitter and Facebook to notify people that this has been posted.

Coolness and Cussing

2009-06-19T20:58:00.004-05:00

I am sure that there have always been preachers and pastors who made a habit of using coarse or crude language. Maybe they even outright cussed. I suspect most, if not all of these preachers were somewhere out on the fringe. I remember Gene Scott used to sit in his recliner smoking cigars, drinking scotch, and cussing as he "taught" and "preached".

In 2003, Thomas Neslon published Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. About half way through the book, he introduces us to Mark. Mark pastors a church in Seattle and says a lot of cuss words. Mark is Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. In Driscoll's defense, he doesn't cuss anymore. He does a really good job, I think, of watching his language. He can be a little coarse or crude sometimes, but he doesn't really cuss.

Ed Young of Fellowship Church in Grapevine, Texas, recently posted this video about preachers who cuss. I think it is a wise admonition to those who speak the truth of the Gospel. Warning: Young demonstrates some of the language he warns about.

What do you think about Young's take on this? How far should preachers go with their language in trying to relate to their audience?

Paying for Creative Work

2009-06-18T20:11:00.004-05:00

Today's post at the Communicate Jesus blog raised a pretty interesting question. It is actually a question I would likely not have thought about had I not read it there. The question is: Should Christian creatives work for free?

The post included a long affirmative answer from a man who is a senior copywriter (read: creative) by trade, so his opinion is hardly unbiased. I am completely uncreative, so maybe my perspective will be decidedly more balanced.

Let us assume that all (evangelical) churches have the same mission. All churches rely on volunteers to carry out their mission. For small churches, there may be little or no paid staff. This might even include the pastor. They also offer a limited number of ministries. Volunteers lead the music, teach the children, handle the checkbook, and maybe even mow the church yard. Mid size churches offer more ministries and employ more staff to manage these ministries. This does not mean there are fewer volunteers. In fact, there are likely many more. As churches grow, so does the trend of more volunteers, more ministries, and more staff.

Another trend is that as churches grow they tend to use more and more creative media. The church may begin by asking for volunteer work from a member who specializes in this field. It also could purchase prepared creative media from, well, creative media companies. In my opinion, as a church uses more creative media, it only makes sense to hire someone to produce it. This may start as a part-time position, evolving into a full-time job. If a church has enough need to justify hiring a creative type to do the work, then hire someone to do it.

All this to say, Todd, I approve of your job.

ABC News Nightline

2009-06-17T23:36:00.004-05:00

I don't usually watch Nightline. I used to watch, if anything at all, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Now that Jay is off, I was kind of wandering. The last few nights, Nightline has led with stories about the election in Iran and the subsequent protests. It has been interesting to watch. In spite of all the technology available to this important national news program, they have been airing clips from YouTube taken with mobile phones.

Nightline will celebrate its 30th anniversary next spring. Its real anniversary will be in November of this year. I was reminded of this as I watched their coverage of the Iranian protests. That is how the show started. On November 4, 1979, 52 Americans were taken hostage at the American Embassy in Tehran. They would be held for 444 days. On November 8, just 4 days after the hostages were taken, ABC began airing "The Iran Crisis -- America Held Hostage: Day xxx" where xxx represents each day the Iranians held hostage the occupants of the Embassy. It was originally hosted by Frank Reynolds. Shortly after the program began, Ted Koppel assumed the duties of anchor. When the hostage crisis ended, the news program was such a part of the ABC schedule, they renamed it Nightline and kept it. I can honestly say that I vaguely remember the "America Held Hostage" program. Did you watch Nightline before it was Nightline? What do you watch after the 10:00 news now?

Lead: A Godly Husband's Responsibility

2009-06-15T23:07:00.002-05:00

I absolutely love my small group at church. I truly enjoy almost every study series we undertake. I do not enjoy most marriage Bible study series. However original they try to be, whatever the perspective they try to take, at the end of the day, they are all about the same. We are doing a marriage study this summer. Fortunately, we operate on a different schedule for the summer and meet fewer times for the study. One thing we are doing differently is the men and women are meeting separately. We are discussing the same topic; we are just discussing the topic from the perspective of the individual sex.

This past week the men discussed the responsibilities of a godly husband. As I was preparing the Bible study and discussion notes, I came to the opinion that all of a husband's responsibilities can be distilled down to two: lead and love. The husband's leadership role does not denote inequality between the wife and him. The leadership role denotes his responsibility to meet the needs of his wife and guide his family.

I want to share the passages from the Bible that we looked at and then some general observations we made about the Christian husband's responsibility to lead. Many of the observations were inspired by "Life 101: Marriage Edition" by Bob and Ann Livesay. I want to encourage any Christian husband to pick a couple of the observations that you most need to improve on in your marriage and work on those specifically. It should help in your relationship with your wife.

Ephesians 5:21-33 (New Living Translation)

²¹ And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

1 Corinthians 11:3 (New Living Translation)

But there is one thing I want you to know: The head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.

1 Peter 3:1-2, 7 (New Living Translation)

General Observations for Christian Husbands

1. God intends for man to be the head of the household. This is God's divine design.

2. Leadership does not imply superiority over the wife or inequality. The leadership role simply describes the function of the man in his family.

3. A Christian leader is always a servant leader, so the role of a Christian husband is to serve his wife and children.

4. The mark of a leader is that he makes decisions. Sometimes this means that a man must be willing to step outside his comfort zone as he attempts to bring order out of chaos.

5. The wife needs protection and direction (1 Timothy 2:12-15), and the husband should provide it.

6. The wife will resist the husband's leadership (Genesis 3:16), but in spite of this fact, God still expects the husband to lead.

7. The Christian husband should never be detached from his family; he should always be engaged and involved , feeling the pulse of the family.

8. Husbands are commanded to treat their wives in an "understanding way". The wives are described as "weaker than you are" (1 Peter 3:7). Thus, women are, by nature, more vulnerable and more sensitive. They should be treated more tenderly than men.

9. Because women are different from men (both emotionally and physically), God intends for women to be treated differently, especially by their husbands.

10. Failure to treat your wife with honor and understanding will have a negative impact on your relationship with God.

Which of these will you work on?

This Show Bites: Episode 1

2009-06-06T12:47:00.002-05:00

This show bites is now online! A while back, I invited you to send me your suggestions for your favorite appetizer in the Tyler area. My crack producer and I took your suggestions and went on an eating adventure. The results are below. At the end of the video, I announce the subject of the next episode. Be sure to send me your suggestions. Now, sit back and enjoy "This Show Bites".

Restaurant Review: Johnny Reb's Dixie Cafe (Hearne, Texas)

2009-06-03T19:09:00.004-05:00

This past Sunday, She Who Must Be Obeyed and I were returning home from visiting my parents in south Texas. For lunch (or rather, Sunday dinner), we stopped in Hearne, Texas at Johnny Reb's Dixie Cafe. SWMBO was driving and made the dining choice. It must be stated here that each time we drive past this place, I mention that I would like to eat there sometime. Also, recently Texas Monthly magazine named the Dixie Cafe to its list of 40 best diners. When I saw that listing, I mentioned to SWMBO that I would like to try it. Each time I say I want to eat there, she tells me that I have already done so. I say I had not. She tried to prove me wrong and shame me by stopping there. She thought we would go in and I would recognize it. Alas, I did not.

Regardless of her disappointment, we stayed for lunch. It was more than worth it. The decor is a sort of eclectic Southern diner. It was about 1:45 on Sunday afternoon, but the place was remakably busy. I had a difficult time deciding what to order. The Sunday lunch specials were the cause of my difficulty. I really wanted to try the Chicken Fried Steak, and theirs is reportedly super. But it was Sunday afternoon. How could I not order the Roast Beef? This is a choice I would not regret. It was a generous portion of meat and mashed potatoes with brown gravy. I had a choice of sides, from which I ordered black-eyed peas. Add in a little Louisiana Hot Sauce for my peas and an unending supply of sweet tea and my meal was as near perfect as I could imagine.

Our server was friendly and attentive. When I asked for hot sauce, but specified that it was not to be Tabasco, she understood. When I asked for one more glass of sweet tea, but that it be in a to-go cup, she understood. SWMBO commented that it appeared I had found my soul-mate. I was pretty sure I was already dining with my soul-mate, although when she ordered a grilled chicken sandwich, I was beginning to doubt. Just kidding, Baby!

The Dixie Cafe was certainly a good value. We enjoyed a great meal for around $20 including tip. If you find yourself traveling through Hearne, Texas near meal time, I highly recommend Johnny Reb's Dixie Cafe. While I am certain this was my first time to eat here, I am sure it will not be my last.

LIFE Group

2009-05-29T22:42:00.005-05:00

She Who Must Be Obeyed and I were talking about our small group at church. It is truly a great group. As we were talking, we realized that we have been leading our group for about five years. We took over for the previous leaders when they moved on to a pastoral position in another church. For most of the previous year, we had been sort of co-leading as he was finishing his seminary studies as well as working a full-time job. This is not the same group we began leading. This is true both literally and figuratively. Of the eight families in the group (including us), my wife and I are the only ones that were in the group back then.

We have seen a lot of changes in our group. Families have come and gone. We seem to be more stable than we have in a long time. There appears to be more unity within the group. Our discussions have been lively and insightful. We enjoy our time together around the table and around the Word of God. For the most part, we really do see ourselves as a family. In his book, The Lost Art of Disciple Making, LeRoy Eimes describes it this way:

When I was in high school, I worked in a bakery. Frequently we would make batches of frosting for cakes and chocolate donuts. I would take great lumps of broken chocolate, put them in a pan, and warm them over a low fire. The chocolate lumps would begin to melt, stick together, and finally blend into one pan full of melted chocolate.

That's what Christian fellowship is all about. Not a group of people in one building like marbles in a bag, but like lumps of chocolate that have blended together and become part of one another. This only happens through the ministry of the Holy Spirit as He slowly warms our hearts together in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (see Gal. 5:22-23).

There are changes afoot in our small group. It may or may not involve new members. Either Satan is trying to stir up something in our families or God is working in His own mysterious way. I don't know exactly what this thing is going to look like at the end. Or maybe there is no end. Maybe we will continue to grow and change. In another five years, there may be none of the same families. That will be alright as long as there is the same sense of melted chocolate. That is what I pray for.

For what it is worth, the group leader that left is back as part of the group. That has been a good change we have all enjoyed.

Have you experienced this type of fellowship? What do you think makes it happen or prevents it from happening? Share your experience with us.

It's a park, it's a sprinkler....it's a sprayground!

2009-05-19T18:50:00.004-05:00

Today I had the distinct privilege of accompanying my son's first grade class on a field trip to Faulkner Park's Sprayground! What is a sprayground you may be asking yourself? In this particular instance it is a playground that is delightfully cool and wet! There are a variety of sprinklers and sprayers on a nice concrete surface that has been treated to not be too slippery. There are some nice benches around the periphery that will keep Mom and Dad in a fine mist but not soaking.
Right beside the sprayground is a regular playground. There is a nice soft wood chip base to cushion those inevitable falls. There are some unusual play things on this playground in addition to the usual swings and slide. There is a large pole with plasticized cables coming off of it that make it look like a spider web - very cool to climb! There are also some seats that you sit on and they use your weight to gain momentum as you spin!
The park is located off of South Broadway in Tyler at Faulkner Park. It is clean, there are limited picnic tables and relatively spacious parking (don't try to turn around a full size school bus in there though - not easy!). A few words of caution - there are only porta-potties and the closest real bathrooms are a real hike (or a short drive) to the tennis complex. Also, it can be very busy and crowded - today for example there were at least 3 different schools having field trips, a birthday party and several families enjoying the beautiful weather!
If you need a free, clean place to cool off this summer - check out the sprayground! It's a great thing about Tyler!

Book Review: Character Makes a Difference

2009-05-16T21:28:00.004-05:00

Character Makes a Difference is a 2007 release by former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. It is a re-release of 1997's Character is the Issue, along with selected chapters of Living Beyond Your Lifetime from 2000. It appears to have been released in preparation for Gov. Huckabee's unsuccessful run for the Presidency. While that may (or may not) have been the reason for the book, that is not what it is about.

Character is neatly divided into three sections: "Character in the Furnace", "The Need for Character", and "Selected Speeches & Commentary". In the first section, Mr. Huckabee describes his rise to the governor's office. Born and raised in rural Arkansas, he spent his life as a devout Southern Baptist. He attended Ouachita Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He pastored two churches in Arkansas before he felt God leading him into the world of politics. When then-Governor Bill Clinton was elected President in 1992, Lieutenant Governor Jim Guy Tucker became governor. Mike Huckabee was elected as the Republican Lieutenant Governor in a Democratic state. During the Whitewater scandal, Gov. Tucker was convicted and resigned his office allowing Huckabee to assume the office. But it wasn't really that simple. Tucker had committed to resign the office, but changed his mind. Mr. Huckabee describes the support he received from a Democrat legislature and the general public.

The second section focuses on "why character is important, how we know there are absolutes of good and bad character, and the consequences of surrendering those absolutes to the champions of relativism." (from the introduction) Mr. Huckabee describes and illustrates faith in a number of ways, all of them in his typical folksy manner. He clearly articulates his faith and and the object of that faith is clearly identified as Christ and his Word.

The third section is a short collection of some of his speeches and commentary from his days as governor of Arkansas. The first is the text of a speech that was never delivered. It was prepared to be delivered in a televised address just after being sworn in as governor. This was before Gov. Tucker decided not to resign. The next was an improptu speech before the state General Assembly before Tucker actually did resign. The third is an unscripted televised address given in place of the first speech. In it, Gov. Tucker was given the ultimatum to resign or face impeachment. Almost immediately, Tucker's resignation was delivered to the legislature. The fourth speech is the televised speech after being sworn in as governor. The final address was given to the 2004 National Forum on Education Policy. In this speech, Gov. Huckabee addresses the need for an arts education for every child in our schools.

This book is an easy read. It took me a total of about three to four hours to complete all 227 pages. Just because it is easy doesn't mean it isn't interesting or valuable. If you, like me, are already an admirer and fan of Mike Huckabee, this book will give you additional insight into the way he conducts himself. If you don't know much about him, it will help you understand his values and character. I can wholeheartedly recommend Character Makes a Difference.

Last Chance to Nominate!

2009-05-09T17:49:00.003-05:00

Coming in about a week is the first episode of "This Show Bites!" Next week, my crack producer Todd and I will be going out to try your top three nominations. This is your last chance to get your nominations in. Remember, this episode is all about. . .

APPETIZERS!

The rules for this episode are simple:
1. Decide on a restaurant appetizer for me to try. It can be from any restaurant in the Tyler area. It can be your favorite or it can be one that you think looks interesting but are afraid to try. It cannot be a sampler platter; it must be a single appetizer item.
2. You must email your nomination directly to me. If you leave it as a comment, I will ask you to resubmit it in email form. You must send it to wjcollier3 (at) gmail.com. (replace (at) with @.)

I will compile the nominations and try the top three. When the video is released, it will be available here and in a variety of other places.

Really! Leviticus 25:35-55 (Part 4)

2009-05-08T17:58:00.004-05:00

This post will end the series on Leviticus 25:35-55. I hope it has been helpful, or at least interesting. We have looked at the overall context of the passage and then looked closer at the passage itself. This post takes a look at what it means for us as Christians in the 21st century. I have chosen to include a list of all the works cited in this series. Be sure to leave a comment to let me know what you have thought about the series.

Application

When we try to interpret and apply Leviticus 25:35-55 to modern Christianity, we must deal with many differences between the Israelites of Moses’ day and the 21^st century Christian. While there are many differences between the society and culture of ancient Israel and today, there are some principles which transcend these differences.

One of the major themes of the book of Leviticus is the holiness of God. More than once, we are told to also be holy. It is the duty of the believer to imitate God. One of the primary motives given for the care of the poor in our text is that showing mercy to an Israelite brother who is poor imitates God, who had compassion on the Israelites in slavery in Egypt. Is there any less standard for us today? In Matthew 22:36-40, Jesus himself tells us that second only to our love for God should be our love for our neighbor. Over and over in his epistles, Paul exhorts us to love one another, care for one another, pray for one another, and serve one another.

Rooker also made these observations:

The sabbatical year and especially the year of jubilee became patterns or types for later acts of God. In Isaiah 61:1-3 it is to be noted that one feature of the work of the Messiah includes proclaiming “liberty” to the captives. The word “liberty” is the same term found in Leviticus 25:10 in describing the year of jubilee. In the New Testament this passage is cited by Jesus to explain his mission at the beginning of his ministry in Luke 4:18-19….Moreover, the trumpet blast at the commencement of the Jubilee may be a type for the trumpet announcing the return of Christ (Matthew 24:31, 1 Corinthians 15:52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16). (Rooker, p. 311)

Conclusion

Just like God redeemed his Israelite people from slavery in Egypt, so God has redeemed us from the slavery to sin. We do not belong to ourselves or anyone else. We belong to him.

The passage closes with verse 55: “They are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.” About this verse, Rooker says:

God is not only the owner of the land but the Israelites are his possession. Consequently he has every right to dictate these laws regarding the rest for the land and the emancipation of his people – the two subjects of Leviticus 25. (Rooker, p. 310)

Ross closes his discussion of verse 55 with this:

Leviticus 25:55 reiterates the basic theological idea governing all of these laws: if no one actually owned the land upon which they lived, then certainly no one could own another person either. The land belonged to God, and the people were God’s servants because he redeemed them. These two truths governed the way that faithful Israelites looked at possessions and debtors. (Ross, p. 462)

The same is true for us today. If we have been redeemed by God, we are his. We cannot be slaves to another.

Works Cited

Constable, Thomas C., Dr. Constable’s Notes on Leviticus, Sonic Light, http://soniclight.com/constable/notes/pdf/leviticus.pdf, 2009.

Currid, John D., A Study Commentary on Leviticus, Webster: Evangelical Press, 2004.

Hartley, John E., Word Biblical Commentary: Leviticus, Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 2002.

Harris, R. Laird, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Editor Frank E Gæbelein, Grand Rapids: The Zondervan Corporation, 1990.

Lindsey, F. Duane, The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, SP Publications, Inc., 1985

Rooker, Mark F., The New American Commentary: Leviticus, Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000.

Ross, Allen P., Holiness to the Lord, Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2002.

Stedman, Ray C., “The True Basis of Social Concern”, from the sermon series titled “Basic Human Behavior”, preached March 26, 1972, Palo Alto: Discovery Publishing, a ministry of Peninsula Bible Church, http://www.pbc.org/files/messages/3582/0522.html.

Really! Leviticus 25:35-55 (Part 3)

2009-05-07T23:30:00.004-05:00

In this third installment on Leviticus 25:35-55, we will look at the actual passage. I know. Three days just to get to the passage. Tomorrow, I'll try to post the last section. it deals with how this relates to us today. Thanks for reading. I hope these posts are beneficial to you. Please comment and let me, and everyone else, know what you think.

If Leviticus 25:13-34 deals with the effects of the year of jubilee on the Israelites possession of property, verses 35-55 deals with its effects on the personal freedom of the Israelites. This passage is where we will focus most of the rest of our attention. There are three levels of poverty which are dealt with in the last half of Leviticus chapter 25. The three sections of this passage deal with each level of poverty, prescribe certain obligations with regard to the poor, inform the reader of God’s purpose for requiring these obligations, and give a reason which should motivate the Israelite to obey.

The first type of poverty, addressed in verses 35-38, is a temporary and less serious one. Today we would call this a “cash flow problem”. In farming terms, it would be the result of a bad year, or at least of a bad crop. The Israelite is short of funds and may not have the means to provide for his family until the next crop can be harvested. He may not even have the means to purchase seed so that he can sow his fields. What is needed is enough food and provisions to get by until the next crop or enough finances to plant the next season’s crop. God’s solution is a “no-interest loan”. This solves the current shortfall, provides for future income, and does this in a way that does not punish the individual. Harris (citing E. A. Speiser, Oriental and Biblical Studies, Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1967) seems to hold the view that this is not simply a loan without interest. The borrower could be charged interest, just not beyond the usual regulations. If the borrower was unable to repay the loan and put himself into servant-hood, he could not be charged additional interest. (Harris, p. 639) In my opinion, a plain reading of the text does not justify this conclusion. Verses 36-37 say, “Take no interest from him or profit, but fear your God, that your brother may live beside you. You shall not lend him your money at interest, nor give him your food for profit.” According to Currid,

This interdiction against usury is unique in the ancient Near East. In all other cultures of the time, usury was allowed with some restrictions. The reason that Israel’s laws on usury are unique is that they are a people freed from the bondage of Egypt by the hand of a merciful and gracious God. (Currid, p. 337)

An interest bearing loan is highly undesirable, and for good reason. First, it is not good for the recipient of the loan. To charge him interest in his hour of need is to further handicap him. Interest would tend to promote and perpetuate poverty, not solve it. Neither is loaning money at interest good for the lender. When a brother is in distress, charging interest is not showing compassion, but it is taking advantage of his weakness and vulnerability. The loan becomes not an act of charity, but a business activity. The lender is not demonstrating the grace of God, of which he is the recipient. There are other factors which assure that this loan is an act of charity, rather than a business loan. In Deuteronomy 15:1-2, God instructed the Israelites that they must cancel all unpaid debts on the seventh year. Additionally, when loaning a brother money, no consideration could be as to how soon the cancellation year was (Deuteronomy 15:9-10). Not only was the generous Israelite not able to make money on the loan, he was not even assured that he would be paid back. The temporarily distressed Israelite brother should be helped toward recovery with a no interest loan which avoids placing him in greater bondage.

The next two categories of poverty are much more serious and long-term. These categories of poverty would result in the debtor being forced to sell himself, either to a fellow Israelite (vv. 39-46) or to a stranger or sojourner among them (vv. 47-55). One instance in the Old Testament where this kind of slavery was threatened or occurred is found in 2 Kings 4.

Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves." (2 Kings 4:1)

This sad story ends well, as Elisha had the woman and her sons gather vessels and pour into them from her little jar of oil. This paid her debt and provided her income.

Verses 39-43 give instructions to the Israelites on how to deal with another Israelite brother who became their slave due to dire poverty. He is not to be treated as a slave, but as a hired servant or a day laborer. Hartley says:

The master thus is to treat his Israelite servant as… “a hired servant.” [This] does not mean that he will receive regular wages, though he might receive some remuneration in addition to shelter and food, but that he will be treated with the respect shown a hired worker and his tasks will be similar to those of a hired worker. In Jewish tradition, a Jewish slave is to be employed at his own trade. (Hartley)

The reason Israelite slaves were to be treated this way is found in verses 42-43: “For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves. You shall not rule over him ruthlessly but shall fear your God.” Israelites of Moses’ day did not need to be told about being ruled over ruthlessly. They had experienced this at the hands of the Egyptians, who were cruel taskmasters (Exodus 1:8-14). Currid adds this:

The theological foundation for the way in which the Hebrews deal with servants si set out here. The Hebrews are God’s “servants”, or “slaves”; they are his property. He took them out of slavery in Egypt to become his servants / slaves. That is an important concept – the only permanent and true master that a Hebrew has is God. (Currid, 338-339)

Verses 44-46 give the instructions for Israelite treatment of non-Israelite slaves. These slaves were not to be treated harshly, but they could be owned and passed from generation to generation. A major distinction between Israelite servants and non-Israelite slaves is that the Israelite had to be released at the year of Jubilee. It appears from the text that it is permissible for Hebrews to take as true slaves from non-Hebrew people. Stedman explains it like this:

No Israelite was to be a slave. They were permitted to make slaves of the people around them, because those people hadn’t yet discovered the principle which makes for liberty – atonement and redemption – and until a person learns that, there is no freedom from slavery. But when they did learn that and became part of Israel they were never to be make slaves. They could be servants but never slaves. (Stedman)

The third level of poverty is described in verses 47-55. These verses assume that a foreigner sojourning among them could prosper, just as it assumes that a Hebrew can become impoverished. The rules for treating the Hebrew servant are the same as if he were in the employ of another Israelite. He was not to be treated ruthlessly and he was to be released at the year of Jubilee. The major difference is the right of redemption. A family member could redeem this Israelite servant. If he were able to accumulate enough wealth, he could redeem himself. The cost of this redemption was calculated based on the number of years until the next year of jubilee (vv. 50-52). Constable describes it like this:

Israelites could also buy back (redeem) their countrymen who had sold themselves as slaves to non-Israelites who were living in the land (vv. 47-55). An Israelite slave could also buy back his own freedom. In these cases the Israelites were to calculate the cost of redemption in view of the approaching year of jubilee when all slaves in the land went free anyway. (Constable, p. 98)

The basis of the treatment and release at jubilee of the Hebrew servant was the same whether he was the servant of another Hebrew or a non-Hebrew. As verse 55 says, “They are my servants whom I brought out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”

Really! Leviticus 25:35-55 (Part 2)

2009-05-06T06:35:00.002-05:00

Today, we will continue looking at Leviticus 25:35-55. Before we get to verse 35, we should look at the context of chapter 25. Today's post introduces that. Again, I hope this is helpful. please feel free to comment. In a few days, the whole passage will come together, including some notes of application.

Introduction and Analysis of Leviticus 25:35-55

In examining Leviticus 25:35-55, we see that it is a natural continuation of the previous sections of the chapter. Leviticus 25:1-7 instructs the Israelites to observe a Sabbath year every seventh year. Additionally, the Israelites were to observe the year of jubilee (Leviticus 25:8-12) every fiftieth year, the year following seven seven-year periods. Every seventh year, the land was to lie fallow. This included the forty-ninth year. Then on the fiftieth year, the year of jubilee, the land was to continue to lie fallow. When the cycle began again the next year, it would be most of a year before harvest. That is almost three years with no production of food. Naturally, the people wanted to know where their food would be coming from during that time. God answers in verses 21-22: “I will command my blessing on you in the sixth year, so that it will produce a crop sufficient for three years. When you sow in the eighth year, you will be eating some of the old crop; you shall eat the old until the ninth year, when its crop arrives.” (Leviticus 25:21-22 ESV) When the people of Israel ask where the food is going to come from, Ray Stedman, paraphrasing God, answers:

That’s exactly what I wanted you to ask, because I’m trying to impress a principle upon you: It isn’t the land which supports you; it is I. I will make the land produce enough for three years. Every seventh year I want you to experience the fact that I am able to take care of you despite the outward circumstances, that it is I upon whom you are dependent, not the land, not your own energy and labor, although that is part of the picture, but that is not where your well-being arises, it comes from me. Every sixth year I’ll increase the crops so that the seventh year you can eat of the sixth year’s crops, the eight year the year of jubilee, you can still eat from that crop, and the ninth year, while another harvest is maturing, you will still eat from the sixth year’s crops; thus you’ll have all you need to eat. (Stedman)

According to Lindsey:

The year of jubilee is not mentioned in the Old Testament outside the Pentateuch. There is no direct biblical evidence regarding its observance in Israel’s history, but if its practice was normal, there might have been no occasion to mention it. On the other hand, the apparent failure of Israelites to keep the sabbatical years during the monarchial period (cf. 26:34-35, 43; 2 Chron. 36:20-21) suggests that the Jubilee might also have been violated. (Lindsey, p. 211)

The rest of chapter 25 describes the effects of the year of jubilee on the nation of Israel, first on the possession of property (vv. 13-34), then on the personal freedom of the Israelites (vv. 35-55). For the Israelite, personal property could not truly be sold to another. In a more real sense, it was only leased. At the year of jubilee, it was returned to the family that originally owned it. When property was sold to another, the price was to be based on how long to the next jubilee (vv. 14-16).

Leviticus 25:23-34 lays out the law for redemption of property. This includes what is commonly known as the kinsman-redeemer, demonstrated in the book of Ruth. This is further described later in the chapter (vv. 47-54). These verses also describe the redemption of property inside a walled city as opposed to outside a walled city and the redemption of property belonging to Levites.

Really! Leviticus 25:35-55

2009-05-05T07:47:00.003-05:00

Several of you have asked how my class on Leviticus has been going. That's right, kids! I have spent an entire semester in a class studying the book of Leviticus. I will be honest. I did not go in with high expectations. I have been pleasantly surprised. It has been more interesting than I expected.

One of my assignments was to write a paper on a selected passage from the book. My passage, Leviticus 25:35-55, presents God's law for helping poor Israelites. Today, I have posted an exegetical outline of the passage. In the coming days, I will post my analysis of the passage, as well as some application for us today.

My encouragement to you is to read the passage. Open your heart and mind to what the Holy Spirit can teach you. I hope you enjoy the next few posts. If you learn or discover something new, please comment. Your new insight might prove helpful for someone else!

Exegetical Outline of Leviticus 25:35-55

Rather than a traditional outline, the three sections of this passage seem to answer the same series of problems or questions:

a. What is the problem? (Problem)

b. What is the solution? (Solution)

c. What conditions or obligations must be met? (Conditions/Obligations)

d. What is the goal or purpose? (Goal/Purpose)

e. What is the motivation? (Motivation)

I. Verses 35-38

a. Problem: Hebrew brother becomes poor, or experiences a “cash flow problem” (35).

b. Solution: Other Israelites are to loan him food and/or money (35, 37).

c. Conditions/Obligations: No interest or profit is to be made on these loans (36, 37).

d. Goal/Purpose: The brother is to continue to live in the land (35)

e. Motivation: Fellow Israelites are to be motivated by God’s deliverance from Egypt (38).

II. Verses 39-46

a. Problem: An Israelite brother falls into a more severe level of poverty (39).

b. Solution: He is to become the slave, or servant, or a fellow Israelite (39).

c. Conditions/Obligations: He is not to be treated harshly, but as a servant or day laborer. He is to be released at the year of jubilee (40, 43).

d. Goal/Purpose: He is to continue to live in the land (41).

e. Motivation: They are God’s servants, therefore they cannot be slaves of another (42).

III. Verses 47-55

a. Problem: An Israelite brother falls into a most severe level of poverty (47).

b. Solution: He can become the slave, or servant, or a stranger or sojourner living among them (47).

c. Conditions/Obligations: The Israelite servant retains the right to be redeemed, either by a family member or himself (48, 49). He is not to be treated harshly, but as a hired servant (53). He is to be released at the year of jubilee (54).

d. Goal/Purpose: He is to continue to live in the land. This is implied by the facts that he is to be able to be redeemed and is to be released at the year of jubilee (48, 54).

e. Motivation: They are to be motivated by the fact that they are God’s servants (55).

Children's Park

2009-05-04T10:51:00.002-05:00

Last week we had a few moments to kill downtown while waiting to pick up one of the kids' friends at the hospital (not really as weird as it sounds). We went to one of my childrens' favorite places to play - the Children's Park.

This park was built within the past few years and is right on South Broadway by Hogg middle school. It is built down into a hidden area where the traffic of Broadway seems to fade away. The park was built by the Children are a Gift foundation and was supported by many, many people here in Tyler and then donated to the city for upkeep. This park's goal was to serve as a memorial for the many loved children in Tyler who have died but also to honor those children still with us.

There are many sad memories for me here as a labor and delivery nurse - I walk the paths and remember names of families and babies that I have crossed paths with during sad times. My mother thinks that it is kind of morbid but I also have happy memories as I see a new stone added with the name of a child who has been added to a bereaved family.

Best of all I love to see my children play here - there are no swing sets, no rides and nothing fancy. Just a well planted garden, some statues and some waterfalls. They love to watch the fish and tadpoles (that's what they call them, I always make them bathe when we get home) in the pond and when it's warm I let them take off their shoes and go wading or splash in the water fall. We rarely come home dry.

The next pretty day take your kids to the children's park - it's a good reminder of how precious they are!

And it's a great thing about Tyler.

Join the Movement: The Announcement

2009-04-18T13:51:00.002-05:00

Over the next few weeks, I (along with my crack producer Todd Wright) will be putting together an all new web show. I expect it to be an unbelievable amount of fun, both for me and all of you who watch and participate with me. One of the thrusts of the show will be food competition. For the first webisode, I will be comparing and reviewing...

APPETIZERS!

The rules for this episode are simple:
1. Decide on a restaurant appetizer for me to try. It can be from any restaurant in the Tyler area. It can be your favorite or it can be one that you think looks interesting but are afraid to try. It cannot be a sampler platter; it must be a single appetizer item.
2. You must email your nomination directly to me. If you leave it as a comment, I will ask you to resubmit it in email form. You must send it to wjcollier3 (at) gmail.com. (replace (at) with @.)

I will compile the nominations and try the top three. When the video is released, it will be available here and in a variety of other places.

Here is a video from my crack producer telling you more about the project:

"Great Values" Don't Have to Come from Wal-mart!

2009-04-18T10:29:00.008-05:00

As you know by now I am writing about a variety of great things about Tyler, TX. As you will soon learn from my husband's new project a subject very near and dear to our family is groceries! I have learned in my conversations with other women that my family tends to be big eaters. Trying to live on a budget means that the food part is where shopping frugally can have the biggest impact. Plus I just love a good bargain!

Now you're probably thinking to yourself - we already know about Wal-mart! Yes, Wal-mart can have a positive impact on the bottom line - however, lately they have disappointed me. Yes, the ever faithful weekly shopper has discovered that many items can be had for cheaper elsewhere or at least at the same price. Did you know that Wal-mart will no longer accept computer/printer generated coupons!?! So if you like Coupon Bug or any of the other sites offering coupons you will have to do your shopping elsewhere. They also advertise that they will honor competitors' sale prices - just not on store brands - it has to be the exact same item! So I have turned my attention to scouring the weekly ads in an effort to change our family's bottom line.

As I began to shop these competitors to pick up their "loss leaders" - I am not too embarrassed to go into a store and buy just the items that they have advertised on sale and then shamelessly give them some coupons as well - I noticed that one store in particular could just about match Wal-mart penny for penny! This store was Super One - I shop the one on Troup highway. The store was clean, the employees were friendly and I have never had to get a rain check! There is plenty of parking and guess what? They're open 24 hours as well! Another bonus is that they often have produce on clearance - a bag of tomatoes or avocados or bananas or "variety" bag for just $2! It just makes you want to take up canning and freezing! Their store brand "Food Club" is every bit as good as "Great Value". During the fall they ran a special that involved buying 10 gallons of gas at the pump - show your receipt in the store and save 5% on your entire order! They often have coupons in the paper to save $5 off an order of $50 - that's 10%!

As an experiment I did all my grocery shopping here one week and spent the same amount as I would have at Wal-mart - probably saved a little more because they had Golden Brook Ice Cream on sale. In my opinion it is just as good as Blue Bell and I'd have had to buy that at Wal-mart to match taste!

Milk is on sale this week 4/15 - 4/21 for $1.98 a gallon! That's a great price! The milk is all the way at the back so take some time and look around - look at the prices of some of the other things that you regularly buy. Let me know what you think!

Super One - it's a great thing about Tyler!

Pastor's Wife

2009-04-16T08:31:00.004-05:00

Several years ago, I did the smartest thing I could possibly have done. I married She Who Must Be Obeyed. When we married, I was involved in a very different career than I am currently pursuing. Since that time, I have sensed a drawing or calling from God to serve Him and His people in the ministry. The big question is: Did she experience a similar call?

I believe the Bible teaches that marriage is to last a lifetime. Additionally, I want MY marriage to last a lifetime. I believe that a calling by God into the ministry is a calling into a vocation, but it is more than that. It requires a level of submission and obedience that may include major lifestyle changes for the entire family. If our marriage is to remain healthy, we must be in agreement about this calling and these changes. God has richly blessed me with a wife who is in agreement about these things.

I am trying to remain conscious of the fact that she did not marry a pastor, she married a man who would go on (hopefully) to become a pastor. There is a difference. I want to be sensitive to her feelings. I pray God will help me continue to be sensitive to that.

On a more humorous note: I hope to avoid this trap as well. Enjoy the video.

Big Announcement Coming

2009-04-15T18:56:00.002-05:00

You will not want to miss this Friday, April 17. Be sure to stop by the blog for a big announcement. I will be revealing a new project that I am proud to be part of.

The most important part of the project is that I will need YOUR help.

Stop by on Friday for more details. This is going to be FUN!

Jesus as a Vending Machine

2009-04-14T09:35:00.003-05:00

I was thinking about prayer this morning. I don't know what brought these thoughts to mind. I will admit that I do feel a little guilty. Don't get me wrong. I pray. I am a full-time student, so it is like the old joke goes: as long as there are tests, there will be prayer in schools. I am a husband and father. I pray for my wife and sons. Maybe we all go through a slump now and then. Right now, my prayer life feels more duty driven than out of love and joy and a desire to commune with my Creator and Savior. Does this mean I should not pray, since it seems to be mostly out of duty? I think not! Maybe that is the time I need most to pray. Perhaps that is the time need to pray, forcing myself away from my selfish focus on how I feel and what I want and to move my focus onto what God wants for me. Maybe so.

Does this video illustrate your prayer life? If it does, I pray you will join me in moving your focus from yourself to the only One who deserves our focus.

All That and a Loaf of Bread

2009-04-06T16:55:00.003-05:00

I know of a great place in Tyler where you can buy bread...cheap! It's the Mrs. Baird's Bakery Outlet on Hwy 155 South. It's a little past Noonday or the new loop but worth the drive. We have a deep freezer and so I only have to go about once a month. They have Mrs. Baird's bread for as cheap as $0.79 a loaf. The price varies depending on its date. Today I purchased 3 full size loaves of split-top wheat bread, 1 full size loaf of white whole grain bread, 2 pkgs of hot dog buns and 2 packages of hamburger buns. I had a full customer appreciate card which earned me a free loaf of my choice (I chose Cinnabon bread - so good as french toast) and a cherry pie (the handheld kind). On top of that when you spend over $6 they give you your choice off a shelf (mine was day old bread - no mold!) and then they threw in a small sleeve of chocolate covered donuts - all this for just $6.50!! I have not had any of their products go moldy on me - sometimes they get a little dry so I just make french bread or toast it. Try to beat that at Wal-mart!

Mrs. Baird's Bakery Outlet on Hwy 155 S. - it's a great thing about Tyler!

If Only Star Wars...

2009-04-02T18:38:00.002-05:00

I don't like Star Wars. There, I said it. I don't like Star Wars. I have only seen the first one and that ridiculous cartoon that came out last year. I did not enjoy either of them. I never saw any of the others because I don't like Star Wars. I have some friends who make the occasional Star Wars reference. Obviously, I have no idea what they are talking about. But those movies have become such a part of our larger culture. I have wondered what it would take for me to have enjoyed Star Wars more. Here is a new opening sequence. I like it. I did not particularly like the other show either, but the song is good and this show's opening is awesome. Enjoy.

She Who Must Be Obeyed

2009-04-02T08:18:00.004-05:00

If you have visited my little space on the World Wide Interweb, you may have heard me refer to "She Who Must Be Obeyed". Obviously, this is a mildly humorous attempt to refer to my lovely wife without using her given name. The first few times I mentioned her here, I did not know if she wanted to be so openly identified. Since then, she has decided she is alright with it. I still like to use "She Who Must Be Obeyed".

She has also decided she wants to write something here periodically. I think that is a wonderful idea and welcome her voice to this space. You may have read yesterday's little blurb about the great bathrooms at Kohl's in Tyler. I agree wholeheartedly about the quality of the restrooms, but would never have thought to write about them.

If you will look at the bottom of a given post, it will tell you who posted it. Catherine, welcome to this space. I know all five of our readers look forward to hearing what you have to say.

BTW: After hearing Catherine referred to as "She Who Must Be Obeyed", some good friends gave her the coffee mug above. Thanks K & J!

Kohl's - Especially the Bathrooms.

2009-04-01T21:26:00.003-05:00

I love Kohl's - I would go there every day if I could! I have been known to shop their clearance racks on a regular basis finding wonderful bargains. Just last week I was able to purchase a lovely zippered knit cardigan that started at over $50 for less than $5! They often have clearance racks with up to 90% off.
However, the thing that I like best about Kohl's is their bathrooms. They are consistently beyond clean and pleasant. I will stop at Kohl's just to use their bathrooms. I will stop at Kohl's to let my children use the restroom. They are aesthetically pleasing with their choice of colors (browns and tans). They have self flush toilets which is handy (no pun intended), faucets that turn themselves off and a diaper change area with a padded bench. I have never seen so much as a paper towel on the floor. They even have real facial tissue and nice large mirrors!
Kohl's is one of the best additions to Tyler in a long time and it is a great thing!

Book Review: Porn-Again Christian

2009-04-01T16:51:00.007-05:00

Mark Driscoll is unquestionably one of the most controversial pastors in America today. He pastors Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington. It is one of America's fastest growing churches in one of the nation's least churched cities. He is not part of any particular denomination or Christian tradition, but he is thoroughly reformed, or Calvinistic, in his doctrine. My appreciation for Driscoll stems not from his theology, but rather from his willingness to teach openly and forcefully on difficult topics. His teaching is extremely practical. And that brings us to this particular book.

The first thing I want to point out is that the book is available online for free in .pdf format. They encourage you to download, print, and distribute it. It is a short (56 page) document. It is released through Driscoll's organization, the Resurgence, under their publishing label, Re:Lit.

The title of the book is Porn-Again Christian: A Frank Discussion on Pornography and Masturbation. I will not go into detail on the contents of the book, except to say that the title is accurate. Enough said on that.

I do want to make a few general comments. The first thing I want to make note of is the amount of scripture that is cited to make his points. You can read the book in just a little while, but if you take the time to read the Bible passages cited, it will take you much longer. I think that is a good thing. Another point I would make is that it truly is a "frank discussion". Pastor Mark does not mince words. Given his target audience, I think that is also a good thing. While he acknowledges that women also struggle with these issues, Driscoll apologetically writes to Christian men.

Do I recommend this book? Absolutely, with discretion.