In 1974, Coach Henderson taught the Driver’s Education course at Cherokee High School in Canton, Georgia. Perhaps he possessed a first name, but we all called him “Coach.”

His real job was managing the football team’s offensive line. During the school day, however, he also taught teenagers how to drive. Fortunately, he was better at the latter than the former since the Warriors went 2-8 that year.

Students spent time in the classroom before graduating to an actual automobile. We learned the rules of the road and traffic signs in preparation for the driving exam. Decades before computer simulators, novice drivers practiced in mock-ups of car interiors. A battery of tests checked visual and aural acuity.

The local Ford dealership in Canton supplied the school with a fleet of cars. Coach Henderson would pile four students in the car, and off we would go. Little wonder that the hair he had not already pulled out turned prematurely grey.

I learned many valuable lessons in Driver’s Education. Most primarily pertained to operating a motor vehicle; however, a few lessons possessed a wider life application. I didn’t learn everything I needed to know in Driver’s Ed, but some of the lessons have continued to inform me over the years.

Coach Henderson always stressed keeping one’s eyes on the road. Over and again he would recite: “The car will go wherever you look.” This dictum applies both on and off the road. Vision determines life’s direction. Fixing one’s sight on a higher goal guarantees personal growth. Glance to the side and you can end up in a ditch. Look backwards too long and no progress is made at all.

Another Henderson adage warned: “Where there is a ball, there is a boy.” If a ball bounces into the street, then a child is almost always in close pursuit. Several times I have slammed on the brakes moments before I actually saw a child darting out into the road. The coach’s advice has saved more than a few lives over the years. If we pay attention, most trouble can be avoided before it begins.

When in danger, Coach Henderson drummed into our heads: “Use your brakes AND your steering wheel.” Most drivers react to danger by locking down the brakes. Following Newton’s Law of Inertia, however, cars in motion tend to stay in motion. Even in an era of antilock systems, braking alone is not always enough. Coach taught us that many accidents can be avoided by steering around the obstacle. His words have saved me on more than one occasion. If you’re headed for a collision in life, consider taking a new direction.

Coach Henderson taught us that defensive drivers look a long distance down the road. Both rookies and pros make the mistake of focusing on the car immediately in front of them. At highway speeds, however, reactions occur in split seconds. Good drivers anticipate situations by glancing further down the road. Cultivating a greater perspective is always a good idea.

Teenage drivers think they know it all; and I was no exception. I did not appreciate the lessons Coach Henderson taught our class forty-some-odd years ago. However, these basic rules continue to inform my driving and life.

• Watch where you’re going.
• Most accidents can be avoided.
• Consider a new direction.
• Maintain your perspective.

Oh, and don’t forget to enjoy the ride!

Summer vacation has disappeared like morning dew in the dog days of July. Family trips to the beach, lake, and mountains are nothing more than distant memories. Area students and teachers are already preparing for school to start.

During my childhood, students enjoyed a three-month summer vacation before returning to class around Labor Day. Teachers gathered one week beforehand for a mysterious rite known as “pre-planning.” During Open House, we excitedly perused the student rosters posted outside the classrooms. Then we received a list of required school supplies.

My father worked for Sears-Roebuck and Company, so his employee discount guaranteed our customer loyalty. We rode in the family station wagon to the local mall for back-to-school shopping. In those days, Sears strategically placed snack bars in the center of the stores. I still associate the start of school with the aromatic mélange of Spanish nuts, popcorn, and fruit slices.

My mother and sister spent interminable hours looking at new clothes. I could have cared less. Three pairs of blue jeans and a few shirts met most of my fashion needs. The Sears’ brand “Toughskins” jeans featured double-layered knees for active boys. The new denim stunk with chemicals, and the stiff fabric chaffed in unmentionable places until softened by a washing machine.

The only apparel item that really interested me was a new pair of tennis shoes; but not just any tennis shoes. I insisted on wearing Keds—“the shoes of Champions.” The commercials promised that the sneakers enabled the wearer to “run faster and jump higher!” With my laced-up tennies, I could race the wind and win while leaping broad canyons with ease.

After enduring the ordeal of clothes shopping, we would visit the school supply section. We selected three-ring binders with heavy-duty denim covers. The rings snapped shut with the force of a mouse trap. Many an unwary child bore the scars of such encounters.

Our writing utensil of choice was the Ticonderoga # 2 lead pencil. No doubt Moses employed the same instrument while inscribing the Ten Commandments. We used the pencils until they were one inch nubs that became lost with the turn of a pencil sharpener.

Discriminating students only used Blue Horse notebook paper. We saved the Blue Horse labels and dreamed of exchanging the accumulated points for neat rewards. Looking back, I do not recall ever actually redeeming a prize with the coveted labels. Nevertheless, they formed the stuff of many a school daydream.

Each year we bought plastic rulers marked off in fractions of an inch. This was long before the metric system had been invented. A zippered pencil container snapped into a notebook. We filled it with pink erasers the size of Matchbox cars. On one memorable occasion, I also got a miniature stapler complete with a box of micro-staples. I immediately mutilated a fingertip with the device.

Other supply list standards included a compass and protractor. I had served a tour of duty in the Cub Scouts and could not understand the need for the former. Knowing the direction of magnetic north seemed useless in a classroom setting. Only later did I discover that a compass was the pointy thing with a golf pencil that drew circles.

The school provided everything else deemed essential for our education. The most important items, however, never appeared on any supply list. My best teachers supplied me with a love of learning, thirst for knowledge, and belief in self. These dedicated educators invested their hearts and souls into their students; and the return on their investment proved to be invaluable.

Christa McAuliffe, the elementary school teacher who lost her life on the space shuttle Challenger, once said: “I touch the future—I teach.” At the beginning of a new school year, I am thankful for those men and women who are teaching a new generation of students in our classrooms. May God supply their every need.

Our attitude in the morning shapes the entire day. We can awake by saying Good morning, Lord! or Good Lord, it’s morning! Consider starting each day with a cup overflowing with thanksgiving. Thank God for

• A good night’s sleep

Children effortlessly enjoy peaceful slumber, but adults count sleep as a precious gift. Like many blessings, we only recognize the grace in hindsight.

• Electricity  

Flip a switch to turn on the lights. Adjust the thermostat to make it more comfortable. Turn on the TV to check the weather. We take modern conveniences for granted, but recall the last thunder storm or winter blizzard when the power disappeared.

• Water

Twist the faucet and limitless water flows from the tap. In contrast, I visited a Honduran village where the people carried water from a community well. However, Americans don’t bother to turn off the spigot while brushing our teeth.

• Potable Water

Americans can travel across the United States and drink pure water without a care. Overseas travelers quickly discover this is the exception rather than the rule.

• Hot Water

God bless the inventor of the water heater! (Note to readers: it’s an exercise in repetitious redundancy to say HOT water heater. J) Back in the day of heating water on wood stoves, people considered warm baths an indulgence. What were once occasional luxuries are now daily necessities.

• Coffee

Maybe coffee shouldn’t make the list, but many people cannot face the day without a shot of java. One Christian author called caffeine the “Christian drug,” socially acceptable and readily available at church. I must confess to sipping a cup of joe while writing this blog.

•   Food

Ever grumbled “There’s nothing to eat” while staring into a full frig or packed pantry?  For most, this is an exercise in hyperbole; for some, this is a reality of poverty.

An old hymn encourages God’s people:

Count your many blessings, name them one by one.

Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

Starting each morning with an attitude of gratitude can transform the entire day.

During a contentious debate, the moderator shared this wisdom: “I encourage you to share your stories before taking your stands.”

Humans who live east of Eden’s gates tend to be a quarrelsome and cantankerous people. Name a topic, and we possess a fiercely held opinion. Ask, and we’re glad to share it . . . and most times, we don’t have to be asked.

Name the subject, and we’re ready to take a stand.

In the process, we cast the debate into a binary polarity of right and wrong, good and bad, yes and no, me and you. No middle ground can be found because none is recognized.

For example, here’s a line I occasionally use in the midst of a heated discussion: “I’m not trying to argue with you. I’m just explaining why you’re WRONG!”

Hear again the advice: “I encourage you to share your stories before taking your stands.”

What would it look like in our lives if we took the time to share our personal narratives before a heated debate? Maybe knowing the other person’s backstory would change our perspective if not our mind.

• The antiwar pacifist lost his son in Gulf War 1.
• The pro-life demonstrator endured a backroom abortion as a teenager, and the physical and mental scars remain decades later.
• The guns rights’ advocate survived three home burglaries during his adolescence.
• A mother doesn’t discipline her out-of-control children because her father physically abused her as a child.
• The homeless beggar on the interstate ramp suffers PTSD from his years serving in the United States’ military.
• The gay rights activist’s daughter came out of the closet last year.
• The gay rights opponent’s son came out of the closet last year.
• The person picketing for prayer in school sees the nation sliding into irreligious society.
• The person picketing against the Ten Commandments in courthouses treasures the separation of church and state.
• The Hillary-loving-yellow-dog-Democrat believes his party represents the down and out.
• The Trump-make-America-great-again-Republican believes her party emphasizes individual responsibility.
• The woman with the shaved head and blue dots just finished her second radiation treatment.
• The ‘tatted, pierced, and gauged young adult volunteers as a mentor at the local elementary school.

Share your stories before taking your stands.

You might be surprised by what you hear before you speak.

How much time does it take to build a worship service? The answer depends on location, style, and setting. However, the number of hours might surprise you. Consider a typical 11:00 worship service at First United Methodist of Lawrenceville.

The worship team plans months in advance. For example, we have already planned each Sunday through the end of the year and have begun discussing 2017. It’s a very soft number, but put down 10 hours for conceiving a worship series along with its component sermons.

The Worship Team meets on a weekly basis for at least an hour. We spend time prayerfully reviewing the past week’s service, asking one another about “God moments” and lessons learned. Then we consider in detail the upcoming services for the next three weeks. So figure 3 hours per service in the planning meetings.

The Sanctuary Choir sings at our 11:00 worship services. The members spend about 2 hours over a 4 week period rehearsing an anthem. 50 members typically sing on any given Sunday morning. So 50 people x 2 hours = 100 hours per anthem.

Smaller groups and ensembles often perform at the services—men’s or women’s choirs, the children’s chorus, the hand bell choir, and others. One could easily add another 25-50 hours for these pieces of special music.

It’s difficult to guesstimate a time value for trained musicians. A lifetime of education, practice, and experience is represented in every worship service.  Each musical piece distills countless hours. For the sake of this blog, say 20 hours per week.

I’ve never clocked how much time it takes to prepare a “normal” sermon because no sermon is normal! Sometimes the sentences flow like the Holy Spirit’s hands are on the keyboard. Other times the words sluggishly pour out like molasses in January. Also, I tend to do research and writing over a period of weeks. For the sake of this conversation, say 6-8 hours of composition.

Then there’s sermon practice. I read over the manuscript repeatedly before rehearsing in the sanctuary. If you’re ever bored, drop in some Wednesday or Thursday morning for a preview of Sunday’s homily. Then I preach it for our Yorkshire Terrier, Sam, several times at home on Saturday. I recite the words while falling asleep Saturday night and go over it again on the way to church Sunday morning. Maybe a total of 3-4 hours.

So many others also invest time in the worship service. Liturgists prepare prayers, creeds, responsive readings, and more. Audio/visual technicians and volunteers operate lights, PowerPoint, and video. Custodial personnel open the building, turn on lights, and check thermostats. Volunteers serve as greeters, ushers, acolytes, altar guild, etc.

I’ve described a typical 11:00 Sunday morning worship service at our congregation; and we have five worship services weekly. What’s the final total? God only knows. Each hour in a worship service represents literally hundreds of hours in preparation.

Cost for a Sunday worship service: countless hours.

Worshiping the living Lord: PRICELESS.

I serve the First United Methodist Church of Lawrenceville. The church’s mission statement declares:

Making disciples of Jesus Christ who

Love God,

Love Others,

and Reach the World.

Most of the members know this statement by heart. It appears constantly in our printed material, Internet presence, social media, and more. This is our reason for being, the core of our identity, and the essence of our DNA.

We exist to make disciples of Jesus Christ. The second part of the mission statement describes three holy practices to facilitate this goal:

• Love God:                  Worship
• Love Others:              Small Groups
• Reach the World:      Service

We believe these three spiritual disciplines are essential to Christian discipleship. We love God through corporate worship which is a unique experience which cannot be replicated, duplicated, simulated, or substituted. We love others in small groups where we love and are loved, know and are known. We reach the world through service in our congregation and community.

So how do we apply these disciplines in daily life? One simple plan is called Worship Plus Two. Christian disciples invest a MINIMUM of three hours each week to Love God, Love Others, and Reach the World.

Note that I used the word “minimum” because the minimum is pretty minimal!

We all get 168 hours per week—no more, no less. In an ideal world, we would get 8 hours of sleep per night which equals 56 hours weekly. So this leaves us with 112 hours awake.

Three hours a week is only 2.675% of our time awake! This isn’t much. If you want to dedicate a tithe or tenth of your waking hours to God, then you would need to increase this time to 11.2 hours per week. 2.675% of our waking hours doesn’t sound like much time; but frankly many church members do not commit even these few minutes to God.

To use a sticky quote by Mark Batterson: We all want to spend eternity with God. We just don’t want to spend time with Him! (All In, p. 77)

Worship Plus Two is simply a way of restating our church’s mission statement: Making Disciples of Jesus Christ who Love God, Love Others, and Reach the World. Worship Plus Two means we spend a minimum of one hour per week in corporate worship, small groups, and service.

So . . . how much time will you spend with God this week?

We recently came home to find this letter on the counter from our 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 June.

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 front door 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 tiles.

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

Lord God of liberation and healing,

You saw your people suffering in Egypt

and delivered them from captivity and death.

You continue to see works of violence and weep.

Soothe the suffering of your children in Orlando.

Grant those who are hurting healing of body

and those who are grieving peace of mind.

Restore in all of us

a renewed faith in your protection and care.

Protect us from the violence of others

and the hatred we harbor within our own hearts.

Guard us with Your tranquility, safety, and peace.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Adapted from The United Methodist Book of Worship

This week I am attending the North Georgia Annual Conference in Athens—Georgia, not Greece. Clergy and laity from across the state are gathered to discuss God’s work in the United Methodist Church. Annual Conference is a unique blend of business, worship, reunion, revival, celebration, and remembrance.

Traditionally, the final order of business is the fixing of appointments. (The phrase somehow suggests that the previous pastoral appointments were broken.)

In the old days (and please note I did NOT add “good”), the bishop announced the church appointments during the closing moments of conference. Ministers, spouses, and church members waited anxiously for the bishop to read the list. Pastors appointed to a new church returned home to pack, preach, and then move the following Thursday.

Thankfully, the appointment system has changed over the years. Today’s consultation process begins in January. The bishop and district superintendents make the pastoral appointments in the spring followed by an adjustment session a few weeks later. By May, every minister and church knows what to expect. This Thursday the fixing of appointments will only be a formality.

One of the unique characteristics of the United Methodist Church is that clergy are itinerant ministers. “Itinerant” literally means to travel from place to place. The bishop who oversees a geographical area appoints ordained elders to serve in local churches. This form of deploying pastors enjoys a long and rich history in our denomination.

The appointive process has changed over the decades with the evolving needs of church and culture. At one point, ministers never stayed over one year at a particular church or circuit. In my lifetime, the maximum time increased to four years. Today there is a growing recognition of the value of long-term pastorates.

Despite the changes, however, each ordained elder in the United Methodist Church is still an itinerant minister who promises to go where we’re sent. At ordination, we are asked: Do you offer yourself without reservation to be appointed and to serve as the appointive authority may determine? And we answer Yes!

In many ways, it is like signing a blank check with the currency of your life . . . and your family’s life. Elders place themselves under a bishop’s authority to serve anywhere within the bounds of an annual conference. This is a scary proposition. However, we believe that God works in, thru, and sometimes despite the appointive process.

I once heard a minister say: It is the worst system in the world—except for all of the rest of them! Most Methodist clergy would say, Amen!

Please understand that I am not complaining. The strengths of our appointive process far outweigh the weaknesses. Overall, I have seen God’s hand at work through the itinerant ministry.

I thank God for the continued opportunity in the coming year to serve the First United Methodist Church of Lawrenceville. The Lord has exciting plans in store for our congregation. However, I also realize that the same system that brought me to Lawrenceville will someday send me elsewhere.

When Jesus called the first disciples, he simply said: Follow me. We don’t know what the future might hold, but we know who holds the future. And that’s enough.

As an ordained minister, I often visit parishioners in the hospital. Over three decades of pastoral ministry, I have learned some important things to do—and NOT do—during a visit. During your next visit to a hospital, remember these Hospital Rules.

By definition, healthy people don’t check into hospitals. Patients  feel bad—if they felt good, then no doubt they would go home. In hospital visits, follow the KISS method: Keep It Short, Silly. When it comes to hospital visitation, less is more. Five minutes may be plenty. After ten minutes, most visitors have outstayed their welcome.

Keep the visit upbeat and positive. The patient does NOT want to hear about your Aunt Gertrude’s struggles with the same ailment—ESPECIALLY if the story concludes, “But I’m sure they can treat it NOW!” For some reason, people experience a morbid desire to share medical horror stories with patients. One word of advice: DON’T!

Hospitals expend an inordinate amount of time, work, and money to maintain a sterile environment. One careless person off the street can foil an institution’s finest efforts. No one wants to make a sick person sicker. Don’t visit someone in the hospital if you are ill. Visitors should wash their hands BEFORE and AFTER visiting a patient. Many hospitals also provide hand sanitizer throughout the facilities.

If a sign on the door says No Visitors Allowed, this DOES mean YOU. Sign the sheet and respect the patient’s wishes. If extraordinary measures are required before entering a room, chances are good that you don’t need to enter the room.

Doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel work diligently to provide the best possible care. Frankly, visitors often get in the way. Don’t enter a room while a patient is receiving treatment. If a nurse or doctor enters the room, offer to leave. A patient does not need more than two or three visitors. In the past, I have visited some rooms that resembled a family reunion or neighborhood block party.

In most cases, children and hospitals don’t mix. It’s not the child’s fault—kids act like kids. Adults ought to know better, however. Exceptions do exist. A child might enjoy a brief visit to see parents or grandparents; and big brothers and sisters certainly want to see their newest siblings. Otherwise, leave the children at home.

Did I mention the patient doesn’t feel well? Never sit on the edge of a hospital bed because you might hurt the bedridden person. Don’t grab a patient’s hand without checking carefully for IV lines. Scan the bedside for IV stands, catheter lines, and drainage bags. Resist the temptation to lean over the bed railing for a hug or kiss. And while we’re on the subject of kisses, your mouth may contain more germs than your hands!

Visit on the patient’s timetable and not your own. Don’t go early in the morning or late at night. It’s also best to avoid mealtimes. If a patient is asleep, don’t wake the person up to visit with you.

Honor the patient’s confidentiality. Many people would prefer to remain incognito during their hospital stay. They certainly don’t want the intimate details of their condition broadcast to the general public.

Under the category of “You shouldn’t have to tell folk this,” here are a few other reminders: don’t use the patient’s bathroom, throw away trash, don’t smoke, chew, or dip tobacco, never visit while “under the influence,” leave all weapons at home, and don’t smuggle forbidden food to the patient. (Hospitals post these rules because folk have broken them in the past.)

Most of all, remember that the patient’s wellbeing is the first and foremost priority. This isn’t about you, it’s about them. The Golden Rule applies to hospital visitation: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.