Stayin' Alive, Stayin' Alive

Yesterday was another busy one.

It began with a quick trip (45 minutes .. tops) to Milan to pick up a "remnant" (what a misnomer .. this small remaining quantity was 8' x 12' which made it too large for either of our vehicles .. so, I took the old church van .. without permission .. shhh) that Jackson Carpet Company bound for us.

When I got back to the office, I had to put the finishing touches on Sunday's music and get the bulletin typed so it could be printed today.

Throw in the typical, everyday "interruptions" (phone calls, emails to answer, appointments .. what's wrong with you people? .. do you think I'm here to minister to you? .. oh, wait .. I am supposed to be here to minister you .. never mind) and the morning was quickly gone.

I went home to eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (riveting stuff, isn't it .. no wonder you read this blog) and then headed out to the hospital in Jackson (I needed to be there by one o'clock to see someone in the Intensive Care Unit .. peek-a-boo, ICU).

Of course, there was a wreck on the bypass (everyone appeared to be fine .. so, I don't feel too badly about being perturbed) and that threw me a little behind schedule.

After visiting three patients (I'm sure in my frantic state I was really a comfort to them .. GOD LOVES YOU!!! .. CLOSE YOUR EYES AND LET'S PRAY .. NOW!!!!), I returned to "tie up some loose ends" and get ready to leave with the Youth of Yesterday (at 4:15 PM) on the church bus for Union University's Senior Adult Extravaganza ('extravaganza' meaning all you can eat barbecue .. and a concert).

We had a good time (although the splitting headache I was experiencing continued to hamper my otherwise 'winning personality and pleasant demeanor' .. de-longer de-night, de-meaner I got) together .. until we "lost two" (not dead .. just lost) before departing for home, afterward.

At that point I went back into the crowd of nearly a thousand senior adults and asked if anyone had seen "two old people."

This didn't go over too well (why should they be offended??) and I barely escaped with my life (the elderly can be vicious when provoked, evidently).

We did end up with all thirty passengers back on the bus (I'm not sure they were the same thirty .. but I did 'have my count') and by nine o'clock they were getting in their cars and driving home.

I still had just a little more work to do, so I went back to my office and finished for the night.

When I got home I was tired, irritable and a real joy to be around (just ask Cheryl .. on second thought, don't .. there's no need to relive that nightmare .. again, I'm sorry for being such a jerk .. sugar baby .. sweetie pie .. honey bun).

Perhaps I need another revival.

"Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel." - Genesis 49:7a

Finishing Well

Last night was the last night of revival services at Antioch Baptist Church and we went out on a good note (Bb .. I believe).

All week I had been giving the congregation a hard time about "dragging out" the songs. It just seemed to me most of their "get up and go" had "got up and gone."

Not last night.

I don't know if the people had taken extra vitamins or if I "leveled the playing field" by eating too much of Ken Luckey's pork tenderloin (delicious .. like everything we had all week) for supper. Whatever the reason, we pretty much started and stopped at the same time.

There was a great spirit among the membership the entire week and you could especially feel God's presence at Wednesday night's service.

Dr. Agee preached a message on "trivial pursuit(s)" in our lives and challenged us with three important questions from scripture.

The most haunting (for me) .. "What will you do with Jesus?"

For the non-Christian, this is where "the rubber meets the road." Accept Him or reject Him. The choice is yours.

For the Christian, it causes us to examine our lives and see if Christ makes a difference in the way "we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28).

If you are a regular (I suppose this is also true of irregulars) at RevKev's, you know I don't get into the deep theological issues of today. It's because I'm not smart enough to discuss the deep theological issues of today.

Light and frothy without a serious bone in my body .. that's me.

However, deep inside (very, very, very .. deep inside) you will find someone who really does love the Lord and desires to be used in His service.

Most of you have a favorite Bible character. Perhaps it is David or Moses. Maybe it is Joseph or Paul.

Mine is the naked, crazy man of the Gadarenes (who was later healed by Jesus).

It just goes to show you .. God can even use a "nut" to spread His message.

"Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him."

- Luke 8:38 -39a

Kev's Klip of the Week

This guy just may make my "klip of the week" for a while.

Funny stuff!

"And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me." - Genesis 21:6

Revival of the Fittest

The revival meeting continues at Antioch Baptist Church and because of a tight schedule, I won't be saying much (I know .. you are used to me not saying much) today.

Revival in the morning (10:30 AM services each day). Revival in the evening (7:00 o'clock every night). Revival at suppertime (okay, just suppertime .. but I'm still there early). By Thursday I'm going to need reviving.

I'm still having trouble keeping everyone on the same page (at one point .. in the same book) during the congregational singing.

Some songs just need to move on along and it appears moving day is nowhere in sight.

They say (I don't know who they are, but that doesn't seem to stop them from commenting on everything .. hey, maybe I'm .. they) "if you can't beat 'em .. join 'em."

That's not the issue here.

I "beat 'em" (because they are about a half a beat behind me) every time.

We'll see how it goes this morning.

I'm bring track shoes for everyone.

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us."

- Hebrews 12:1

Don't Miss Church .. You're Being Watched

Revival services got off to a good start yesterday at Antioch Baptist Church in Humboldt with two great messages from Dr. Bob Agee and some pretty good singing from "yours truly" (I'm referring to me .. not Yors Trulle, the Scandinavian skiing sensation).

The people were very friendly and made me feel right at home (without asking me to pick up my dirty socks or to take out the garbage) the moment I arrived (actually, no one was there when I arrived .. I'm an early bird, you know .. but they were friendly when they did show up).

The choir sang with enthusiasm and they really put out the sound on "Great Is the Lord" (in the A.M. service) and "The King Is Coming" (last night). The instrumentalists did a nice job, as well.

The only "hiccup" was a slight time delay between the people in the pew and me during the congregational singing.

I have experienced this before in large rooms with a great deal of echo. However, room size had nothing to do with it.

Evidently, they were used to singing some of the songs at a much slower tempo than what I intended to do. This made it a little more challenging at times (it almost sounded like a 'round' at one point) and really tested my ability to stay on task .. "my way or the highway."

In the end, I believe I won. However, it was not without a few .. casualties.

At least three sets of dentures (and a partial plate) came flying out on one of the songs.

I'm slowing things down a bit tonight.

"He shall hold it fast, but it shall not endure." - Job 8:15b

"Check Back" Tomorrow

It's Sunday. Nothing to see here. Keep it moving. Keep it moving.

"A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back." - Proverbs 26:3

Revive Us (Me) .. Again

Before we begin our daily blog, I am happy to report the kids .. and kitties .. arrived safely in North Carolina last night around 9:45 PM (that's 10:45 Eastern time .. yes, they did 'sleep in' yesterday morning .. told you so .. I have the gift of prophecy).

All that worrying paid off once more (I know Matthew 6:34 says not to worry .. however, it says not to worry about tomorrow .. I was worrying yesterday .. that's okay, isn't it?).

Yet, I digress.

In the morning I will be leading music at Antioch Baptist Church in Humboldt (First Baptist seems to be getting tired of me .. that is what I gathered from Wednesday night's rehearsal attendance .. it was so barren you could hear crickets). Actually, I will be in revival there August 2-5.

I am looking forward to the week (in church work a week long revival means Sunday through Wednesday .. God is good all the time) and a special treat will be seeing and hearing the revival preacher, Dr. Bob Agee.

Dr. Agee was the Dean of Religious Affairs (they later changed that title .. thanks to the rash of televangelists who were found to be having affairs .. religiously) at Union University when I was a student and it is a privilege and honor to even be on the same platform where he stands (I know this is true because several people told me .. it is a privilege and honor to even be on the same platform where he stands).

"Dr. Bob" was also interim at FBC in Humboldt, so our paths have crossed on more than one occasion.

Please pray for me (and the church, obviously .. they'll never know what hit 'em) this week. I need a fresh touch from God and this survival .. I mean .. revival .. is just what the doctor ordered (along with cutting out caffeine and fatty foods).

Finally, let's keep this blog "our little secret." There's no need for the good folk at Antioch to know about RevKev's place.

It might "color" their opinion of me .. and cut down on the love offering.

"Wilt Thou not revive us again: that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?" - Psalm 138:7