Years ago, there was a woman who was turning 80. She had 3 daughters, and they said, “We’ve gotta do something special for Mom’s 80thbirthday.” The first one said, “I’m buying her a brand new Mercedes, fully loaded.” The other two were impressed...
Sometimes things in life happen that make no sense whatsoever. I had a professor in seminary who taught us that our lives are a lot like a tapestry, but we only get to see the backside of the tapestry. We see dark threads of black and gray, dark green and dark blue, all knotted...
Years ago, there was a young executive and his wife who were invited by the CEO to his home out in the country to spend the weekend. They went to several nice restaurants. On Saturday night they went to one that was very nice. The CEO was walking in front of them in the parking lot...
Not long ago, there was a pastor in a small town – he used to go to a homeless shelter on Friday nights, to the meal center, and offer it to anyone who would like it after dinner. Oftentimes he would have 10 or 12 that would line up by the stage, and he’d go down the line and offer...
Years ago, there was a church bus driver who would drive into the neighborhoods and invite children to come to church on Sunday. He met a little 8-year-old boy and his brother and invited him to church. The little boy said, “We’ve never been to church before.” The bus driver...
A few years ago there was a minister who was working around his house with his tool belt on. He noticed a neighbor across the street struggling to put up an antenna on his roof, and walked over and offered to help. The neighbor was glad to have the help and said, “Yes, please!” After...
Years ago, there was a man standing in the middle of Golden Corral restaurant in a new suit and covered from head to toe in Thousand Island dressing. What had happened is the waitress had come through the swinging doors and dumped by accident 2 gallons of Thousand Island dressing all over his...
One of the things we need more of in this world is the gift of hospitality. I learned it in 1979 in Lisbon Falls, Maine, coming home from college. It was Thanksgiving, and it snowed 10 inches. My mother was missing all of her family in the deep south, but she did the best she...
I’m here at Fleurish’s on Main St. in Hamilton. They have home décor, they have pottery, they have clothing……beautiful store. You ought to come down sometime. Years ago, in a small town in New England, there was a pottery store...
This coming Sunday, I’m starting a sermon series called, “Welcome Home”. Years ago, there was an elderly woman who used to go to the post office every week, much like the post office here, in Hamilton. Each week she’d buy a roll of stamps and stand in...