toddcast

My son has an app on his mobile device that provides him with meaningless and useless information.   Today's tidbit was:   The average American spends 24 hours per year brushing their teeth.   As he announced that to me and my other son, son #2 replied, "What if we brushed our teeth all one day and got done with it for the whole year?"   At that we all chuckled because everyone knows that things like have to be done regularly, not all at once!   It's illogical to think that dental hygiene is a once for all activity rather than a regularly scheduled disciplined.   Obviously some people take an illogical approach to spirituality. Call any church and ask what their most attended service is and 4 out of 5 ministers will unhesitatingly reply, "Easter Sunday."   There is a pretty significant percentage of people who go to church once a year, providing there are no weddings or funerals to attend.   Naturally, I go to church every Sunda...

With the Olympics winding down in the next few days I'm reminded of something that happened years ago when my daughters were pre-schoolers. Our family was gathered around the television watching the games when one of our daughters turned to my wife and asked, "Mom, were you ever in the Olympics?" Never to disparage my wife, but at that question we both broke out into laughter (I may have laughed a little too long)! How sweet for her to think that her mom was a world-class athlete. The talent really is amazing, and neither my wife or I have or ever will come close to being Olympic athletes. The closest I have ever come was that I once saw the Olympic flame on its march around the world. I admit, I used to dream of being an Olympian. Back in 1972 when Mark Spitz was swimming his way to one gold medal after another, I would swim in my pool dreaming of standing on the podium as the gold medal was draped around my neck. However, it was never to be! This can be a lit...

One of the rites of spring is the beginning of baseball season.  From Major League stadiums filled with thousands to much smaller little league fields with stands filled with dozens of adoring parents, diamonds which lay dormant for the winter months are now bustling with activity.  One of the most curious demonstrations of America's pastime is the sight of the youngest of ball players who are taking their first stab at the game.  They march to the plate with bats as heavy as they are and swing their little hearts out.  Each swing is loaded with anticipation yet most frequently met with little if any results.  Many times a complete whiff and when contact is made often a slow dribbler back to the mound.  They may call it baseball, but what happens on those fields hardly resembles what Abner Doubleday had in mind. In spite of the pitiful resemblance to the real game, one aspect of the game shines through - a cheering crowd!  Strike after futile s...

Next time you're reading through the New Testament take note of all the questions that are being asked, especially in the gospels and by none other than Jesus himself. Hardly a page goes by where Jesus is not asking someone a question. Questions make us think. They challenge our assumptions. They force us to evaluate our positions. Easter does the same thing. You can't read the account of the empty tomb and not face some serious questions. On Resurrection morning some of Jesus' women disciples came to his tomb, found the stone rolled away, and upon entering saw that the body of Jesus was missing. Talk about facing some questions? As they begin to process this strange turn of events, two men (angels I assume) in clothes gleaming like lightning (this morning just keeps getting more interesting) appear and, wouldn’t you guess, ask them a question. And it's one of the most pertinent questions of all time, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?" ...

Some people live by the motto, "Rules are made to be broken." I see this philosophy played out especially on the highways. For instance: Driving north on highway 75 through Sherman as you approach the downtown area there is a very conspicuous yellow sign accompanied by flashing yellow lights that directs all through traffic to merge to the left hand lane. Being a naturally-born rule keeper, I dutifully merge to the left and correspondingly decrease my speed as mandated by the speed limits signs. I traveled this route several times over the last month and almost without exception as I pulled to the left and decreased my speed others would pass me on the right. Warning signs and flashing lights didn't faze them - this was a rule to be broken! At face value, this is a rule that seems to have no reasonable explanation for someone passing through our fair region. The right hand lane doesn’t close, there is no impediment, there seems to be no logical explanation for me...

As we begin a new year I hope all of you have resolved to make this year a year of spiritual growth. Here are a few tips to help that come to pass: ConsistenCY Make church, prayer, fellowship, and service a habit in your life. Rarely, if ever, does anyone reach a goal haphazardly. If you want to be more spiritual by the end of 2012 it will come as a result of a conscious effort. Jesus says in Matthew 7:24, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” We are influenced by the things we hear. Consistently hear the voice of God in your life and put those words into practice - making them a part of your life. ResilienCY Don’t give up when you fail. You will fail, but God will always be there to get you back on your feet. God is a God of forgiveness and second (and third, fourth ...) chances. Listen to the words of John in 1 John 1:9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgiv...