by Greg | Apr 13, 2010 | Blog Posts
Second to The Masters tournament itself, Tiger Woods has been the center of attention this past week. It should be stated from the outset that many, many are pleased in Phil Mickelson’s win. He seems to be a fine man, devoted to his wife, and humble in character. Somewhere in the shadow of Mickelson’s victory, however, is Tiger Woods. When Tiger won his first Masters he was 21 scoring 12 under par (I am not sure what that means) which at the time set a record for the course and he was the first African-American to win a major golf event. That was in 1997. Since that time Tiger Woods has dominated attention both on the golf course and off. There is no need to repeat the last four months of sad news related to Tiger Woods. Needless to say, his return to the golf course has been met by cheers, jeers, planes, and pundits Many people love him; many people revile him; and many people just ignore him. I have wondered what it must be like to live as Tiger Woods: every expression analyzed; every action judged; and every decision questioned. Now he is back and although he did not win The Masters he is still indisputably a great golfer. I sat there amazed that he could even focus long enough to finish a round of golf with all the world watching. What can we learn about ourselves through Tiger Woods? He who is without sin cast the first golf ball? Issues of choices, sin, passing judgment and consequences come to mind. So do redemption, restoration and hope....
by Greg | Mar 30, 2010 | Blog Posts
Remember when you were a child and you made your first friend in school? Our earliest memories remind us of the importance of friendships. Everyone needs a friend and so good friends are a gift. Amy and are blessed to call on several as our dear friends. Each summer we vacation together and catch up on one another’s lives. For the rest of the year we are busy raising children, working our jobs and from time to time going to funerals. You see we are at that age where many our parents are also at that age. I just returned from one such funeral of the father of one of our friends. We all sat on a pew together and thought about our own fathers, some living and some that have passed on. Of course, that is what friends are for – sharing together in one another’s lives. The interesting thing about our friends is that we are in many respects quite different. We live in different cities: Birmingham, Atlanta and Augusta. We work different jobs ranging from sales to homemaking. In our group are Baptists, Episcopalians, and non-denominational. We have different political views, effectively canceling out one another’s votes each election. What holds us together is common love and respect for each other. “Friends” was how Jesus referred to his followers. “You are my friends,” Jesus says to those who would be called later to lay down their lives for one another. The Greek word for “friend” in the Gospel is philos, a word that theologian Raymond Brown translates as beloved. In the Gospel of John the two...
by Greg | Mar 18, 2010 | Blog Posts
Now that the days are getting longer and the weather is getting warmer (well, slightly warmer anyway), my mind has been wandering to the back yard. Specifically I have been glancing towards my raised vegetable bed. Currently I still have a mess or two of collards left from the fall planting. Soon I will be picking the last of the collards and preparing the ground for tomatoes and peppers. The problem I have, however, is that I do not have enough room for all the things I want to plant. Sooooo….I have built another raised bed. The biggest challenge in building another bed is hauling the lumber from the store to my house. I do not own a pick-up and I am too cheap to rent one. Of course this is not a problem if you do not mind hauling lumber on top of the car – and I did not have a problem. My kayak straps secured down all my planks and 4x4s on the top of my MINI just fine. Who needs a pick-up? My next challenge will be getting fresh manure transported for fertilizer. Is it any wonder that Rodger Murchison does not want to ride in my car? The season is about investing in the future. When the garden is planted, I then dream of fresh tomatoes and basil. We all do this in one way or another. Some go and buy new clothes (remember Easter outfits?) and in wearing them feel themselves renewed. People charge into spring cleaning their homes to cast off the old and refresh all things as new. I believe that...
by Greg | Mar 2, 2010 | Blog Posts
As you can imagine, meal times are pretty important around the DeLoach Ranch. I am certain has been true for many generations. My grandfather’s favorite table blessing went something like this: “Bless the Meat, even the bones/Got anymore, bring it on.” While we giggled my grandmother glared disapprovingly in his direction. We DeLoaches love eating and we love eating as a family. Mealtimes were not a picture from the canvas of Norman Rockwell. My grandmother’s house did not have a dining room, or china, or linen napkins. We (seven of us) all ate in the kitchen crammed around a table fighting over the last biscuit and working our way in and out of the unfolding flow of conversation. We discussed politics, religion, grades, feed prices and milk prices, but mostly we laughed, fussed, and teased. In other words, we were a family and the table centered us. One by one we grew up, some of us moved away and all of us married. Both my grandparents are now deceased and my father has since remarried. Still, from time to time, we come back home bringing our own children and our own stories and find a place at the table. In fact, we need several tables when we all show up. As a husband and father meal times are just as important for me as they were in my childhood. True, we are busy with church, sports and school, but we strive hard to prioritize eating together for breakfast and supper. Soon both of my sons will be driving and it will not be long before they too will move...
by Greg | Feb 17, 2010 | Blog Posts
February 17, 2010 Matthew 6:1 “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 5 “And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you… … 16 “And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Ash Wednesday, today, marks the...
by Greg | Feb 8, 2010 | Blog Posts
I suppose keeping a blog already hints that one has to have a pretty inflated ego to think that others may be interested in what I am writing. It seems I am only adding to that suspicion by offering a list of books that I read last year by further assuming you may be interested. Nonetheless it is part of my job as a pastor to read and any reader likes to share with others good books as well as not so good books. I have finally finished my list from last year and post it for you to mull over. I confess up front, not every book I read was, in my limited opinion, a good book. Some books listed, like “Walden” I have re-read (and in that particular case, I have re-read “Walden” many times. Some books are new releases, like “South of Broad” (which I did not particularly care for. I am not sure what is going on with Pat Conroy) and others are old classics, such as “The Wilderness World of John Muir.” I will be happy to dialogue with anyone interested concerning any of the books listed. Non-Fiction Unpacking Boxes, by Donald Hall Final Exam: A Surgeon’s Reflection on Mortality, by Pauline W. Chen The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality, by Tenzin Gyatso Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert Pirsig The Book of Dead Philosophers, by Simon Critchley Brother to a Dragonfly, by Will Campbell Walden, Henry David Thoreau The Wilderness World of John Muir, by John Muir and Edwin Way Teale 1776, David McCullough...
by Greg | Jan 13, 2010 | Blog Posts
Today was our “free” day and I believe everyone spent their time well. I cannot speak for the others but I spend the day primarily by myself wandering the streets of Jerusalem. particularly in the Old City, people watching, visiting the Dome of the Rock, and revisiting several places that I wanted to learn more about. By the time we all returned (or most of us anyway!) for supper, everyone was chattering excitedly about their adventures. Tonight it is pack up and prrepare for our flight home – and it is a doozy! Wake up call is at 1AM, coffee and danishes at 1:45, and leave our hotel no later than 2:30. We fly from Tel Aviv to Vienna, change plans and fly to Dulles, change planes again and arrive into Atlanta by 11:37pm. I hope to be home by 3 AM Friday morning. As long as we all arrive safe I will be happy -tired, but happy. This will be my last blog entry for our Holy Land Wanderings. Thank you all for reading and sharing in our great pilgrimage. this has been extrordinarily special to share this place and journey with so many from our church. I am blessed indeed. See you Sunday! (I will try to find my ties)...
by Greg | Jan 12, 2010 | Blog Posts
Today most in the group are realizing that touring the Holy Land is tiring. Nontheless all hands were on deck for breakfast at 6:30 and on the bus by 8. We drove for about an hour south of Jerusalem and along the way to our destination passed by the famous excavations of Qumran, the site of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls is one of the most significant archeological finds pertaining to scripture to date. We made our way to the remains of Masada, the fortress built by Herod the Great.It was quite a massive building project. It was the site of the Jewish revolt which ended in mass suicide when the Romans broke through approximately 73 AD. The surrounding arid and dry land is a striking contrast to the verdant green we experienced just a few short days ago. Our next stop was a real treat as we entered into one of the world’s oldest cities – Jericho. First, as we did when entering Bethlehem, we had to change buses, since Jericho is controlled by Palestinians. It is more like a small town than a city, with a population of about 20,000. The roads, houses, and people are quite poor by our standards, yet the markets were busy. We had a good lunch of traditionally fare and at the top of the restuarant there was a great view of the Mount of Temptation, the traditional location of Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness as he was tempted by Satan. Beneath the shadows of the Mount of Temptation several found the...
by Greg | Jan 11, 2010 | Blog Posts
Today is a good day to let the pictures tell the story, so I have included photographs from the last couple of days. A view from our hotel overlooking the Sea of Galilee on the morning of our departure for Bethlehem. One of the border guards as we were entering Bethlehem. This was an “impromptu” worship service in a shepherd’s cave in Bethlehem. Jeff Badke blending in with the palestinians in Bethlehem. That night several of us went shopping and I tried on some new crocs – they didn’t quite fit. Milton Martin was entering into talks with John McCain. That is why he is not in the picture. I was making sure I was not going to have to negotiate for Milton’s release. Keith and Carla singing a duet while worshipping at the Mount of Olives. Standing on the Mount of Olives with Jerusalem behind us. Part of our group eating in a recommended local restaurant that caters to Arabs. Hummus, falafel and all the fixins’! Last falafel! A highpoint for many – a visit and prayers at the Western Wall. It is getting late tonight so I will plan to post more pictures later. We look forward to sharing with you more about our fatastic pilgrimage. Peace be with...
by Greg | Jan 10, 2010 | Blog Posts
Saturday Our day began with the usual wake-up call at 6 except for I barely needed it. While I have enjoyed two good nights of rest, last night was not one of them. I do not travel well when it comes to sleep. It may have been a case of delayed jet lag, excitemment about the coming day, missing my family or general concerns with ensuring a smooth tour for the group, but it was certainly a long sleepless night. After breakfast we loaded the bus and departed Galilee for good, heading south with Jerusalem as our ultimate destination. Our guide, Nadar, is outstanding. He is a Syrian Orthodox and full of good humor and important knowledge. Should I return to Israel for another church tour I would like to retain his services for another time. His favorite line as we depart the bus for each site is: “Chop, chop; shake a leg; let’s get going!” Our drive was about 2 1/2 hours which was largely below sea level as we journied down the Jordan Valley. The geography changed dramatically from vibrant green hills and rich vegetation to stark, arid land. The wilderness, or desert as it can be translated in the Bible is a rough and rugged environment. Yet it was out of this same wilderness that Moses was called, Israel was led and fed and John the Baptist preached. The desert was where Jesus was tempted and so is a place of holy happenings and wanderings. We made one pit stop at an interesting roadside convenience store/toursit attraction. Along with bathroom breaks, others took advantage of new...
Recent Comments