Thanks ... for Family and Traditions

It is that time of year ... again. Thanksgiving Day. Our family has a handful of little traditions set in place during this time:

1. Family Time ... we do our best to get together with family members we've not been able to visit with during the year. And, we do our best to show extra love and grace towards one another, if only for a few days! (( ha ))
   
2. Christmas Tree ... yep, we believe in the Christmas tree at the Myrick house. We've cut back to the "simple, easy setup" model this year, but we make it the focal point of the Thanksgiving Day weekend.
   
3. Shopping ... the retailers call it "Black Friday", and the Myrick/Dinwiddie ladies attend the events ... religiously! I'm talking 4am wakeup, at the storefronts by 5am, pajamas and all, and they trek across the Mississippi/Alabama Coast for the next six to eight hours! (( are you kiddin ... how can one possibly "shop" for 8 hours??!! ))
   
4. Football ... ah, yes. Dallas Cowboys. Detroit Lions. SEC. PAC 10. Big 8. We love it all. 'Tis the season to throw footballs ... fa-la-la-la-la ... la-la-la-la ... :-)

So ... HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!

Valley Grove

I've found another little "touch of heaven" ... in Knoxville ... specifically ... Valley Grove ... South Knox County, near Seymour, TN. What a beautiful place!

My friends, Gordon and Donna Alford, are Music Ministers at Valley Grove Baptist Church (http://www.valleygrove.org/). Pastor William Sims III (Bro. Bill), is one of the most sincere and authentically spirit-filled pastors I've ever met. I have great anticipation that God is going to do a wonderful work here!

I met Scott Newton Smith this week as well. (http://www.snsministries.org/) Scott is one of the finest young preachers I've heard in quite a while! His messages were "spot on" every single service. Most important, he is an anointed man of God. I look forward to many opportunities to minister with Scott in the near future!

Thanks, Valley Grove friends and "new" church family! I can hardly wait to come back ... this time with my sweet wife and family. They gotta see Cades Cove!! (http://www.cadescove.com/)

storms

Camille ... Frederic ... Elena ... George ... Katrina ... Rita ... Ivan ... Gustav ... Hanna ...

Why do we name storms? Where'd that come from? I've been researching it and cannot find the answer. If you do, please share it with me.

One un-named storm occured in Jesus' day, and was recorded by a couple of the disciples in their gospels. Mark's gospel, in chapter 4, reports the story like this:

" ... 35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"
39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. ..." (NIV)

Wow! Amazing how that the storm, which was produced by the elements of nature that God himself (Jesus, embodied in human flesh) had created, became immediately subject to the LORD.

Point of message: Jesus IS Lord ... over all creation ... over all storms ... over all circumstances in life ... over ALL! He rules. He reigns. His Throne lasts forever. He is the King. His justice will prevail.

So, if these storms we're fretting over cause us grief, sorrow, worry, anxiety, stress, or other human woe, call on Jesus.

His Name ... is above ALL names. Even the names of these crazy storms. Call on His Name in your time of trouble, frustration, or sorrow. His Name calms all fear, doubt, and disbelief.

Thank you, Jesus ... that you truly are our Peacespeaker.

Encounter '08 ::: Nashville

This year's Encounter '08 was held at Christ Church, Nashville ... and wow ... was it ever an ENCOUNTER!

The thing I appreciate so much about Lindell Cooley and the Grace Church/MMI staff is that they truly minister to the LORD ... first; modeling for worship pastors and worship leaders/musicians the very "thing" that we should be focused on ... the heart of the Father.

Not our performance. Not our "worship gig". Not the attendance in the sanctuary. Not the coolest/most hip "worship set" list.

The Father's heart. That is our #1 priority.

I love Pastor Lindell's motto for Grace Church: God is more important than people; and people are more important than stuff.

This should be heeded by pastors and church leaders of any-size congregation in America! We are so easily being entrapped in the corporate "bottom-line result" mode; and, that can be a heartbreak to the LORD ... especially when He gets "lost" in the mix!

Thanks, Lindell and staff for an AMAZING encounter with the LORD, and with other worship leaders from across the nation who love to rest and refresh in the Presence of the Holy Spirit.
I look forward to Encounter '09!

Preacher ... President ... or, Prophet?

MIKE HUCKABEE spoke publicly through a tele-conference sponsored by Steven Strang, CEO of Strang Communications on Thursday, April 10. Click the link to read the cover story:

http://www.charismamag.com/display.php?id=16892