Overheard at Table 3: September in the Rain

 

As we leave September, we must remember the rain.

When I grew up - in the mid-Midwest, September always heralded the upcoming cool of Autumn.   August was behind us, and the temperatures began to drop and it seemed as though the air was filled with new possibilities.   And the rain was calming, and clear, and so wonderfully cool.

I do miss those times.  Now that I live in Houston, September is merely an extension of August, and whatever rains DO happen in September are usually hurricanes, or at least torrents of tropical storms, which simply leave the land full of humidity and heat and mosquitoes.

Still, Julie London's version of this song harkens back to the days of my childhood.  

THAT September ... in THAT rain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKB8YKUiVX0

Overheard at Table 3: Setting Date on my Blog

 Holy crikey, I just figured out how to change the publication date of my blog post.

*rubs hands together* bwahahahhaha!

Overread at Table 2: Deacon Notes

 Mas Jeus se retiro al mar con sus discipulos, y le siguio gran multitude ... oyendo cuan grandas cosas grandes, grandes multitudes vinieron a el.

- Marcos 3:7-8

Juan 15:5b

Notas: Necesito mas humildad 

    - con mi esposa

    - con mis hijos

    - con mi relacion con Dios

1 Tim 3:1-5 - Structure of the church

Notes from Bible Study

Overread at Booth 3: A Brief Letter

Nothing you have thought had not been thought before.

Oh perhaps a few of the facts have been mixed around, and possibly some of the names have changed, but the worlds that you have imagined, the futures you've envisioned, the goal you have set, so many others have done before you.

This should not hurt you as much as it does.

You currently live in a world that tells you that if you are not an individual then you are not free.

You currently live in a culture that tells you that if you are not independent then you have no value.

This leads you to think of yourself more highly than you think of others, because you spend every minute of every day trying to figure out a way to be an individual, to be independent, to be free, to have some sense of self-worth.

What if you were to know that your freedom comes when you give up the idea that the world has of you being separate, of being an individual, of this false sense of freedom, of trying to find self-worth from your own thoughts and your own powers?  What if freedom comes when you allow yourself to become a slave?

The world does not want you to be a slave to Christ.

The world wants you to be a slave to the world.

The world wants you to be a slave to the eternal quest for your own independence.

But your freedom comes when you begin to think of others more highly than you think of yourself, after you submit yourself to the one true God, who has purchased you with the sacrificial blood of Jesus Christ, and will imbue you with the Spirit, which is wisdom and understanding ... and at long last, that peace for which we all so dearly crave.

Overheard at Table 2: Deacons in Training

Pastor: Thanks for meeting me here today, guys.  Let's start off with prayer requests... do we have any needs specifically for jobs and our places of work?

Kevin: Well, my job just laid me off because I couldn't sell their slant well drill bit in this downturn, so pray for me.

Carlos: Before COVID, they wanted me to bump up my hours to 70-80 hour weeks, and I told them I didn't want to do that. Just 50 hours, tops, so this whole year they have criticized my work and finally told me that my last day is after this month's end close.  I'm training my replacement.

Matthew: My company just got bought out, so the entire Accounting department is getting let go after the first of the year, so pray for all my staff ... and me, too, please.

Gabriel: My wife's company is outsourcing their entire Accounting department to Columbia, so please pray for her.

Chris: Ever since I was laid off from my sales gig, I haven't been able to find work in six months, so please keep me in prayer.

Pastor: Oh my goodness!  Keep me in prayer too!

Matthew: What can we pray for for you, Pastor.

Pastor: That you all find jobs soon!  Since your tithes pay my salary, I think I just got a pay cut!

Kevin: Well, since our tithes pay your salary, you can pick up the tab for breakfast today!

Overheard at Booth 1: Thoughts on Training New Pastors and Growth of the Church

 Notes:

At Deacon in training meeting today

80% of pastors are deemed not ready or fully prepared to teach.

Perhaps it's because we are not training them effectively

What are the colleges for training like?

Are we maybe following Jesus incorrectly?

Another question: perhaps we are not training in our churches.

If one of the goals of teaching Christ is to prepare others to be pastors, perhaps the churches should be training the pastors and planting new churches.

What if there are not supposed to be Megachurches?  What if they stifle true growth, which is multiple, healthy churches, and not giant congregations listening to one man across a giant screen?

Overread at Table 4: Just Because

Just Because

Just because you put a scientific term in a poem does not make it erudite.

Just because you put love in a poem does not make it a poem about love.

Just because you put "I" in a poem does not make it personal.

Just because you do whatever the fuck you want in a poem does not make it worth reading.

Just because you put race in a poem does not make it important.

Just because you put "fuck" in a poem does not make it "edgy."

Just because you put some thought into a poem does not make it brilliant.

Just because you wrote a poem does not make you a sensitive soul.

It does, however, make you a poet,

good or bad, I suppose the reader gets to decide.

MR

2020-0924