The Book You Choose for Starbuck's

I was meeting someone at Starbuck's this morning, and had a few minutes to kill. Like I always do when waiting, I grabbed a book. Of the several books in my back , I had the thought "which was is coolest?" I then realized that the book you choose for Starbuck's is different from any other location. It is at Starbuck's that people will either ask you what your reading, or will peek to see what the title is. You don't want to be caught with anything on the Top Ten list of Family Bookstore or with the last name Lucado or Swindoll (though I like both authors). A foreign author or something from Oxford Press will be an interesting book and will impress the nosy. So the next time you have to kill time at Starbuck's, bring an impressive book.

A book that changed my life . . .

I realized earlier this week that 10 years ago I read a small book that Beth gave me called Don't Sweat the Small Stuff (and its all small stuff). I read this book on the way to a mission trip we were leading to Chicago. At that time in my life I was very uptight, always making a big deal over little things. I was a micro-manager, and I was always irritated. Reading this short book caused a major attitude adjustment in my life. I haven't picked it up again in ten years, but I think it is unique to have written words still impact my life after a decade.

The World is Flat

For our Wednesday night teaching, I tried something different. I spoke out of a secular book. I wanted to share something I learned that that will effect the way we live our lives. Ultimately, it will effect the way we respond as a church. The book is called The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman. I got a lot of positive responses from this, so I may do this again in the future.

A Day at the Hospital

Yesterday I spend all day at the Baptist Hospital while Lana Tracy had surgery. The surgery was 6 1/2 hours long, and it appears to be successful. Don and Lana are some of my dearest friends. They have two of the biggest hearts I have ever known. Kevin Timblin and Jason Hylton hung out with me and Don during most of the surgery.



Don was so considerate of my time. He kept telling me to not "burn my day" by sitting with him. I stayed with him anyway - partly because I was trained that way, but mostly because Don is fun to hang out with. When I was a staff pastor at Cornerstone we were trained to stay with a family for the duration of a surgery. This has produced some long days at the hospital, but I have found these times to be some of the most rewarding days of ministry. Those long surgeries give me a chance as a minister to really get to know people and their families. We get way past the small talk, and really enjoy some good fellowship that passes the time during the surgeries. Of course, it is an honor to pray with the patients as well. Hospital visitation is one of the core values I think a pastor needs to stay connected to.

Chattanooga

This week I spent Monday and Tuesday in Chattanooga for the annual meeting of the Tennessee Assemblies of God. It was great to hang out with some other pastors. They conduct church services at this event, but I get the most refreshment from just hanging out with like-minded people. Clay Baggett, Damon Passons and Kirt Steinbach are some of the guys who make me glad I am in this movement. A trip to Chattanooga is always worth it when you eat at "Sticky Fingers." I ate lots of meat on the bone, and felt very primitive. Chattanooga is a great city.