Some Good Readin'

Poking around this morning . . .

You must go read this. A devotion given by Rev. Matthew Harrison to the Mercy Medical Team in Haiti. Why are you still here? Go read it!

Here is another good post - on the role of the pastor in worship. This is important.

In a Funk

Been in a writing funk lately. Sermons, newsletter . . . the words just aren't coming easily and I haven't been pleased with myself. I hate times like these.

Summarizing

Wow, it's been a long time since I posted (again). Guess I'll dump a few thoughts . . .

We had a good Christmas. Seemed to sneak up on us this year, with me busier than normal because of school. Did get to spend a couple of days visiting family, which is always nice. Seemed to go by faster than normal too. We took the tree down this weekend, now trying to get back to normal, whatever that is!

School starts up for me again tomorrow. I was quite pleased to get an A in both classes I took last semester. This semester I was told I have a difficult class which requires a lot of Latin translating. So I'll have to get back on the stick with my Latin. But I learned a lot last semester, and am looking forward to the same this time.

I have used this last week - in between the hubbub of Christmas and the start of school - to get a jump on Lent. I have most of the services and hymns planned out, just a few more things to decide on. Boy, will it be good to have all of that out of the way! I think my Lenten midweek series will be quite interesting this year . . . stay tuned.

I purchased Accordance Bible software for my Mac with some gift money I received. I have never had a Bible (Greek and Hebrew) program before. I was told coming out of seminary that it is better not to, because you can lose your language skills and become dependent on them. I think that's true, but my oh my, what a great program! It makes the exegetical work so much faster! I no longer have to pull out book upon book to look things up - just triple click on a word, mouse over references, parallel windows, and more. Just awesome. And I think in the long run, it will make my skills better.

My month's devotions in Portals of Prayer are finished (Dec 2009). I received mostly positive comments, and a few negative ones.

And finally, boy, am I thankful for forgiveness! Do I need it.