If you are like me this is the time you begin to think about the New Year coming up very quickly.  Have you thought about what you would like to do differently or better in 2009?  I hope so.  One of the goals I usually set for myself every year has to do with my personal and family devotions: Bible reading and study and prayer.

One of the means Mary and I have incorporated into our daily schedule is the reading of Tabletalk Magazine.  It contains a short passage and commentary with application each weekday.  Over the course of the year a systematic study is done through a book of the Bible or around a section of Scripture.  This current year we have been studying the Gospel of Matthew.  We try to read at breakfast each morning.  It only takes a few minutes but gets our focus on the Lord as we begin our day together.

Tabletalk comes out monthly and each issue includes articles around a theme as well as the daily devotionals I mentioned.  For instance the January 2009 issue is around the theme, “Resolved: to press on toward the goal” with articles about Jonathan Edwards who was famous for his wise and godly resolutions. The Tabletalk daily Bible studies in 2009 will go through the Epistle to the Galatians.

If you are not familiar with Tabletalk or if you do not currently subscribe you will have an opportunity to pick up a complimentary copy of the January 2009 issue this Lord’s Day at Christ Church.  Try it out for a month and if you like it you can subscribe by calling Ligonier Ministries at 1-800-435-4343 or go to www.ligonier.org.

May we all set some good practical goals and get to know God and His Word better in the year ahead.

My mom’s visit to us in Katy this week has left me with a deep sense of the shortness of days left with her on earth. She came although she had been struggling with a bad cough and shortness of breath for a few days prior to leaving home. But the doctor didn’t think it was serious enough to cancel the trip so my sister and brother in law drove her to the airport with the nearest direct flight to Houston in Greensboro NC. She did OK till Thursday night but her cough was worse, she gasped for breath and became faint. Mary and I took her to the ER at Christus St Catherine Hospital and by day break she was settled in a room while rounds of tests began: an ekg, xrays, a heart sonogram, blood work etc.

Bottom line, she has a weak heart, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and possibly some kind of lung disease. No wonder she’s tired and out of breath. At 90 there is not a lot of hope that much can be done. At the same time she has lost little of her unique sense of humor. She had the hospital personnel laughing at her wittiness within minutes of arriving at the ER.

“How are you?” the ER nurse asked mechanically.

“I was better, but I got over it!” Mom shot back.

Perplexed, the nurse stammered, “Uh, you mean, uh, you don’t feel as good as you did before?”

“Yes, I was better but I got over it.” Mom repeated, between coughs and gasps, to be sure it sunk in.

Finally, the nurse got it. This is a very funny lady. From then on, the nurse got into the rhythm of Mom’s one-liners and they thoroughly enjoyed each other into the early hours of Friday morning.

But I am afraid this is her last trip to TX. There’s a tunnel at the end of the light of this life. But Mom is clear where her hope lies. The Lord Jesus Christ has tasted death for her and she is confident. He will welcome her into glory some day. We hope she has many good days ahead but most likely she has fewer than most of us and there will be more limitations and pain.

My thanks to all you who have prayed and reached out to her and to us during these days. Your love has meant so much. Tomorrow we will take her to IAH for the flight back to Greensboro. My sister will drive her back to Montvale where it will be cold and rainy. But it is home. She will rest better there.

May these words from Psalm 33 keep her and all who share her hope steadfast in the Lord:

18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
19 that he may deliver their soul from death
and keep them alive in famine.

20 Our soul waits for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart is glad in him,
because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.

Dear members and friends of Christ Church,

The session has decided to cancel all activities of the church during this coming weekend with the approaching of Hurricane Ike.  This includes:

1.       The Men’s Breakfast scheduled for Saturday morning at the Davisons’  is cancelled and will not be rescheduled.  The men’s breakfast will meet again on October 11 at the home of the Dodds.

2.       Sunday morning worship and Christian Education classes at Taylor High School will not meet.

3.       Sunday evening worship at Cornerstone Church will not meet.

There are a number of factors which the session took into consideration.  Katy ISD will close all facilities beginning Friday and continuing through the weekend, thus, we could not meet at Taylor on Sunday.  We do not want to risk endangering any of our congregation as they try to make it to the previously scheduled activities.  There was a need to make a decision well in advance of the storm as it may be difficult or impossible to communicate if we lose power as a result of the hurricane.  Gas will be at a premium if power is lost.  For all these reasons we have cancelled these events on our calendar.  Any additional information we have will be posted on the website.  There will also be information on the office phone this weekend.

Depending on the weather you may want to worship with another nearby congregation this Sunday.  For example, Cornerstone Evangelical Presbyterian Church (1351 S. Mason Rd. Katy 77450) plans to have services on Sunday morning at 10:30 AM.  If Sunday school teachers wish to get information to their students (such as memory verses, etc.) you can email Fred or me and we will distribute it.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call Fred or me or one of the elders.  May the Lord graciously watch over us all through the weekend ahead.

As Hurricane Ike approaches the Texas Gulf Coast,  we have a golden opportunity to apply Pastor Greco’s sermon from last Sunday: “Can God Take Care of Me? Anxiety” based on Matthew 6.25-34.  Our prayer is that you will be kept safe in His providential care and grow strong in faith as you trust Him.  There is an appropriate level of concern and we should prepare wisely for what appears to be a severe storm but may that concern not turn into sinful, debilitating worry that fails to remain peaceful in the midst of trials.

The session of Christ Church is seeking to make contact with our member families.  Ruling elder Daryl Brister has offered to spearhead efforts to assist those who may need help making immediate repairs, clearing debris, etc.  Please call the church office and we will seek to see that you get help (281-392-0002).

Further information may also be found by logging onto the Harris County Office of Emergency Management site by going to

http://www.hcoem.org/

Katy ISD has suspended all activities in their facilities for the entire weekend, so we will not have worship services on Sunday or any other activities through the weekend. Please also note that the church office will be closed Friday and the Men’s Breakfast scheduled for Saturday morning has been cancelled.

An excellent site to track the hurricane on is Stormpulse, and you can see the projected winds on this website.

Mission to North America (an agency of the Presbyterian Church in America) has resources available for those affected by hurricanes and other storms. If you would like to know more about how their work, please go to:

http://www.pca-mna.org/

Please be praying for God’s protection.

Have you heard of Financial Peace University? Maybe you have questions about it.   Here is my handy-dandy guide to some of the frequently asked questions about Financial Peace University (FPU):

Q: What is Financial Peace University? It sounds like a contradiction of terms.

A:   FPU is a  humorous but motivational and informative 13 week video course taught by Dave Ramsey, bestselling author of The Total Money Makeover and syndicated national radio talk show host. After becoming a millionaire in his mid-twenties, Dave and his wife, Sharon,  lost everything almost overnight. This course is built around the lessons he learned as a young Christian rebuilding his financial life on biblical principles.

Q: How old do you have to be to attend?

A:  The course is aimed at adults but mature teens can profit from it as well.  Several Jr. Highers in Christ Church went through the course last Spring and enjoyed it.

Q:  When and where does it meet?

A:  Classes meet in the fellowship hall of Cornerstone Church in Katy and will begin on Tuesday, September 9 at 7:00 PM and continue weekly on Tuesdays from 7:00 to 9:00 PM ending about mid December.

Q: How much does the course cost?

A: The cost is $100 per couple/family  or single which includes all materials, CD’s, etc.

Q: Why is the course so expensive?

A: You pay only for materials you actually receive.  The FPU member kit includes at least $100 in merchandise (books, CD’s etc). Your $100 investment will be amply rewarded.  The average person/couple attending FPU pays off $5300 in debt and saves $2700 during the 91 days of the class. Besides that, once you join Financial Peace University you are a member for life and can re-take classes whenever you wish.

Q: I’m still not sure.  Can I attend a session without paying before committing to it?

A: Yes, you may attend one session free and then decide if this is for you.

Q: I’ve heard there are small groups.  Is there pressure to reveal personal financial information?

A: There are small group discussions each week which help students digest and apply the information presented but, no,  you will never be pressured to reveal personal information.  For me, one of the best features of FPU is the small group which gives opportunity to ask questions, relate personal experiences and gain support and encouragement.

I hope you will join us for this great course.  You will not be disappointed.

To learn more go to http://www.daveramsey.com/fpu/home/ or reply to this blog.

On our recent vacation, Mary and I visited a church in another state. We had never been there before and ended up arriving about fifteen minutes late. We rushed in slightly embarrassed and were handed an order of worship. An usher efficiently led us to the back row of the fairly full worship area and pointed out some empty seats. They were in the middle of the row, so to reach them we needed to squeeze past a couple sitting on the end of the row.

Did they slide down and let us in? No. So we shimmied through trying not to step on their toes. As I passed them I recognized the man. He is an employee of the denominational office of that church. To tell you the truth, I was surprised that someone that responsible in other areas would not be alert to the need to move over for visitors.

There are a lot of reasons why regular attenders chose the seats they do in the congregation on a Sunday morning. Some sit in the back because they have small children and may have to take them out to the bathroom. Some sit where they can hear or see best. Some notice that the air conditioner blows right on you in a certain location so they avoid that spot. Not a few claustrophobic types are adverse to sitting in the center of a row with their escape route blocked by others. Once we get used to “our” location most of us don’t like to change.

But here is an opportunity to show love and kindness to others in a practical way. This Lord’s Day, let me encourage you to slide over. Leave room on the ends of the aisle for late comers and visitors. They have probably have already had enough stress for one day and squeezing over you and me will only add to it.

The Apostle John wrote: “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” I John 3.18 (ESV)

See you Sunday, front row, center.

As you may know, Mary and I spent the last two weeks on vacation with family in VA and Atlanta.  Here are some observations and “lessons” learned:

1.  Southwest VA, where we grew up,  is beautiful and we know what to see and not see if you are a tourist in the area.  Avoid the Monster House and Dinosaur Woods at Natural Bridge but Dixie Caverns and the Wild Life Safari is worth the trip. We made our second annual trek up Sharp Top (one of the Peaks of Otter) and it was a clear, dry day so the view was spectacular.  They say you can see West VA from there but why would you want to do that? (For you Lone Star State folks, the VA-WVA rivalry is similar to the Aggie-Longhorn thing).

2.  If you buy a 12 by 3 foot plastic pool, the kind with the inflatable ring top, it’s probably not going to work anywhere in the vicinity of the eastern slope of the Blue Ridge mountains as it depends on completely level ground for proper functioning.  OK, you could  get a  pick and shovel and  dig out the mountain to make it  level but… hey, I thought this was a vacation!

The news of devastation from Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar this week has no doubt prompted many to pray for that land.  I was not very familiar with the country we used to know as Burma.  Our prayers can be better informed by going to the website below to learn more about the spiritual needs of the country.   There is a considerable Christian minority in the country. 

Go to:   www.operationworld.org

Look for a link to Myanmar on the upper right side of the page.   

Ben Stein’s movie Expelled was released this weekend.  Mary and I went to see it on Friday evening.  In case you haven’t heard about it, Ben Stein means to sound the alarm that freedom is in grave danger in the good ole  US of A.  How?  Because complete freedom of thought is being systematically and thoroughly eradicated.  This movie shows numerous documentable cases in which college and university professors have been fired due to their favorable opinion of “intelligent design” as an explanation for the origin of  life and the universe. 

This is a documentary and as such is meant to be informative more than entertaining.  Expelled begins with Stein speaking to an auditorium of students and then cuts away to show his interviews with various heavyweights in academia and those who have been canned by them for their views.  The interviews are fascinating as Stein plays a Columbo-like role gently but tenaciously asking the powers that be to explain why teachers are being fired for views they hold.  It’s enlightening to watch the likes of Richard Dawkins (The God Delusion) squirm as he tries to explain how he lives with no meaning or purpose in life. 

The point that freedom is in danger is driven home again and again by actual footage of Nazi Germany, the holocaust and the gulag of the Soviet Union.  Are we becoming like these despotic societies?  The parallels are obvious.

Would I recommend this movie?  Definitely. Keep in mind this is not an evangelical movie but we share  much common ground with Mr. Stein.  I would not recommend it to young children or those who find the sight of holocaust shots overwhelming.  We should pray that God will use this film to wake up those who should see the evil and foolish path we are on. 

Expelled is a powerful testimony to the truth of Romans 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools.   May God revive His Church and preserve us in the midst of this increasing foolishness.

Months of drought in western Virginia and some human carelessness along with high winds caused by an Arctic front, resulted in wildfires which spread across the ridge behind the family farm where I grew up just west of Montvale. By Sunday, my sister, Betty, and her family including our mother and 500 other families were forced to evacuate. They spent the night with family and friends in Roanoke. Even the evacuation on Sunday afternoon was eventful. As they headed west on Interstate 81, winds downed power lines and sparks set off more wildfires. Smoke filled the valley and traffic slowed, stopped and finally had to be diverted to smaller side roads as firefighters fought the flames. The thirty minute trip tripled in duration.

[In a surreal sidebar, Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama had to cancel scheduled campaign visits to Roanoke as winds made aircraft landings impossible.]

Meanwhile back at the farm, so many memories surround these homes, the hills, the woods, the creeks and springs. It is not easy to let go without an eternal perspective. I was challenged by Betty’s attitude as she drove away with a few irreplaceable items like passports and computers. She maintained her attitude of the evening before:

I don’t feel sad or scared — yet!  I intend to lay my head down and go to sleep knowing that my Heavenly Father does not slumber! 

"In peace I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:8) (Read more at http://www.xanga.com/PunkyDunks/ )

By Monday morning the winds had died down and the fire had burned out around the homes throughout the neighborhood. They were able to return. No one was hurt. Apparently no homes were lost. We give thanks to the Lord for His care and protection. As you can see below there would not be much defense against wildfires in these homes. Thank you for your support and prayer at this time.  

My sister and brother-in-law’s home, built in 1993

My mother’s home built in 1959 by my parents, grandfather and (considering asymmetrical synergy) me, then a 14 year old.