Easter Sunday is a few days away. It is a day to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Never forget what happened before the resurrection – before the empty tomb there was a bloody cross.

It’s raining. It’s pouring. This old man is not snoring. It is 12:30 am here in New Orleans. The heavens are open wide and the rain is pounding fiercly.  I am in town for a doctoral workshop. It has been a good experience thus far. But, tonight I am wide awake with no sleep in sight. Have you ever had a sleepless night? At times, it is really a blessing. How so? For one, nothing is on television. Your best option is to cut it off. Secondly, there is peace and quiet in the still of the night. It allows you to slow down, collect your thoughts, and take it all in. Life is so busy you never have time to contemplate things. Tonight, I am finding that my soul is unwinding. I am thankful for this. I live in a constant fight or flee mentality. Very seldom do I let my guard down and relax. The next time you are sleepless, don’t count sheep. Don’t watch infomercials. Sit down and let your soul “catch up” with your frantic pace of life. Well, I am about to enjoy some hot tea and listen to the rain attack the ground. Good night – maybe!

After going to school most of my life, I still need help! This trimester I began my D. Min Studies (Doctorate of Ministry) at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. This is my first time being a student while doing full time ministry. I am learning rather quickly that this is challenging. I have several papers due in less than two weeks. Please pray for me as I work toward this end. I not only want to complete the assignments, but do my very best.

I did it! Last Saturday I ran and completed the Cowtown Marathon in Ft. Worth, TX. I improved my time from last year by 20 minutes. The target time was 3 hours, 50 minutes. I made it across the finish line in 3 hours, 50 minutes! It sounds crazy, running 26.2 miles. But, it is a reminder that you can do anything you set your mind to. God has greatly blessed the human body with mental and physical abilities. Very few, if any, reach the apex of what they could accomplish. You may not set out to run a marathon, but set a goal for something that really stretches you. Maybe it is to read the Bible through in one year. Maybe it is to develop a friendship with someone. Maybe it is to jump out of an airplane (something else I want to do one day). Whatever it is, go for it. Life is too short to live with regrets. The marathon was tough. The last three miles were horrific. But, I pressed on. Whatever you are going through or striving for, press on. You can and will (by the grace of God) make it!

I took my daughter to gymnastics yesterday. This was the first trip without my wife. Bad mistake. I cherished the time with my daughter, but what a challenge. I had to pull her out of the class twice. Shortly thereafter, we went home. The forty five minute class only lasted fifteen for my daughter and me. I was frustrated to the core. There is a lesson here. Like a two year old, we rebel and disobey God. It grieves God, and at times He must discipline us. Yet, for those in Christ, no matter how terrible we are, God cherishes His time with us.

In three weeks I will run the Cowtown Marathon in Ft. Worth, TX. This will be my second marathon, with Cowtown 2008 being my first. It sounds crazy to run 26.2 miles, but I love the challenge. It is a great way to discipline myself and stay in shape. I am thankful that today was my last really long run (22m) before the marathon. From here on out I will be tapering, or in normal jargon –  running less miles and resting my body! Please pray for me as the big day approaches, that I stay healthy and motivated. If you want to check out the event, you can go to http://www.cowtownmarathon.org/

I played golf yesterday. My friend Josh and I had a great time – until the 10’th hole. I scored a sixteen on that deplorable piece of dirt. If you know anything about golf, you know a sixteen is dreadful. As a matter of fact, it is probably the worst I have ever done on one hole. My patience was greatly tested. I failed the test. It took several holes for my nerves to settle and my attitude to adjust. I thought out loud, “This is just golf. In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t really matter.” Golf is like life in so many ways. Often, life is going great – until the 10’th hole. Perhaps your 10’th hole is an illness. Maybe you have had a hard day at work. Or maybe a friend or family member has your nerves frayed and your attitude out of whack. Are you counting it all joy? Are you passing the test? I am thankful that a round of golf is 18 holes. That 10’th hole was only a portion of the course. Remember, your 10’th hole is temporary as well. Don’t let is bog you down. There are many holes yet to come. Move on and praise God!

On Friday my car broke down. I merged onto the Interstate, and it went berserk. It would go no faster than 30 miles per hour. Not only that, a loud hissing noise was lurking under the hood. I pulled into the next stop and noticed the problem – something by the engine had a big gash in it. Turns out, it was the ERG Valve – whatever that is. I needed help and help came. My mother came and picked me up. Then someone from church rescued, then fixed, my car. In life, whatever we face, whether it is a broken car or a broken heart, we need one another. Think of all the people who have helped you along the way. Then, think of those you have helped, or not helped. Reach out and be that friend someone needs today. Be that ear who listens and the smile they need to see. If need be, be that mechanic who fixes their ERG Valve – whatever that is!

After prayer meeting Wednesday, I did something quite unusual – I ate milk and crackers. It is unusual, for one thing, because of the combination. This is not merely milk and crackers eaten separately. No. This is an intimate union between both inside the glass of milk. This is also unusual because I have not done this for probably 20 years. My dad would often eat milk and crackers in the late evening, after supper. Of course, I would follow suit. For some reason, last night I had a hankering for it. It did not disappoint. Hopefully, it will not take another 20 years to enjoy such an unusual, tasty, memory-filled treat. I wonder, do you have a snack you used to eat as a child? Do you have a memory of eating something with a family member? I would love to hear your story.