I have a few minutes before I head to the track at the 100th Drake Relays, so I thought I would just post a few interesting items I have seen online over the past few weeks. Nothing too spiritual, but I hope you find them interesting ...

Here are some great photos of the Mall Vault we did in Des Moines on Wednesday night (courtesy of the Des Moines Register) ...

This is Tom Yarbrough's website. Tom was a student at the UofA and in ConC a few years back. I bought his music. Really good stuff ...

A list of the Top Ten "sporting gestures". Of course, it is in a British publication so far too many have to do with soccer and cricket ...

Odd body facts explained. Enough said ...

And, finally, if you didn't have enough to worry about with the economy and all - watch out for those killer Komodo Dragons ...

Old Friends ... Priceless

Through our high school years, you could usually find the four of us together. Michael, Craig, Allen, and Mike. If we weren't playing on one of the Tiger athletic teams, we were playing penny-ante poker or cruising up and down National Avenue and playing the game "What would you do if ...?" There wasn't much else for high school guys to do in Fort Scott, KS back in the day.

It doesn't feel like it has been almost 32 years since the class of 1977 graduated. But it has. Two of us are over 50 and the other two will be soon. Over those years, life has taken the four of us in several different directions and over some rocky roads. There have been a lot of good choices, and some bad ones. We have buried parents. Some have buried children.

But after all of these years, we are still good friends. Last Friday, we got together for the Royals home opener in Kansas City and had a great time. We all have other friends, newer friends, and maybe even closer friends at this point in our lives. But we don't have friends who have the history that this group does - who know us and our histories, where we come from and where we have been. The relationships picked up where they were over 30 years ago. Some of the old stories came out, but it's more than that. We know that, after all of these years, if we need someone we are all just a phone call away and would do almost anything for each other.

Treasure your old friends. And if you haven't talked to them in a while, give them a call. They are a gift from God. I know that mine are.

Always Being Prepared ...

"... always being prepared ..."
I Peter 3:15

Be prepared in season and out of season. When it is convenient and when it is not. When I am tired and when I am rested. When I am "on duty" and when I am "off." When I have another agenda and when I don't.

Be prepared to give the reason for the hope that I have. To step through an open door. To share the Good News of Jesus. To pray for someone who is hurting. To serve someone who has a need. To say a word of encouragement. To share a word of instruction. To listen to someone tell their story. To set aside my agenda for a greater purpose. To hear the voice of God. To say "yes" to prayer. To say "no" to sin.

But I am far too often not prepared. I am often self-absorbed. I am often tired. I am often lazy. I am often unaware. I am often calloused of heart. I am often distracted. I am often disobedient. I am often sinful.

May I always be prepared for everything to which my Father calls me.