It's On My Mind

September 27, 2019 (Friday)

Yesterday I wrote about “September Song,” which seems to bring a message about the brevity of life and the importance of family and friends. We need to love each other.

After reviewing that song, I looked for a sequel song about “October.” I found a James Taylor song, “October Road.” I’m not sure, but I think the message of this song is about the beauty of a simple life. The lyrics seem to be saying, “The frantic life that success brings can cut us off from the simple values of life.”

With that view of the song, I began wondering if there is anything in the Bible that seems to teach something like that. Then I thought of what Jesus said: “What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” (Mark 8:36-37 NIV).

One day a young man came to Jesus asking about eternal life. He was an exceptional person. He was called a “ruler;” therefore he was a person of importance who exercised authority over others. He was also described as “rich.” He was young. And he was a person who valued true morality, meticulously observing God’s laws. He must have thought to himself, “Jesus will be happy to have me as one of his followers because I have so much to offer him,” but Jesus surprised him by telling him to sell all he had and give the money to the poor before joining the ranks of those who had forsaken everything to follow him. The rich young ruler was not willing to give up the world to gain his soul. He went away, very sad, back to his way of life, literally banned from a life with Jesus by his own desires.

Give Me the Simple Life
Songwriters: Harry Ruby / Rube Bloom

Folks are blessed who make the best of everyday
Living by their own philosophy
Everyone who needs the sun must find a way
And I have found the only way for me

I don’t believe in frettin’ and grievin’;
Why mess around with strife?
I never was cut out to step and strut out.
Give me the simple life.

Some find it pleasant dining on pheasant.
Those things roll off my knife;
Just serve me tomatoes; and mashed potatoes;
Give me the simple life.

A cottage small is all I’m after,
Not one that’s spacious and wide.
A house that rings with joy and laughter
And the ones you love inside.

Some like the high road, I like the low road,
Free from the care and strife.
Sounds corny and seedy, but yes, indeedy;
Give me the simple life.

James Taylor song, “October Road.”

September 26, 2019 (Thursday)

“September Song” is a popular song composed in 1938 by Kurt Weill with lyrics by Maxwell Anderson.

Oh, it’s a long long while from May to December
But the days grow short when you reach September
When the autumn weather turns leaves to flame
One hasn’t got time for the waiting game
Oh, the days dwindle down to a precious few
September, November
And these few precious days I’ll spend with you
These precious days I’ll spend with you.

Not only is it a beautiful song, but the words encourage us to get serious and think about the time we have left to spend with our loved ones.

September 25, 2019 (Wednesday)

Our Constitution provides for three branches of government. Here’s a few facts randomly chosen to perk us up and help us think about what a great country we live in.

What do you know about the President of the United States?

1. Eight presidents have died in office and four of those were assassinated. (Seven vice presidents have died in office).
5. The first vice president to succeed a president who died was John Tyler in 1841. William Henry Harrison served as president only one month, the shortest tenure of all the presidents.
2. Richard Nixon is the only president who resigned the office.
3. Gerald Ford is the only person to serve as president and vice president without being elected to either office.
4. Only two presidents (Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton) have been impeached by the House of Representatives. Neither was convicted by the Senate.

What do you know about the Congress of the United States?

1. There are two legislative bodies, The Senate and The House of Representatives.
2. There are 100 senators, two for each state.
3. There are 435 voting representatives and 6 non-voting representatives.
4. Either body can produce legislation, and if approved by the other body is forwarded to the president for his signature or veto.

What do you know about the Supreme Court of the United States?

1. The number of people who serve on the court is nine. Originally, there were six. In 1807, seven. In 1837, nine. In 1863, ten. In 1866, seven again. In 1869, nine. In 1937, President Franklin Roosevelt tried to raise the number, but Congress would not go along with his plan.
2. In 1981, President Reagan appointed Sandra Day O’Connor as the first female justice on the court. She retired in 2006. There are now three female justices on the court: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, appointed in 1993, Sonia Sotomeyer, appointed in 2009, and Elena Kagan, appointed in 2010.
3. Supreme Court Justices are appointed for life, but they can be impeached.
4. The Supreme Court agrees to hear about 100-150 of the more than 7,000 cases that it is asked to review each year.

September 24, 2019 (Tuesday)

Charles T. Studd wrote a poem that begins with the words, “Only one life.”  My dear mother-in-law, Berta Holiday Sadler, heard it one day and never forgot it.  Before her death in 1985, she chose a monument large enough to include the name of her husband, Louie J. Sadler, alongside hers, and asked that the words of this poem be inscribed on it. Mr. Sadler died in 1987.  When the engraving of the stone was done, the quotation was too large for the front of the marker, and so it can be seen on the back of it, in one long line above both graves: “Only one life, ’twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.” Not included on the marker, a second verse of the poem reads, “And when I die, how happy I’ll be if the lamp of my life has been burned out for Thee.”

Wanda has been buried near her parents’ graves since 2002, in Ferguson Cemetery near Oletha community, where I was ordained to the ministry in 1951 and was pastor of the Oletha Baptist Church. I will be buried beside Wanda. The oldest marked grave in Ferguson Cemetery bears the date of 1866.  A historical marker has been placed beside the gate.  The cemetery is maintained by a cemetery association.

Wanda’s great great grandfather, John Sadler, was buried there in 1885. He fought for Texas Independence at San Jacinto. His nephew, Jonathan Lindley, died at the Alamo. My first visit to the cemetery was in 1950, when I sang at the funeral of Wanda’s grandmother. At the time I did not know Wanda or her family. I was 19 years old.

Today I celebrate my 88th birthday. Twelve years ago I was Interim Pastor at First Baptist Church, Rockport. Twelve years from now I will be 100 years old if I am living. Getting older made me think of the poem above, and that brought memories of the cemetery and all the rest of what I wrote about today. The main thing I wanted to say is in the words of the poem.

September 23, 2019 (Monday)

Yesterday the Bethel Baptist Church of Ingleside, Texas had a guest preacher. His name is Jason Horine. His wife, Angela, and their two young daughters, Aliya and Audrey, accompanied him to Ingleside for the worship service. He preached a great sermon.

Next Sunday, September 29, the church members will submit ballots to determine if the church should call Brother Horine to become the pastor of the church. If he accepts the call, the Pastor Search Committee will work with him in making the transition to the Bethel Baptist Church from the church he now serves as pastor.

I will continue to serve as the interim pastor until the new pastor moves onto the church field and begins his work. I invite you to pray for him and his family and for the church. This will be a big step for the church which has been pastorless since late 2014. I have been Interim Pastor during this time.

I retired after 48 years as a pastor in 1996. Since that time, I have served as pastor and interim pastor in several churches. I am very thankful to the Lord for continuing to use me in the ministry for an additional 23 years after retirement. At my age, I believe this time the retirement years will begin for real.