My First Post--An excuse for "Family Home Evening."

My family will tell you, to my shame, that regular, formal, "Family Home Evenings" were not a standard in our home as they grew up. However regular Gospel discussions were and are, (Usually proceeded by me saying, "that reminds me of a scripture", in reference to some 'dinner table topic'.) Tara and Tiff and my wonderful Brooke have all prompted me to begin a blog. I also receive several requests a month from former students for an update on my life and ministry. "What are you doing?" (For the past year my response has been Jan Dicksons, Bryans father's, "Anything I want any time I want".) I get a really strong feeling of late that I have a responsibility to "expand my sphere of influence"-- (Steven Covey). After all the Lord just spared my life with a miracle for some reason!! And so with an excuse I will begin a 'public journal' and a platform to 'pontificate'. Please feel welcome to 'log-on'.

And explanation as to the title of my blog. Someone once said that, "it takes a village to raise a boy". I believe that! A few years ago I was meandering through my old home town cemetery and remembering all of the people there, (from their gravestones) from 50 years previous. I stumbled upon my old seminary teachers gravestone. No one in my life has had a greater influence upon my life than Vaughn Paxman. He was there when I most needed a "religious roll model". For two years I sat at his feet and drank in the Spirit. As with most of my 'mentors' I don't remember much of what he taught, but I will never forget what I felt. Carved into his stone was this scripture. "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things that God has prepared for those that love Him." (I Cor. 2:9) That scripture has always lifted me and 'burned in my heart like fire'. Maybe I learned it from Bro. Paxman? As I continued to wander the cemetery of my past friends and mentors I began to contemplate what I might have engraved on my own stone when the time arrived? If I didn't decide to make an "ash" of myself. I came up with simply, "A teacher". As the years have progressed since that time I have come to realize with experience what an arrogant statement that really is. I have never really taught anybody anything, except perhaps somethings that I would rather forget! Finally I have come to think that the most presumptuous I would dare ever be would to carve. " A preacher who the Teacher, sometimes used." Thus more information than you probably wanted about the title of this blog!