Share Your World 2015 Week #43

I am late getting out of the gate this week. I’ve been at Minister’s Retreat since Monday and posting was not given as an option in my time allotments.

So today is a catch-up day in the office. I have unloaded all the musical equipment I took to lead worship from  the van. I have caught up on some of my reading and even a few e-mails. I have a catch-up meeting with my lead pastor, an office to clean and worship rehearsal to prep for but I thought I would take a few moments to answer the questions from Cee’s Share Your World Post before I got started.

Here are the questions:

If you were on a debate team, what general subject would you relish debating?

I would love to debate theology.

What’s your strongest sense?

I think hearing is my strongest sense though as I age I do notice that changing. Then again, all my other senses are changing too so I guess it would still be hearing.

What would you name the autobiography of your life?

The Quiet Life Of a Country Pastor: A Divine Comedy

List your favorite flavors or types of tea.

I love fruit teas especially peach, lemon and orange.

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am grateful my lead pastor is back in the office after a month away on family leave. I am looking forward to November being a normal month where I am just normally not insanely busy.

Share Your World 2015 Week #42

Yay! I am actually ahead in my weekly blogging duties this week and this is being written a day earlier than usual (even if it may not be posted a day earlier due to scheduling concerns).

I truly relish this post every week in which I get to share a little bit of my world with all y’all through Cee’s insightful and fun questions.

You can Cee how Cee’s other contributors answered the questions by looking HERE.

Here are her questions and my answers.

Are you usually late, early, or right on time? 

My father ( a small businessman by trade) drilled it into my sister and me from an early age, “early is on time, on time is late and late is unacceptable. I have learned to give others who don’t share my philosophy grace. But even in the church world I am the guy who is the first to arrive and the last to leave.

If you were or are a writer do you prefer writing short stories, poems or novels?

I write all three but have less and less time to write poetry lately.

Where did you live at age ten?  Is it the same place or town you live now? 

I am actually living in the house I moved to when I was ten. It is in Winchendon MA.

Would you rather be able to fly or breathe under water?

Fly most definitely!

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up? 

I am so grateful to the team who helped make this weekend’s art & car show such a success. This week I am looking forward to seeing my lead pastor again. I have missed him these last three weeks.

Share Your World 2015 Week #41

Sharing time again folks!

Our hostess Cee from Oregon posts five questions we answer them and voila the world is shared.

In fact why don’t you check out answers from around the world by clicking on this link right here.

BUT FIRST HERE ARE MY ANSWERS!

What genre of music do you like?

I like classical, country and jazz but what I listen to most is Indie worship on Spotify. I love me some Brian and Katie Torwalt

What is the worst thing you ate this last week?

Last week was a week of what I would call functional eating. Which means I ate to live and keep running the engine but honestly I don’t remember any meal from last week which probably means I ate a lot of pop tarts and peanut butter toast. This week promises to be about the same. I see a lot of ramen in my future.

Would you like to be famous?  In what way?

Not really. I am Okay with my current level of fame. There is a price that comes with popularity and it is truly a fickle thing.

Complete this sentence:  This sandwich could really use some …

mayonnaise. Most everything is better with mayonnaise except of course peanut butter and cookies and pudding and well…. Most sandwiches are better with mayonnaise. 😉

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am grateful that I got to preach again last week at Cornerstone church. This week I am looking forward to our 5th annual C.cada art show. My sister and I are performing on Friday night.

One Word Photo Challenge: Autumn

Jennifer has challenged us to show our readers autumn with our photos.

You can see lots of fallish photos by clicking the link above.

Here in New England we just passed Columbus Day (which in Massachusets is a statewide day off). It is one of the last days for outdoor activity here in the North East from here on out we are preparing for and expecting winter.

That being said, Amanda (my oldest daughter) , Brenda (my sister) and I took a ride north to do the quintessential Yankee activity on Columbus Day. We went leaf-peeping.

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This is the river between Chesterfield and Brattleboro VT.
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The Westminster Baptist Church, Westminster MA
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We went as far as Bellows Falls Vt. and the world famous Vermont Country Store.
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Enjoy the autumn everyone. Snow will be flying soon enough!

Share Your World 2015 Week 40

It is time to share our world again!!!

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I love this time of the week when I get to sit down and think through and answer Cee’s five questions. I also love reading the responses that come to Cee from around the globe.

When you have finished reading my answers take a trip through the underlined link to see what people have told Cee about their worlds.

Here are this week’s questions…

If you have been to a foreign country name those you have been too?

I have been to Mexico, England, Ireland and the Netherlands. Each trip was different and special in its own way. Mexico and England were missions trips. My daughter and I road-tripped the perimeter of Ireland. I have been to the Netherlands twice to visit my sister.

Is the glass half empty or half full? What type of glass is it and what is in the glass?

I really loved so many of the answers that Cee’s contributors gave to this question. For myself I will answer my cup is full enough! I love what God has given me in life. Should He choose to take me from this earth today I have lived a full life. I can depart in peace even though there are certain things I have not done yet; but I think He will give me a bit more time and a bit more fullness.

My cup is a simple plastic cup, nothing fancy but made to endure.

It is flowing with milk and honey!

If you could have an endless supply of any food, what would you get?

Italian food!

List:  List at least five places worth shopping.

There are more than five places to shop? Who knew?

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am so grateful I was able to go to a night of worship hosted by Rend Collective last Friday. This week I am looking forward to worshipping at the Lifeskills program  In Ashburnham MA, finishing the prologue to my book for my publisher and preaching on Sunday morning at Cornerstone Church.

Share Your World 2015 Wild & Wacky Week 39

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This week Cee has asked some really fun questions!

My first response to question number 1 was “Really?”

I don’t know why but I was a little bashful about answering it.

The questions and my answers are below and you can discover other answers from around the world by clicking

HERE

Which way does the toilet paper roll go? Over or under?

To be honest I don’t have a toilet paper holder. My toilet paper sits on a ledge and goes left to right when I pick it up.

If you were a crayon, what color would you be?

Burnt Sienna. Some days I feel a little more burnt than others.

You are comfortable doing nothing? For long stretches of time?

Actually the answer to this is “no.” I do enjoy my down times and when I have them I like to be quiet but I have become used to being busy and I do not like it when I have days of unending quiet. I usually find something to keep myself occupied.

Rather:  Would you accept $5,000 to shave your head or die it bright lime green and continue your normal activities while not explaining the reason for your haircut or color?

I would love to dye my hair lime green and not tell people why for $5,000.00 In fact if anyone is offering I will take the deal so I can visit my son in South Korea. I would also go bald for $5,000.00 but as my hair has dramatically thinned in the last year I doubt anyone would seriously think of offering me $5,000.00 to do a job that is already half done anyway.

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am so grateful that the Toy Town Fall Fest was a resounding success. Our committee was looking to do an event that created togetherness, In fact our theme was “Building the Toy Town of Tomorrow Together”. It was awesome to see so many town agencies out working to bless the community.
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This week I am looking forward to buckling down and getting a lot of writing done!

Share Your World 2015 Week 37

We are 37 weeks into sharing the year with each other using Cee’s wonderful site and weekly questions.

I have answered her questions and shared my world below. After you have read my thoughts click the underlined link above and see what Cee’s other contributors have shared.

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If you could have three wishes granted for you alone, what would they be?

Wishes are tricky things you see. I thought about wishing the mistakes of my past undone but some of those mistakes while painful had unintended good consequences. Undoing them would remove the good as well as the bad. So I would not wish away my mistakes. I guess I could wish for money but I don’t know that I could handle it. So I wouldn’t wish for money. Fame? Nah!

I think I would wish for godliness with contentment.

I would wish for the fruit of the Spirit to multiply in my life.

I would wish for the ability to forgive as completely as God forgives.

What is the most incredible natural venue that you’ve ever seen in person?

Oh boy this is a hard one. I think the Grand Canyon was an incredible view. The Grand Tetons were also amazing. The Great Plains actually struck me dumb. The Irish Coast was amazing as was Killarney. I think the world is the most amazing natural venue I have seen in person. Each place has a beauty all its own.

Is your hair short (total neck and ear showing), medium (covering ears and neck), long (below shoulders) or extra long (at least halfway down your back)?

Short, but I do have a tendency to let it grow to medium length between cuts simply because I don’t have enough time to get to the barber.

List some of your favorite blogs.

Ceenphotography.com . This is a great photography blog everyone check it out. 🙂

anotherredletterday.com  Prolific author Ben Nelson shares the red-letter words of Jesus and other Scriptural truths

jsparkblog.com  Pastor J.S. shares thoughts and advice on navigating church life in the 21st Century.

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am grateful Rose Hall Media signed me to a book contract on Saturday. Here is a picture of my editor Tracy and my publisher Ken.

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This week I am looking forward to sharing the gospel in music at Wachusett Manor Nursing Home and at the Gardner Visiting Nursing Association Dayhab. I am also looking forward to preaching at Cornerstone Church on Sunday.

Share Your World 2015 Week #36

Here we are once again folks at SHARE YOUR WORLD. Every week Cee shares 5 questions and each of us share our answers and in the mix of those things we all share little pieces of our world with one another. Very healthy stuff! When you have done reading what I share, click the underlined link above and share a bit of yourself with Cee by reading her blog.

Here are the questions Cee shared!

If you were a pen, what type, style and color would you be?

If I were a pen I would be an old-fashioned ink quill or maybe a stylus. I think there is room in this world maybe even a need for a mixture of the old in with the new.

How many languages do you speak?

Well that depends if you count speaking in tongues. Sometimes I speak in the heavenly language and then have to pray for the interpretation. I am Pentecostal remember.

glos·so·la·li·a

NOUN

  1. the phenomenon of (apparently) speaking in an unknown language, especially in religious worship. It is practiced especially by Pentecostal and charismatic Christians.

Are you a listener or talker?

I’m a preacher. I love to talk. But I would have to say I try to listen a lot more than I speak. I fail at that sometimes

Rather Have:  Which would you rather have, 2 million dollars or true love? 

I have true love in my relationship with God and I can honestly say 2 million dollars is way to cheap to be selling this great love!

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am so grateful that last week I got to spend a week planning ministry and playing in the Berkshires.

Sunset from Jiminy Peak, Lanesboro MA

Sunset from Jiminy Peak, Lanesboro MA

This week I am looking forward to signing my first book contract with Rose Hall Media!

Share Your World 2015 Week 35

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It is time once again to play SHARE YOUR WORLD,  the game where Cee  asks five questions and we answer them for the whole world to see.

If you want to see more of Cee’s world or the many worlds of her contributors just click on the icon above and you will be whisked away to Ceeland .

Here are the questions and my answers.

What made you feel good this week?

So many things really encouraged me this week. The opportunity to preach every single day was just awesome and the opportunity to baptize three new friends. Well that just can’t be beat!

For potlucks or parties do you cook it yourself, buy from a grocery store, or pay for catering?

This one really depends on the amount of time I have. This summer I have found myself buying most of my potluck fare simply because cooking time has been severely limited.

What is your favorite part of the town/city you live in.  And what Country do you live?

I live in the US of A and my favorite part of town is Cornerstone Church where I work. I have had so many great experiences there over the years.

Complete this sentence:  My favorite place in the whole world….. has not been established yet. I am waiting for Heaven to come to Earth!!!! Call me crazy but I believe the last chapters of the Bible (and all the ones before the end too)

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am so grateful I got to preach at Special Touch Camp last week and at the home-going of one of God’s saints and at Cornerstone Church. This week I am looking forward to getting caught up on my reading and writing and a little R& R at the pool in Jiminy Peak.
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Sunset at Jiminy Peak

Share Your Wourld 2015 Week 33

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It’s that time of the week again folks. Here I am answering our hostess Cee’s five questions so that you can share in a part of my world.

Check out what others have shared HERE.

And here are the questions and my answers.

What are some words that just make you smile?

I love words period. But some of the words that make me smile are: hoi palloi, hoity toity, cattywhompus, and a word that my family uses to refer to bad drivers on the road that probably should not make me smile but just does…yep I’m going to leave you guessing what that word is. Maybe someday you will drive with one of my family members and discover it but until then…

You’re given $500,000 dollars tax free (any currency), what do you spend it on? 

Getting my sister back to Holland for her mission work and fixing up the house.

What subject would you like to study in depth, if given the time to do so?

I would love more time to study the art of writing effectively.

Would your rather be stuck in a small plane with bad turbulence for 2 hours or be a passenger in a car racing the Daytona 500?

Daytona 500 no contest. I have been stuck in a turbulent flight and that was no fun. I thought the wings were going to flap right off the plane.

Bonus question:  What are you grateful for from last week, and what are you looking forward to in the week coming up?

I am grateful I got to spend some wonderful time with my son before he left for South Korea to begin his teaching career. Next week I am looking forward to preaching the chapel services for The Special Touch Northeast Regional Getaway in the Berkshires.
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The last breakfast with Grammy Lillie and Aunt Brenda.
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Contemplating the rain.

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Joe and his mom share a moment at “the last supper.”

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Family photo just before boarding.