Facebook Fun

I moved a lot when growing up. We moved to different towns the following times when I was young:

middle of first grade,
middle of the second grade,
after third grade,
middle of sixth grade,
after the ninth grade,
after the tenth grade,
before the eleventh grade.

How's that for bouncing around. I attended three different high schools in three states.

Now here is where the Facebook fun comes in. I have friends who graduated in 1975 (my year) from Corinth High School, Tallassee High School and Ouachita Parish High School. I actually attended Ouachita my last two years and graduated with that group. However, I have had no contact with most of them for the past thirty-five years.

During the past several months I have connected with several classmates from my high school in Louisiana. I have also been able to connect with a few from Tallassee, Alabama. Though I would like to connect with more. Though I had tried several times to find some friends from my Corinth, Mississippi days I always came up short. That is, until this past week. I finally connected with a few old classmates and that has opened the door to many more.

Though we will likely never be close, due to a number of reasons, it is still a lot of fun to catch up a little bit. It stirs the memories and warms the heart about places, things, events and people from years ago. It is a great reminder that our lives are constantly interacting with others. And each connection leaves an impression, either large or small. Those connections help to form the history of our lives.

I am not trying to be philosophical, but I do want to say thanks to all who have made an impact on my life throughout the years, be it large or small. Each of you are a part of my life story. I hope, as I move forward, that I will be more sensitive to the positive place that others will have in my life.

So . . . thanks Facebook, for helping me reconnect with a part of my story that has faded, but is not forgotten. A part of my story that is still bringing me great joy.

Heading for LA

Jan and I will be making a quick trip to LA (Lower Arkansas) on Saturday to attend a one-day reunion with her mom's family. We'll spend more time traveling than actually there, but it will be worth it. There is no way to put a price tag on family. It's a blessing that her family enjoys getting together and makes the effort to do so. I will enjoy visiting with many whom I have known for thirty-six years, and will likely meet others for the first time. Such is the nature of major family reunions. I'm also looking forward to some wonderful food. There definitely are some good cooks in that clan.

We will be back Saturday night and are looking forward to being with the HDBC family on Sunday. I will continue the sermon series, Q & A. Join us, if you can, Sunday morning at 8:30 or 10:45.

Busy Days

Just a quick note about Vacation Bible School last week. It was a big success. We averaged 124 children each day. They were involved in crafts, Bible studies, worship, music, missions, games, and much more. A big thanks to LeAnne Barnett (this year's director) and Shay Caldwell (HDBC's Children's Minister), along with dozens of volunteers. It was a fantastic week.

What Next? This week our Jr. and Sr. high students are attending Super Summer at Ouachita Baptist University. Sunday night, June 27 our choir will present a "Concert of Favorites." July 9th-10th will be our third annual Sports and More Camp for kids. Several Kids Days are planned throughout the summer, as well. Later a group will attend CentriKid Camp in Clinton, MS.

Busy Days? Yep. But each event is designed with a purpose.

Looking for a great place for your kids or youth to be involved in healthy, wholesome activities? Check us out at www.hdbc.org/kids and www.hdbc.org/students.

VBS 2010

Vacation Bible School has been an annual tradition at HDBC for decades. Each summer we set aside a week for intensive Bible training for the children in our community and church. We combine music, snacks, skits, crafts, videos, Bible memorization, games and much more in a comprehensive effort to share the love of God with these precious children. This year's VBS kicked off this morning with a great start. Kids from all over the area have assembled in our facilities and are having a great time. It is truly a joy for us to serve these children and their families.

What a Country!

Yakov Smirnoff has not only built a comedy routine around the phrase, "What a country," but has also become identified with that phrase. He was born in Odessa, Ukraine to a Jewish family. He immigrated to the United States in 1977 and became a citizen in 1986. He is a first generation immigrant, who has proven that success is still available for those willing to work. By the way, he also immigrated to this nation the right way. He respected and followed our laws on the way to securing American citizenship through the proper channels. What a strange idea to some who claim that we should open our borders and citizenship to any and all without conditions.

I am thinking about this today because my wife is on a plane with a group of her students heading for Washington DC. They will spend the next four days touring our nation's capital and learning about its founding principles. They will most certainly gain a greater appreciation for this great land and for the vision which its founders had. One key to a free and prosperous future is a clear memory of our historic past. Let us never forget the roots out of which this marvelous nation has grown and blessed the world.

God bless America . . . and may America be a blessing to God.

Students on Missions

This week we have 22 students and 6 adults on a mission project in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. I'm so proud of these students for giving their time and money in order to serve others. They are learning that it is not all about themselves. They will be experiencing first-hand what it means to reach out and touch others with the love if Jesus. I look forward to hearing how God is going to work in their lives.

Q & A

Questions. They are a regular part of our vocabulary. Try to imagine what it would be like to go through a day without asking a single question. It would certainly be an interesting experience. We ask questions for a number of reasons. We ask a question when we need information. We ask questions to stimulate thought. We ask questions to motivate. We ask questions to direct conversations. We ask questions to cast doubt.

Jesus was a master at using questions as conversation starters. Throughout the four biographies of his life in the New Testament we find Him asking questions. This coming Sunday I will begin a new sermon series to consider some of those questions. Join us if you can. You can learn a lot from a Q & A with Jesus.