Today Suzie and I attended the Good Friday worship service at First Baptist Church in West Palm Beach. We really enjoy our pastor, Dr. Jimmy Scroggins. The service was centered on the 7 sayings of Jesus from the cross. Here are the 7 sayings:

1. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” (John 19: 26-27)
2. “I thirst (John 19: 28).”
3. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34).”
4. “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise (Luke 23:43).”
5. “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34)
6. Father, into your hands I commit my spirit (Luke 23:46).
7. “It is finished (John 19:30).”

I finally got around to watching the 1960 film Elmer Gantry starring Burt Lancaster. The movie is based on the 1926 novel by Sinclair Lewis. Lancaster plays the title role as a traveling con-man that connects with a female traveling evangelist, Sister Sharon Falconer. Lancaster won an Academy Award for his performance. The movie took home 2 other Oscars and was nominated for 2 more.
Gantry struggled as a salesman. His con games could no longer pad his wallet, and he discovered that revivalism might solve his problem. Gantry was a former football player that majored in women, booze (during prohibition) and general vice.
The movie has as its background the pentecostal revivalism of Lewis’ day. Emotionalism with a thin dose of Bible covered the saw dust grounds of the large tent set up across the heartland is the theme. One character even noted that Gantry and Sister Falconer were like what we now call the “good cop – bad cop” routine. Gantry scared them with hell and the devil while Falconer raised them with heaven and hope.
The movie also presents the struggles of an educated ministry versus a common ministry, a rural religion versus an urban religion, fundamentalism versus modernism. It is a good movie to see the setting of much of pentacostal evangelism that continues on late night religious television.

Good judgment comes from experience, and experience – well, that comes from poor judgment.
– A.A. Milne, author Winnie the Pooh

Kelly Clarkson, the first American Idol winner, is debuting her newest album/CD. One of the first songs that she is promoted has the ridiculous lyrics, “My life would suck without you.”

Best I remember, Clarkson had issues with her label and/or promoters before her last album release because she did not want to stifle her artistic style.

So she follows that up with “My life would suck without you”? What in the world? Artistic? NO!!! Juvenile? YES!!!

A few years ago, I watched an interview with singer, Luther Vandross. In the interview he was lauding the career of Smokey Robinson. He quoted the lyrics from Robinson’s song, “The Tracks of My Tears.” The lyrics quoted:

So take a good look at my face
You’ll see my smile looks out of place
If you look closer, it’s easy to trace
The tracks of my tears.

Vandross commented, “That’s Shakespeare.” Whether one agrees with that assessment or not, one must conclude that Robinson’s lyrics are miles beyond Clarkson’s.

Follow this link for a great article by John Maxwell. In these troubled economic times, more and more will experience difficulty in the business world. Since business is personal, our natural tendencies may be to battle in an unworthy manner. Maxwell offers 4 tips for taking the high road in these difficult times:

1. It is not what happens to you, but in you that matters.
2. High roaders see their own need for grace, therefore they extend it to others.
3. High roaders are not victims; they choose to serve others.
4. High roaders set higher standards for themselves than others would.

Maxwell offers this comment in his summary:

In leadership, as in life, others will behave unkindly toward you. When ill-treated, don’t retreat into a defensive mode or strike back in anger. Instead, take the high road and discover how rising above offenses frees you from petty arguments and adds to your reputation.

1. Mark 12:30 – And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
2. Psalm 51:1- Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
3. Isaiah 64:1- Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence.
   
4. Revelation 1:5 – Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.
5. Hebrews 12:1-2 – Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

This is to catch me up with the Facebook craze of posting 25 random thoughts.

1. I am a follower of Jesus, but am often frustrated that I don’t follow closer.
2. I am happily married to Suzie and constantly amazed that 2 so very different people are so close.
3. The highlights of my week are when I talk to my kids, grandkids and parents. I am ecstatic when I get to see them.
4. I have 4 wonderful children: Cameron, Leah, Carlton & Bethany
5. I have the 2 best grandsons: Heath & Caleb
6. My parents celebrate their 50th anniversary in a few days. They have set a great example.
7. I am very happy with the spouses my two married children have – Michael & Amanda are great.
8. I have lived in 3 places outside of the U.S.
1. Okinawa
2. Aviano, Italy
3. Kitzingen, Germany
9. I spent more than 15 years as a pastor of churches.
10. I am employed as a hotel manager.
11. I enjoy reading the classics of literature.
12. I don’t understand why musicals are not more popular.
13. I love Oklahoma Sooner football.
14. I really enjoy my new scooter.
15. I will always regret hurting my family in the late 90′s.
16. I attended the BCS Championship game this year.
17. I enjoy good espionage movies.
18. My musical tastes are very eclectic – just about anything other than Metal and Hip-Hop.
19. I am currently reading the book, Jesus Blood and Righteousness by my friend, Dr. Brian Vickers.
20. I like to go to the beach with Suzie.
21. I am a Type 2 Diabetic
22. I love, love Tex-Mex food
23. My favorite hotel is The Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY.
24. I like to collect things.
25. As a youngster Strat-o-Matic baseball was my favorite game.

At First Baptist Church in West Palm Beach, our pastor has been teaching a series on Sunday mornings called, “God-onomics.”
Dr. Jimmy Scroggins has provided this outline. The first point is the theme of the entire series.

1. God is the Owner. We are the Managers.
2. God wants us to be Generous with His resources.
1. Out of control Debt is an obstacle.
2. Out of control Discontentment is an obstacle.
3. We must Plan to be Generous with God’s resources.
1. Give
2. Save
3. Live on the rest.
4. Generous Giving has Generous Results

Avoid two extremes: 1) Poverty Theology and 2) Prosperity Theology

1. It’s not about your money, it’s about your heart.
2. God gives financial grace to meet the needs of generous givers.
3. God provides so that generous givers can give even more.
4. Generous giving meets real needs.
5. Generous giving encourages other believers to give.
6. Generous giving points people to God’s grace.

For Valentine’s Day, Suzie and I gave each other a new scooter (pictured to the left). It is a Baccio Runner 150 Sport Edition.

We purchased it from Power & Play Warehouse in Lake Worth, FL. We shopped several locations in the area as well as on the internet. I highly recommend this company, which has two locations in Pompano Beach and one in Hollywood. Robin Norwood was our salesperson. A prospective buyer could not find a better salesperson than Robin. She was extremely helpful, informative and personable.

We spent the afternoon driving from downtown West Palm Beach to Lantana via Palm Beach. We are looking forward to much time together on our new scooter.

Valentine’s Day started early and spectacularly for Suzie and me. Before dawn we went for a stroll along the beach in Palm Beach. The tide was low and the ocean calm. Our feet were slightly cooled by the waters, and the normally heated sand was cooler than the water. The beach was littered with beautiful shells in shades of white to an auburn brown.

The school of migrating sharks were jumping about 50 yards off shore. The pelicans and gulls were doing some early fishing. The eastern sky slowly radiated with rays of light behind a low band of dark clouds. The slight breeze hinted of the coming days warmth. My lovely wife was at my side with sparkling blue adoring eyes.

Our Lord was omnipotently displaying his wonder in the skies, in the waters, on the land and in the creatures and in our marriage. How better to spend the early hours of Valentine’s Day? For that matter, how better to spend any hours of any day?