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...
This is the time of year when there are lots of weddings. I’m at Two Little Buds, on “D” Street, here in Hamilton…it’s a flower shop, great little place. Reminds of a story, though, that took place in North Carolina, years ago. A...
Have you ever had to deal with a crisis? Maybe you’re dealing with one right now. This coming Sunday at The Presbyterian Church, I’m gonna talk about how to handle a crisis. Years ago, there was a farmer who had a donkey that fell into his well. It cried for...
Every now and then, we just need to slow down and take a break – let our souls catch up with us. I’m taking a break here at True West Coffee shop on Main Street. Years ago, there was an English man who took a safari, deep into the heart of Africa. He hired a...
Years ago, in a small town, a man wrote a letter to the editor and said, “I’ve been going to church for some 30 years and listened to some 3,000 sermons, but for the life of me, I can’t remember any of them. I think I’ve been wasting my time, and preachers have been...
Years ago, there was a country preacher who had a new parishioner coming to church. He came for several months without missing, and then for 3 Sundays in a row, he never showed up. The preacher made a visit to his house and found him sitting in front of a roaring fire, pulled up a chair...