Category Archives: Jesus Christ Follower

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Vince Lombardi

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I have never been a Green Bay Packers nor a Vince Lombardi fan, but I have always had respect for them.

Several days ago, I watched an HBO special on Vince Lombardi. What a treat! I know the man probably cursed from time to time, but with years and years of video and video with audio, there was NOT one curse word from that man’s mouth as he spoke to his players, referees, etc.

He went to church (he was a devout Catholic) every day, and often times was the “altar boy” to the priest during services. He chose to do that as an adult. What service! Love was a part of his coaching philosophy, and none of his players that are alive today can deny that.  As a matter of fact, they seem very proud of it.

All coaches from professional league to pee-wee league need to read, watch, and listen to  Vince Lombardi’s teaching and coaching styles and incorporate them  into their professions. His coaching was lead by the Holy Spirit, and it translated from the locker room then on to the field.

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Olympia, Greece/Haven’s Son worship

. European Destinations, Family, Jesus Christ Follower, Spiritual Fitness . , , , , ,

Well, we were supposed to see and experience Olympia on October 13, 2011, the site of the original Olympic Games; however, the operators of the historical sites chose to go on strike. I decided to stay on the ship. I am posting some “post card-type” pictures, but they are not mine. That morning I had a spiritual experience, and that is what I am sharing with you all now. Have a blessed weekend during this blessed season of Advent leading to Christmas.

Revelation 21:23

The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. (NIV)

Thursday October 13, 2011

After a great night’s sleep on Wednesday, I arose to a new day around 6:45 am. I got my coffee and water, and jogged for 20 minutes aboard the Star Princess. When I finished, I enjoyed a good breakfast that I carried to just about the highest point where passengers are allowed. The full moon was setting on the west side of the ship, the sun was rising above the mountains east of Katakolon, Greece (our port of call), and I was in between enjoying my meal. I had been waiting and waiting for the sun to rise the whole time I jogged. On the same platform stood 4 Asians who I am pretty sure were Japanese. One of the men had a camera, and I was quite sure he was waiting for the sun to peek over the mountains so he could get a good photograph.

I had already said several morning prayers as I jogged, and I had asked God to bless my breakfast before I ate, but I had yet to bow my head in prayer or kneel in prayer as I often do. I looked at the Asian gentleman, and he was, indeed, snapping a few pictures of the peeking sun. The two women seemed a bit giddy, and one was waving her hands in an upward direction “encouraging” the sun to rise. I was amused. When the entire sun was above the mountain top, the other Asian woman placed her hands in a prayer position, faced the rising sun and made a grateful shoulder-bow while the other Asian woman did the same in front of her. The only time I have knelt publicly in prayer has been for communion at St. Martin’s. When I saw the women bow towards the sun, the Holy Spirit moved in me, and my heart started beating faster. I knew what the Spirit was encouraging me to do: I was to kneel in prayer and thank my Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ (God’s Son) for the new day in view of those people. I have always been a firm believer in “going to your closet” to pray, and I have. Prayer is VERY PERSONAL and should not be for show. I placed my plate on the bench, went down on bended knee, placed my hands in the prayer position, and thanked God for the day. I was immediately ENERGIZED in the Spirit. I gathered my things and I did not look back to see if the Asians had watched. However, if they did, I wanted them to know that I was a Son worshipper, and not a worshipper of our nearest star, the sun.

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Pope Benedict XVI Blessings

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St. Peter's Basilica Sunday October 23, 2011

On Sunday October 23, 2011, Ammon, Carter, and I got to see
Pope Benedict XVI. He was giving Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Square at the
Vatican. We are not Roman Catholic, but we share Christianity as a common bond,
and our Lord and Savior is Jesus Christ. It was a special moment to get to see
him and think of the 1,600 year old traditions of the Catholic Church. It will also be cool to share this with Carter and Ammon when they understand the Pope and what he represents to the world.

Pope Benedict XVI on the "Pope-Tron"

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“Peace be unto You”

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Jesus the Master Teacher: Lladró

John 20:26

“…Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in their
midst and said, ‘Peace be unto you.’”

As I said a few days ago, I wanted to introduce you to my
favorite piece of Lladró. In 2000, I landed in Spain June 7, and I returned
about June 27. For almost three weeks, I searched from Madrid to Málaga to
Santander back to Madrid for the perfect piece of Lladró that fit my budget and
my life. My next to the last day I found it: Jesus the Master Teacher. Not just
Jesus the Master Teacher, but Jesus my friend, my brother, and my Lord and
savior. I also got several other pieces.

Jesus sat on my Nanny’s sideboard until 2004 when we moved
into the house we live in now.  He then took his rightful place over the fireplace mantel that is in our living room which is situated in the middle of our house. No matter what season of the year it is or what seasonal decorations are in the living room Jesus doesn’t leave his place. All decorations as well as the entire house have Jesus as its center. It is symbolic because he needs to be the center of my peace and my life. I hope this picture helps you  fix yourself for a few moments on Jesus, and I
hope the words I’ve written fall upon your hearts  and help bring you peace today.

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Lladró (Porcelain, not a sneeze) ;o)

. Family, Jesus Christ Follower . , ,

In July of 1990, a friend of mine, Kim Legg, an American who
I met at the University of Madrid in Madrid, Spain asked me if I wanted to
accompany her to shop for some Lladró. If you don´t know, Lladró is porcelain
that is made exclusively in Valencia, Spain. It is also world renown. In 1990,
I had NEVER heard of Lladró, but I told Kim, “Sure. I will go and learn.” I
didn’t find any that I liked that day nor did I see any I wanted to buy until I
returned to Spain in 2000. It was then that I bought several pieces. I plan to
show my first and most important piece this coming Sunday.

The Father’s Day of 2008 Carter and Ammon were still
gestating. However, Sean and I bought each other a Father’s Day gift when we
were in New York City. It was two pieces of Lladró (both the same piece) by the
name “Fatherhood”.  Both of them are placed on our mantle, and it is a constant reminder of how God blessed me to be a father. I am in constant prayer that I will not let Him down.

In the next few weeks, I want to share some of my most treasured Lladró pieces with you. I hope you enjoy them.

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Gordon Temple & Suzanne Burch

. Christmas, Church, Jesus Christ Follower, Parenting . , , , , ,

The congregation of St. Martin of Tours Episcopal Church is gaining a full-time rector in June. We are losing our Interim Rector, Gordon Temple, and our deacon, Suzanne Burch. Please follow along and celebrate these precious human beings with me.

What do you all like in sermon from a preacher, rector, or priest? Do you want a sermon on philosophies on religion, or do you want to know how to live a religious filled life? St. Augustine a Christian from the 4th century believed reason to be a uniquely human cognitive capacity that comprehends deductive truths and logical necessity, and I have heard sermons associated to his infusion of Christian doctrine with Neoplatonism (most of us are like..’What the heck, and how can I apply that to my daily life?’) I have also seen and heard sermons from preachers/rectors who use works of Thomas Aquinas and his Summa Theologica (God’s thinking and willing, Aristotelian Ethics, and Jesus protects all in both Heaven and earth) and drone on and on for an hour about such. Folks, I don’t need religious philosophy to live by, I need every day acts that represent how we should serve God and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For approximately a year, God saw fit that the congregation of St. Martin of Tours in East Brainerd, Tennessee and I had our hearts and minds filled with these types of sermons from Father Gordon Temple.

When Jesus was here on earth, he taught with simple parables (everyday life situations that have heavenly meanings), and that is what I need and appreciate in a sermon. Those are the kinds of sermons Gordon Temple preaches.  I love Gordon’s sense of humor, his smile, his genuine concern for everyone around him, his love of family, and his love of children. The joy this man has in the tone of his voice and the sparkle he has in his eyes as he talks about his wife, his children, and his grandchildren are priceless. He simply loves children. On Father Gordon’s last Eucharist on Sunday, I was holding Carter when he handed me the communion bread. When Father Gordon blessed Carter and touched him on his forehead, Gordon had such a twinkle in his eye, and he tapped Carter on his nose. Carter’s face lit up with a grin. Gordon doesn’t think he is a good teacher in the classroom, but he is great. I don’t know how many times we went past the “hour allotted” in our Sunday school class because we had asked questions and we were intently discussing and enjoying his answers. I also love the fact that he was raised in Chattanooga. He is living history for all of us living in this city. Father Gordon, we love you, and you are an inspiration to all you come in contact with. Thank you for being a reflection of Jesus Christ and for being such a great preacher and shepherd for St. Martin’s.

Gordon Temple: May 15, 2011

We only saw Suzanne act as a deacon for a year, but we saw her love and enthusiasm for taking care of the physical needs of the St. Martin congregation and the community during the 2010 Christmas season. She was glowing during the whole month as we gathered and gave in the name of Jesus Christ in honor of his birthday. She like Gordon uses such finesse in weaving everyday thoughts and feelings into sermons from the Bible especially in the life of Jesus and how we should live like him. Wherever she goes, the congregation will be so lucky to have her. Suzanne, we love you and God bless you.

Suzanne Burch and Gordon Temple: May 15, 2011

A special thanks to our church buddy, Jerry Thurston, for taking these pictures on Sunday and sharing them with me so I can share them with you all.

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Good Friday

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Well, it’s almost noon on Good Friday. Jesus’ crucifixion had probably begun the 6th hour of the day as Apostle John records, and that would have been 6:00 in the morning. Jesus was so popular (remember his triumphant entry just a few days before there in Jerusalem), and the arrest, the trumped up charges in the “Jewish court”, the beatings and the questionings had been done in the early morning hours so the general public would have no idea Jesus was on trial. Jesus’ followers probably would have revolted, but it all happened according to God’s plan.

Jesus’ garments had been divided, Jesus had been taken down from the cross, and he had been placed in a tomb bought for him by Joseph of Arimathea. What a bleak and sad Friday for Jesus, his family, and his friends.  However, as we know, and as we should always remember, it is our “Good Friday”: the day our Jesus (the sacrificial lamb without sin) took on our sins so we could stand before our God cleansed, sinless, and as white as snow.