Category Archives: Christian Living

by | March 18, 2014 · 1:22 pm

I’ve Got a Mighty, Mighty Friend

Tough Times

A few minutes ago I was reading a post from a friend. He expressed several needs, yet praised the Lord for being in control (Romans 8:28). Aren’t you glad we serve a Mighty God?

All of us are living in tough and troubling times. For some of you, the road you’re on has far more bumps and potholes than the roads of others. Yet, all of us will agree, wherever we are, that the world is not getting any better. Times are tough, and are only going to get tougher.

But…

But, I have a Mighty Friend who is not affected by the whims of men or the winds of time. As a matter of fact, my Friend is the One who created man and started time.

Several years ago (2007) I wrote a song for my little girls to sing. Not long ago, while preparing for a banquet in our church gym, I listened to a recording of the song …and shouted…literally, I kicked up my heels, pumped my fists, waved my hands, and shouted “Praise GOD!”

Maybe you need some encouragement? Just read the lyrics I have included below, and if God is your friend, don’t worry (Matthew 6:30-34).

Mighty Friend

Well I may not be as tall as a building or strong as a big ol train
I may not be as smart as a scientist doing things I can’t explain
But I know the One who made the tallest mountain and can whip up a hurricane
And the very One who invented gravity says He even knows my name.
 
Well I may not know what’s comin’ in the mornin’, or what the day may bring
Good or bad, I’m not gonna worry, ‘cause Jesus knows everything.
So I’ll do the best with what God has given me as long as there is time
‘Cause the One that got the clocks a-tick’n told me it’ll all be fine.
 
When the devil acts like a bully, putting on a scary show
Before you run away and hide in a corner there’s something you need to know
The One who spoke the world into existence is standing by your side
And if you look close the devil’s knees are shakin’ cause he knows he’ll lose the fight
 
Chorus:
Cause I’ve got a Mighty, Mighty Friend who watches over me
And He’s the Mighty, Mighty Savior who died to set me free
Well I may not be the greatest at anything, but this one thing is so
The God that is the greatest at everything loves me, this I know.
 

© 2007, Anthony C. Baker (BMI)

Katie is going to hate me for doing this…

…but I am going to include the recording I was talking about. This was recorded back when she (Katie) was only 10 or 11 years-old. It’s not Nashville quality, but it’s precious. So, as so many people say before they sing in church, “Don’t listen to how we sing, just listen to the words.”

“Mighty Friend”

 

3 Comments

Filed under Faith, God, music, Relationships and Family

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | March 13, 2014 · 1:54 pm

Starting from Scratch

It’s Been a While

You know, it’s been a while since I first let you know Katie (my middle daughter) was working on her first recording project. As a matter of fact, it’s been over a year.

Well, things didn’t exactly work out the way we planned the first time around, so we are starting over. This time we are taking it one song at a time, slowly, making each song the best it can be (on a limited budget). Hopefully, because we are now working with a friend of mine who’s studio is nearby, there will be radio-worthy stuff heading your way real soon.

The Engineer/Producer

Jody Gould has been a friend of mine for years. We first met when he became the lead guitarist for the band my sister and I had (Mirror Image). Since then, Jody has done a lot of things including opening his own studio in Georgia. So, Battlefield Recording Studios is where Katie will be hammering (or plucking) away until the job is done.

photo 1 (1)

Getting some suggestions.

A couple of great things about working with Jody and Battlefield Recording is that we have worked together in the past and we understand Katie’s musical influences. But the greatest thing is that Jody is a true follower of Christ. It was no problem for him when Katie asked, even before she strummed a chord, “Can we pray, first?”

Prayer

Be praying for Katie as we work afresh on her music. God has really gifted her and the world needs to hear it. Just pray that this new project will proceed smoothly so that the world may see Katie’s “good works, and glorify [her] Father which is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

photo 2 (1)

Scratch tracks.

In the meantime, here is a simple little recording (it’s not perfect – I recorded it on my iPhone in the living room) of Katie playing and singing a cover of Group One Crew’s song, “Fearless.”

“Fearless”

7 Comments

Filed under music, Relationships and Family

Tagged as , ,

by | February 28, 2014 · 12:15 pm

Friday Followup (Books, Burgoo, and Balls)

I Missed Thursday

I known it’s not a have to, a must, a requirement, or any such thing, but I have been enjoying writing about various topics on Thursdays. So, since I missed doing it yesterday, I will throw out a few quick thoughts for Friday – that’s today.

  • Proverbial Thought in print. Believe it or not, it looks like I, along with several others, are going to become published authors. Yes, Proverbial Thought (my other blog), the on-line daily devotional through the book of Proverbs, will soon be in print. But don’t think that the printed version will be exactly like the one on the web, no no no! There will be some new and revised content.
  • date with haley

    Picking up my “date” for the ball. A word to the wise – I’m armed – and so is she.

    Father/Daughter Purity Ball. Last week I took my youngest daughter, Haley, to a father/daughter purity ball in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. It was sponsored by a pro-life ministry called Alpha Alternative. It was the only time of the year where I will begrudgingly dance in public, but it was worth it to encourage my daughter to save herself until marriage. And if you want to argue against that, then you might be part of the problem.

  • Burgoo. It’s a Kentucky thing. It’s like Brunswick stew, but not. I brought some back to Chattanooga and let our youth pastor try it. He said, “It tastes sorta like a barbecue soup or stew, doesn’t it?” Yeah, I guess you could say that. But it’s definitely worth a drive to Hopkinsville.
  • photo (3)School Bus stop signs. Folks, if you see a flashing stop sign attached to a school bus, the law requires that you stop, and it doesn’t matter if you are on a two-lane road or six. You have no way of knowing in which direction a child might decide to run when he gets to the ground.

There you have it! There’s my thoughts for today. Just leave a nice comment below.

Remember…keep it nice.

1 Comment

Filed under America, blogging, Food, General Observations, Humor, Life Lessons, Relationships and Family

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | February 25, 2014 · 10:38 am

I’m Going to Offend

Offended Anyone?

Have you ever offended anyone? I bet you have. Sooner or later, all of us will. We may say something we don’t mean, act carelessly, or speak the truth without love. Offenses happen.

However, there are times when  simple words and phrases will set people off. For example, if you want to rile people up into a tizzy, just get on Facebook or Twitter and post any of the following words (your opinion doesn’t matter):

  1. Grits, okra, and turnip greens
  2. Roll Tide! / Go Vols!
  3. “Put some clothes on!”
  4. “It’s only a translation.”
  5. Rapture
  6. First On Race Day (Ford)
  7. “I hate Twilight.”
  8. “My kids will never do that.”
  9. “You’re an idiot!”
  10. Ronald Reagan

Seriously, use any of those words and it won’t take 10 minutes before people are arguing and fighting, calling each other names, questioning each other’s religion, and saying things like, “DON’T JUDGE ME!”

Nevertheless, we should do our best to “live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:18). It should never be our intent to hurt feelings or make people angry. The apostle Paul instructed us to “follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another” (Romans 14:19).  So, as much as is possible, we should watch what we say, choose our words carefully, and do our best not to offend.

And, when necessary, we should apologize.

The Rock of Offense

On the other hand, there are times when we MUST offend. Sometimes speaking the truth is the only loving thing to do; anything less is an offense to God.

For example, the following words will not make many friends, but are guaranteed to generate hate-filled comments from around the troll-dwelling universe. Yet, they must be said!

  • Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man can come unto the Father but by Him (John 14:6).

As a blogger, my words are read all over the world by people who hate the name of Jesus, and when I mention Him they go ballistic. I hate it for them, but how can I remain silent?

Jesus told the followers of John the Baptist,

“…Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.“ – Luke 7:22-23 

I don’t like offending people, but here’s the thing: if we let the fear of offending silence the Truth, how then can we “follow after the things which make for peace?” There can be no real peace without the Prince of Peace.

So, I guess I’m going to offend.

2 Comments

Filed under blogging, Christian Living, Christian Maturity, Defending Traditional Marriage, Defining Marriage, Faith, General Observations, Life Lessons, salvation

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | February 13, 2014 · 11:47 pm

Thursday Thoughts (Daughters and Gender Identity)

It is February 13, the day after the big snow, and I’m ready to share some thoughts. I have a headache after eating Italian food (pasta fagioli) and discussing boyfriends and boundaries with one of my daughters, so I won’t make this too deep. Too much thinking could cause an aneurysm. 

  • Birthdays and age. Yesterday was my wife’s birthday, but I can’t tell you how old she is, either. Why is that? Why can’t women reveal their age? There are women who look really old, yet they’re only in their 20’s or 30’s. On the other hand, there are those like Christie Brinkley. Have you seen her? She’s 60 and still looks like she did in the Vacation movie, which is better than we can say for Chevy Chase! But my wife looks better than Brinkley in a red Ferrari, so what’s wrong with telling her age?

  • Teenage daughters. I have ’em. I deserve an award. 

  • Defenders. Real men defend their daughters. Real dads don’t care about what the world says regarding dating and relationships – they consider all boys to be predators. You see, my daughters have boundaries, boundaries they have chosen to put in place. If I see any of those boundaries being challenged, I am likely to react in a way most disagreeable. I will defend those boundaries, even if my daughters momentarily forget where they were drawn.

  • Respect. I have the utmost respect for a young man who respects my daughter – and her boundaries. Smart boy.

  • Bluffing. We all have read those cute little lists like, “Rules for Dating My Daughter.” The only problem is that most girls (and their boyfriends) think their dads are bluffing. The somewhat over-the-top threats and ridiculous rules in these lists tend to contribute the sense of disbelief. However, some dads don’t bluff when it comes to their daughters. The only way to find out which ones are bluffing, and which ones are not, is to cross that line. 

  • Gender identity options. In a recent move to accommodate all the sexual perversion in the world, Facebook created a whole new list of options for those who struggle with deciding what boxes to check. Gone are the simple “male” and “female” options to list on one’s wall. Now you have options ranging from “transgender” to “fluid.” Facebook said, “We want you to feel comfortable being your true, authentic self.” 

  • Your true, authentic self. How do you figure out what your “true, authentic self” is? I have a suggestion or two, maybe three. First, check to see what parts of the human anatomy you do or do not have. Second, what part of the baby-making process are you most likely to be responsible for. Third, have you watched Pride and Prejudice more than once? If you check the box marked “fluid,” you’re simply an authentic pervert.

Have a great weekend, my friends, and don’t forget to go to church! Not only might you find yourself getting blessed, but you could be a blessing to others, as well.

2 Comments

Filed under Culture Wars, current events, General Observations, Parenting, Relationships and Family

Tagged as , , , , ,

by | February 12, 2014 · 8:05 pm

The Voice of the Video

Yes, I know this is the 3rd post in one day, but it’s been snowing. What else was I supposed to do?

The Video

It was only my second Monday Monkey video, but it still remains to be one of my favorites.

“There’s a Monkey at the Wheel” was my first music video, but I was not the one singing. As a matter of fact, I got a former American Idol contestant to do the vocals!

If you haven’t seen it, have fun watching it for the first time…or the second, or third, or fourth 😉

The Voice

Lauren Huckabee, Mr. Monkey, and Me

Lauren Huckabee, Mr. Monkey, and Me

The voice behind this video was a young lady named Lauren Huckabee. The reason I bring this up now is because Lauren is singing with a group that is rising rapidly up the gospel charts, Rhonda Frye and Riverside.

On top of that, Lauren has published her first blog post. In it she shares her past, one full of drugs, alcohol, and danger. But more than that, she gives glory to God for sparing her life and giving her hope.

Please read Lauren’s story and pray for her. And, if you get a chance, listen to the real music she’s doing. I’m sure you will like it just as much, if not more, than any parody I’ve done.

Click HERE to read Lauren’s Story.

Leave a comment

Filed under abuse, Alcohol, blogging, Christian Living, Faith, Life Lessons, Monday Monkey, music

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | February 12, 2014 · 1:40 am

Happy Birthday, Valerie!

Before I say anything else…

Before I post another, well, post…

Before I write about things that matter little to me in the big scheme of things…

Before another minute of this beautiful (and seriously rainy) day is wasted…let me say,

valerie“Happy Birthday!” to my lovely wife, Valerie (named after Valentines Day). She is the sugar that makes my life sweet.

She is my sunshine on a cloudy day.

She is my anchor when I start to drift.

She is the unflinching lover when I don’t even love myself.

She’s cement that holds this family together.

She’s the warrior that fights on her knees.

She’s the one who regularly reminds me that there is One who has everything in control, even when I want to throw in the towel.

She’s the one who never gives up, always tries one more time, and considers “it all joy.”

I’ve not given her the life she really deserves, but I know one day God will reward her for all she sacrificed for me.

Happy birthday, Valerie! I love you!

Once again I’m gonna share this video with a song I wrote several years ago just for her. I hope you enjoy it.

But please! Somebody pass this song on to a country star so I can make enough money to buy her something nice for our 25th anniversary…

…seriously, I’m a starving song writer (BMI), so hook me up.

Happy Birthday, Valerie! I love you!

3 Comments

Filed under current events, music, Relationships and Family

Tagged as , , ,

by | February 11, 2014 · 7:41 pm

Love Somebody – Be Somebody

Valentine Banquet

On Sunday afternoon, just after church, our youth staged a spectacular Valentine’s Day banquet in our gym. It was essentially a fundraiser for an upcoming trip to Ridgecrest (North Carolina). All the youth worked as servers.

The program featured a meal, complete with dessert, live entertainment, and our twist on an old television game show; it was called The Oldywed Game.

The Oldywed Game

The Oldywed Game

Here is a picture of the game in progress. Three couples from our church graciously accepted the offer to ruthlessly compete against each other, all for the satisfaction of winning a box of chocolates. The losers got three free appointments for marriage counselling.

Thankfully, the banquet/fundraiser was a huge success. However, for me the highlight was hosting the Oldywed game (oh, and I made the set they sat behind…yes, I’m talented). My comedic talents were brilliantly put to use, of course.

Old Standards

Now, there were a lot of people who worked feverishly to put the banquet together, but my youngest, Haley, must have stressed for months over the music selection. You see, she wanted to have standards from Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and others playing in the background. It took her a while, but she found more than enough, and all of it sounded great.

One song caught my attention. Dean Martin sang, “You’re nobody till somebody loves you, so find you somebody to love.” That’s when my mind flashed back to 1 Corinthians 13 (the love chapter).

“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” – 1 Corinthians 13:2 NKJV

Be Somebody

I don’t know if the songwriter knew of 1 Corinthians 13:2, but he hit on a profound truth: without love, we are nothing. As the apostle Paul made perfectly clear in this chapter, it doesn’t matter how much you know, how much you give, how spiritual you think you are, or how talented you may be; if you don’t have love for others, it’s all worthless – you’re a nobody.

There is an age-old truth most wise people know: if you want to be loved, show love. But it’s not just any ol’ love, you understand.  As Christians, we are to love for Jesus’ sake, without expectation, just like He loved us. Because of His love, we love Him (1 John 4:19).

So, if you want to really be “somebody,” it would seem you need to love others. If you’re “nobody till somebody loves you,” then go find somebody to love. The world’s full of people in need of just that.

Makes sense to me. How ’bout you?

4 Comments

Filed under General Observations, Life Lessons, Love of God, Relationships and Family

Tagged as , , , , , ,

by | January 28, 2014 · 10:40 am

Going Home

A Change of Plans

This morning I had planned on writing about a silly dream analyst I saw on Dr. Oz (totally pathetic). I had even contemplated writing a piece actually defending …da, da, da… Joel Osteen (yes, I know that’s a shocker). But when I sat down at the computer and took a minute to scroll through recent posts on Facebook, I saw a video, and wept.

However, it is the reason for the tears that I wanted to share a video with you. Yes, I cried tears of happiness for all those little children, wives, and moms and dads who were reunited with their brave dads, husbands, and sons. But I also cried for another reason – the anticipated reunion I will have with my own dad.

Funerals

I have preached many funerals. I have seen many loved ones laid to rest in the cold earth. People have looked to me for comforting words as I have stood beside the lifeless body of a recently passed loved one. All I can tell you is this: the only hope I can offer is the hope found in Jesus Christ.

In the 1 Corinthians 15:19, the apostle Paul said, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” So, to put it another way, if trusting in Jesus is only good for this world, like for making you a better person, then what’s the point? Why follow a dead man to the grave?

Real Hope

But Paul adds in the next verse: “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” In other words, trusting in Jesus means that this life is NOT all that there is…that we will one day be reunited with our loved ones…and Jesus’ resurrection is the PROOF!

It has been over 20 years since I last saw my dad face-to-face. I never had the chance (except in a dream) to say goodbye. So let me assure you, when I set foot on those celestial shores…when I breath that sparkling air…when I finally reach Home…there is going to be a celebration like this world has never seen.

That’s why I cried.

 

4 Comments

Filed under Christian Living, Faith, Future, salvation, the future

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | January 22, 2014 · 12:09 am

Underwear Is the Answer?

WARNING! I am going to be talking about underwear (and other things). Some may find the following subject material inappropriate, so proceed at your own risk.

The other day one of my daughters sent me a video advertisement from a company called AR Wear. What were they trying to sell? Anti-rape underwear.

Anti-rape underwear…

(If you want to see the video, you can go look it up on YouTube.)

OK, so….

For the record, I believe rape is a horrible crime. Furthermore, I think predatory rapists should suffer punishments akin to those dished out in the Old Testament. Therefore, please don’t misunderstand me…if you want to wear anti-rape underwear, go for it!

However, what disturbs me is that there is evidently a market for anti-rape underwear, a market partially characterized by a lack of wisdom and common sense.

Below is the text from the first couple of minutes of the AR Wear video advertisement…

“Have you ever been out walking at night, alone, wishing you could feel safer? And you, parents and friends, how often have you worried about a loved one? We want to provide a product that will make women and girls feel safer when out on a first date, or a night of clubbing, taking an evening run, traveling in another country, or in other potentially risky situations.

The challenge was to find a way for the garment to be worn comfortably during normal activities, yet still be able to frustrate an attack…even if the person wearing it had too much to drink, was drugged, or asleep.

Seriously? I mean, really? Am I overreacting to the obvious?

Again, anything that will prevent a woman from being violated is a good thing, so I totally applaud the product AR Wear is trying to sell. But, just look at the people to whom they are trying to market. Are there not other options that could be utilized before resulting to rape-resistant undergarments?

Humor this old man for just a moment and think about the following words…

  • “Have you ever been out walking at night, alone, wishing you could feel safer?” Ladies, here is a suggestion: don’t go out walking alone at night! And if you must, why not invest in some mace or pepper spray, a German Shepherd, or even a .45 cal. semi-automatic! Believe me, if you are packing heat while walking Cujo, it will probably be the rapist who’ll need to be changing his underwear.
  • “[Safer] when out on a first date.“ Let’s think about this one for a moment, OK? Shouldn’t you do your homework on a guy before going out with him? [For additional thoughts on this, see the comments]
  • A “night of clubbing,” or “other potentially risky situations.“ Again, seriously? Is anti-rape underwear really that necessary? How about let’s just avoid the nights of “clubbing” and passing out on the dance floor or in the back seat of a stranger’s car?! Good grief!
  • Normal activities that include: “even if the person wearing [the underwear] had too much to drink, was drugged, or asleep.” I’m sorry, but if your normal activities include having too much to drink, getting drugged, and passing out, then you have problems that a pair of armored panties will never fix.

I don’t want to sound harsh, my friends, but it would seem that much of the need for the above product could be eliminated by smarter, wiser, more godly life choices.

Sure, there are times when bad things happen no matter what we do, but what should one expect from a lifestyle that includes regular excessive drinking, drug use, and “risky situations?”

The fact that anti-rape underwear is needed at all is sad enough. But when we add in the fact that much of the demand stems from unwise behavior, the whole idea seems tragically fatalistic.

6 Comments

Filed under abuse, America, Christian Living, Culture Wars, current events, General Observations, wisdom

Tagged as , , ,