About two months ago we were told by those in the federal government who make these high and benevolent decisions that they had finally decided to send out stimulus checks to every tax payer. The money could go to buy frivolous things or necessities or tide one over on bills until their jobs would resume. The decision was driven, I believe, more from political motivation than from any kindheartedness. This was evidenced by those who tried to tack on political pork into the bill. But still, checks were on their way.

         May 18, 2020. I finally got mine.

         Over the lock down, I have not missed a day because I consider my job essential. The church has been good to me in all this, making sure my checks kept coming. And the folks in the church have been very good to the Lord with faithful giving. My stimulus check went right into my savings. I didn’t need it to make ends meet.

         But, what if I had needed that money? What if I had needed it to make two car payments? What if I needed it to pay some urgent bill? What if I couldn’t afford my medication? What if I had needed that money for food? That is what it was for, right? By now, my car would have been repossessed, I would be delinquent on my bills, I would either be in the hospital or dead because I would have been unable to buy my medicines (Would that then have been a COVID-19 death?) and I would be mighty hungry.

         So much for faith in the government.

         Or faith in anything. Medical: We have people who have had serious medical needs postponed because of the virus. Scholastic: We tell our kids to work hard and there will be a good ending to it, then they are told they cannot finish the year out. You can graduate on line. Employment: We are told the economy is great and then 10s of millions lose their jobs. Family: Birthdays, anniversaries, funerals, weddings and more; events that draw families together. Canceled. Church: We are a church family. We love our people. But then, we can’t go to visit or be with someone in the hospital.

         But, Pastor! These are unusual times! We can’t help the situation!

         Completely true. That doesn’t help the man who needs surgery to stop an infection and he is turned away. That doesn’t help the senior who has worked hard for years and now cannot have her moment in the light. That doesn’t help that sole bread winner who suddenly has no job. That doesn’t help that couple who is celebrating fifty years of marriage in a big, empty house. That doesn’t help the young lady who has had a stroke and is in the hospital and is confused and frightened and doesn’t even have someone to pray with her.

         We trust in things and, through no one’s fault, that trust is burned and disappointment comes.

         In the Bible, the word ‘trust,’ in all its variants, is used 147 times. It is either telling us to trust in the things of the Lord or it is telling us not to trust in the things of man. In Deuteronomy 28:52 we have a verse that is talking about the punishment given to God’s people for their lack of faithfulness. It easily applies to right now; They shall besiege you in all your towns, until your high and fortified walls, in which you trusted, come down throughout all your land. And they shall besiege you in all your towns throughout all your land, which the Lord your God has given you. Everything we have trusted in has been laid ruin in just two months. The scourge has been nationwide.

         Have Christians been faithful to the Lord? Do we cut corners in our service and in our worship? Have we told the world about Jesus with our words and our deeds? We are besieged. The metaphorical walls we have built have come crashing down. This ministry, this that we have been made stewards of, is under direct threat.

               However, it is not over. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us this; Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. This is that moment in time when Christians can make a real difference if we will just put ourselves in His hands. Do you know anyone who trusts in the government anymore? Does anyone trust all the conflicting views we get from the medical profession? The fact is, this is all new territory. Learning as we go along, mostly from the mistakes we make. But while no one wants to trust the experts, I have only ever had one person in forty five years of ministry who refused to let me pray for them. People are seeking for something. Let’s give them the Lord.

         On Monday I got an e-mail from a young lady who is a former Youth of mine. “Got a joke for you. You will like it!” She was always one of the kids who loved to run jokes by me to try and crack me up. I was mentally swept back in time fifteen years to a gawky teen trying out another joke. As I read the e-mail I prepared myself to groan at the silly joke. This one, though, was quite good.

         It seems a Secret Service agent was promoted to President Trump’s personal detail. The young man was nervous there on his first day, and he was extra vigilant, even though all they were doing was walking with the President across the White House lawn to a waiting helicopter. Vigilance paid off, because the new agent was the first to see the man with a pistol jump out from the bushes. The agent stepped between the gunman and the President and shouted in a commanding voice, “Mickey, MOUSE!” The would be assassin was startled by the shout and hesitated just a fraction of a second. In that brief time, another agent was able to get to the gunman and subdue him. Of course, the President was very grateful. The President and his people loaded into the helicopter and the agents formed a perimeter around the helicopter while others searched for any additional gunmen. While they stood there, the new agent’s supervisor stepped up next to him and quietly said, “That was good work back there. But why did you shout out “Mickey, MOUSE!” The agent blushed and said, ” Actually, I got flustered. I meant to yell Donald, DUCK!”

         It caught me by surprise, especially because she had gifted me dozens of lame jokes all those years ago. The joke stayed with me all day. It made me realize how serious we all have become. The uncertainty, the politicizing of the virus, the tension all around. I always look for humor, but for the last couple of years, humor has not been with me much. Perhaps for you, as well.

         So, rather than being serious, here is some humor. Enjoy, if you will. And if you are just too serious to enjoy a smile, turn on the news.

         It seems a new teacher was working with a class of 5 and 6 year old children in Sunday School. She decided to test them to see how well they were picking it up. She particularly wanted to see if they understood the concept of getting to heaven. She asked them, "If I sold my house and my car, had a big garage sale and gave all my money to the church, Would that get me into heaven?"
         "NO!" the children answered.
         "If I cleaned the church every day, mowed the yard, and kept everything neat and tidy, would that get me into Heaven?"
         Again, the answer was, "NO!"
         By now she was starting to smile. Hey, this was fun! "Well, then, if I was kind to animals and gave candy to all the children, and loved my husband, would that get me into Heaven?"  
         Again, they all answered, "NO!"
         By now the teacher was just bursting with pride for them. "Well," she continued, "then how can I get into Heaven?"
         A five-year-old boy shouted out, "FIRST, YOU GOTTA BE DEAD."

         Many of us have stories about the things little kids say. Back when Marsha and I did a Children’s Church, we introduced a little song called ‘Four Letter Words.’ Love, care, nice, Words like that. At the end a little girl jump up and said I know some other four letter words. She got about three of them out before Marsha swept her up and hustled her out.

         Sometimes, a quiz can be funny. Here are some questions with their answers.

Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he married Ruth?
A. Ruthless.

Q. What do they call pastors in Germany?
A. German Shepherds.

Q. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?
A. Noah He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquid...ation.

Q. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible?
A. Pharaoh's daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.

Q. What kind of motor vehicles are in the Bible?
A. Jehovah drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden in a Fury. David's Triumph was heard throughout the land. Also, probably a Honda, because the apostles were all gathered in one Accord. 

Q. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?
A. Samson. He brought the house down.

Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Eden?
A. Your mother ate us out of house and home.

Q. Which servant of God was the most flagrant law breaker in the Bible?
A. Moses. He broke all 10 commandments at once.

Q. Which area of Palestine was especially wealthy?
A. The area around the Jordan. The banks were always overflowing.

Q. Who is the greatest babysitter mentioned in the Bible?
A. David. He rocked Goliath to a very deep sleep.

Q. Which Bible character had no parents?
A. Joshua, son of Nun.

Q. Why didn't they play cards on the Ark?
A. Because Noah was standing on the deck.  

Q. Did you know it's a sin for a woman to make coffee?

A. It's in the Bible. It says . . . 'He-brews'

         Not your normal blog, but then again, I am not a normal pastor.

         It reminded my parents of one of the churches ‘back home,’ that being Russell Springs, Kentucky. The little building in Leroy, Ohio had been a bar for years until a car mechanic from West Virginia who had a call to preach bought the place and renovated it into a church. I was five years old when I first walked into that church and for the next three years I spent Sunday morning, Sunday evening and Wednesday evening, terrified.

         We had two revivals a year, one in the Spring, just before planting, and one in the Fall, just after harvest. Those revivals were two week long affairs. West Virginians and Kentuckians came from all over Northeast Ohio to those revivals. We always had the same evangelist from somewhere in West Virginia and, apparently, he was a super star down in those parts. The only reason we always had him was because he was Miss Tillie’s brother. Miss Tillie was the pastor’s wife.

         Our regular services were scary enough. A whole lot of screaming and jumping and people falling to their knees. I remember the pastor running down the aisle one night and grabbing my father by the arm and dragging him to the alter, very much against his will. I believe that was the last time my father ever went to that church. However, as scary as the regular services were to a very little kid, the revivals took the spooky level up several notches. The evangelist only had one arm, having lost the other in an accident. But with that one fist he would pound the pulpit until you thought it would shatter. He would run up and down the center aisle waving his Bible and calling God’s judgment down on all us miserable sinners. There was one little man who always showed up for those revivals. It was like he was a groupie of the preachers. When the preacher started running down the aisle, this little guy would jump up shouting and start throwing hymnals toward the ceiling. Once he got so happy, he ran to the back of the church. But instead of using the aisle, he jumped up on the back of a pew and ran to the back by leaping from one pew to the next. I remember my sisters, both older than me, crying during every service. I never knew if they were ‘in the Spirit’ or if they were just scared.

         The piano was a holdover from the days when the building was a bar. It didn’t matter what was played on it, it just sounded honky tonk. Miss Tillie played the piano and she could seriously beat that thing. Each service seemed to have ten songs at least. It probably wasn’t that many, but it was excessive. Miss Tillie played by ear and sometimes it took her a couple of verses nail it down. Then it got loud and fast. I was a teenager before I found out ‘Amazing Grace’ was not a racing song.

         But there was a song that Miss Tillie played and sang as a solo sometimes that always calmed my spirit. The only time I ever heard it was in that little church and it nestled away in one of the empty spaces in my mind, always a comforting though. Some of you may know it, but no one sings it anymore that I know of.

         Last Sunday it surfaced in my mind. I hadn’t thought of that song in years. I was sitting in my living room thinking about the young woman who had the stroke. How confusing it had to have been to be in a rehab place, unable to see anyone but nurses and therapists. Did she understand why no one was there? Was she able to reason that her kids and her husband love her? Did she know it was Mother’s Day but her kids were not there. I felt depression on my soul. Depression for her and for all the those people who have been affected by this virus in some way. And it was then that the Lord woke that song up in my mind.

The Last Mile of the Way

1.   When I walk in the pathway of duty,
When I work till the close of the day,
I shall see the great King in His beauty,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

Refrain:
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way,
I will rest at the close of the day;
And I know there are joys that await me,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

2.   Here for Christ I proclaim the glad story,
Here I seek for His sheep gone astray,
And I know He will show me His glory,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

Refrain:
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way,
I will rest at the close of the day;
And I know there are joys that await me,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

3.   Here the dearest of ties we must sever,
Tears of sorrow are seen every day;
But no sickness, no sighing forever,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

Refrain:
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way,
I will rest at the close of the day;
And I know there are joys that await me,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

4.   Here on earth I have earnestly striven,
And have sought all His will to obey,
’Twill enhance all the rapture of heaven,
When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.

         

         Why did that song come to mind? I think it was to remind me that everything here is just passing by. Someday we will walk that last mile of the way. But until then, we have to walk the pathway of duty. We have to work until the close of the day. We have to proclaim the glad story and seek for the sheep that have gone away. Here on earth we lose the ones we love and tears flow like rivers. But we strive forward and follow His will.

        We face this virus, but it is not the end. The word of God tells us there will be things like this and there has been all through history. But it doesn’t change our purpose, our calling. While we are here we have a job to do. There is coming a day when we walk that last mile of the way, but for now we don’t let depression rule. We pray, we work and we give God the glory!

         Philippians 1:20-24--- as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.

         Mother’s Day is going to be different this year. We will not be in church, of course, so we lose that aspect of it. But they are also suggesting limits on gatherings, even at the home. You can have a pretty big shindig, though, with 25 people. Still, this whole virus thing is hanging over us and the whole atmosphere seems charged with gloom and doom.

         Obviously, it hasn’t always been this way, and it will not always be this way. The year 2020 will always have a weird place in our hearts and minds. But I firmly believe it will get much better.

         As far as this year is concerned, it will be somewhat like last year for me. Not really a big deal. Oh, we have quite a few ladies in the church who are great Moms. (I know this because they have told me)  I know other women in other states who are great Moms. But my Mom passed in 2002 and Marsha’s Mom died in 2011. Marsha’s Mom was Dorothy and she and I always had the best time together. I grieved over both ladies when they left this earth and I really look forward to seeing them both again. And Marsha is gone now, too, just in a different way. Mother’s Day was always a meal out and something she wanted to do. So, while the day is lacking its old enjoyment, there are some very fine memories.

         My favorite Mother’s Day memory actually doesn’t involve my mother or Marsha’s mother or Marsha. It involves my son.

         My son was six and I took him shopping for Mother's Day. He knew what he wanted to get Mom. Marsha collected figurines. Not little dollar store figurines that a six year old could actually buy. These were a bit more expensive. Marsha had been pointing out to me the one she wanted. Her birthday was in August and I figured to get it for her then. However, Adam overheard. He knew the one she wanted and he told me he wanted to buy it for her.

         “Well, son, it costs quite a bit. Maybe something a little less expensive.” “I don’t care if it costs everything I have, I want to get it for Mom.” How do you say to a little guy who loves his mother more than anything that he cannot afford the gift he wants to get her? So, during the week leading up to Mother’s Day, Adam and I headed to the mall.

         There was a store there that sold that kind of thing and that is where we went. The lady unlocked the display case and took the figurine out. We all headed to the counter and Adam walked up to the cash register, his little hand clutching all the money he had in the world. He looked at the clerk and said, "How much for my Mom’s figurine, please?" His hand was so small that the three dollars and change he clutched was visible. The cashier looked up at me with a concerned look and saw that I was holding three twenties in my hand behind my son. She smiled and said, "Well, how much have you got there?" "Three dollars and twenty six cents, ma'am." "Oh, how nice! Just exactly right!" My son smiled a big smile of relief as he handed the money over. She took the money and I told him to go out and wait just outside in the mall while I got the lady to wrap it just right, and then we would go to that movie. I paid the lady. She went to give me Adam’s money back. “No, you keep it as a memory of a little boy who loved his Mom.” That made her cry.

         When we got home from church on Mother’s Day, our son proudly presented his gift to his Mom. Marsha was stunned. She looked at me for an explanation. I just said the lady really liked his smile. That was cool.

         Twenty five years later Adam and I were headed to a jewelry store to pick up something for his new wife's birthday. My son wasn't talking much and I was just looking out the window while he drove. We always just enjoyed each other's company. Suddenly he said, "Dad, this time let me pay for it." I had no idea what he was talking about, and I said as much. "That figurine I got Mom when I was little. You paid for that." I wasn't going to lie. "How did you know?" "It just came to me driving to work about a year ago." We shared a laugh, remembering just how pleased she had been. It was a good memory.

         Later in the store he saw a bracelet he thought his wife would like, and then he saw the price. Actually, we both saw it at the same time. I sucked in a lung full of air and he nearly choked. Under his breath, he said to me, "Hey, Dad, you know, if you really did want to pay, that would be OK."

         Moms, even under the circumstances, enjoy your day. And those of you who still have your Moms, make it special. The day is coming when you will only have memories. Make those memories great!

         Now that there is light at the end of the corona virus tunnel, people are asking the question; how is this going to change our lives? Good question. Any time change comes about, we wonder how it is going to change our lives, our routine. We fret about it, we make up scenarios in our minds about it, we tend to imagine the worst. How is this going to change our lives?

         My question to that is, who cares how it is going to change our lives? I am more interested in what will be unchanged. Isn’t that the same thing? Well, yes and no. The big difference is the attitude.

         Monday morning, at 5:30, my foster daughter sent me a text. She wanted to tell me that she loved me and that she was glad to have me in her life. That has not changed in 35 years. (Not the texting, just that she loves me.) This virus is not going to change that fact. I have a friend in the Miami area, Noelvys, who was once one of my Youth. She is of Cuban descent. When she starts talking about something and she gets into her story, she begins to talk faster and faster and then she slips into Spanish. That has not changed in 42 years. The virus will not change her. Paul and Peggy had a baby in 2008. Beautiful, healthy baby, from what I was told. He died at three months. I worked at the funeral home and I met them there for the first time. I talked with them and prayed for them. I have prayed for them ever since. They both came to Christ, as did the three other children. I have seen Paul and Peggy be baptized. They have become foster parents to two more. I have continued to pray for them all these years. They are special to me. The virus will not affect that in the least.

         My point here, I suppose, is do not worry so much about what will change. Rather, dwell on the good things, the things that bring you pleasure. The things that fulfill your life. Your children, your grandchildren, your friends, your church family. Now, more than ever, you want those things and those people in your life. Embrace them with your mind as well as with your arms. Take nothing for granted.

         Years ago, I sat with an elderly lady in our church in Ohio as she lay slowly dying from cancer. She told me of the struggles of raising four children, of dealing with all their issues while her husband worked. “Back then, Pastor, the wife made the home while the husband paid for it.” A little twinkle passed through her eyes. “But, my, how I loved it! My children will never understand how much I treasured that life! Please, tell them for me.” And I did, a few days later, at her funeral. This virus has kind of put all of us in that situation. But we don’t need someone to tell our loved ones how much we love them and need them. We can do it ourselves. Very soon, we can do it face to face.

         Some things will change. That cannot be helped. But this is like a thunderstorm that has just about run its course. The grass will be greener, the leaves will glisten, the air will have that wonderful smell that only a summer storm can bring.

Who you are, who you love, who you need, has not changed. Don’t worry about what might be. Rejoice in what is.