The New Testament contains four gospels that proclaim God’s Good News. As evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote their accounts to introduce people to Jesus Christ.

Over the centuries, others have retold the gospel story in a rich variety of ways. Jesus’ life has been portrayed through paintings, sculptures, frescoes, stained glass, operas, musicals, and novels. Although the medium changes with time, the message endures through eternity.

In our post-modern world, Christian authors continue to seek fresh, new ways to tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love. Our August worship series is based on a book by James Kemp entitled The Gospel According to Dr. Seuss. The sermons will include:

• August 5 The Cat in the Hat
• August 12 Green Eggs and Ham
• August 19 Because a Little Bug Went Ka-choo!
• August 26 You’re Only Old Once

God’s children of all ages are invited to join us each Sunday in August.

(During summer reruns on TV, Bill decided to share some previous blogs by the family’s Yorkshire Terrier, Sam.)

Dear Kibble and Treat Providers,

While you were gone . . .

Someone accidentally had an accident accidentally in the house. However, don’t worry—it occurred in the guest bedroom closet where no one will notice for days.

Someone tore all of the stuffing out of my friend, Frog, and strewed it across the den floor like polyester snowflakes in July.

Someone jumped up on the neatly made bed and scratched the bedspread into a comfy nest for napping.

Someone scattered dog food across the kitchen floor in order to find just the right kibble to nibble.

Someone sloshed water out of the dog bowl while getting a drink.

Someone left nose prints on the  glass while barking at the evil mail man.

Someone perched on top of the sofa pillows as a watchtower to guard the house.

Someone got into the bathroom wastebasket—AGAIN—and dumped Kleenex, Q-tips, and cotton balls on the floor.

Someone grabbed the end of the toilet paper roll and ran through the house with it streaming behind him.

Someone couldn’t wait for you to get home and greeted you at the door with twists, turns, yips, and kisses.

Someone promises none of these things will EVER happen again . . . well, at least until you are gone the next time.

Love,

Sam

(During summer reruns on TV, Bill decided to share some previous blogs by the family’s Yorkshire Terrier, Sam. Views expressed by the canine in no way reflect the blogger’s opinions.)

I don’t get the whole “views expressed by the canine” disclaimer. I see the world from eight inches off the floor—of course our views on things differ. DUH!

We’ve been together for almost 11 years now. I adopted the family while still a pup. I surprised them on a Christmas morning when Santa brought me down the chimney. Forget electronics, clothes, or jewelry—the best presents love you back.

I don’t demand much in return—kibble, treats, walks, and tummy rubs keep me happy. Humans could learn something about contentment from their canine companions.

My humans treat me to a spa treatment every six weeks. The cosmetician gives me a cut and wash before spritzing me with cologne. Then she ties a bandana around my neck.

I hate bandanas.

I also despise having my nails done. Despite my vocal protests, the woman insists on clipping my paws. One time she tried to buff my nails with a Dremel grinder. A lift of the lip and a flash of my teeth convinced her otherwise.

In a just cosmos, the Top Dog would send pet groomers to their own special corner of hell. Let’s just see how they like having their glands squeezed for all of eternity!

Until I properly trained them, my family only fed me twice daily. Puh-lease! I’ve watched the man of the house—he eats three meals a day and snacks in between. Why should I be treated different?

Don’t get me wrong—I still tip the scales at a svelte 12 pounds. However, I like the security of food in my bowl 24/7/365.

Even if it’s full, I like to scratch the floor beside my bowl. This informs any human within hearing range that it’s time for His Highness to dine. I insist the nearest non-canine top off the bowl with fresh food—yet another endearing practice that my humans adore.

Over the years, I’ve accumulated a basket of squeaky toys. I occasionally treat my humans to a tug-of-war game. I’ve been best friends with Moo-Cow for years. I drag her into the middle of the floor and tear out her stuffing before snuggling together. Love’s complicated sometimes.

Humans LOVE to do tricks. After my human pulls a treat out of the box, I’ve trained him to hold it over my head and say “Sit!” Then I hold out my paw, and he’s learned to shake hands. Dropping on my stomach cues him to say “Down!” Finally, I allow him to give me a treat.

Like I said last time, it’s a dog’s life, and I’m not complaining. The Great Master in the Sky has blessed my family richly. Between you and me, I believe the Hound of Heaven has a soft spot for canines.

Think about it—“dog” is “God” spelled backwards. Coincidence? I don’t think so!

(During summer reruns on TV, Bill decided to share some previous blogs by the family’s Yorkshire Terrier, Sam. Views expressed by the canine in no way reflect his master’s opinions.)

Before we begin, let me apologize for the whole “master” complex of my “owner.” Puh-lease! We all know who is really in control. However, I’ve learned from watching his wife that it doesn’t hurt to let the man THINK that he’s in charge.

In his defense, he’s a lovable sort—slow but trainable. After weeks of effort, he finally learned to give me a dog biscuit whenever I sat, shook, or rolled over.

It took longer on the house training. I committed a number of indiscretions on the carpet before he finally figured out the routine. Now he takes me outside on a regular schedule. One glance at the front door, and he comes running.

We use a leash on our walks. I’ve found this is the best way to keep my human from wandering away. A short tug of the lead gets his attention; but the leash still wraps around his legs if he doesn’t turn quickly enough.

Why are people in such a hurry? A walk involves so much more than locomotion and elimination. God’s creation calls us to play. The scent of each bush, tree, and hydrant reveals cosmic mysteries. Sigh—so many smells to smell and so little time to smell them.

Speaking of smells, so what if I enjoy an occasional roll in something stinky—who doesn’t? The best opportunities always seem to occur right after a bath. For some unfathomable reason, this practice upsets my humans. I imagine they would be less stressed if they followed my example.

Don’t get me started on squirrels. They act so high and mighty with their bushy tails and twitching noses. Lucky for them I keep my people on a leash while I’m outside. Otherwise, I would be on them like white on a Maltese.

I love to go for rides. I sit in my man’s lap and drive. It’s tough to watch the road with my nose out the window, but I manage.

I am The Master of All I Survey. Sometimes strange people or animals dare to walk on the street in front of my house. Per dog decorum, I exercise my right and duty to announce my presence loudly. My family pretends to fuss about the barking, but I know that they treasure this endearing quality.

I may only weigh 12 pounds, but it’s not the size of the dog in the fight—it’s the size of the fight in the dog!

I’m waiting at the door when my people arrive at the end of the day. They always act so excited to see me. I indulge them with some dancing and prancing of my own. Humans love that sort of stuff.

At bedtime, I decide which human to grace with my presence in bed. They started me off in a crate followed by a dog bed. Puh-lease—get a grip and buy a clue. They can sleep in a crate while I snuggle under the covers.

It’s a dog’s life, and I’m not complaining. The Great Master in the Sky has blessed my family richly. Between you and me, I believe the Hound of Heaven has a soft spot for canines.

Think about it—“dog” is “God” spelled backwards. Coincidence? I don’t think so!

I recently passed another mile marker on the road to senior life. Last month I received a shingles’ vaccine.

I initially encountered the disease during my first pastoral appointment. An “elderly” member—who in hindsight was probably my age now—contracted the virus. He suffered horribly for months.

The disease causes weeping blisters that often appear on the stomach or back. According to an old wives’ tale, a rash encircling the trunk of the body will kill a victim. If it doesn’t kill them, then further suffering will make them wish that it had.

I determined early in life that shingles was an experience I would just as soon avoid.

Last fall the FDA approved a new shingles’ vaccine called “Shingrix.” Initial tests indicate a 90% efficacy for preventing the disease. Physicians encourage adults 50+ to get the two series shot. Since I narrowly qualify—ok, I overly qualify—I decided to follow the medical advice.

I received the initial shot in May. In the interests of full disclosure, it felt like a mule kicked me in the bicep for several days. However, I considered it a small price to pay. The second shot follows two to six months after the first.

Remember: a theological seminary and not a medical school bestowed my degree, so please check with your personal physician. As for me and my household, we hope to avoid the viral disease.

I’ve gotten my shingles’ vaccine; and to quote Bill Murray in Caddyshack: “So I got that goin’ for me, which is nice!”

*The author does not currently receive a cent for his personal endorsement. However, pharmaceutical agents are encouraged to contact him to make a deal!

Atlanta residents better know hedera helix by its more common name: English ivy. The green flame rivals kudzu’s ability to spread like fire. The vines can quickly cover trees, abandoned buildings, and slow moving children.

Some gardeners plant English ivy to stabilize steep banks. The ivy controls soil erosion in yards like General Sherman eliminated urban sprawl in Atlanta.

In addition, the lush ground cover provides an ideal habitat for insects, rodents, and snakes. When we first moved to Buckhead, neighbors warned us that copperheads love the dense vegetation.

Joy.

Sin is the English ivy of the spiritual life.

Evil begins as a small sprout but spreads quickly. Sin always proves deadly and destructive. Left unattended, it can overwhelm our lives and choke our souls.

Paul understood this reality when he wrote: The wages of sin is death.

Hedera helix sounds and looks beautiful. However, the invasive vine can run amok, and it’s difficult to eradicate. The BEST way to control English ivy is to never allow it to take root.

Turns out the same principle applies to sin.

Creating comparisons in the English language confuses many would-be linguists. Comparisons are typically—but not always—made in one of two ways.

Words with less than three syllables use the suffix –er for comparisions and –est for superlatives. Examples: “John is taller than Juan” or “Susie is the fastest person in her class.”

Words with three or more syllables are preceded by the modifiers “more” or “most.” Examples: “Sean is more effective than Jean” or “Katie is the most productive employee.”

Back in the day, our teachers insisted on these sacrosanct rules. However, today’s grammaticians are a more wishy-washy group who ambiguously mumble that words with two syllables can go either way.

One site advised that –er or –est should be used UNLESS the newly created words sound “awkward.” Well, THAT clears things up.

I confess to being a grammar geek, and one of my pet peeves is the incorrect use of comparisons. A recent commercial by a public utility invited people to become “More Cool.” Memo to the advertisers: it should read “Cooler.”

Others creatively combine comparisons. One meteorologist warned an approaching front might be “more stormier.” Sigh.

English is such a complicated language that exceptions always prove the rules. Comparisons have a subgroup of irregular words that march to the beat of their own drummers. Examples include: good (better and best), many (more and most), and bad (worse and worst).

Another group called “absolute adjectives” supersede any comparison. Consider words like “perfect” or “unique.” Nothing can exceed perfection. By definition, unique describes something that is beyond compare.

So be righter in your comparisons and most carefulest in your grammar. Otherwise, you might just end up looking like the most foolishest one of aller.

When this weekly blog began in 2015, I searched for an appropriate Scripture theme. I eventually chose Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 4:6-7:

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

Christians are jars of clay filled with God’s glory. It is a weighty responsibility to proclaim the gospel to others, but it is also a tremendous privilege. The Holy Spirit graces believers with the chance to be the one to make an eternal difference in others’ lives.

I am who I am today because of the examples of others yesterday. God has graced my life with wonderful saints who shared the gospel of Jesus Christ through word and deed.

Who served as midwives of faith in your life? See their faces. Speak their names. Recall their faithfulness. Give thanks to God.

AND be reminded by their example that we have the opportunity to be the one in someone else’s life.

Paul described the church as the body of Christ. We are Christ’s incarnate presence in the world. If God’s work gets done, it is because people like us are faithful to the task. One person can make an eternal difference; and WE can be the one.

Are you the one?

Be the one.

In many ways, clergy can be categorized as religious professionals. The church sets apart ordained ministers for specialized ministry. Worship, Bible study, prayer, fellowship, and mission form our job description. We are PAID to do the very things that all Christians are CALLED to do.

If pastors do not exercise great care, then church work can become a job rather than a vocation and a career rather than a calling.

Temptation constantly beckons to plan worship rather than worship; to lead prayer rather than pray; to practice sermon preparation rather than spiritual devotions; to prepare Bible study rather than study the Bible; to chair committees rather than provide leadership; to attend meetings rather than perform ministry; to preach sermons rather than practice what we preach.

Then again, maybe ministers aren’t so different from church members. There are times when we all act like professional Christians. Temptation constantly beckons us to go through the motions rather than experience the emotions; to keep the letter of the law rather than the spirit; to do church work rather than be the church. We begin looking for the minimum amount required rather than the maximum effort necessary.

Approaching our faith, do we possess a “HAVE TO,” “OUGHT TO,” or “GET TO” attitude? Choose carefully—the answer shapes our entire relationship with God.

I invite you to join me on a trip-of-a-lifetime to the Holy Land. Our church family along with other guests will visit Israel from March 27 to April 6, 2019.

Biblical scholars call the Holy Land The Fifth Gospel because geography so shapes the story of Scripture. Travel brings the Bible to life as pilgrims literally walk where Jesus walked.

I have traveled to Israel twice in the past, and both journeys transformed my understanding of the Christian faith. Indelible memories continue to mold my life and ministry. I look forward to the next trip with members of my Northside Church family.

The eleven day trip has been designed to cover as many Old and New Testament sites as possible, including destinations not typically included in a standard tour. The inclusive pricing includes first class hotels, deluxe motor coaches, guided tours, airfare, and much more.

For additional information, visit this link to see the full brochure that contains all of the details: www.NorthsideUMC.org/holyland

We will also have two no-obligation interest meetings this week on Wednesday, April 25, at 6:30 p.m. and Sunday, April 29, at 12:15 p.m. Both will occur in the Board Room of Northside United Methodist Church. A representative from our tour host, Educational Opportunities, will join me to discuss the trip.

During the Seder meal at Passover, a traditional, Jewish toast declares: Next year in Jerusalem! In 2019, we can make this dream a reality.