Ramblings from the Ol' Broadcaster

I hear all the time people bad mouthing small towns.  How there is nothing to do or they are behind the times or all the gossip, etc.  I want to give you a perfect example why I LOVE living in a small town. Yesterday my dryer quit heating.  I am not a dryer tech by any stretch but I know a few things about them.  I got out a voltmeter and checked continuity on everything and thought I had a bad thermostat.  The element was fine. So I take this thermostat down to Dyer's (where I always go) and show the element to a couple of people.  As I walked in the door, Harold Dyer was carrying a trash can, a broom and a dust pan.  He dropped all those items to give me a handshake and genuine "good to see you."  I saw Chris Stamper who directed me to Tony Dyer who took it and went to find a replacement for me.  But before he sold it to  me, he said, "Let's check that one just in case."  It turns out the one I had was good. Next stop, H...

Do you have a passion for something? Is there something you do or a place you go that makes you feel alive? Chances are somebody inspired you or taught you that passion. I have several passions. Some more important than others. I LOVE to go fishing. I mean I would fish 24/7 if I could. I spent years without going, but still loved just thinking about it. My grandfather, Pa Rube, taught me to fish. He was so patient. He could sit for hours with me sitting between his knees watching that bobber. I am trying to pass that passion on to Mason. But I never thanked my Pa Rube for taking me fishing and teaching me. I never thanked him for being a passion creator in my life. Even though I am not currently doing so, I have a passion to preach the Gospel. That came from my Uncle Virgil Messer and Dick Damron. Two of the best preachers I ever heard. But I never thanked either of them for instilling a passion to preach in me. I regret that. They were both so special in my life....

I so wish I had taken a picture of this cast iron Birmingham Dutch Oven prior to my restoration attempt.  I got it at an auction a couple of years ago with the intention of fixing it up.  But time got in my way.  It was just a big pile of rust.  But looking online I found a site that showed me how to use water, electricity and sacrificial metal to restore it a clean, spotless vessel again. When researching this model, I found it was made in 1967.  I was born in 1967.  But that is just one of the similarities between us. This pot was junk.  It was covered with material that made it totally useless for the purpose for which it was made.   But I saw potential in this pot.  And with a lot of love, compassion and sacrifice, it is now ready to be used as it was intended.  The water and sacrificial metal took the rust away, making it whole and beautiful again. I too, made it 1967 was covered in junk as time went on.  I was totall...

I don’t know how much you know about Parkinson’s, but some days it really wants to win.  Today was one of those days.  Parky wouldn’t let me get out of bed on my own.  I needed help.  Then he decided I should just lay around and not do anything today.  My kids were leaving for a little mini vacation to Pittsburgh and he thought I should just lay around and not see them off or really do anything today. He almost won.  But I decided he wasn’t going to win.  I pulled myself up out of my recliner, got dressed and went outside.  The front yard needed mowing but it was pretty hot.  Tina wanted supper, so I headed off in my little truck to town.  Stopped by and caught 5 bluegill before I went on to town.  Got supper and came back and ate with my wife. I then decided that even though Parky was working overtime to win today, I was going to mow for a little bit.  I didn’t get the yard done.  I had to stop quite a bit and it ...

I understand what I am about to say is not popular and it might cause some to unfriend, unfollow, disavow, etc. But, I firmly believe the one trait all humans are born with and for the most part we all die with is selfishness. Some to a greater degree than others, but part of our DNA is self-preservation. I have said this for years in the pulpit and elsewhere. I had really forgotten how selfish children can be until I had the thrill of observing my grandson on a nearly daily basis for the past two and a half years. He has toys. Lots of toys. And he will be happy to tell you they are his toys. And sometimes he will go well beyond the bounds of his status as a child to tell you that they are his toys. Now I love my grandson and he is a great young child. But he also has that innate selfishness that all 2 year olds have. If he is playing with a toy, that toy is “MINE!” If you are playing with a toy, that toy is “MINE!” If you are looking at or even thinking about a toy he is qui...

I really encourage you to read John 6 to put this post in context. I will set the scene, but reading the passage for yourself in your chosen translation may help. Jesus has just finished feeding the multitude with 5 barley loaves and 2 fishes. The people had been excited over the miracle and wanted to make Jesus king. They had their stomachs full and were happy. But read further in the chapter and one sees that it really wasn't Jesus the people wanted but what they could get out of Him. They wanted the physical bread, but they didn't want Jesus the Bread of Life. When Jesus taught a very tough lesson about following Him, we are told many turned their backs on Him and never followed Him again. One of the saddest words (to me) ever spoken were from Jesus at this point, he turns to his 12 and said, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” WOW! Can you hear the sadness in the voice of the Master? He had just performed a miracle, the crowd was happy, but when He showed them what ...