Category Archives: Family
Mom – My Giving Tree
“Can I Live?” – An Appeal to Women Considering Abortion
Several years ago Nick Cannon made this video, sharing his story. If you are a young lady or woman who is wrestling with the decision to abort, please watch this video and please find a crisis pregnancy center near you for help and wise counsel. You can search for the nearest crisis pregnancy center HERE. If you are someone who has had an abortion, most crisis pregnancy centers are also equipped to help you with post-abortion care. Here’s an encouraging article from ministry. of Billy Graham, HERE.
August Update (8/14/17)
August Update
Last week we traveled to Tennessee and Illinois.
On the way to Illinois, we stayed over at my in-laws’ house where we were able to reunite with our seminary friends, Chris and Lisa (picture above). In the kind providence of God, these dear friends, who are missionaries overseas, “just happened” to be furloughing in Lacey’s hometown in Tennessee, even though they are both Texans. We were also thrilled that our friends from Georgia, Steven and Cheryl, drove up one day to join in on the mini-reunion. Chris, Steven, and I all drove school buses for Crowley ISD (Texas) while in seminary together.
As my Mom continues to battle cancer, we faced a major setback in that her oncologist felt it might be necessary to quit the chemo treatments after only 3 of 6 infusions, because she was so frail and weak. This took us by surprise and caused us to storm the gates of Heaven with pleas for her to be healthy enough to continue the chemo regimen. This was the purpose of our trip to Illinois… to encourage and support her, and for Lacey and I to be with her and Dad for the meeting with the oncologist on August 10th, where we would see the PET scan results and decide on whether to continue the chemo (a huge thanks go to our friends, Dave and Lou, for watching the kids for us; our kiddos always going to “Uncle” Dave and “Aunt” Lou’s place). Regarding the Doctor’s office visit… Praise the Lord! By the grace of God, the vast majority of the cancer is gone and the doctor felt she had improved enough in one week to continue her treatments that very day.
In Illinois, in the midst of a very stressful week surrounding my Mom’s health, we were blessed to get away one evening for some fun and fellowship. Longtime family friends, Mark and Pam, invited us out to their farm where the kids had the time of their lives riding 4-wheelers for the first time. Lacey and I had a little fun on them too! In fact, for me it was like going back in time to 1980-82 when me and the neighbor boys spent our summers on 3-wheelers and motorcycles. Pam’s sister, Kristi, a friend of mine from high school, and nephew, Bryden, brought their 4-wheeler over to join in the fun. We so appreciated Mark and Pam’s hospitality.
As is often the case when we make this long trip to both of our “hometowns,” we were thrilled to be able to see many friends.
Of course the greatest part of the trip was seeing our beloved Nonna be able to resume her fight against cancer. We cherish your prayers for her.
Mid-Summer Update (2017)
I have slowed down the blogging this year, and significantly cut down on Twitter. Facebook is where I spend most of my social media time. That said, I thought it would be good for me to give a mid-year update here on my blog.
First, I am using a new Bible reading plan this year. It is a simple read through the Bible in one year schedule from Ligonier Ministries. This particular plan divides the Bible into six Old Testament and six New Testament readings per week (M-F and one Weekend reading assignment). I like how this approach gives you one day per week for catch up, because no matter how disciplined a person is, life has a way of causing you to miss a day here and there. The one weekend reading is a little longer than those during the weekdays, especially in the Old Testament.
Second, I wrote earlier this year about how 2016 was the first year in which I reached my goal of reading an average of one book per week. This year I’m a little behind schedule in accomplishing that, but I am not so far behind as to make the goal unreachable. The genre in which I have been reading the most is fiction, and more specifically, westerns. I have been reading an excellent series by Elmer Kelton on the Texas Rangers. His fictional stories are considered to be very accurate when it comes to the history of the western frontier.
One ministry book that I am currently reading that is outstanding is Daniel Henderson’s Old Paths, New Power. Henderson believes that more than anything, churches need to have pastors and leaders who spend much time in the Word and in prayer, based on Acts 6:4. I agree. The challenge is keeping this priority front and center.
Third, I have been doing more traveling than I have done in years. This April my mother was diagnosed with cancer for the third time in her life. I’m basically visiting her (both driving up and flying up) about once every four to six weeks. Add to that our summer vacation with my in-laws at the beach in South Carolina in June and this has turned into the summer of travel!
Returning from one of our visits to Nonna in May, we were able to take a little side trip to Stone Mountain where we made the 40 minute hike to the top. Above is a picture from the summit.
Three Approaches to Parenting Contrasted
In preparation for my message from Ephesians 6.1-4, I came up with this visual aid:
Back Home: Death in a Coal Mine
I was saddened this week to read about a young man getting killed in an accident at a coal mine in my home county back in southern Illinois. It brought back memories for me. When most people think about coal mines, they usually think about West Virginia and eastern Kentucky. I’ve learned that many people don’t realize that southern Illinois has one of the richest coal mining veins in the United States.
I can remember as a young boy going to spend the night at my Grandma and Grandpa’s house and Grandpa coming home from finishing the 2nd shift. He’d wake me up so I could join him for a midnight snack in the kitchen: Pringles and a bottle of cold Mountain Dew.
I also remember in grade school getting news of a classmate’s Dad being killed in the mine. One of my Dad’s best buddies had his face crushed in mine accident. Several surgeries were required to reconstruct his face. One of my best friends spent several weeks in a hospital recuperating after nearly dying in a coal mining accident.
Unexpected Joy
A deeply moving family story captured with outstanding videography, music, and editing:
Book Review: Family-Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham, Jr.
I don’t recall when I first heard of Voddie Baucham but we did have the privilege of seeing him live at the Desiring God National Conference in Minneapolis back in 2006. During that same timeframe I called him and talked with him about twenty-five minutes. He was gracious and I recall our conversation went very well. What I cannot recall is why I called him in the first place!
I started reading his first book, The Ever-Loving Truth, but did not finish it, which is nothing new in my world. This book, Family-Driven Faith, which I purchased through the Amazon Kindle Store and read over three devices (my iPad, my iPhone, and my wife’s Kindle Fire), was more engaging to me because of my interest in the subject matter. Two areas of interest drove me to read this book: (1) how to do a better job as the spiritual leader of my home and (2) how to more effectively lead our church to equip parents in discipling their children. Family-Driven Faith is the only book I have ever read that that I can recall addresses these two issues, and Baucham does so boldly and directly.
Continue reading Book Review: Family-Driven Faith by Voddie Baucham, Jr.
Recommended Books on the Family
This morning in my message I recommended several books on the family (click on the book to go to a link where you can purchase the book):
soundoftruth.org 