On my mind today

As you know, this has been a year of firsts in our home. Most importantly, our son Joshua was born on April 11th this year so this has been a year of the first smile, the first laugh, the first roll-over, the first tooth and now, his first Christmas. He's brought light into our home that I simply couldn't have imagined before he got here. It's funny. . . . we adopted Joshua, but I honestly don't know how on earth I could love him anymore if he were biologically mine. It's almost as if the Lord orchestrated things and people, placing him in just the right family at just the right time (ya think??!??!). Here's a sample of what I mean. Not long ago, Julie, Josh and I were at Wal-Mart. Nothing unusual there! We were in the produce section with me pushing the cart, Josh seat in it and Julie gathering. A stranger walked up to Josh and I, looked Josh hard in the face then looked me hard in the face then back at Josh. Then Julie walked over and the stranger st...

We put up the Christmas tree last week, although it's not fully dressed. We put up the garland and the other Christmas-y things around the house. No biggie, right? Wrong. We didn't get to decorate last year since we were between places, living half in one house and half in another. Thus, no Christmas decorations which are a big deal for both Julie and myself. But this year, in our new home, we're going full bore for more reasons than that. As you well know, this is Josh's first Christmas. We're only at December 1 (almost) and it's already been better than I could've imagined. This Christmas really will be like none we've ever known.

This week @ CBC, we're talking about Generosity. What that means and people who we known who are generous. It brought to mind one of the most generous men I've ever had the privilege to know. When I graduated from Dallas Baptist University in 1990, I received a scholarship to attend Southwestern Seminary in Ft. Worth. (Truth be told, I was third in line to receive it. The only reason it came to me was the other two turned it down to pursue other options). The scholarship was awesome and a blessing beyond measure, but it only covered tuition. I still had to live, eat, buy my books and gas to get back and forth. Knowing my penchant for eating (a frequent habit of mine!), I found work through a friend at Sears, right down the street from Southwestern Seminary. Although the store has since closed due to a declining clientele and neighborhood, I learned much about generosity and investment in the future in my 5 years there. Most significantly, I learned how to be generous ev...

I've just reviewed my last blog post. I'll tell you the truth - I'm not in the least surprised by the date - March 28, 2011. Significance? That date is B.J. - before Joshua. He was born on April 11. I couldn't speak to that here since the case was pending and in the six months since then, we've been a little busy. A brief run-down for those who I don't get to see often. March 9 - We got the call about a baby who needed a home. Although it wasn't settled, we were one of six couples being considered. March 23 - We were officially approved as the adoptive couple for an unknown gender child. April 8 - We were informed that the birthmom was to be induced on April 11 and we needed to be there. April 10 - A Sunday. After the AM services, we told only a bare minimum of people and left to get our child. We went with an empty car seat, empty arms and expectant hearts. Truly, our lives were about to change. April 11 - 11:25 AM - Joshua David Wood was born! ...

I spent the day today roaming Cherokee County with the Jacksonville Leadership Institute, a group that was kind enough to allow my knucklehead to join them for the year as we explore the in's and outs of life in our area. Each time we meet (just once a month), we cover a specific genre or theme of life here. Last month, it was Education. Next month, it's politics in Austin. This month was History and Tourism. We visited the Rusk Heritage Center, the Rusk, Footbridge (547 ft in length!), the Texas State Railroad, the KOA Campground (what a view!), Cherokee Trace Drive-Thru Safari and Love's Lookout. Without a doubt, the best part was the Texas State Railroad. Although I've never been a huge fan of trains, I, like most, are intrigued by them. Even more so today. We were given the "back-stage" tour of their shop where they work on the trains keeping them operational and rebuilding them back to their vintage glory. Since there's no instruction manual ...

I've never been a political animal. It's not in my nature. Growing up, I was always told to leave politics and religion alone. I messed up the religion one, but I've kept the politics one intact. Until now. For the first time in my life, I watched the election returns with a deeply vested interest for two reasons: (1) The JISD bond election. As a member of the facilities committee, we spent hours this past summer working on the proposal that now finds life with the passing of that bond. It surprised me how emotional it was for me to see that it had passed. It's a HUGE step forward for our city and the children of Jacksonville. (2) James, my dear brother in Christ for all of my adult life, was up for election as the US Congressional Representative for the 5th district in Oklahoma. It was riveting! To see the returns come back with James' lead seeming to increase each time we saw it was thrilling! Today, we wake up to a new world where James is no longer J...

So I'm home and it's Sunday night. Generally speaking, it's a good thing to not do any "heavy lifting" kind of stuff on Sunday night. My brain tends to be a little weak after a full day like we always seem to have on Sunday! Tonight is a little different. Julie is at Super Summer on the campus of East Texas Baptist University. She's working at the camp this week, so I'm rolling with Dodger this week. It's a bummer, but it's just as well. The only night I have this week without something on it is Saturday. So I'm glad Julie's there. I'll deliver our students there tomorrow with Steve Edwards. Julie and I met at Super Summer 1993, so it's almost like we've come full-circle for her to go back. - Welcome to Lauren LaFleur and Ellen Maxwell, CBC's newest members! We're thrilled you've joined us in this crazy journey! - An awesome day of preparation for VBS. It's a good thing - we start VBS tomorrow m...

I'm in Corsicana, getting ready for Tory's funeral at 3 PM today. After the visitation last night, I came back to my hotel room alone (Julie's at a retreat in Glen Rose this weekend) and prayed. Thanks to each of you who have sent words of condolence to the family and for promising to pray today for all involved. Coming back to Corsicana got me to thinking about how the Lord has brought me along in my life. Some of you may not know this, but here's a nugget of truth: I never planned to be a pastor. I was in youth ministry for about ten years when I felt like the Lord sent me to get a PhD and teach college level New Testament or Greek. I prepared myself accordingly, preparing myself with academics and academia. In the fall of 1999, when Memorial Baptist in Corsicana asked me to be their interim pastor while they sought a "real" pastor, I agreed - knowing it wasn't permanent. Julie and I were about to be married the following May (and after she had...

If you've read my FB status, you've seen that I've asked for prayers for 13 year old Tory Cantu. That's her with her mother, Robyn. They were members of Memorial Baptist Church in Corsicana, the church I pastored for 7.5 years. I've known them since 1999 when Tory was just a little snot-jockey. I baptized Tory in 2006. When Robyn's mother passed away in 2006, I did her funeral. On March 29th, Tory was diagnosed with a Urinary Tract infection. No biggie, right? They gave her some antibiotics and sent her on her way. Until it was a biggie. She went into convulsions that same day. They took her via Careflight to Children's Medical Center in Dallas. Since that time, Tory has been in a fight for her life. They've taken extraordinary measures to try to "right the ship" but things are not looking good. There's the background for our holy moment of the day. When I got to my office this morning, there was a message to call Robyn. Many ...

It's been a long while since I addressed this issue last and it's high time to revisit it. Yesterday, there was a meeting held at the Hong Kong Buffet on S. Jackson (Hwy 69) to discuss the upcoming alcohol referendum. Progress Jacksonville (the pro-alcohol group) was invited to speak as well as Family First Jacksonville (the pro-family group). It was intended to be a forum where the public could hear both sides of the story and perhaps make an informed decision. I hope it was a beneficial dialog. George Douglass, co-chairman of Progress Jacksonville, presented his case as did Matt Montgomery for Family First. (FULL DISCLOSURE - I'm a board member for Family First Jville). I've collected some of the articles and news stories about it. They are listed at the end. Just for the record, let me say this is NOT a strictly moral or religious issue for me. If someone wants to have a beer with their mexican food or a glass of wine with their supper, that's between th...

When I got my iPhone a couple of years ago, I got teased mercilessly by some of you. You know who are. To that, I offer the story of Mr. Dan Woolley, a Compassion International worker who was making a film in Haiti when the earthquake came. He was trapped for 65 hours while needed medical attention. He aided himself and kept himself from going into shock - but how? By using his IPHONE! It has a medical first aid application that guided him in what to do. Click here for the full story. Wow. There are some good stories coming from Haiti. Take time to thank the Lord for them.

As promised, here's my take on the upcoming alcohol referendum for Jacksonville. For the record, let me say I'm not opposed to someone having a drink. If someone wants to drink, that's between them and the Lord. The Bible only proclaims not to get drunk. My problem is saying we want to bring it into our city as an endorsed revenue stream. Enough precursor - here goes. On Wednesday of last week, I met for an organizational meeting for those of us opposed to the Jacksonville beer/wine referendum coming to us this spring. If there's one thing we DON'T need in Jacksonville, it's more beer and wine. People can already get it at least at Chilis, etc. - why do we need to enable them to bring it home with them too? Please don't tell me about tax revenue. I lived in Corsicana when the same referendum passed there in 2004. We were assured there would be "huge" financial benefits. It would aid the city in many ways. There would be no "down sid...

For those who weren't here yesterday morning, I asked for prayer for our friends the Edwards family and the family of First Baptist Church in Corsicana. Dr. David Edwards, pastor of FBC, was tragically killed in a two-vehicle accident near Hubbard. (Here's a link to the full story ). David lived a full life and leaves behind a powerful legacy of God's faithfulness, compassion and vision for reaching people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is survived by his wife, Lyndy, three children and a loving church. David came to Corsicana in 2006, just about the same time I was finishing PhD work. The Lord's timing was impeccable. I thought I was headed for teaching, but in David, I found a man with equal credentials (he earned a PhD as well) who was serving the people of God by pastoring. In many ways, his influence in my life became a turning point. I had never really considered pastoring as a vocation until that point. He spoke of changed lives, altered destinies ...

I got a call last night from my dear brother James Lankford. Two weeks ago, I shared with you about his decision to run for U.S. Congress. Now, he's deep in its throes. Fundraising, shaking hands, asking people for their vote - you know the plan. While you might think it odd for a minister to be running for Congress (esp given the nasty nature of Washington politics), bear in mind that his decision was hardly entered into lightly. It's one a long time in the making and one he did not enter into unadvisedly. Therefore, I humbly ask for your prayers for James, Cindy and their two daughters as they begin this long journey. There's much work to do and many obstacles to overcome. One person told me although they supported James' decision, they didn't think he stood much of a chance. To that, I responded that my God "can do immeasurably more than I ask or even imagine" (Ephesians 3:20-21). Since God is the author of our lives, only He can write the sto...

You remember how on Sunday I said "Some days are bigger than others"? The truth is I've been keeping a secret for a deeply trusted friend. While I was beginning here Sunday, he was about to begin the weirdest journey of our lives. Meet my friend James Lankford. That's Cindy, his lovely bride, and Hannah, their oldest daughter. They have another daughter, Jordan, as well. They live in Edmond, Oklahoma. James and I have been friends for close to 20 years now. We came to Southwestern Seminary together in 1990. You ever met someone and it's like a long-lost brother? That's how James and I felt. We've served the Lord together through Youth Evangelism and through church ministry. He has a passion for ministry and an even greater passion for people. I've found him to be a man who can be trusted implicitly without fear of reprisal. We were in each other's weddings and have carried our friendship forward despite the distance between us. About a...

We're back. What a great time we had! It was an awesome time to spend with us before next week. A brief recap: Monday - We went to the Alamo and the Dallas Cowboys Training Camp at the Alamodome. Both super cool! While I've been to the Alamo many, many times ( I once had a job that had a significant amount of travel around the state and San Antonio was a regular stop), I never cease to be impressed by it. It stirs the love of history and Texas within me and causes me, once again, to thank God for this amazing and wonderful land in which we live. As for the Cowboys,I've long wanted to go to Training camp just for the experience. It was no disappointment! It was great to see the Cowboys up close - I'll never be able to afford seats that close at the new stadium - and the best part was it was FREE! Since we had parked downtown, we didn't even pay a parking fee! Tuesday - Literally, we did nothing. We slept late, swam in the hotel pool, ate a late lunch and ...

I'm here in my FBC office, but it's different now. All the books are gone and so are the wall-hangings. My little knick-knacks and tchotchkes are gone as well. It has been the strangest summer of my life. I would've never believed it if you had told me on Memorial Day weekend. Sunday is our last day here - it's shocking to me even now to say that. All the life and heart and soul poured out here - it's hard to reconcile all of this. And yet, in this change and the accompanying loss, there's a quiet confidence in my heart. A confidence that yes, this IS INDEED God's plan for us. I don't know why and I can't express with clarity what happens from here. For all human intents and purposes, this looks like insanity. Yet I'm fully convinced and convicted this is the plan of the Lord. To my friends at FBC Frankston: Thanks for allowing us to serve the Lord here for the last two-plus years. We're indebted to you in so many ways. Your love ...

For my friends who love puns, here are some I got today and just had to share them! I'll harass my wife with them when I get home! A CAREER IN PUNS My first job was working in an orange juice factory, but I got canned. I couldn't concentrate. Then I worked in the woods as a lumberjack, but I just couldn't hack it, so they gave me the axe. After that, I tried to be a tailor, but I wasn't suited for it -- mainly because it was a sew-sew job. Next, I tried working in a muffler factory, but that was too exhausting. Then, I tried to be a chef -- figured it would add a little spice to my life, but I just didn't have the thyme. I attempted to be a deli worker; but any way I sliced it, I couldn't cut the mustard. I studied a long time to become a doctor, but I didn't have any patience. Next, was a job in a shoe factory. I tried but I couldn't fit in. I became depressed and soulful. Then there was the professional fisherma...

For those who are from our soon-to-be church home at Central BC, Jacksonville, WELCOME! This is the place for my ramblings about whatever is on my (oft-demented) mind. Now, on to what I really wanted to say. . . . Tonight, I was called as pastor of Central BC in Jacksonville by an unanimous vote of 300+. Wow. That shocked me. There's always at least one "no" in a crowd of any size. At least one person usually votes "no" to make sure it isn't unanimous. But tonight, it was. It strikes me that it's an example of the spirit of the church. I can't remember a time when I had a greater swell of emotion. The joy of being called mixed with the sadness of leaving our beloved FBC in Frankston. The anticipation of a new challenge mixed with the challenge of new opportunities. We don't know what happens next when we get there, but we know we'll be ready for it when it does come by holding the hand of the Lord. Please pray for us as we get re...

I get lots of newsletters, both through snail-mail and email, from churches all over the country. I use them for encouragement, ideas and just keeping up with my friends serving the Lord elsewhere. Today, however, brought a sobering reminder of keeping myself pure. Gary Lamb was pastor of Revolution Church in Canton, GA. A strong church with a bright future, Gary appeared to be a guy who had it won. Appearances are often deceiving. On Sunday, he notified his church he had been involved in a 6 wk affair with his personal assistant and was therefore resigning immediately from the church. Wow. What it speaks to is this: don't focus so much on what others THINK as much as you do on what God KNOWS! If God's not pleased with your life, does it really matter what others think? If you're living in disobedience to God, does it matter if you've found success? Perhaps Gary struggled with a complex of feeling superhuman. I'm especially culpable to that, as most pastors...