A digital commonplace for a Regular Guy called Charlie Pharis

Month: March 2003 (page 1 of 5)

200070747

Oh, One More Thing…
One of my real “buddies” at the last place said to me tonight, “You know…all five members of our pastor search committee are here tonight. Could we have your resume?” He knows it’ll never happen – mostly on their part, but it was sure kind of nice to be “stroked!”

200070733

Handshakes and Hugs All Around!
What a day! After a full day of Stonecrest, I went to a church “down the road” to participate in a “revival” service along with the choir and musicians from my former church, First Baptist Chattahoochee. It was old home week, for sure! Nice to know someone misses you and acts like they care about you. Good service…remembered how much I love just getting up there, opening the Word, and letting it fly! No PowerPoint to fool with, no image thing, no nothing…just preaching! Harks back to a bygone era, I know, but it’s kind of in my blood!

Winter has returned here..at least for a day or so!

Handshakes and Hugs All Around! What a day! After…

Handshakes and Hugs All Around!

What a day! After a full day of Stonecrest, I went to a church “down the road” to participate in a “revival” service along with the choir and musicians from my former church, First Baptist Chattahoochee. It was old home week, for sure! Nice to know someone misses you and acts like they care about you. Good service…remembered how much I love just getting up there, opening the Word, and letting it fly! No PowerPoint to fool with, no image thing, no nothing…just preaching! Harks back to a bygone era, I know, but it’s kind of in my blood!

Winter has returned here..at least for a day or so!

200067778

Same Old Bad Feeling – Different Source
Christopher Ruddy writes…

“More than seven days into our new war and the Washington Post is now citing Pentagon sources that this war may last months.
Such a conclusion may be premature.

But still, the war effort seems stalled and the U.S. is entering the most dangerous phase of the war as we approach Baghdad.

Confidence has been replaced with uncertainty, and a cloud of worry looms with the possibility the Iraqis may use weapons of mass destruction.

I am not in the anti-war crowd or among the naysayers who want to see doom and gloom. I do believe in straight shooting. I believe an honest understanding of our situation is not bad news. It is good news � only if we have a realistic appraisal can we win quickly.”

Same Old Bad Feeling – Different Source Christoph…

Same Old Bad Feeling – Different Source

Christopher Ruddy writes…

“More than seven days into our new war and the Washington Post is now citing Pentagon sources that this war may last months.

Such a conclusion may be premature.

But still, the war effort seems stalled and the U.S. is entering the most dangerous phase of the war as we approach Baghdad.

Confidence has been replaced with uncertainty, and a cloud of worry looms with the possibility the Iraqis may use weapons of mass destruction.

I am not in the anti-war crowd or among the naysayers who want to see doom and gloom. I do believe in straight shooting. I believe an honest understanding of our situation is not bad news. It is good news � only if we have a realistic appraisal can we win quickly.”

200063787

I Gotta Bad Feeling About This – Redux!
I’m no military expert. I don’t even play one on TV. I’m not so sure about this war business though. I thought – maybe naively – that we’d be a little closer to achieving our objectives by now. Just a hunch, a gut feeling – totally uninformed, of course – but it seems to me if it goes on like this much longer, we’re going to be in a real quagmire that we can’t easily get out of. If we’re going to lay siege to Baghdad, as some seem to think, and not go in and take it swiftly, we’re setting ourselves up for a whole new slew of problems. Then what are we going to do? Just pack it in at the end of a long, drawn-out campaign, and say, “Oh, well. We didn’t really mean it this time, either. Thanks for playing. What’s the consolation prize for the Iraqis, Johnny?”

I hope not.

I pray not.

If we are setting out to liberate the Iraqi people from an evil dictator, let’s do it. If not…well, if not, why did we start something like this in the first place?

Just some random thoughts on a Friday night…

I Gotta Bad Feeling About This – Redux! I’m no mi…

I Gotta Bad Feeling About This – Redux!

I’m no military expert. I don’t even play one on TV. I’m not so sure about this war business though. I thought – maybe naively – that we’d be a little closer to achieving our objectives by now. Just a hunch, a gut feeling – totally uninformed, of course – but it seems to me if it goes on like this much longer, we’re going to be in a real quagmire that we can’t easily get out of. If we’re going to lay siege to Baghdad, as some seem to think, and not go in and take it swiftly, we’re setting ourselves up for a whole new slew of problems. Then what are we going to do? Just pack it in at the end of a long, drawn-out campaign, and say, “Oh, well. We didn’t really mean it this time, either. Thanks for playing. What’s the consolation prize for the Iraqis, Johnny?”

I hope not.

I pray not.

If we are setting out to liberate the Iraqi people from an evil dictator, let’s do it. If not…well, if not, why did we start something like this in the first place?

Just some random thoughts on a Friday night…

200046072

Talk About Straddling the Gap!
Read what this guy has to say about the tension between the two kingdoms believers are experiencing. Check this great quote…

“We should certainly support our leaders. We should pray for them an understanding that they have been positioned to rule over us for good and not for evil. As a democratic society we are free to voice our concerns and convictions related to our country’s actions. However, our thinking and our speaking must be tempered by a biblical understanding of humanity, God, and salvation. Such Christian thinking within the contexts of personal living, global conflict, and eternal redemption helps us realize in the end that God’s favorite colors are not red, white, and blue. Rather, like we used to sing, indeed they are red and yellow, black and white.”

Talk About Straddling the Gap! Read what this guy…

Talk About Straddling the Gap!

Read what this guy has to say about the tension between the two kingdoms believers are experiencing. Check this great quote…

“We should certainly support our leaders. We should pray for them an understanding that they have been positioned to rule over us for good and not for evil. As a democratic society we are free to voice our concerns and convictions related to our country’s actions. However, our thinking and our speaking must be tempered by a biblical understanding of humanity, God, and salvation. Such Christian thinking within the contexts of personal living, global conflict, and eternal redemption helps us realize in the end that God’s favorite colors are not red, white, and blue. Rather, like we used to sing, indeed they are red and yellow, black and white.”