Dear Harpeth Hills, The late William Stidger, famous minister and teacher, fell into a deep depression at one time in his ministry. In the midst of this despair, a friend suggested, “Think of those who have benefitted you in life and ask if you have ever thanked them.” Upon reflection
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills, My wife Vicki worked in advertising sales at the Commercial Appeal in Memphis when we were newlyweds. Her co-workers were a playful bunch. One day she returned from lunch with a message to call a Mr. Mike Rowave. She returned the call and was especially careful to
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills, Cross Country is a pure sport. You simply run as fast and as hard as you can for three miles. While runners possess vastly different skill levels, everyone can get better. But improvement is connected with one’s ability or willingness to endure pain. You have to train
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills, Just today I heard another story of a friend enduring a painful statement from a well-meaning acquaintance at a time of tragedy. The statement was something along the lines of, “It was God’s will that he died.” People who feel the need to say something in moments
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills, We are not here to see through each other. We are here to see each other through. The young man stopped by the church office on a Sunday afternoon. He told a sad tale. Car broken down, family troubles, the usual. But he surprisingly did not ask
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills, An occupational hazard of ministers is feigning excitement. The preacher writes in the bulletin, “We had a wonderful day last Sunday.” The truth? It was actually just an okay Sunday. The soloist was flat, the attendance subpar, and the giving was $2,000 under budget. Added to these
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills, Margin (mahr-jin) an amount allowed or available beyond what is actually necessary: to allow a margin for error. I found myself getting irritated with a friend this week. We spoke on the phone for a few minutes, about nothing much in particular, and after hanging up, I
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills, “I am over 2020.” This text message summed up my thoughts yesterday afternoon. We were debating whether to have our two outdoor services at church. At first we thought we could pull it off, but the eventual decision was no. The back lot at the church was
Continue readingIt is a tough time to be a leader of any organization these days. The future is uncertain and impossible to predict. Forget six months from now. We don’t know what will happen the end of the month. How do you balance safety with a return to normal? To whom
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills, You can tell a lot about a person by the way he or she treats those under them— the so called “little people.” Years back, I observed a summer intern at church attempt to blow off someone who had stopped by the office. I can’t remember what
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills, Here is my memory of her. She is surrounded by laughing and screaming children on the field at Camp Meribah in Centerville, Tennessee. It is church camp, the late 1970’s. The shaving cream fight has reached its climax, and Martha is covered from head to toe. The
Continue readingShe looked to be about six-years-old. The little boy walking beside her, perhaps her brother, was no more than four. As I pulled out of the church parking lot, they were coming up on a stretch of sidewalk that was crumbled and broken. Little brother was barefoot. Sister had on
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills, He flew B-17’s in World War II and came home to Tennessee, where he married and started a family. Four children eventually blessed his household. Mr. Farrar became a leader in the community, the church, and in his home. He was a good man, in any way
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills, Clyde was an odd duck. Thick, coke-bottle glasses. Unusual, high-pitched voice. Underemployed most of the time. Asked unusual questions in Sunday School. As a young preacher, I thought he was the kind of church member you simply tolerated in a good-natured way. One day Clyde told me
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills, I visited my mother a few weeks ago, and Saturday morning did not begin as planned. The toilet started leaking at the floor, which by my way of thinking was not a good thing. After turning the water off, I went online and googled how to replace
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills: We honored our High School Seniors last Sunday evening. After rain and heat for several Sunday nights, a picture perfect evening was just what the occasion deserved. It was so pleasant, more than one of us said, “Hey, we ought to do this outdoors every year.” Parents
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills: It started with corn pudding. Vicki made this new dish a few nights ago. She borrowed the recipe from a caterer friend, whose corn pudding had appeared at multiple events in the past. It. Was. The. Bomb. Oh my gosh, it was so good. It was like
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills: Lately I have been walking quite a bit through the empty church building. Around the Auditorium, up on the 3rd Floor, past the bucket chairs of the Nursery, down the children’s hallway and past the indoor playground, through the Gym and Community Room, and a final swing
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills, How are things going with worship back at the building? I have gotten this question over the last couple of weeks. The short answer is pretty good. In fact we are awfully pleased with how things have gone so far. A more detailed attendance report from Sunday, June
Continue readingDear Harpeth Hills, Lean in. This phrase, particularly used by generations younger than mine, sounds hip, which I am most decidedly not. But for our times now, it is a great phrase. The phrase reminds us to not retreat, stonewall, back up, throw up our hands in despair, or become
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