If you can't be a good example you'll just have to serve as a horrible warning.

The Final Indignity

And I think this one gets titled, "With friends like this...."

Shout Out:
I spent $1,400 today. The best part? It wasn't my money.
Tim Norman very graciously gave us the benefit of his expertise in sound equipment and even went so far as to find the best prices on a system for Pathway Bible Church. He then took those prices from the internet into a local retailer with a price-match policy so we'd avoid shipping charges. That's why I was able to walk out of that retailer's place this morning with a mixer, speakers, mics, stands and cables. Tim says this system is expandable and will serve us for the foreseeable future. He's even going to teach us how to set it up this Wednesday night. THANKS, Tim!! You're an excellent example of what the B of C is about.

Look Out:
I also went to check out a prospective job in S & M's condo complex. This couple has an upstairs unit and they want 12" mirror tiles put on the entire surface of the left stairwell wall. We're talking 200 tiles, already ordered. The problem is that the portion of the wall that gets the tiles begins four steps up from the bottom and rises 18' to the ceiling. How does one get up that high over stairs in a stairwell only 4' wide? A: attach a 2x4 cleat horizontally along that wall at the same height as the pony wall on the right side. Then lay a 4' wide piece of 3/4" plywood spanning the distance from the pony wall to the cleat, creating a platform. Secure the 3/4" ply so it can't shift and fall into the stairwell. Then put a ladder on that ply and install the tiles from the ceiling down to the platform. Remove the platform and the cleat and continue installing tiles down to the steps.
Note: an enema the morning of this job should be considered a necessary preventative.
The tiles don't come in until Wednesday so I've got at least a few days to screw up the courage for this one, and figure out the best way to secure that cleat.

Over and Out:
Digital Conversion

Tuckered Out
There's supposed to come a point when your body responds to a training regimen and you feel more energy throughout the day. At about the same time that energy should translate into easier and faster runs, rides and/or swims. It used to work like that for me.
It's not happening now.
I have mornings like today when going from the bed to the recliner for the morning news feels like a day's worth of effort. I had planned to hit the pavement by 7:30 for a run & ride. Couldn't muster the mustard. I ended up doing my run mid-afternoon and then going to the gym, but neither effort was inspired.
Is this what it means to age? Do I need more Diet Coke? Or more calories? Maybe donuts!

Word Out:
At our Executive Committee last week we made a number of important decisions. One of those was to do some advertising. Up to this point we've not done any, just grown by word of mouth. But it's time. We've got the basic pieces in place - the location, the infrastructure, the worship and educational hours running smoothly - and we can't assume that somehow people will know we're there and ready. So over the next couple of weeks we'll put the plan in place to get the word out that Pathway Bible Church is a place where people can encounter God's Word in a meaningful and relevant way. But in this preacher's considered opinion an outreach strategy, no matter how well it's designed and implemented, is only effective if it's blessed by God. So as we're developing that strategy we'll also be putting together a plan to immerse it in prayer. "Unless the Lord builds the house, it's builders labor in vain" (Ps. 127:1). So we will, we must earnestly ask for his blessing.
Who knows what God can do? But Jame's criticism, "You do not have because you do not ask God" (Jas. 4:2) serves as a warning to us. So we'll ask - humbly and in faith. I'm expecting this is going to be good!