Shelby County Today

October 8, 2020 - We are all familiar with a number of old sayings. One of these is “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” It is in fact a phrase I have used on many occasions. Usually it was used to try and get a head start on eating something.

There is a passage of scripture in Psalms 34:8 that speaks to this where David says, “O taste and see that the Lord is Good.” David, you see, invites us to taste and see that the Lord is Good.

The entire spirit of Christianity is, “The Lord is good.” But how do we know this? Not by hearing what someone has said. Not by believing the words of others. We are to know by making trial ourselves.

Notice, David does not say “Taste and see IF the Lord is good.” He rather says, “Taste and see THAT the Lord is good.” There is no doubt, there is no question mark. It is a settled fact that the Lord is good. The story of the cross is the ultimate example of God’s love, in that He sent His only Son to die for me to cleanse me from sin. 

When we taste and see that the Lord is good, we can then live with the confidence of Paul, when he said, “and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.” (Romans 8:28)

It’s something to think about … tbp

Center Church of Christ
110 Hurst Street, Center, Texas
www.centerchurchofchrist.com

October 5, 2020 - Grace and peace from our brother Jesus, Amen. Sunday was World Communion Sunday. Christians from all around the world joined together in a Service of Communion and Remembrance. Paxton Methodist participated in this worldwide Christian event but with safety precautions in place. We are all masked, and I use hand sanitizer before offering Communion. Everyone stays seated while I bring each person a small Ziploc bag containing a sealed juice and a wafer; then I make another turn around to retrieve the packaging.

Paxton Methodist Church is meeting each Sunday wearing masks and practicing social distancing. Our music is just on piano and CD—no singing to spread germs. This week we enjoyed a modern version of “Ode to Joy” by Julio Iglesias. And, by the way, remember to get your flu shot this year! Especially with Covid still very much in our lives, you need to stay healthy every way you can. 

We have started the new month of October, now seven or eight months into this pandemic. Over two hundred thousand Americans have died from Covid 19. Our prayers go out to the President and First Lady and all who are or suffering or recuperating from this terrible disease. There are so many in our Shelby County area that have been sickened; some have died, leaving families grieving and heartbroken. Scientists and doctors agree that wearing masks and practicing social distancing could save tens of thousands of lives between now and the end of 2020. So wear a mask—it’s common sense and common decency.

In the month of October we will be collecting peanut butter and jelly. I delivered September’s macaroni and cheese, along with some checks from Paxton Methodist to Community Christian Services. I see so many friends and fellow educators volunteering when I go to CCS that my heart is warmed. CCS is having a huge food giveaway shortly: On Wednesday, October 7, from 9-11AM, they will have 1,000 boxes of produce, milk, and meat. There are no restrictions on income or age, no information from participants required, and Logansport folks are welcome.

The First Baptist Church of Joaquin has already started organizing the CCS Christmas gifts and clothing for children in need. With this terrible pandemic, the need will be greater than ever. Paxton Methodist supports their efforts financially, as a church and also individually. Sue and I adopt a student from the Angel Tree, buying clothes and gifts. Sue helps on giveaway day, translating between Spanish and English, working with Paula at the City Office when the Spanish gets too complicated for her.

Our new unit in Sunday School is called Our Mysterious but Approachable God. Gene read our scripture from Exodus 24: 1-12, which speaks of Moses, Aaron, and others who worshiped at the holy mountain. Here, Moses is given the commandments and a covenant is put in place between Moses’ people and God. But the main focus of the lesson was learning to forgive ourselves when we fall short of what we should be doing in our living and in our faith. I especially liked when the Sunday School author said, “The path toward ethical behavior is a teachable heart that recognizes the power and love of God.”

My sermon preparation this week was again influenced by the course I am taking called Early Christianity; From the Disciples to the Reformation. I have read and listened to 23 lectures so far. I had medical tests in Nacogdoches this week and listened to lectures all the way there. When I got to the hospital, I looked through the glove compartment for some note paper but only found a used envelope. I had to put on a surgical mask and I fill out a pile of medical forms. After that I was sitting and waiting and waiting! On that envelope, I wrote down all kinds of notes of things I could remember from the lectures that I wanted to preach on.

Once again my focus this week was what those earliest Jesus followers were feeling after Good Friday. How did they cope with great loss and then the confusion and joy of Easter Sunday? What did they feel was true and/or important? The Gospel lesson, Matthew 21: 33-46, was the allegory about the landowner and those wicked tenants who killed the landowner’s servants when they attempted to collect the rent. When the just and fair landowner sent his own son, they killed him also. Of course, in an allegory each character stands for someone else—for example, the landowner is God, and his son is Jesus.

Whoever you are, in whatever faith you were born, whatever creed you profess; if you come to this house to find God you are welcome here. Paxton United Methodist Church is an inviting church that takes to heart the idea of “Open Doors, Open Hearts, and Open Minds.” Worship begins at 10:00. Our email address is paxtonumc@yahoo.com. If you would like the weekly email newsletter about Paxton Methodist, you can send your email address to the Paxton email address, and I will add you to the list. God’s Speed.

October 5, 2020 - 

“What thy hands find to do, do it with thy might…”   (Ecc. 9:10)

Willie came this morning to do some painting for us. He arrived at 8:00 sharp as he always does but his 20-year-old helper came dragging up an hour late with his hands in his pockets and mumbling excuses. 

It’s a good thing he wasn’t working for my father-in-law, Oley LeDoux.  Oley has worked for the same company in Sulphur, La. for 56 years and says they never hire anyone who comes for a job interview with their hands in their pockets. 

My Dad, one of the world’s hardest workers, told my brothers and me to keep our hands out of our pockets and to work for our pay. But times have changed and we now have a generation of lazy parents spawning a brood of lethargic hand-warmers.

My Pastor told me years ago that the world didn’t need any lazy preachers and advised me to never preach with my hands in my pockets. I never have…

…and never will.

October 1, 2020 - “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”  (Hebrews 13:2)

Our daughter, Kay, had recently married and was living in St. Joseph, Missouri. Our son, Doug, was attending college in the same city. In the summer of 1980 my wife and I had enjoyed a weekend with them, driving there from our home in Ft. Worth, Texas.

Interstate 35W was still busy with traffic, even at 1:00 a.m. on this early Sunday morning as we returned. About twenty-five miles north of Ft. Worth my 1975 Volkswagen Rabbit suddenly became a turtle, then a snail, and finally died. I coasted over to the shoulder without power and stopped. We looked at each other as we pondered our sudden predicament.

We had a few options, but none were desirable. Should we lock the car with our luggage inside, and attempt to find a telephone? Should I do this alone, or should we both walk? I really did not want to leave my wife alone in a disabled car on the side of an interstate freeway.

I took inventory of any open convenience stores or gas stations on the feeder road, but nothing was in view. My wife began to pray for God’s assistance while I opened the hood and peered inside. I saw nothing dramatic under the hood, however not being a mechanic I was not totally surprised. A large truck passed by so closely that the wind almost blew me over. We needed help fast.

About that time a man in a pickup truck pulled off on the shoulder ahead of us. He exited his vehicle and walked back to me, a big smile on his face. “You out of gas?”,  he asked me.  “I don’t think so as my gauge showed about half a tank. The engine just suddenly stopped as though a switch was flipped,” I reported to him. “Well, I have a five-gallon tank of gas in the truck bed, let’s put a couple of gallons in there and see what happens.”

I did not see any writing on the side of his pick up, and wondered about this Good Samaritan. Who was he, and what was his game? I felt that I needed to be on alert in case he was planning something sinister.

Then he appeared at the rear of my Rabbit with the gas can. After putting in a couple of gallons, I attempted to start the car, but it would not co-operate. “I guess you were right about the gas,” he stated. “We’ll have to do something else.” I decided it was time to smoke him out. “Do you work for AAA, or a towing company?” I asked, watching him closely. “No, I don’t”, he replied while handing me a business card. “I am a member of the CB Rescue Club of Fort Worth. We volunteer to patrol the freeways on week ends looking for people in trouble like yourself.” That sounded reasonable to me at the time.

“Where do you folks live?” he asked. “Gosh, we live in Wedgwood. That is a long way southeast of here, maybe fifty miles”, I replied. “No problem, folks, just grab your luggage and get in the truck and I will drive you home”, he offered. I hated to leave my Rabbit stranded on the freeway. It would probably be towed away overnight. But, his offer seemed the best one on the table under the circumstances. It was now close to 2 in the morning.

He drove us to the driveway of our home. He seemed like a really nice, pleasant fellow. We invited him into our home so he could relax a few minutes. We would not normally have taken that chance, but felt compelled to help him in return. My wife made some sandwiches, opened some chips and a Coke. He seemed to be hungry, though he refused to sit on our furniture because “he would get it dirty.” He admired my Kel Light, a flashlight used by police officers, so I gave it to him.

We thanked him for his kind assistance.  He refused any money as payment for his expenses. He reported that his wife was in the hospital and that he needed to go be with her. Then he left. I looked at his business card. It gave his name along with “Tarrant County CB Rescue Club,” and a telephone number.  

My wife thought it would be a nice gesture to call his club the next day and thank them for their help. However, the phone number was not good. I tried to locate the man in the telephone book. We could never locate him or his organization. The man appeared suddenly, and disappeared mysteriously. Suppose we had entertained an angel unawares?