Blindness is still prevalent in our world.  Doctors and caring organizations are constantly making progress toward the prevention of blindness and in providing help for those without eyesight. Long ago, blindness was very common.  The Middle East—the land of Jesus—had a lot of blind people.  Some have suggested that the combination of dust in the air along with the glare of the sun and unsanitary conditions contributed mightily to ophthalmic issues (I was trying to find a chance to use...

A pastor phones the home of some folks who recently were guests at his church.  He wanted to be sure they felt welcome and answer any questions they might have.  The call is made and the conversation unfolds as follows. Pastor:  “Who is this?” Whisper:  “Jimmy.” Pastor:  “How old are you, Jimmy?” Whisper:  “Four.” “Jimmy, may I please speak to your dad? “He’s busy,” the kid says, still in a whisper. “OK, how about your mom?” “She’s busy, too.” “Jimmy, are...

A vineyard needs constant tending to stay productive.  Many factors determine the fruitfulness of a vine including the weather and the soil.  But pruning is one of the most important ingredients to a good crop of grapes. I like grape juice and grapes, but what I really love is grape jelly.  Jelly is not one of those things a person will consume by itself; it excels when combined with other things. Grape jelly on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is among the greatest inventions of...

A fellow was enlisted as an emergency substitute for a boy’s Sunday School class.  The little darlings in the group were ten years old—and very wise. The teacher was the last choice on an already short list.  He was not known for his love of kids.  In fact, he was not known for his love of anything.  He was mostly known for being a grouchy man who was hard to get along with. Successful in business, the teacher was, if nothing else, confident. So, on that particular Sunday morning,...

Bank robbers and other bad guys wear masks when they commit a crime because they don’t want to be identified as a criminal.  The wearing of a mask while engaging in various felonies is covered in Chapter One of How to Rob Banks and Other People Who Have Money and Generally Be a Criminal (don’t look for this title on Amazon.com.  I made this up.). Now and then you hear about a bank robber who lived a dual life.  Most days, they were non-robbers.  Then they put on their mask and held up a...

They say that money talks.  I’m pretty sure I’ve heard mine speaking.  It says, “Goodbye”.  People have always been driven to gain treasure and other possessions.  It’s nothing new.  The only thing different is what somebody says is valuable at the time.  Henry David Thoreau wrote in his journal in March of 1856 these poignant words:  “That man is richest whose pleasures are cheapest.”  I don’t know what all was going on in Thoreau’s life at that point, but I think he was right. I...

Most of us wage a life-long battle against dirt.  Some take the fight more seriously than others. I like that show on TV called, “Dirty Jobs”, hosted by Mike Rowe (he is also the voice for “Deadliest Catch”, a show about fisherman in the Bering Sea—workers who have the most dangerous job in the world, according to whoever measures such things.  I don’t know if they surveyed preachers but I have my opinions about the danger of certain aspects of church work.).  In case you have missed...

Brain surgeons and plumbers both are required to have a professional license that goes a long way toward proving that they are competent. Most people will immediately agree that it is important to have an expert surgeon—which is why doctors display their diplomas in their offices (Hint:  if the framed medical degree has misspelled words in it consider a second opinion). You and I might consider saving a buck or two (or 100) by trying to do some plumbing on our own.  DIY (Do It Yourself)...

Some people talk more than others, but most people talk about whatever is important to them.  If you want to know what matters to somebody, listen to their stories. Jesus told a lot of stories—His teaching stories are called parables.  A biblical parable is an earthly story that has a heavenly meaning. Most of the Lord’s stories were easy for his listeners to relate to.  He talked about real life stuff and applied a lesson to what people were dealing with already. His stories...

Betty Anne and I will be married for thirty years this December.  This is not a record, according to my extensive research. My life would be different if I were not married.  One example is that my clothes would not match, except by accident. This is a life-long problem:  I often can’t tell if my vast wardrobe is coordinated.  I’m not color blind, but sometimes I just don’t know.  Also, and this may come as a shock, but more often than not, I just don’t care. But Betty Anne does care...

A man goes to his doctor after putting off the visit for quite a while.  Finally, his symptoms get serious enough to stagger into the local clinic. The doctor does his examination with the professionalism and seriousness that is demanded of the occasion.  He listens and pokes around and runs some tests. After doing a thorough assessment, the physician tells his patient that he is going to go get the results of the previous tests and that he’ll be right back. Sure enough, in a matter...

I have something big on my mind right now, and I have limited capacity inside my brain.  So, I need to take this opportunity to make some room. The big thing that is occupying my thoughts is concerning the mission or purpose of the church.  I guess it can be confusing, what with all the different varieties of religious institutions that surround us. The job of the church, including Conway’s First, is to connect people with God so that they will make heaven and miss hell.  Our business...

Physical fitness is a touchy subject.  Folks get irritated pretty fast when you start to poke around in their business—or their refrigerators. It is tempting to dismiss the need to be a good steward of the physical body because we tend to make such a big deal of the destination of the soul.  But the fact is that some folks get to heaven way too fast because they didn’t think a whole lot about what kind of shape their body was in until it was too late. Your body matters to God and it...