As we celebrate let us remember it is not the length of days that will be judged by. But rather it the quality of our lives as we remember the command of Proverbs 3:1-2 for us to never forget the things we were taught about the Lord.
Having a faith that is bold, disciplined and pleasing to God
Looking Backward As We Move Forward
Tommy Walker A Philosopher Of Wisdom
During my school days at Jones County High School in Gray, Georgia a bunch of us football players perhaps searching for an easy class, found a Philosophy course taught by Tommy Walker.
Mr. Walker introduced us to the great philosophers Aristotle, Socrates, Confucius, Ralph Waldo Emerson. However, the greater philosopher we found in that class was Tommy Walker.
The philosophy, according to Tommie Walker was not so much of what he said, it was the way he made you feel. Mr. Walker did not talk to us like the boys or the jocks or even young men that we were. Mr. Walker talked to us like the men he expected us to be.
In that expectation Mr. Walker listen more than he talked. He asked lots of good questions because he really wanted to know. He wanted to know your views on politics, sports, life and so much more.
Tommy Walker wanted to hear your thoughts not so he could tear them down using his authority as an adult and a teacher. He wanted you to hear your thoughts so that we as students could start the process of learning about ourselves, a skill that would serve us well into adulthood.
The philosophy of Tommy Walker is to be curious about the world, is courteous to other people and is to be caring spreading love to the communities he lived in, the students he taught and to his family. His wife of 49 years Marie, and his sons Michael and David, and his grandchildren. I am certain they have benefited much from Tommy’ s philosophy.
The word philosopher comes from Greek, by way of Latin and it means lover of wisdom. Proverbs 3:13 says “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom.” The Lord blessed us football players who were searching for an easy class for we found a philosopher named Tommy Walker.
Now half a century after we found his class, we are laying this good man is laid to rest. And on this day the Lord is still blessing us to be curious, blessing us to be courteous, and blessings us to be caring as we live out the philosophy of wisdom taught to us by Tommy Walker.
Use this link to listen to Tommy Walker: A Philosopher Of Wisdom
Dorothy Ann Daniel A Godly Questioner
God created questions to help us discover, illuminate and to grow stronger in our faith. “Where are you?” from Genesis 3:9 is the first question asked in scripture. In that question God provides Adam the means to discover the depts of his sin. When the Lord asks Moses “What’s In Your Hand?” in Exodus 4:2, the power that the Lord has given him is illuminated. “Who do they say I am?” when asked by Jesus in Matthew 16:15 is a gateway for us to grow stronger in our faith as Peter provides us with the answer “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
When the voice of the Lord asked in Isaiah 6:8 “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Dorothy Ann Daniel answered the call. In answering the call Sister Daniel brought questions with her. I can never recall a meeting, a Sunday School class, or a Bible Study where she did not ask a question. Her questions were not trivial they were Godly for they help all of us there to discover, illuminate and grow stronger in our faith.
Last Saturday, Sister Daniel was rewarded for a lifetime of asking Godly questions as she when home to be with the Lord. As she is memorialized and laid to rest today, I am thankful to God for the discovery, the illumination, and the faith of Dorothy Ann Daniel, a Godly questioner.
What Happens When Back People Do Bad Things To Other Back People
Jesus has told us to love our neighbor as we would love ourselves. (Matthew 22:39) So, as I pray, I am also asking God to help us to keep and, in some cases, start for the first time loving our neighbor regardless of race or creed. For if we do that then black people will stop doing bad things to other black people.
Prayer, Football, Prayer
Let’s Go Another Way
As we start a new year there will be great temptation to hitch our start to the galaxy of other stars who follow the same path. However, we need to be like the wise men taking God’s instruction to go another way. For when go another way we flee the evil of Herod and instead bask in the light of God’s lone star of rightness.
What Is Christmas All About?
When I was growing up the three things that told me that Christmas time was here was the celebration of my sister’s birthday on December 17th, getting out of school on whatever date it may happen to be and watching the animated special “A Charlie Brown Christmas” on television. Throughout the special Charlie Brown expresses his inability to get into the “Christmas Spirit” he is depressed because despite all the trappings of the season he really does not understand what Christmas is all about.
Billy Collins: A Lifetime Of Blessing Those Who Morn
“Blessed Are Those Who Mourn, for They Will be Comforted” This is Jesus’ recognition in Matthew 5:4 that our spirit are actually lifted when we mourn which is our emotional response to sorrow
For most of his life Billy Collins lived out this beatitude by simply being with the people of Gray and Jones County at their most tender time, the days after the death of a loved one. Following in the footsteps of his parents Billy gave blessings to those who morn as part of the family business Collins Funeral Home.
Praying For Herschel
There Is No Thanksgiving Without Faith
Jesus wants us to taste the sweetness of God’s character, so that we know that we know that God is merciful, that God sees us, that God knows us, and that God wants us to depend on that Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot cure.
The table is set the feast is ready.
So, as we pause for a time of thanksgiving let us not forget our faith.
The Conventional Mistake Of Making The Unconventional Jesus Conventional
In Luke chapter 15 the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complained that Jesus was associating with tax collectors and other notorious sinners, even eating with them.
In judging Jesus’s behavior, the Pharisees committed the same mistake we often make, that is trying to put Jesus in a conventional box. A box that we have tailored to the way we have come to believe by custom, tradition and bad teaching of the way Jesus should be.
“Blessed Are The Peacemakers”
The Word of the Lord reminds us “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God”. A shooting at a congressional baseball practice, the storming of the capital, an attempted murder plot against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, the attack on Paul Pelosi. All infused in an atmosphere of election deniers and conspiracy theorist reminds us that in politics peacemakers are difficult to come by.
It Is Time For Us To Vote
Lost In Plain Sight
Did You Know That Jesus Is A Foodie?
Rejected Not Served
Serving 69 million customers in 100 countries daily, McDonald’s is the world’s largest restaurant chain. Although the golden arches sign out front says billions served, MickeyD’s does not serve everyone. Come in shirtless you are rejected not served; no shoes rejected not served. If you come in without money for Ronald? You guested it rejected not served.
