About 4:30 this morning I received an email from Pastor and Mrs. Valdez in the Philippines, concerning the planned itinerary for our January 2-15 Mission Trip.
To say I got excited when I saw this itinerary would be an understatement.
No wasted time on this trip! A full schedule of activities await us when we arrive. We are going places where we have never been before, down around the southern tip of the island. We will have opportuntity to do ministry in three public markets, we will be doing house to house evangelism in one of the Habitat for Humanity communities, and in the Katrina homes (new development near the NLCC Church). We will again do ministry in Valencia after an absence there of three years. We will have opportunity to go back to the Asian College of Science andTechnology (ACSAT), and to preach at the Philippine National Police Station as well as in the Oriental Negros provincial jail. We will also be doing work in Tanjay and Mayaposi one day as well. I hope we will also make use of free time to impact the culture just outside the doors of our hotel on Rizal Boulevard in Dumaguete. The prospects are exciting and I honestly felt the presence of God's Spirit as I read this early this morning.
Tomorrow morning at church, Rick Rakes will be passing around the 24 hour prayer chain form, to enlist prayer team members to bathe our mission trip in prayer. Many of you will not be at Westmoreland Baptist Church in the morning to sign up for a spot, but you can still partner with us. Will you join us in starting to pray now specifically over the places listed on the itinerary.
I have a sense of anticipation much like that of my first trip there inFebruary 2000. The big difference is that now I know something about the people and the places. I have never been as enthused about a mission trip to the Philippines as I am about this one. I just feel like something good is about to happen!
I want to share part of the email and the itinerary with you today. Many of you will have no clue where these places are, and some of the names are hard to pronounce, but I hope you will join us in praying over them right now and throughout the trip. Thanks for being part of our team.
"It gives us a great pleasure to welcome and see you all here in Dumaguete City few weeks from now in January and May 2008. You have come from great faraway places across the globe at a great sacrifice to be here with us helping us in God's work. We hope and pray that we could get many things done and there will be a great harvest out of these few days that we can be working together as partners in missions. I want to take this opportunity to thank you, my sisters and brothers in Christ, for the loving gracious ways in helping us since the past 7 years. We are so thankful to God Almighty for the committed men and women who are serving our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, helping us voluntarily often through great sacrifices and in not comfortable places here in the city of Dumaguete and in the mountains of Mabinay. Our theme for this year is
"Yes to Jesus, the Lord ofPeace!"
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you".
We have selected this theme for our 8thChurch Anniversary
Here is our schedule of activities for January 2008 crusade:
January 4 - Arrive, visit Lee Plaza for necessities, and rest.
January 5 - Briefing 8:00 AM
10:00 AM - Baptism at Silliman Beach
2:00 - 6:00 PM Ministry in Bagacay - House to house evangelism
6:00 PM - Open Air Crusade in Bagacay
January 6 - 9:00 AM - 8th Church Anniversary Service at New Life Church
Wedding ceremony and Church Anniversary feast.
2:00 -6:00 PM - House to House evangelism at Katrina homes 2
6:00 PM - Open Air Evangelism service at Katrina Homes
January 7 - 8:00 AM - Oriental Negros Provincial Jail
Afternoon - ministry in Bajungpandan Habitat 1
2:00 - 6:00 PM - House to House evangelism
6:00 PM - Open air evangelism crusade in Habitat 1
January 8 - 8:00-11:00 AM House to House evangelism in Casa Alicia and El Pueblo
2:00 PM - Puhagan, Valencia
January 9 - 8:00 AM - Malatapay, Dauin, Oriental Negros
2:00 Zambuangita, Oriental Negros
January 10-8:00 AM - Philippine National Police Station - Dumaguete
10:00 AM - Tanjay City
2:00 PM - Mayaposi Southern Baptist Church, Mayaposi, Mabinay
January 11-Basay, Oriental Negros - leaving Bethel Guest House at 7:00 AM - (all day)
January 12- 8:00 AM - Asian College of Science and Technology (class to class witnessing)
Afternoon - BPI Market Paunay, Dumaguete Public Market, Bagacay Market
January 13- 9:00 AM Victory Worship Service - New Life Church
2:00 PM - Bon Voyage Fellowship - New Life Church
January 14-8:15 AM - Depart Dumaguete Airport for Home "
As you can see, this will be no vacation. Lots of hard work. I'm sure we will return exhausted, but I am so excited about seeing what God will do. Please print this out and use it as a prayer guide. Remember that we will be 13 hours ahead of you, so night time here is actually the next day there.
Thanks in advance for serving as prayer partners with us.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Two Milestones For Our Family
My Uncle Bob died yesterday.
His name was Jerry Robert Stidham. He and I shared the name Jerry from his father and my grandfather, Jerry E. Stidham. His wife, Irene, and a number of their friends and most of his customers called him Jerry, but to our family he was just Bob. If I am not mistaken, Bob was two years younger than my mother, which would mean he was about 76 years old when he died. He went home to be with the Lord while no one was home at their house in Valley View. His body was found slumped over the bathtub by his son, Greg. His loss will be deeply felt by Irene, their two sons, Bobby and Greg, two daughters, Debbie and Mary Ann, and all of their spouses and children. He will also be missed by his church family, which meant so much to him.
Bob was a quiet, humble man. Readers from Westmoreland Baptist would understand what I mean when I say he reminded me a lot of our brother Lowell Thompson. Very similar in many ways. He was kind, quiet, and faithful. Bob served in the U.S. Air Force in the early to mid 50's. He was stationed in Alaska in my earliest memories, and he was transferred to the west coast in California where his oldest son, Bobby Keith, was born. He returned home to Logan County after his discharge and remained there the rest of his life. In fact, I would be surprised if he ever left West Virginia more than three or four times since returning from the service. Logan was his home. His life revolved around his home, family, work and church.
Bob served for a number of years as a Company Store Manager for Island Creek Coal Company. Eventually he went to work for Steele Furniture Company in Logan, and worked in the furniture business for over 30 years. Even though "semi retired" he still worked about three days a week at McCormicks, the largest department store in Logan. His many years in the retail business brought him acquaintance with large numbers of people, and his name which he shared with his father, made many who didn't know him personally, feel as though they did.
His funeral will be held (probably Monday or Tuesday) at the Whitman #20 Community Church where he served as Treasurer for over 35 years. Dates and times will not be set until the family knows when his sister, Dori, will be able to make it in from Houston.
Bob was my mother's only living brother and she loved him dearly. One brother had died back in the 30's at the age of only three months. When Dad broke the news to Mom yesterday she was shocked. She threw her hands over her face and said, "Oh no!" But mercifully within a few minutes she had already forgotten that it had happened. If there is one good thing about Alzheimers Disease, that is probably it. Mom was with me in the hospital room three years ago when they told me that I had "incurable" cancer. I thank God every day that she doesn't remember that, and has no clue about what I have been through these past three years. It hurts that she has lost so many good memories of people and events, but I thank God that she can't remember the sad stuff either. It is a blessing in disguise.
This weekend also marks the third anniversary of when my cancer was found. Surgery took place on Monday morning to remove three and a half feet of my intestines. They also took out my appendix and 14 lymph nodes and did a biopsy on some "suspicious" spots on my liver. Three day's later I got the sobering diagnosis - "Cancer - 4th stage - incurable - hopefully manageable with chemotherapy".
Many of you know the story and I will not bore you with recounting it here today. But I do want to acknowledge my thanksgiving to God for giving me three years of full, wonderful life, when only 18-22 months of slowly dying were what was expected. I don't know why a Sovereign God has chosen to spare my life this far, but I have promised Him I will use whatever time is left to do all I can to make Him known to others and to Glorify Him for who He is. I am thankful for the wonderful treatment I have received and am receiving from Dr. Kirti Jain, but I do know that The Great Physician in the one who is control.
On December 17th I'll have my regular 3 month CT Scan on my abdomen and pelvic area, and my semi annual full body PET Scan. Then we'll get the results from Dr. Jain four days before I leave for my 7th short term mission trip to the Philippines. Am I worried about what may show up?
Not in the least.
Naturally I hope the scans are clear, but whether they are or not, God is still God, and He is in control. That is comforting to know, and it is the only way to face the future!
Have a good weekend. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone else ...
His name was Jerry Robert Stidham. He and I shared the name Jerry from his father and my grandfather, Jerry E. Stidham. His wife, Irene, and a number of their friends and most of his customers called him Jerry, but to our family he was just Bob. If I am not mistaken, Bob was two years younger than my mother, which would mean he was about 76 years old when he died. He went home to be with the Lord while no one was home at their house in Valley View. His body was found slumped over the bathtub by his son, Greg. His loss will be deeply felt by Irene, their two sons, Bobby and Greg, two daughters, Debbie and Mary Ann, and all of their spouses and children. He will also be missed by his church family, which meant so much to him.
Bob was a quiet, humble man. Readers from Westmoreland Baptist would understand what I mean when I say he reminded me a lot of our brother Lowell Thompson. Very similar in many ways. He was kind, quiet, and faithful. Bob served in the U.S. Air Force in the early to mid 50's. He was stationed in Alaska in my earliest memories, and he was transferred to the west coast in California where his oldest son, Bobby Keith, was born. He returned home to Logan County after his discharge and remained there the rest of his life. In fact, I would be surprised if he ever left West Virginia more than three or four times since returning from the service. Logan was his home. His life revolved around his home, family, work and church.
Bob served for a number of years as a Company Store Manager for Island Creek Coal Company. Eventually he went to work for Steele Furniture Company in Logan, and worked in the furniture business for over 30 years. Even though "semi retired" he still worked about three days a week at McCormicks, the largest department store in Logan. His many years in the retail business brought him acquaintance with large numbers of people, and his name which he shared with his father, made many who didn't know him personally, feel as though they did.
His funeral will be held (probably Monday or Tuesday) at the Whitman #20 Community Church where he served as Treasurer for over 35 years. Dates and times will not be set until the family knows when his sister, Dori, will be able to make it in from Houston.
Bob was my mother's only living brother and she loved him dearly. One brother had died back in the 30's at the age of only three months. When Dad broke the news to Mom yesterday she was shocked. She threw her hands over her face and said, "Oh no!" But mercifully within a few minutes she had already forgotten that it had happened. If there is one good thing about Alzheimers Disease, that is probably it. Mom was with me in the hospital room three years ago when they told me that I had "incurable" cancer. I thank God every day that she doesn't remember that, and has no clue about what I have been through these past three years. It hurts that she has lost so many good memories of people and events, but I thank God that she can't remember the sad stuff either. It is a blessing in disguise.
This weekend also marks the third anniversary of when my cancer was found. Surgery took place on Monday morning to remove three and a half feet of my intestines. They also took out my appendix and 14 lymph nodes and did a biopsy on some "suspicious" spots on my liver. Three day's later I got the sobering diagnosis - "Cancer - 4th stage - incurable - hopefully manageable with chemotherapy".
Many of you know the story and I will not bore you with recounting it here today. But I do want to acknowledge my thanksgiving to God for giving me three years of full, wonderful life, when only 18-22 months of slowly dying were what was expected. I don't know why a Sovereign God has chosen to spare my life this far, but I have promised Him I will use whatever time is left to do all I can to make Him known to others and to Glorify Him for who He is. I am thankful for the wonderful treatment I have received and am receiving from Dr. Kirti Jain, but I do know that The Great Physician in the one who is control.
On December 17th I'll have my regular 3 month CT Scan on my abdomen and pelvic area, and my semi annual full body PET Scan. Then we'll get the results from Dr. Jain four days before I leave for my 7th short term mission trip to the Philippines. Am I worried about what may show up?
Not in the least.
Naturally I hope the scans are clear, but whether they are or not, God is still God, and He is in control. That is comforting to know, and it is the only way to face the future!
Have a good weekend. Be blessed and be a blessing to someone else ...
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Some Thoughts About Inflation (And Salvation)
The cost of (nearly) everything seems to be on the rise - and how! Gasoline prices hover around $3.00 per gallon here in my area. The cost of gas affects transportation costs, therefore the price on food, toys, clothing, and other merchandise goes up as well. Last week I saw a written notice posted at my favorite pizza place that the higher cost of cheese has forced an increase in the price of the lunch buffet. Now this is a crisis I can identify with!
This morning I got a shocking revelation of how serious the inflation problem really is. A report in my morning newspaper revealed the true gravity of the situation. I'm sure all of you are familiar with the old song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas". My Mamaw Adkins use to quote it (not sing it) to me when I was just a little guy. It is one of my earliest memories - and rare memories of her. She died when I was five years old. I didn't really know much about why someone would be giving someone else partridges in a pear tree, leaping lords, or milking maids. Furthermore, I never gave the first thought to the cost of such items. However, the news report from PNC Bank that I read this morning indicated how inflation has affected the cost of the gift items mentioned in the song. According to the report, the cost of the items has gone up 8% in the past year alone! Here is a rundown of the present costs:
A Partridge - $15 (I assume one has to supply their own Pear Tree)
2 Turtle Doves - $40
3 French Hens - $45
4 Calling Birds - $599.96
5 Gold Rings - $395
6 Geese a-laying - $360
7 Swans a-swimming - $4,200
8 Maids a-milking - $46.80
9 Ladies dancing - $4,759
10 Lords a-leaping $4,285.06
11 Pipers piping - $2,213.40
12 Drummers drumming - $2,397.85
You can get more information on this (if you are so inclined and have nothing better to do) at http://pncchristmaspriceindex.com.%20the/The point is, that everything seems to be going up in price, and our dollar is losing it's value on international markets. We'll see the effects of this on our mission trip to the Philippines in about a month. Three years ago the exchange rate was 55 Philippine Pesos to one American dollar. Now the rate is 44/1. This makes a difference in how much we can help them financially, and in the purchasing power we have to meet certain needs of those churches.
Consumer prices are on the rise and folks are being adversely impacted by the pinch. This past summer, my associate pastor, Randy Spurgeon, purchased a motorcycle. Randy lives about 25 miles from the church and he claimed that he could save a lot of money on gas by riding a motorcycle instead of his pickup truck. That's probably true, but the purchase may have been at least partially motivated by other factors (Randy turned 50 this year). Midlife crises notwithstanding, inflation is a serious problem for all of us. Especially those on fixed incomes.
In spite of all that, isn't it wonderful that the cost of the most important need that everyone shares has not gone up in the past 2,000 years? Salvation is FREE. Those of us who have trusted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior have the benefits of:
This morning I got a shocking revelation of how serious the inflation problem really is. A report in my morning newspaper revealed the true gravity of the situation. I'm sure all of you are familiar with the old song, "The Twelve Days of Christmas". My Mamaw Adkins use to quote it (not sing it) to me when I was just a little guy. It is one of my earliest memories - and rare memories of her. She died when I was five years old. I didn't really know much about why someone would be giving someone else partridges in a pear tree, leaping lords, or milking maids. Furthermore, I never gave the first thought to the cost of such items. However, the news report from PNC Bank that I read this morning indicated how inflation has affected the cost of the gift items mentioned in the song. According to the report, the cost of the items has gone up 8% in the past year alone! Here is a rundown of the present costs:
A Partridge - $15 (I assume one has to supply their own Pear Tree)
2 Turtle Doves - $40
3 French Hens - $45
4 Calling Birds - $599.96
5 Gold Rings - $395
6 Geese a-laying - $360
7 Swans a-swimming - $4,200
8 Maids a-milking - $46.80
9 Ladies dancing - $4,759
10 Lords a-leaping $4,285.06
11 Pipers piping - $2,213.40
12 Drummers drumming - $2,397.85
You can get more information on this (if you are so inclined and have nothing better to do) at http://pncchristmaspriceindex.com.%20the/The point is, that everything seems to be going up in price, and our dollar is losing it's value on international markets. We'll see the effects of this on our mission trip to the Philippines in about a month. Three years ago the exchange rate was 55 Philippine Pesos to one American dollar. Now the rate is 44/1. This makes a difference in how much we can help them financially, and in the purchasing power we have to meet certain needs of those churches.
Consumer prices are on the rise and folks are being adversely impacted by the pinch. This past summer, my associate pastor, Randy Spurgeon, purchased a motorcycle. Randy lives about 25 miles from the church and he claimed that he could save a lot of money on gas by riding a motorcycle instead of his pickup truck. That's probably true, but the purchase may have been at least partially motivated by other factors (Randy turned 50 this year). Midlife crises notwithstanding, inflation is a serious problem for all of us. Especially those on fixed incomes.
In spite of all that, isn't it wonderful that the cost of the most important need that everyone shares has not gone up in the past 2,000 years? Salvation is FREE. Those of us who have trusted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior have the benefits of:
- Forgiven sin
- A personal relationship with God
- A new inward power
- Peace that goes beyond human understanding
- Joy that cannot be described in words
- Family relationship with other believers
- Eternal life
- An ultimate home in Heaven.
The cost to us? Zero, nada, bupkus, zilch!
Think of it. All of these benefits (and more) cost us nothing! All that is required of us to receive these blessings is our willingness to put our trust in Christ. Acknowledging that we are sinful by our very nature, believing that He died to pay the penalty for our sins, and confessing Him as our Savior and Lord.
Some might say, "That sounds too good to be true." Others, "There is no such thing as a free ride." or "Nothing that good could be free. There must be some strings attached."
Well, those of us who are Christ followers know that while this great gift comes to us from our Creator free of charge - it is far from cheap. It came at a great cost to God. It cost Him his one and only son. The Apostle Peter sums it up this way in 1 Peter 1: 18-19:
"Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, [as] silver and gold, from your vain conversation [received] by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ without blemish and without spot."
As prices on everything else keep escalating, may we be quick to tell others of the great value of free Grace, while never forgetting the great price paid by Christ.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Sunday Afternoon Musings
It's Sunday afternoon and I am "multi-tasking". Time to update the blog, but so much other stuff to do as well! The television is showing "The Seige" (an anti terrorist flick starring Denzel Washington, Annette Benning, and Bruce Willis). Real interesting - very realistic - and frightening. Redskins and Packers are on Fox and CBS Sports has a halftime show on right now too. The radio is tuned in to the Marshall University Thundering Herd, hosting the Terriers of Boston University. Herd's up 18-13 early in the game.
This is that special time of the year when there is more college football and basketball and NFL football than I can personally keep up with. NBA is in full swing too, but I'm just not much of a fan of pro basketball. My favorite high school teams are winding down their football seasons deep into the playoffs, and my son Benji, is ready to begin his high school basketball coaching career as an assistant coach of the Russell (KY) High School Red Devils.
Ben is our younger son. He is in his third year as a teacher at Russell Middle School. I'm not sure of his exact schedule this year, but he has been teaching a mixture of Social Studies, English, and Arts and Drama these past three years. I was very thankful that he found a full time teaching job his first year after graduation from Morehead State University, but it was strange to see him at Russell. The Red Devils were great rivals to the Ashland Tomcats, for whom Benji played high school football and baseball several years ago.
Ben enrolled in Marshall University directly out of Ashland's Paul G. Blazer High School. We are a "Marshall family" but Ben primarily went to Marshall to take advantage of their H.E.L.P. program for students with learning disabilities. He made excellent grades in high school but mysteriously had difficulty in reading. It wasn't until his junior year in high school that a special battery of testing identified a "visual perceptive disorder" similar to dyslexia as the root of his reading problems. H.E.L.P. gave him the opportunity to get his feet on the ground in college by allowing him to take tests orally, get special counselling, toutoring, and generally build his confidence in making the academic jump from high school to college work. After two years in college, he enlisted in the Marine Corps for four years which took him to Kosovo, during the hostilities there. Returning from the USMC just after the birth of his first son, Ben continued pursuing his teaching degree, first at Morehead State, then Ohio University Southern Campus, then finally back to MSU.
He was an above average athlete in high school. He gave up basketball after his last year of middle school to focus on baseball and football. Coach Vic Marsh expected all of his football players to be in the weight room year round, and baseball (which was Benji's love) began in February and continued on through the summer, so there just wasn't much time for roundball. He was a solid football player who began as a running back in middle school. As his height increased they moved him to wide receiver on the freshman football team, and then to tight end. Eventually, as he filled out and bulked up in the weight room, he was moved to tackle for his junior and senior years. He finished up as an honorable mention selection on the all area team his senior year.
He had been playing baseball since he was an 8 year old, and he played right on through high school and summer ball. Not blessed with great speed, but quick as a cat, Ben played all over the field. Shortstop was probably the only position he didn't play. He had great hands and quick reflexes and was good hitter with a great eye for the strike zone. Those qualities along with his ability to hit the long ball, landed him at first base on all star teams at every level of play. He was also a spot starter and relief pitcher in high school with a wicked side arm delivery that often had right handed hitters bailing out of the box. I guess his most memorable moments in high school baseball came during the district tournament in the spring of his junior year. He had two great games against Lawrence County and the hated Boyd County Lions, batting in the winning run in both games including a grand slam home run against Boyd County, and defensively finishing off a double play that killed a Boyd County rally. He was named to the all tournament team and received the big trophy as the Disrict Tournament Most Valuable Player.
I guess that is why I always assumed that if he had opportunity to coach, baseball would be his sport. He was a good player who understood the game. In his first year at Russell he got the chance to do so. The high school baseball coach at Russell was Mike Martino, who had coached Benji at Ashland and in summer ball for three years. Mike offered Benji the opportunity to assist with the Red Devils and to be the coach of the junior varsity baseball team. He did a good job with the kids, and they enjoyed a trip to Florida, but the magic just wasn't there for Benji.
Now, when Ben had gone to work at Russell Middle School, the principal told him she needed a sixth grade basketball coach and offered him the job. He hadn't played high school basketball and had never coached it on any level, but the idea was appealing to him. They got off to a rough start with a loss coming at the buzzer of his first game. However, he ended up that first season with a record of 21-4 and won three of the four tournaments the "little" Devils played in. The next year his new group of sixth graders also had a good year, going 19-6. I saw several of the games both seasons and was impressed at how he coached and taught the kids. I was most impressed with how he quickly learned to manage the clock, change defenses, and run players in and out.
When he told Coach Martino that he was going to pass on baseball his second year, I was shocked. Benji explained to me that his heart just wasn't in coaching baseball, but he loved working with the kids in basketball. He liked the strategy and the fast pace of the game. He liked having his hand in the action.
When an opening came up this year for an assistant on the high school basketball team, Ben applied for the job and Coach Steve Dodd hired him. So now a new journey begins. My family doctor (who is the team physician for Russell) jokingly told me, "I see your son has lost his mind!" Maybe so, but I do know that he loves what he is doing. He also has a great teacher in Coach Dodd, who has coached at both the high school and college level. I wish them much success this season.
After being a Tomcat Booster for all those years, and serving on the Ashland Board of Education, it's going to seem strange rooting for the Russell Red Devils, but we've got to support our son. Right? And besides all that, grandson #2, who goes to school at Russell Primary, is getting a lot of time in as a "gym rat" the past three years. Who knows, we may be rooting for the Red Devils for a long time to come!
This is that special time of the year when there is more college football and basketball and NFL football than I can personally keep up with. NBA is in full swing too, but I'm just not much of a fan of pro basketball. My favorite high school teams are winding down their football seasons deep into the playoffs, and my son Benji, is ready to begin his high school basketball coaching career as an assistant coach of the Russell (KY) High School Red Devils.
Ben is our younger son. He is in his third year as a teacher at Russell Middle School. I'm not sure of his exact schedule this year, but he has been teaching a mixture of Social Studies, English, and Arts and Drama these past three years. I was very thankful that he found a full time teaching job his first year after graduation from Morehead State University, but it was strange to see him at Russell. The Red Devils were great rivals to the Ashland Tomcats, for whom Benji played high school football and baseball several years ago.
Ben enrolled in Marshall University directly out of Ashland's Paul G. Blazer High School. We are a "Marshall family" but Ben primarily went to Marshall to take advantage of their H.E.L.P. program for students with learning disabilities. He made excellent grades in high school but mysteriously had difficulty in reading. It wasn't until his junior year in high school that a special battery of testing identified a "visual perceptive disorder" similar to dyslexia as the root of his reading problems. H.E.L.P. gave him the opportunity to get his feet on the ground in college by allowing him to take tests orally, get special counselling, toutoring, and generally build his confidence in making the academic jump from high school to college work. After two years in college, he enlisted in the Marine Corps for four years which took him to Kosovo, during the hostilities there. Returning from the USMC just after the birth of his first son, Ben continued pursuing his teaching degree, first at Morehead State, then Ohio University Southern Campus, then finally back to MSU.
He was an above average athlete in high school. He gave up basketball after his last year of middle school to focus on baseball and football. Coach Vic Marsh expected all of his football players to be in the weight room year round, and baseball (which was Benji's love) began in February and continued on through the summer, so there just wasn't much time for roundball. He was a solid football player who began as a running back in middle school. As his height increased they moved him to wide receiver on the freshman football team, and then to tight end. Eventually, as he filled out and bulked up in the weight room, he was moved to tackle for his junior and senior years. He finished up as an honorable mention selection on the all area team his senior year.
He had been playing baseball since he was an 8 year old, and he played right on through high school and summer ball. Not blessed with great speed, but quick as a cat, Ben played all over the field. Shortstop was probably the only position he didn't play. He had great hands and quick reflexes and was good hitter with a great eye for the strike zone. Those qualities along with his ability to hit the long ball, landed him at first base on all star teams at every level of play. He was also a spot starter and relief pitcher in high school with a wicked side arm delivery that often had right handed hitters bailing out of the box. I guess his most memorable moments in high school baseball came during the district tournament in the spring of his junior year. He had two great games against Lawrence County and the hated Boyd County Lions, batting in the winning run in both games including a grand slam home run against Boyd County, and defensively finishing off a double play that killed a Boyd County rally. He was named to the all tournament team and received the big trophy as the Disrict Tournament Most Valuable Player.
I guess that is why I always assumed that if he had opportunity to coach, baseball would be his sport. He was a good player who understood the game. In his first year at Russell he got the chance to do so. The high school baseball coach at Russell was Mike Martino, who had coached Benji at Ashland and in summer ball for three years. Mike offered Benji the opportunity to assist with the Red Devils and to be the coach of the junior varsity baseball team. He did a good job with the kids, and they enjoyed a trip to Florida, but the magic just wasn't there for Benji.
Now, when Ben had gone to work at Russell Middle School, the principal told him she needed a sixth grade basketball coach and offered him the job. He hadn't played high school basketball and had never coached it on any level, but the idea was appealing to him. They got off to a rough start with a loss coming at the buzzer of his first game. However, he ended up that first season with a record of 21-4 and won three of the four tournaments the "little" Devils played in. The next year his new group of sixth graders also had a good year, going 19-6. I saw several of the games both seasons and was impressed at how he coached and taught the kids. I was most impressed with how he quickly learned to manage the clock, change defenses, and run players in and out.
When he told Coach Martino that he was going to pass on baseball his second year, I was shocked. Benji explained to me that his heart just wasn't in coaching baseball, but he loved working with the kids in basketball. He liked the strategy and the fast pace of the game. He liked having his hand in the action.
When an opening came up this year for an assistant on the high school basketball team, Ben applied for the job and Coach Steve Dodd hired him. So now a new journey begins. My family doctor (who is the team physician for Russell) jokingly told me, "I see your son has lost his mind!" Maybe so, but I do know that he loves what he is doing. He also has a great teacher in Coach Dodd, who has coached at both the high school and college level. I wish them much success this season.
After being a Tomcat Booster for all those years, and serving on the Ashland Board of Education, it's going to seem strange rooting for the Russell Red Devils, but we've got to support our son. Right? And besides all that, grandson #2, who goes to school at Russell Primary, is getting a lot of time in as a "gym rat" the past three years. Who knows, we may be rooting for the Red Devils for a long time to come!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Be An Encourager
My father has spent nearly 60 years in the ministry. He has served as Pastor of a number of churches in West Virginia and Ohio and preached as an evangelist from Ohio to Florida. His work for the Lord kept him busy and on the road a lot. Even though we travelled with him a lot, he understood the need for our family to have a "home church" and a Pastor. You may have never thought much about it, but even Pastors need a Pastor!
From 1952, when we moved to Huntington from Logan County, WV, until the time of his death about two years ago, Carl Vallance was our Pastor. I could write a lot about Brother Vallance. In fact, there is a chapter devoted to him in the book I am working on. He was a colorful character who made a tremendous impact on my life and my ministry.
One of the things I appreciated so deeply about Brother Vallance, was the confidence he showed in me during my formative years in the ministry. I was one of several young men, who were called into the ministry under the tuteledge of Carl Vallance. Once I had announced my calling into the ministry, Brother Vallance did everything he could to encourage and equip me for service. He allowed me opportunity to preach. You may not realize how important that is to a young preacher. Brother Vallance did know, and he allowed me to take the pulpit on a number of occasions. He offered encouragement, constructive criticism, and advice. He encouraged me to attend Bible College and further my education.
Along with my Pastor, I will never forget some of the other precious members there at Thomas Memorial Church, who were encouragers to the young preacher. I know the messages were often pretty weak and certainly not homeletically sound. I was long on enthusiasm and short on experience. Looking back on those early attempts, I almost cringe. However, folks like Grant and Dorothy Chaffin, Jack Day, Blanche Booth, and Ray Wilcox gave me a gift I could never repay. They offered me encouragement.
Encouragement is an important ministry that is often overlooked and is certainly in short supply. Barnabus is a great example in the Book of Acts. In fact, Barnabus wasn't even his given name. It was a nickname - "Son of Consolation" (KJV) or literally, "Mr. Encouragement". What a help he was to the new Apostle by the name of Paul! What a great example for us today. We need more Barnabuses in the church today.
I pray that God will raise up young men and women in our church to be called into full time Christian service. When He does, may we be a group of encouragers to them. it's something we can do that may have eternal impact.
From 1952, when we moved to Huntington from Logan County, WV, until the time of his death about two years ago, Carl Vallance was our Pastor. I could write a lot about Brother Vallance. In fact, there is a chapter devoted to him in the book I am working on. He was a colorful character who made a tremendous impact on my life and my ministry.
One of the things I appreciated so deeply about Brother Vallance, was the confidence he showed in me during my formative years in the ministry. I was one of several young men, who were called into the ministry under the tuteledge of Carl Vallance. Once I had announced my calling into the ministry, Brother Vallance did everything he could to encourage and equip me for service. He allowed me opportunity to preach. You may not realize how important that is to a young preacher. Brother Vallance did know, and he allowed me to take the pulpit on a number of occasions. He offered encouragement, constructive criticism, and advice. He encouraged me to attend Bible College and further my education.
Along with my Pastor, I will never forget some of the other precious members there at Thomas Memorial Church, who were encouragers to the young preacher. I know the messages were often pretty weak and certainly not homeletically sound. I was long on enthusiasm and short on experience. Looking back on those early attempts, I almost cringe. However, folks like Grant and Dorothy Chaffin, Jack Day, Blanche Booth, and Ray Wilcox gave me a gift I could never repay. They offered me encouragement.
Encouragement is an important ministry that is often overlooked and is certainly in short supply. Barnabus is a great example in the Book of Acts. In fact, Barnabus wasn't even his given name. It was a nickname - "Son of Consolation" (KJV) or literally, "Mr. Encouragement". What a help he was to the new Apostle by the name of Paul! What a great example for us today. We need more Barnabuses in the church today.
I pray that God will raise up young men and women in our church to be called into full time Christian service. When He does, may we be a group of encouragers to them. it's something we can do that may have eternal impact.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!
Last year we had opportunity for our whole family to be together for Thanksgiving. It was a brief time together as the part of the family from New Orleans was only here for a couple of days, but it was a wonderful time for Linda and I. Linda prepared her trademark big Thanksgiving Dinner on Wednesday (rather than Thursday) to accommodate the schedules of both of our sons and their families. Jay, Michelle, Quint and Canon had Thanksgiving Dinner at the Slater home and then headed back for the Big Easy that afternoon. Benji, Leigh Anne, Will and Asher had to be in Louisville on Thursday as the Clanton family gathered last year at the home of Leigh Anne's sister, Mandy. Linda and I spent Thanksgiving Day, resting quietly at the house, eating turkey leftovers, and basking in the wonderful memory of having all of us together one more time. Here is a photo that we all had made early that Wednesday. It marked the first time the whole family had been photographed together since the summer of 2001 when Will was just a baby. Canon and Asher weren't here yet, and Linda's mom was still with us. This one year old photo also represents the last time we were all together as a family.
Next to my personal relationship with God, family is the one thing in my life for which I am most thankful.
The concept goes back as far as I can remember. Visits to our grandparent's homes were always special, but holidays were the most special time of all. Some of the memories are faded, as dad's parents both passed away in the 50's when I was pretty young. But the memories are there, nonetheless. More vivid memories remain of the holidays spent at the home of my mother's parents - first in Logan County, WV - then for a couple of years in Marmet, WV (near Charleston) - then "back home" in Logan. Granny prepared the "Turkey Bird" as she called it, with all the trimmings. It was a great feast, but to me, the most important part of the holiday was the time we spent with Mamaw and Papaw Stidham, Mom and Dad, my brothers, uncles and aunts, and all the cousins!
Bob and Irene and their three kids lived nearby to the grandparents and they were always there for every gathering. It wasn't quite as easy for us. Dad, being a bi-vocational pastor and evangelist, ran on a rather tight schedule. He worked 40 hours a week at International Nickel Co. in Huntington, pastored various churches over the years, and held as many as 17-19 revival meetings per year. Busy as he was, Thanksgiving and Christmas were times when everything else took second place so the family could be together. Only now do I realize how difficult that must have been for him.
It was even tougher for Dori and Vern, who lived in Houston, TX, and their kids. Due to the long distance (and travel was much more difficult in the days before interstate highways!) and Vern's career - first as a teacher - later as an insurance agent - they were not able to make the trip for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. However, you could bet your life they would make every effort to be there for one of the holidays. On the rare occasions when they couldn't make the trip home for holidays, they would always do a two week vacation home in the summer and the whole family always had that special time together. It was just that important to all of us. No big deal - it's just what we did - be together as a family on those special days.
The tradition continued with us after Linda and I were married. Thanksgiving Day was spent with Linda's Mom and Dad at their home in Pike County, KY for many years, and then later in Greenup, KY when they moved there after Burgess' retirement. Linda's sister and all of her brothers and their families would fill up that old house in Pike Co. The food was great. The fellowship was wonderful. And all of the little cousins had a wonderful time together. We ate Thanksgiving Dinner at the Bowling's house on Thursday and then again with my Mom and Dad at their house on Sunday.
When Christmas rolled around, a month later, it was the same thing. Christmas Eve at Mom and Dad's and then up early on Christmas Day for the two hour drive to the Bowling's home. Often times, due to work schedules and ministry obligations it was back home the same day, but we "did Christmas" with the family as often as possible.
Family is important. It always has been in my life, and the older I get the more important it grows! That is why I treasure the photo on this page. Who knows when we will all be together again? Who knows who may be gone before we can get the next family portrait made?
In this season of Thanksgiving, Linda and I are most thankful for the folks you see in the photo above (and our brothers, sister, and their families who are not pictured here). All are a special blessing from God and we cherish them as such.
We wish you and your family (however large or small it may be) a very Happy Thanksgiving. May we be truly thankful for all that God has blessed us with - especially family!
Saturday, November 17, 2007
The Old Lefthander
The news came in early Thursday morning. Joe Nuxhall died in Fairfield, Ohio at the age of 79.
For many of us in this area it was as though we had lost a close friend. I first became aware of Joe Nuxhall in 1962 when he came back to pitch at Crosley Field for my heroes the Cincinnati Reds. Back in those days, Red's play by play announcer, Waite Hoyt, often referred to Nuxhall as "Hamilton Joe". This was because Nuxhall was born in nearby Hamilton and spent most of his life there in Fairfield just on the outskirts of Cincinnati.
Nuxhall was never a "great" pitcher but he was an absolute favorite for Reds fans. His lifetime won lost record was 135-117 and he had an earned run average of 3.90 with 1372 strike outs. He played for the Reds in 1944, 1952-1960, and 1962-1966. He retired in 1966 after spending 15 of his 16 big league seasons throwing for the Redlegs. (the other year was spent toiling for the Kansas City Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels who traded him back to the Reds). Ironically Joe missed the Reds' pennant winning season of 1961 while he pitched for Bill Veeck in KC.
While not the greatest lefthander ever, Nuxhall firmly entrenched himself in the record books when on June 10, 1944, he became the youngest player ever to pitch in the major leagues. At the age of 15 years and 10 months, Nuxhall faced the great Stan Musial and the St. Louis Cardinals in a rather dubious first outing. What was a 15 year old boy doing pitching in the National League? Well, it was during World War II and many of the major (and minor) league players were doing their military duty. Team rosters were mighty thin and that was what brought the big strong high school student to the mound at Crosley Field.
Even though Joe was a fan favorite as a player, he became even more of a favorite when in 1967 he joined Claude Sullivan and Jim McIntyre as one of the radio voices of the oldest team in professional baseball. That was the beginning of a 28 year career that saw Joe at home with Jim McIntyre, Al Michaels, and Marty Brenamann in the home broadcast booth at Crosley Field, Riverfront Stadium (later called Cynergy Field), and Great American Ballpark.
He is a member of the Reds Hall of Fame and a bronze statue of Joe Nuxhall stands outside the entrance of Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. But more than all that - Joe is the voice that an entire generation associates with the Cincinnati Reds. We've listened as he called routine games, many playoff contests, and even World Series games in 1970, 1972, 1975, 1976, and 1990. He brought the Big Red Machine into our homes, automobiles and workplaces. He spanned generations with great stories of players he had known from the 1940's into the 21st century.
He retired from the broadcast booth a couple of years ago, and it just isn't the same. The voice that has been silenced was that of a friend. It is hard not to shed a tear when you think of his trademark sign off, "This is the Old Lefthander, rounding third and heading for home. Goodnight everyone!"
I guess you've finally made it home. Good night Joe - and thanks for the memories.
For many of us in this area it was as though we had lost a close friend. I first became aware of Joe Nuxhall in 1962 when he came back to pitch at Crosley Field for my heroes the Cincinnati Reds. Back in those days, Red's play by play announcer, Waite Hoyt, often referred to Nuxhall as "Hamilton Joe". This was because Nuxhall was born in nearby Hamilton and spent most of his life there in Fairfield just on the outskirts of Cincinnati.
Nuxhall was never a "great" pitcher but he was an absolute favorite for Reds fans. His lifetime won lost record was 135-117 and he had an earned run average of 3.90 with 1372 strike outs. He played for the Reds in 1944, 1952-1960, and 1962-1966. He retired in 1966 after spending 15 of his 16 big league seasons throwing for the Redlegs. (the other year was spent toiling for the Kansas City Athletics and the Los Angeles Angels who traded him back to the Reds). Ironically Joe missed the Reds' pennant winning season of 1961 while he pitched for Bill Veeck in KC.
While not the greatest lefthander ever, Nuxhall firmly entrenched himself in the record books when on June 10, 1944, he became the youngest player ever to pitch in the major leagues. At the age of 15 years and 10 months, Nuxhall faced the great Stan Musial and the St. Louis Cardinals in a rather dubious first outing. What was a 15 year old boy doing pitching in the National League? Well, it was during World War II and many of the major (and minor) league players were doing their military duty. Team rosters were mighty thin and that was what brought the big strong high school student to the mound at Crosley Field.
Even though Joe was a fan favorite as a player, he became even more of a favorite when in 1967 he joined Claude Sullivan and Jim McIntyre as one of the radio voices of the oldest team in professional baseball. That was the beginning of a 28 year career that saw Joe at home with Jim McIntyre, Al Michaels, and Marty Brenamann in the home broadcast booth at Crosley Field, Riverfront Stadium (later called Cynergy Field), and Great American Ballpark.
He is a member of the Reds Hall of Fame and a bronze statue of Joe Nuxhall stands outside the entrance of Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. But more than all that - Joe is the voice that an entire generation associates with the Cincinnati Reds. We've listened as he called routine games, many playoff contests, and even World Series games in 1970, 1972, 1975, 1976, and 1990. He brought the Big Red Machine into our homes, automobiles and workplaces. He spanned generations with great stories of players he had known from the 1940's into the 21st century.
He retired from the broadcast booth a couple of years ago, and it just isn't the same. The voice that has been silenced was that of a friend. It is hard not to shed a tear when you think of his trademark sign off, "This is the Old Lefthander, rounding third and heading for home. Goodnight everyone!"
I guess you've finally made it home. Good night Joe - and thanks for the memories.
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