Andy (Page 3)

Music Therapy

Today is one of those days I referred to in my Sunday morning message a couple of weeks back. Today at some time I will close my office door, get my phone out, look at my playlist, dial up the Allman Brothers, press play when I find the classic tune Whipping Post and crank it up real loud. Lord forgive me but it’s been coming on for a while: “sometimes I feel …sometimes I feel …like I’ve been tiiiiiide to…

Tired of Snow Days

One of the best decisions made by Poplar Springs over the past couple of years was the formation of the Health Promotion Team. When it formed it was seen as a group of medical people in our congregation who would keep us informed concerning healthy living, nutrition, monthly medical emphases, and general well being. We wore a variety of colors on assorted Sundays to emphasize various health concerns. We had blood pressure checks, nutrition talks and “in church” visits with…

God and Sinners Reconciled

I just finished reading a great little book by Randy Pausch. The book is entitled “The Last Lecture.” It contains biographical information and practical advice from a professor at Carnegie Mellon University that was positive, uplifting, and quite entertaining. Pausch shares snippets from his early years and his family life with his wife, Jai a UNC grad, and their three children. He was an expert in computer science specializing in virtual reality and he was actually giving his last lecture.…

“Programmed”

I am not sure of all that is involved in the process, but I am due to be “programmed” on January 8th and in February and March. I initially thought when we began “The Search For The Brain” that they would simply insert wires in my head , put a battery pack in my chest and cut me loose to inflict my usual damage. But now we are talking programming. I am okay with this as long as there are…

Going for a Ride

Twenty-eight years ago I moved to Cleveland County . Upon my arrival, the pastorI worked with at that time , Terry Cagle at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, took me on a tour of the area as is customary when arriving on the scene . As we cruised the countryside I was told where members of the congregation lived and points of convenience that I needed to be aware of . I will never forget when we passed a particular landmark…

Inspired by Hope

As a person of habit, I do what I need to do to get ready in the exact same order everyday. From brushing my teeth to getting our little one ready, each day of the week looks the same. And when it is time to leave for work, every morning I back out of my garage, roll down my front passenger window, and wave goodbye to my three dogs. I call them each by name and tell them I’ll be…

Give Thanks in all Circumstances

We have made it to thanksgiving week! Can you believe it?! This has certainly been a trying and stressful year and one that, at times, seemed to stretch on longer than normal. We have experienced loss, heartache, loneliness, anxiety, fear, frustration and many other emotions. But we are reminded in Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians that we should rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances. If you find yourself searching for things to be thankful for this…

GOD-Consciousness

I am a person who is not overly concerned that every aspect of my appearance be perfect. Recently I have heard from friends who told me: “My nose is off center”… I never noticed. How does one determine if their nose is skewed? “One of my eyebrows is higher than the other”…eyebrows have mind of their own. You never know what they are gonna do! “I have a crooked smile”…all smiles are crooked! It seems we are all self conscious…

Fresh Interpretations

Over the next couple of weeks on Sunday you will be treated to a variety of great speakers. I will be recovering from surgeries on November 20th and December 9th, and in my absence you have a tremendous opportunity to hear some other voices. It’s healthy for a church to hear different perspectives and fresh interpretations of God’s word. I am praying for those who will be leading the service in my absence. We will continue to have the great…

GOAT (Get Out Among Them)

Goats have proven to be valuable commodities through the years. They are a source of milk that can be used for more than just drinking. I have heard of numerous folks who rent them out to individuals to clean up yards and fields that have been neglected for a period of time. A couple of days or weeks is all it takes for these animals to tidy up a vacant lot or an overgrown part of a person’s property .…