There's no such thing as a tough child. Parboil them for seven hours and they come out tender.

How much fluid do you drink in a typical day? A quart? A gallon?
How much would you drink if you had to do it like this?
Time warp video

How 'bout them Cardinals?! Us old guys like Kurt Warner. The heretofore undefeated Buffalo Bills? Not so much.

This is a great time of the year here. We're sleeping with the windows open now that overnight lows are in the upper 60's and enjoying daytime high's in the low 90's. With humidity levels in the teens that's very comfortable. While vegetation in most areas of the country is going dormant our perennials are starting to show new growth. After four months of desert heat everyone here is walking around with a smile, enjoying this to the max.

Do you suffer from disposophobia? Do you know someone who does?

This morning I preached on a topic we discussed during the second hour way back during our first month as Pathway Bible Church - the biblical instructions on church leadership. We've committed to following God's instructions as closely as we can. That means elders at Pathway won't be elected, but rather appointed, as is the NT pattern. They won't have terms of service, but will serve as long as they are willing and qualified - again, the NT directive. And nowhere does the Bible specify the number of elders a church should have. How many are willing and qualified? They are God's blessing on the church; there's your number.
This morning I told the congregation that I've met with three men asking if they were indeed qualified and willing. I've also met with each of their wives, who have right of first refusal. Over the next two weeks members of the congregation may come to me and, in complete confidence, raise any objection they have to any of the three guys. An elder must be "above reproach." An objection, if it addresses an area of biblical qualifications, will be pursued. If it's found to have merit the prospective elder will be taken off the list. If there are no objections, or none that turn out to be substantiated, the three guys will begin serving as elders after a commitment service in two weeks. The elders will commit to serving the congregation faithfully and out of love for God's people, and the congregation will commit to submitting to their leadership willingly and cheerfully.
Frankly, that's more infrastructure than our small congregation needs at this point. But Paul and Barnabas appointed elders in each of the churches they had just recently established (Acts 14:23). Also, a growing organization - and I believe God is going to grow Pathway - will either establish infrastructure too soon or too late. One of those is a lot better than the other.

We did something else this morning that I firmly believe is determinative for what Pathway designs to be. Through two people in our church we've become aware of a single mother with a severely disabled young child who is, due to some unusual and temporary circumstances, in very dire financial straights. The congregation agreed this morning to give her $1,500 to see her through this tough time. There's no agenda other than to show compassion in the name of Christ. So far as we know we'll never have any more contact with this young mother. But she'll receive some much needed assistance and learn, if she doesn't already know, that Christians are people who care.
I can't help but think God brought this situation into our path to see how we would respond. If we have been found faithful - and I think we have - I believe he will give us more opportunities to demonstrate God's love, and the means to do so. Had we not responded appropriately....

Hey, this business of doing God's work through the ministry of a local church is not a simple thing. The pastor spends Sunday evenings critiquing his morning's work, and his assessment is most often less than charitable. I want to go back and do this morning's sermon over! Grrrr.
And most of the decisions about direction, timing and the like aren't stipulated in the Bible. So the best we can do is assiduously follow the directions the Bible does give us, like those about elders, and pray very earnestly for God's wisdom in everything else.
We need more prayer!