Since my stroke, I have more and more instances of being misundersood. It could be by me wife, it could be by my secretary, it could be in church; I know what I want to say, and I think I am saying things clearly, but people don't know what I am talking about. Sometimes it is because I think of something, then say it assuming everyone knows what I am talking about. The problem is that they don't know what I was thinking. Sometimes it is because I think I know what someone else is talking about, so I respond, only to find out that wht they are talking about and what I had heard are two different things. The truth is, it is irritating. Not so much (I hope) for the people who I talk with, but it is really irritating for me. I want everyone to understand me perfectly the first time. At times, I even argue the point, even though most times it is because the other people don't know what I am saying. It reminds me of what Paul told the Corinthian church. In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul is talking about believers who go to law against each other, but the application can be made in this point: Why do we argue so much? Paul said "Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather [let yourselves] be cheated?" Now, I realize that for most people it goes against everything we believe in to accept the fact that we might be wrong, but let me ask this: Will the world cease rotating on its axis if you are not right in this one occassion? If not, why argue? Why not accept the fact you might be wrong (if you are not, then no one needs to know that except you). The truth is that the name of Christ is diminshed every time we let someone else lead us into a confrontation. Why not accept the wrong so that Christ's name can be lifted up? What is more important?
It has been nearly 6 years since I have updated this blog; my apologies. For those that had been following for some time, since I last posted: I stepped down as Senior Pastor at New Covenant church in Knoxville, I moved to Ankeny, Iowa, started a new ministry with St. Croix hospice as Chaplain. I was chaplain with St. Croix for about 4 1/2 years, then in 2020 I moved back to Stratford to pastor First Baptist church. It was a big change going from chaplain work back to the pastorate. I must confess, when I first came (back) to Stratford I was ready to pastor again! I love preaching; I love the ministry of being a pastor, and I love interacting with people long-term. (Being a chaplain is great, but you only interact with a family for a week or so, for some a little longer, but there was a constant upheaval of people and it was exhausting at times...) But, one thing that I have noticed since my stroke is that I get my feeling hurt easily. For instance, people leave the church all the tim
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