Your Attention Please

Driving a highway near Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky, I saw what looked like an International Scout parked in a field. Then I noticed that a couple of "Hillbilly Hounds" were enjoying a drive of their own. Alright, it was a prop to get the attention of tourists and in my case it worked, but I think I have seen those same fellows (or their kin) driving around my county! I thought it was funny and had Amy take this picture when we drove back by.

That does make me wonder what gets and keeps our attention. Not far from Mammoth Cave is Bowling Green, KY where GM makes the Corvette. There is also a Museum nearby dedicated to the history of the Corvette. It was a good visit. Do sports cars, luxury cars, expensive cars grab your attention. I knew a couple who placed a picture of a certain luxury car on their refrigerator as a goal that one day they would be able to afford that car.

Some of us dream of exotic vacations; others value fame. These things and other things of the world pull at us gaining our attention. Recently, the world stood still for a funeral of an entertainer, while somewhere a Gold Star Mother quietly buried her son who died in the cause of freedom. For her son there was no gold casket, no parade of music and movie stars, just a lonely trumpet playing taps as a seven guns fired three rounds each. Fame, fortune, talent, and glamor attract those in the world.

What grabs your attention? Do you notice people praying in restaurants? Do you look forward to spending time with God in prayer or in study? What is the focus of your life?

Where Do You Come From?

Last week, we took a vacation as a family. We traveled to different parts of Kentucky and Tennessee but took an excursion into Southern Ohio to show my wife and son where my dad's family is from. The grave stone above is my great-grandfather Sylvester McCown. We also took a picture of his father's stone. I think the house below belonged to one set of my great-grandparents. My son (age 12) and my cousin's daughter (age 11) thought this trip to see cemeteries was "boring." Both of them kept asking why we wanted to see all these "dead people's graves." We tried to explain the importance of knowing who your ancestors were. Yet, I remember feeling the same way my son did when I was his age and we took vacations in Ohio. I wanted to explore the mountains, hills, old barns, the Ohio River banks, etc. Riding for an hour or so going from graveyard to graveyard was not fun then.

Now that I am in my 40's there is a desire to know more about these people. Seeing their tombstones, and some of their former homes brought up the following questions in my mind: What were they like? What did they do? How did they survive? When the first of them ventured into Ohio and West Virginia that area was frontier land. Some literally had to push back the wilderness so they could settle.

There was also a great reminder in viewing homes and graves. I began to consider my own humanity and my own "appointment" with death (Heb 9:27). The last of my great-grandparents died in 1967 the year I was born. I am fortunate to have one grandparent still living. People who live eventually die. Am I ready? Are you ready? When I am no longer here, and my descendants visit my grave, what will they know about me? What legacy will I leave them? Sylvester was a hard-working timber man, his son (my grandfather) Herbert worked the locks and barges on the Ohio River. Will my grandchildren, great-grandchildren know me as an honest worker, will they know my passion for the Lord?

I think I will take a moment today and pray for the generations that will follow me, starting with my son (and your children / grandchildren). I ask you to do the same.

Scott

Brothers!

Yesterday, I was leaving the hospital after visiting with June, one of the members here who is to undergoing tests to see if she needs surgery. After visiting and praying with June, I made may way down the stairs toward the exit. As I was leaving, Rhonda B and her daughter Olivia were leaving the hospital as well. Olivia had her tonsils removed - she was not very talkative. I also saw two brothers Bryant (age 12) and Colin (age 9) sitting in the vending area. Bryant and my son attend school together (since kindergarten) and the visit our congregation during VBS and through the year when they are spending the night with friends who attend with us. Colin was in my wife's 1st Grade class a couple of years ago. I have visited with the Grandmother when she was in the hospital. Why do I share this background? Let me quote our conversation at the hospital yesterday.

"Hey, guys" I said, "what brings you to the hospital?" I thought maybe their mom, dad, or Granny might be there for tests, surgery, etc.

"Granny's visiting a friend upstairs and we are with her 'cause mom and dad are at work." Bryant said.

Colin spoke up, "Bryant, shut up! We are not supposed to talk to strangers." I looked at Colin to remind him who I was, only to see him grinning ear to ear before he added, "and no one's stranger than Mr. McCown!"

Brothers! Boys! Kids! Whatever happened to respecting your elders? Actually, I felt complimented that a couple of boys were comfortable enough with me to tease.

Have a great day!

Who Cares?

Depression hurts. Currently in the US pharmaceutical companies are running advertisements for different medications for the treatment of depression. When one suffers from any level of depression they need encouragement. They need to know someone cares. Even if you are simply feeling "down" or "blue" you need reassurance that someone cares. If you have your moments of self-doubt or if you ever feel alone know the following:

1. Your real friends care - Prov 27:9, "Oil and perfume make the heart glad, and the sweetness of a friend comes from his earnest counsel."

2. Your family cares - Matt 7:9-10, "Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?"

3. The Creator cares - Rom 8:31-32, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?"

4. The Savior cares - John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."

BTW -- I care too, even if I do not know you personally. I daily pray for you as a reader of this blog.

Scott

Ten Years and Counting

Ten years ago a young preacher, his wife, and 23 month old son left a good congregation in Niceville, Florida where he had served as Youth Minister and then Preaching Minister and head for a smaller, rural congregation in the Alabama Foothills of the Appalachians. Ten years ago the drove up the the building on the left nervous, but trusting in God that they had made a good decision and that God would bless them in this new work. Five years later that congregation moved into the new building on the right.

Yesterday, Amy, Andrew, and I celebrated ten years with the Church in Parrish, Alabama. God has blessed us in this work and every day we realize the blessings we have from this great group of Christians. Ten years ago 75 - 80 people assembled on that first Sunday in July, this past year an average of 140 assemble each Sunday. The leadership here planned for growth and with God's help we grew and I pray we continue to.

Yesterday, two men asked for prayers of the church. One, a family man, asked for prayers that he might be a better spiritual leader for his family. The second, a single man who fell away from Christ many years ago, stated that he needed to be restored to Christ and His church. What a great way to celebrate 10 years.

Keep praying for our work. We are praying for you. (Phil 1:3)

Scott

Modern Luxuries -- make that needs.

"Little luxury, don't you cry,
You'll be a necessity by and by."

We spent last night in a house without a working Air Conditioner. For those not in the Deep South this may not seem a big deal, but a muggy, breezeless, summer night will really get to you. It was warm, but really not that bad. Our house, even with old widows that no longer open, was built for such weather. The house on the right is mine (well it will be when I finish paying off the mortgage). The original owners built this house in 1911 - '12 long before modern conveniences of running water, telephone, electricity, and definitely before central air-conditioning. Last night I was quite thankful for 12' ceilings and the natural air currents.

This morning has me thanking God for the blessings of the modern conveniences we take for granted. Along those lines I began to wonder what other things we take for granted. Just thinking about the changes this house has seen in technology. From no electricity to a single wire hung bulb to wires running throughout the house controlled by fuses, and then breakers and a grounded electrical system. This house has seen no running water and no kitchen to running water and a modern kitchen with running water both hot and cold (we could also mention the convenience of having other indoor facilities). This house has seen the installation of a telephone and the advances from party-lines to dial phones to touch-tone cordless phones and answering machines. Now through the phone line we have DSL, and recently a cellular company put a tower in our town so we have cell phones that work in our house. I can barely imagine what this 94 year old house will see next.

It was not that long ago that these necessities like telephones and air-conditioners were luxuries. The A/C repair man just called -- he is on the way! Maybe we'll sleep in A/C tonight :-)

Scott

Top Ten Children's Questions to God

And now today's Top Ten list is from the files in Parrish, Alabama. Top Ten Children's Questions to God.

10. When you got elected, did you get all the votes?
9. Why isn't Mrs. God's name mentioned in the Bible? Were you not married to her when you wrote it?
8. There were no clouds on Saturday and I think I saw your feet. Did I?
7. When you made the first man, did he work as good as we do now?
6. Why did you make people speak foreign languages? It would be easier if everybody spoke English like you and me.
5. Is it O.K. to talk to you even when I don't want anything?
4. Where did yesterday go? Do you have it?
3. I am afraid of things at night more than in the daytime. So, could you keep the sun on longer? That would be a good thing for me.
2. I know there is a God because I go by his house and see all your cars parked there. What is your favorite car?

And the number one question children have for God . . . .

1. How come you only have ten rules, but our school has millions?

* for those that are curious -- that is me on the right and my childhood friend Tom on the left.