Reflections from Sunday Evening

First the ambivalent. Paul Newman died at 83. He finally lost the battle with cancer. But still he lived 83 good years. I saw one of those things that asks what your favorite Paul Newman movie was. One of the first movies I remember him in was "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." For some strange reason they showed that at a Methodist Youth sub-district event one time. Go figure. I remember the line from "Cool Hand Luke": "What we have here is a failure to communicate." "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" came out in 1968. It sure seemed later than that. But that was probably my favorite. Of course when "The Sting" came out a few years later that was a really good follow-up. It's not like Paul Newman was one of my favorite people or anything. But there is something to be said for someone who spent his life in Hollywood. He made movies. He raced cars. He produced salad dressing! But he was also married to the same woman for over 50 years. That is pretty amazing considering the environment and culture he lived in. So maybe that's why it seems worthwhile to give a thought to a life that was apparently well-lived. I'll probably watch the movie list and watch "Butch and Sundance" one of these days.

Things get better. We gave the 3rd-graders their Bibles today. That is one of the neatest things we do. This year I asked the third-graders to read the book of Philippians. It is a short book: 4 chapters. It is a letter Paul wrote to a church he apparently really loved. It is full of good news. I'm looking forward to the 3rd-graders telling me about it!

Walter had us at a Willie Nelson concert! If you weren't there it doesn't make much sense. But if you were there ... it is amazing how God can enter into any environment and bring transforming power to change lives. Many of us went home today humming "I Saw the Light."

And then there are the Chiefs. What was up with that? Rookie cornerbacks playing like all pros. Scored 33 points. Isn't that more than we had scored in the first three games? And all against a very good (I think) Denver team. You just never know.

Maybe that's the whole idea. You never know when the day will come for this earthly sojourn to conclude and move into the blessedness of eternity. You never know what a third-grader will see in a book of the Bible. It would not surprise me to see one of these young people hear God's call into ministry. The Word is alive. You never know when something totally unexpected will happen (Chiefs victory over Denver). And as people of faith we often find the surprising grace of God bursting into our lives. Like a transforming moment at a Willie Nelson concert! So this week don't be surprised when God surprises you with grace.

It was a good day. Tomorrow holds promise too!