Category: Religion

Inspiration, Music, Religion1 Comment

How Great Thou Art

Tim May

Holy Cow! Who watched Carrie Underwood duet with Vince Gill tonight on the AMC’s “Girls Night Out”? I did, four times! What those two did with “How Great Thou Art” brought back childhood church memories (Sunday services and funerals), brought on the teary eyes, and bought you to your knees!

“How Great Thou Art” is one of about four r-e-a-l-l-y favorite hymns of mine. Even though it is sang less on Sunday these days, it still spiritually moves people in untold ways. It truly is, as my dear friend Pastor Brother Bill is known to occasionally remind his congregation, “please rise if you are able and join us singing a standard of the faith – so you better sing it as such”.

What better way to end a Good Friday…and an Earth Day? (I’ll just hold on to the Earth Day post I had ready until next year). Inspirational stuff…a good YouTube isn’t out yet, but this one will give you an idea of the performance if you missed it (or want to hear it again, and again, and again) despite the cell phone camera shake and fan excitement.

Continue reading “How Great Thou Art”

Family, For What Its Worth, Friendship, Life, Religion, ThumpLeave a comment

Oh so pleasant

Tim May

Sunday’s sermon at Denton Bible Church was particularly good today. Pastor Tommy Nelson was on his game, or maybe it only seemed that way since what he was saying, spoke to(of) me…but then I have yet to find a sermon where Tommy was not on his game.

Today was about bitter people, their unhappiness; how God does not want one to elevate oneself, nor become self-righteous, arrogant, offended, vengeful, and judgmental as that is what causes the bitterness and lets Satan into your life. He assured us all that “the upholding of the kingdom of God does not rest on me (you, us)”.  Those causes of such things…well just “let it go”. Know: God can and will handle it for me (you, us) instead. And in so doing (“letting it go”), those that can hold their tongue are truly blessed – those that cannot are a curse on man in His image. Continue reading “Oh so pleasant”

Email Inspiration Received (EIR), Family, ReligionLeave a comment

EIR: A Funeral of Which I’m Late For

Tim May

This EIR (Email Inspiration Received) came from Deb. Some of you may have gotten it from her as well. It’s kind of a Sandra Bullock story, but ya know sometimes we need to just slow down and stop trying to look around whatever (whoever) is right in front of our face…by golly, let Sandra kiss us if that’s what she wants to do.

THE WRONG FUNERAL

God doesn’t make mistakes.  He puts us where He wishes us to be. They say there are no mistakes, for everything there is a purpose.  Makes you think….

Enjoy!  We’ll never know where our paths will take us!

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Life, Religion, Thump2 Comments

Thump 09-12-2010

Tim May

Personal notes from a Sunday morning at Denton Bible Church:

Music – 10 hymns…10 standards of the faith:

  1. Praise God All Creatures
  2. Almighty Fortress
  3. How Great Thou Art
  4. Wonderful Grace of Jesus
  5. He Lives
  6. I Know When I Have Believed
  7. He Leadeth Me, O Blessed Thought
  8. What A Friend We Have In Jesus
  9. Sweet By and By
  10. Nearer My God To Thee

Reading of the Text: Philippians 2:12-17

Continue reading “Thump 09-12-2010”

Blogs, Entertainment, Family, Friendship, Humor, Photos, politics, Religion3 Comments

Showing Face

Tim May

I signed up with Facebook some 18 months ago out of curiosity and because of the popular buzz surrounding it. I quickly learned one could enjoy the everyday happenings of family and friends, and pictures (always the posted pictures). Facebook has found many of my old friends and has reconnected me with family members that long ago traveled a different path than mine. It has been more fun than not catching up with those folks. With that promise, I had hoped it would truly be a “social network”, but alas the Facebook allure has lost its luster with me. Continue reading “Showing Face”

Family, Friendship, Life, Religion3 Comments

EIR: Communion

Tim May

This is a story without the bickering of politics, rumor-izing, sharp-tongued disagreements, and doom and gloom predictions…isn’t that what Christianity is all about? I trust this will put all our daily lives into some kind of perspective, and affords an appropriate reminder of one of my favorite Bible verses and songs: This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! (Psalm 118:24).

Email Inspiration Received (EIR) and checked out on snopes.com and truthorfiction.com…my kind of story for sure despite the discrepancy between Buzz Aldrin being Presbyterian or Esipcopal – he’s a Christian regardless of the church doors he walks through!

This from an email received from my friend David S. – the pictures are from my personal photo library.
 
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Family, Fun, Life, Music, Religion2 Comments

A knock on the door, or one on the head

Tim May

Guys, this is the kind of stuff where you either re-introduce yourself to all the single malts in the house, or you go to church.

If you recall, a couple weeks ago I did a quick post on Erma Bombeck. It was about how, after watching a PBS program of her life, it spoke in such a way as for me to better understand the attraction my mom had for the lady. So here I sit again tonight, moved to sniffles and teared eyes (damn you PBS) watching yet another favorite of mom’s, Chet Atkins, and coming to very similar conclusions with this man as I did with Erma.

Something is going on here gang and I’m not sure how to go about wrapping my arms around it. I could use some help, but if I’m drowning here, don’t be tossing me rocks….

Continue reading “A knock on the door, or one on the head”

Entertainment, Music, Religion3 Comments

Hallelujah

Tim May

Last night’s televised “hope for haiti now” fundraiser was moving at times and inspirational. Besides the obvious need for the event, the music was a true delight. I celebrate and support both the cause and artistry of the night.

Being one that loves music and sometimes wishes a singing career would have been in the “chords”, I’ve learned to appreciate artists that perform with their heart and soul, and are not afraid to throw their emotions to the end of a long sleeve with songs that touch them in some way.

Last night and live, Justin Timberlake and Matt Morris had the performance of the night with their moving rendition of ‘Hallelujah”.

“Hallelujah’ is a song that can take center stage all by itself. The artist merely puts a melody and emotion to the words. I’ve sang this song myself, without much talent, but with conviction of one voice with a congregation in song knowing the stage is sometimes, something more than where the microphones are placed.

I went to bed last night thinking of the song and its lyrics…I got up this morning with it still on my mind. ‘Hallelujah’ has been a favorite of mine for some time, as it has been for many an artist as well. In searching iTunes and YouTube this morning, so many good versions of the song were found, done by professionals and amateurs alike, and performed in several languages. Continue reading “Hallelujah”

Entertainment, Family, Friendship, Life, Religion, Travel3 Comments

A Christmas Made More Difficult, but We Celebrate

Tim May

Tis the season of Christmas…it has always stirred emotions in me. Not just for the religious joy it brings, but also for family traditions, memories, anticipations, sadness, and pride; they all swell from my withins and give a unique reflection on Christmas each year.  It was some 12 years ago – December 14, 1997 – when this family lost a daughter, sister, wife, mother, mother-in-law, grandmother, and friend – Mom was all one in the same person, our life-long Santa Claus that brought joy to us all. Christmas will forever be her time in my heart.

Without permission, I boldly speak for my family in saying we have learned to cope, heal, and continue our lives over those 12 years. Our loss was made even more difficult in knowing Christmas time was an incredibly special time with our family. We’ve had our share of sadness as we have also reaped blessings of joy since her death. Many times we don’t realize either of those emotions until they confront us, with all the bluntness and suddenness a life changing event can muster. When that happens, we have learned to celebrate a life shared, a life lived, a life blessed, a life remembered. Continue reading “A Christmas Made More Difficult, but We Celebrate”

Entertainment, Life, Music, Religion1 Comment

Bebo

Tim May

Bebo Norman, a favorite contemporary Christian artist of mine having 30-songs/1.9-hours worth of music on my iPhone.

I find his music to be great in that it will bring you back to where you’re supposed to be (not to mention easy to sing along with – you listen, you watch…you will be singing harmony with him before you know it).

Hope you enjoy the YouTube links to a few of his songs that have 5-star ratings on my playlist…. Continue reading “Bebo”

Education, Family, Government, Life, Money, politics, ReligionLeave a comment

ERR: “You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”

Tim May

I get, on nearly a daily basis, emails proclaiming the sky is falling and life is seemingly not worth living with the current political forces in play. Some exclamations are quite humorous, some are shameful, some will make you sick that civil people would actually forward such nonsense, some are good, some are worthy of my commentary. This one came today:

This is probably the 5 best sentences you’ll ever read. This is one paragraph that should be in every book in every school room in every city in every state in our great Union . Our educators should make a lesson plan on this one statement and beat these words into every head in every class in every state in these United States of America .

Profound short paragraph:  “You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.  When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”   Adrian Rogers, 1931-2005

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Entertainment, Family, Humor, Religion3 Comments

Bubba likes Sunday too

Tim May

In my personal (mental) series of “only in Texas” oddities, I have been inclined of late to rename it “ya jus’ gotta love Texas”….

Yesterday at my religion history lesson (a particular church sermon heavily laden with all sorts of old Egypt-Israel-Jordan geographic references) – before, during, and after the service – I noticed several unique characteristics of the congregation. Please know, I have always been one that prefers at least a casual (not even dressy-casual) wardrobe when attending Sunday service, and think everyone should wear the same (OK, call me a bit pretentious).

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Life, politics, Religion3 Comments

Knowing good and evil

Tim May

Every month or so I venture to my long-time, golfing buddy, dear pastor friend’s church for what I call my dose of “Dr. Bill”. He speaks to the common parishioner with a simple elegance and understanding for even those that typically absorb Bible-based preaching on a Sunday morning rather slowly…like me.

Last Sunday, the “Dr. Bill dose” spoke of knowing evil. His sermon was based on Mark 1:21-28. Many times Bill’s sermons hit home with me for reasons I might share in another post, but this sermon struck the house, rattled the windows, and flickered the lights causing a re-reading of the passage multiple times. Here’s my take (not Bill’s words mind you, and maybe not even his point) on the message given by Bill to his congregation last Sunday.

Continue reading “Knowing good and evil”