November 23 – “The Gun Couch”

I had another toe episode last night.  About 1:30 a.m.  It wakes me up with a really sharp, don't-touch-me kind of pain totally centered in my big toe.  Talk about weird.  I sure hope increasing this medication starts working soon.   Today I spoke at Langwood Baptist Church in Houston.  It's a very traditional church where I used to be Youth Pastor – over 30 years ago!  Their pastor now is a guy who was in my youth group back then.  Talk about aging.  They wanted to hear about how we survived the flood and what we are planning to do next.  I wore my suit, but I decided to do something different and shake them up a bit.  I started out in the back right corner of the building, sitting behind a few teenage boys.  After the first song I began reading the first entry of this journal.  Then I moved to the other side.  After the next song I loosened my tie and read an entry from farther in.  Next song I was at the front of the room with my coat off to read another entry.  Then I moved to the other side of the front and took off my tie to read.  Finally I sat down on the steps.  By the time I got to the pulpit, the guy leading the singing was so confused he forgot to sing the special music and announced the final hymn.  I had to stop him so I could finish the sermon.  Nobody fell asleep at all.  And I did hear, "We've never done it that way before."   Last night they had a ham dinner instead of services.  Food was great.  I set up the powerpoint I've been slaving over, and after they ate Chris and I both answered a ton of questions.  They even gave us a love offering we didn't expect.  One guy said, "I figured I really didn't need to buy another gun.  I decided you could use the money I gave to buy some furniture."  I can't wait until we get to that point so I can designate something "The Gun Couch."  That'll give us something to talk about.   As silly as it sounds, "The Gun Couch" could really become a symbol of the sacrifice that guy made.  Kind of reminds me of communion time with the church.  The ultimate symbol of sacrifice.   1 Corinthians 11:23-26 says, "For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.'   In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.'   For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."   Father, thank you for starting up this way for us to remember what you did for us.  Help us to take it seriously.  Amen.