Andy the Country Parson

What Should We Fear - Death or Distractions?

2012-01-21T10:12:00.005-05:00

It's hard to argue with a kid like Clayton McDonald concerning his observations on life and death and distractions. Click on the video link to hear his word of warning for us all to beware the power of distractions!Clayton's Story from Jacob Lewis on Vimeo.Clayton reminds us all not to waste life; not to waste opportunities to be grateful for those you love (and to tell them so!); and to love and

IMPORTANT MESSAGE IN A BEAUTIFUL WAY

2012-01-21T09:54:00.002-05:00

This has got to be one of the more classy yet effective public safety commercials I've ever seen. It's from the U.K.Now you could do a commercial that just yells at the guy, "HEY, WEAR YOUR SEATBELT, STUPID!" I like this way better. It reminds me that we can still communicate the wonder of Jesus Christ to others in beautiful ways, kind ways, and even, loving ways. It's hard for folks to hear us

Out of the Mouths of Babes

2012-01-02T21:52:00.004-05:00

Here is a picture of Ian and his mom. Ian goes to my church. Ian is a bright kid. How do I know? Well...This past Sunday morning during our worship service, Ian quietly asked his mom, "Is Mr. Andy a grown-up?" His mom's answer, "sometimes." (Okay, that might not have been her answer, but it would have been justified.) A friend said it was a compliment so I'm going with that!I must admit it does

Another Christmas Gone - Now What?

2012-01-01T07:21:00.000-05:00

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas with family and friends. Christmas 2011 is over so the question comes to mind, "now what?" Click on the video for a reminder of the importance of what comes "after" Christmas!What comes after Christmas? I hope that what characterizes 2012 for us all is simple, daily, joyful obedience to the truth our Father gives us in Ephesians 5:15-20: Be very careful,

New Year Resolutions? Alternate Strategy: Try Daily "Small Steps" Instead

2012-01-01T07:18:00.002-05:00

So often we suffer from the "all or nothing" phenomenon when it comes to personal growth. If, however, we are to experience sustained growth over a lifetime, we need to learn the value of taking small steps in what might otherwise seem an overwhelming journey! The good news is, that our Father is with us every step of the way! Check this video reminder out...

How to Best Get Through 2012 - Follow the One Who Knows the Way!

2012-01-01T07:02:00.003-05:00

What's the best way to say "thank you" to our Father Who has given us so much in Christ? This video gives us a clue...wait...no...it gives us the answer! If you love our Father, then you will follow His Son!Jesus said in John 10:27: My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I hope we're all listening to that voice that still calls us daily..."follow me!" There is NO better way

Strategy for 2012 - BE A THANKFUL PERSON

2012-01-01T06:52:00.003-05:00

If I had to come up with a bumper sticker for this video it would be: THANKSGIVING: NOT A HOLIDAY - IT'S A LIFESTYLE!What makes for a great life strategy in 2012? ! Thessalonians 5:16-18 is a pretty simple, yet profound way to start... 16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Make no mistake, however. These are

Advent Conspiracy - Better Late than Never

2011-12-24T11:24:00.003-05:00

Here is the updated video for this year's Advent Conspiracy.If you haven't heard of it, check it out! It's one of the best new (yet really old) perspective on a healthier Christmas, and one that will bring joy to our Savior!For more info, check out: http://www.adventconspiracy.org/

Nothing Like Reality for Christmas

2011-12-24T11:20:00.002-05:00

Pretty straightforward reminder that NOTHING COMPARES TO WHAT OUR FATHER HAS GIVEN US IN CHRIST! ENJOY!

Video - Christmas - God's Plan

2011-12-24T11:13:00.002-05:00

Don't look away...there is a lot here to consider and it comes at you fast, but what a way to drive home the IMPORTANCE of the Incarnation!!! Enjoy!

Video - What Child is This!

2011-12-24T11:09:00.002-05:00

May you and your family have a great Christmas with a renewed sense of wonder at the Child Who came to save us!By the way, for $99.00/year, you can legally download all clips from Hyper Pixels Media! Not a bad deal: http://www.hyperpixelsmedia.com/?zenid=837147898fac4ad4d49b23f2011ff23e

Video - Christmas "Blockbuster" Version

2011-12-24T11:06:00.001-05:00

This video was a little too BIG in production values for my church service...looks like something James Cameron may have thought up!

Video - Christmas in a Nutshell

2011-12-24T11:04:00.000-05:00

Video - The Paradox of Christmas

2011-12-24T11:00:00.004-05:00

Great reminder of how far Christ came to love us!

Christmas Video - WHY WE GATHER AT CHRISTMAS

2011-12-24T10:56:00.005-05:00

Christmas Video - A More Accurate Nativity!

2011-12-24T10:54:00.004-05:00

Really cool video for kids...well, for us all!!!

Video Clip for Christmas - One Baby Changed the World!

2011-12-24T10:52:00.000-05:00

Christmas 2011 - Silent Night Sand Art

2011-12-24T10:46:00.003-05:00

Another clip to help you celebrate Christ's birth! Note: music doesn't kick in until 10 seconds!

My Christmas Card

2011-12-21T10:55:00.002-05:00

Here's is this year's Christmas card I made using a picture I took last year of our church nativity scene in our baptistry. My computer did the "art" work! I hope everyone has a meaningful celebration of the birth of Christ!

I'm Back to Wish You a Happy Christ's Birthday!

2011-12-08T09:22:00.005-05:00

I have really appreciated hearing from several of the six people who occasionally read my blog that they missed me. Sorry I got out of the habit of reflecting on life in a small town as a country parson. It's very easy to put blogging at the bottom of my "to do" list. I will try to do better. Right now I'm about to do a marathon day of visiting folks who I've needed to visit for a while. Was out

Online Advent Devotions

2011-11-30T17:46:00.003-05:00

Click anywhere on the above image to go to the Following the Star Online Advent Devotion!

A Photo Opp on a Dam

2011-09-10T16:05:00.003-04:00

Sometimes you just need to get out of the car and walk on a dam, and maybe, just maybe, you'll get one of those photos you never expected...like one (or several) of a sailboat in the reflection of the setting sun! It was very, very cool and I got much needed exercise running from shot to shot to keep the sailboat in the reflection! Okay, okay, I "might" have juiced up the color saturation

An Encouraging Voice

2011-08-03T06:02:00.002-04:00

It has been a tough year so far in Denmark in terms of my bereavement ministry. In a few hours I'll officiate at my 9th for the year. A church member asked me if I was ok yesterday after running into me at Wal-Mart. I told her, that I was sad because I've been dealing with a lot of sadness lately. A lot of pastors deal with pettiness, divisions, etc. in their churches, but that is not what I'm

My World Changers Crew - The Sore Thumbs

2011-08-02T23:00:00.002-04:00

One of the best features of World Changers is to throw together adults and youth from various churches into crews. The first night we knew nothing about each other, but by the end of the week, it was pretty amazing how well we worked together. I had an excellent team...see for yourself! (Don't forget to click on the full screen control at the bottom right of the screen.)

Our World Changers Mission Trip to Chattanooga, TN

2011-08-02T22:50:00.003-04:00

Just spent a week in Chattanooga with our World Changers mission team. Here's what happened...(remember to click the FULL SCREEN thingy in the bottom right corner!) This is the video of my church's youth/college group.

On The 4th of July - Absolute Freedom is Not The Goal!

2011-07-12T10:20:00.001-04:00

I like being a free American. Of course, even as Americans, we are not "absolutely free." Some Americans are in prison because they tried to have absolute freedom and violated the law. The law, you know, that system that enables us to live as free Americans. An example of this are the laws that allow us to drive in a "relatively" safe environment, where drivers mutually agree to obey (more or

Christ's Light Needs to Shine Through

2011-07-12T10:05:00.003-04:00

I took this picture the other day. I say "picture" in the singular, because it's the same picture. The first is what I saw, and the second is the picture after I touched it up a bit...ok, a LOT. Technically, I didn't paint any additional colors into the photo, but used the computer to bring out and intensify the colors that were already there.All this is to say that it reminds me of how knowing

My Hometown

2011-07-11T06:29:00.004-04:00

Decided to get some much-needed exercise on the Fourth of July, so I took a stroll down the main street of North Augusta, SC with my camera. As I'm still finding excuses to use the slideshow feature of my Mac, I decided to do one celebrating my hometown. North Augusta was a great place to grow up in that it feels like a small town, yet all the amenities of a city lie a few hundred yards across

Our Father the Great Botanical Artist!

2011-06-22T10:10:00.004-04:00

I recently took a stroll through the Orangeburg Memorial Gardens to take in some of our Father's creative handiwork. The pictures gave me another opportunity to play with my new Mac's slideshow capabilities. The song is from an old musical the Baptist Student Union Choir performed while I was studying at Clemson. (The pops in the audio is from the VINYL record where I lifted the recording. How

Little Sins Add Up

2011-06-22T09:53:00.003-04:00

Recently, I saw this segment on Discovery Channel's "The Deadliest Catch," about the danger of ice collecting on the ship's gear. If it is not removed quickly, disaster can happen. Click on video to see why this is such a problem.Tiny droplets of water, combined with freezing temperatures and wind can destroy a crab boat and its crew. But it's just drops of water, against a ship of many tons of

Vacation Bible School 2011

2011-06-20T07:26:00.004-04:00

Another Vacation Bible School at First Baptist is history. Everyone seemed to enjoy being "Backstage with the Bible." Here is a slide show with just a few of the 1,522 pictures I edited. NO, I didn't take all of them. I had three additional photographers roaming backstage to get those special VBS moments. Among my favorites...toddlers' first VBS experiences.Thanks go out to all the workers who

Happy Father's Day...Abba Father!

2011-06-18T22:58:00.002-04:00

I wonder how many believers will celebrate Father's Day tomorrow and forget to thank the greatest of all dads, our ABBA FATHER! Maybe this will remind you to do just that! Oh, and never forget, 1 John 3:1, "See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!"

Another Powerful Reminder for Anyone Who Loves Kids!

2011-06-18T22:46:00.002-04:00

We live in a culture that is trying to convince all of us (and especially our children) that true happiness is a product of selfishness; of getting what you want, as quickly and as easily as possible. Left alone, children will usually favor recess over math, or candy over vegetables, or sleeping late over catching a school bus. They need adults to showing them that what they want is not always

Praying for Our Fathers and for the Rest of Us!

2011-06-18T22:25:00.004-04:00

Happy Father's Day! If you have or had a great father, you have every reason to look forward to tomorrow. Not everyone, however, will see tomorrow as a day to rejoice.Some will not have ever had the experience of a good father, but perhaps an abusive one.Others may have never had a father.Others will be having the first Father's Day without their dad, either through death or the breakup of a

Easy to Forget The Price Paid for Our Freedom

2011-05-30T08:45:00.004-04:00

This video clip is a powerful reminder as to the cost of our freedom. Honor our war dead today (and everyday) by using your freedom to overcome your own selfishness to give yourself to something greater than yourself. Christ said the most important things we can do on any day is to love God and love others. (Matt. 22:34-40) I can't think of a better use for our freedom. Have a meaningful Memorial

We're Better In Groups

2011-05-25T06:39:00.004-04:00

Saw this ad which illustrates how it's better to be "attached" to a group. How true!I have heard some people say, "I don't need to go to church to be a Christian." Well, maybe that "can" be true, but I don't think it's possible to be an "obedient" Christian while intentionally being disconnected from any community of faith. Speaking to the importance of finding your part in the body of Christ,

Rob and Kristin's Wedding Slideshow

2011-05-18T00:24:00.005-04:00

I have a lot to learn about putting together slideshows with my new MacBook, but it's a start. Buck Ridge Plantation was a great place to have a wedding. The weather looked pretty threatening at first, and an outdoor ceremony seemed to be fading as a possibility, but the weather gave this very "in love" couple a gift...no deluge (or even a sprinkle)..and then, during the reception, a rainbow!As a

Pray for Tuscaloosa, AL

2011-04-29T11:21:00.003-04:00

I lived in Tuscaloosa, AL from 1984 to 1987, and fell in love with the place and the amazing number of fantastic people there. I can't tell you what a great year of ministry I had as Campus Minister Intern here (pic) at the Baptist Student Center, followed by a year and a half of serving the Lord through the loving church family at First Baptist Tuscaloosa as Minister to College Students and

Pleasantly Surprised at the Royal Wedding

2011-04-29T10:43:00.006-04:00

NO, I did NOT get up at 4:00 this morning to see the "Wedding of the Universe." (That is what the major networks are calling it, aren't they?) I did, however, wake up on my own around 6:00 and, yes, I did turn on the tube in time to see the actual ceremony live.It is not William and Catherine's fault the media is so insane about covering every possible "angle" (including imagined angles!) of the

Sometimes, You Just Have to Jump in a Chair!

2011-04-25T23:27:00.004-04:00

Did your pastor jump up in his "pastor's chair," and yell "SMILE" during your Resurrection Sunday Church Service? I don't know what came over me, but I wanted to take a group picture to give to a church member who missed his first Easter service in probably....well, maybe a lifetime. I was already told that I would have to provide prints to everyone. I can live with that (IF Walgreen's or CVS

Jesus is Alive! Oh, and He's REAL, too!

2011-04-25T22:40:00.004-04:00

I like gadgets...probably too much. At a weak moment, I recently bought a Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming system. I was lured into getting it because in addition to gaming, it is a 3D camera which is pretty cool. One of the games I bought is more of a simulation...a virtual puppy. Another intriguing feature of the system is what is called "augmented reality," which utilizes two front facing cameras

Baptists Need to Dance More!

2011-04-19T21:59:00.006-04:00

My Baptist heritage says I should not dance, and my physical lack of finesse and rhythm insures that I won't dance. Still, the Scriptures tell us in Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 that...There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a

The Bridge - A Modern Tale of Love and Sacrifice

2011-04-19T21:50:00.003-04:00

I've probably posted this for some Easter past, but it still paints a powerful portrait of sacrificial love.If you want to see the 30 minute movie in its entirety, go to:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnq1FvnKc-k&feature=related

The Silence is Broken!

2011-04-19T21:33:00.005-04:00

Wow! Almost a month with no posting...sorry about that, but, as usual, I've been "distracted." I was taking some time to get ready for this coming Sunday's resurrection celebration., when I ran across this Easter video from IgniterMedia. I've seen several video presentations using "social networking" to tell the gospel story. I thought this one had some merit of telling an old, familiar (

Thankful for a Church that Bucked the Trend

2011-03-22T09:54:00.005-04:00

My brother thought it necessary to cheer me with this article from the New York Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/us/22pastor.html?_r=2&hp)concerning the perceived reluctance (some would say "discrimination") of modern churches (non-Catholic of course) to hire single pastors. April 5th marks my 24th (yep, you read that right!) anniversary of when my church called me as their

Don't Be a Freight Train!

2011-03-09T10:57:00.002-05:00

Yesterday as I approached The Oaks retirement center to visit some church members, I pulled over to finish a phone conversation, and to take some pictures. The center has a serene corridor of oaks at the entrance including a walking path and benches which make for a peaceful setting (perfect for finishing up a phone call!). See what I mean...Suddenly, the railroad crossing signals began to blink

Pretty Powerful Story Teller!

2011-03-09T10:01:00.004-05:00

A friend sent this to me today, and I am sure that lots of other folks will be sending it to me in the coming weeks, so this blog is "partially" an attempt to keep my inbox manageable. Seriously, this little girl has a gift. I don't think she was using a teleprompter, but even if she was, her story-telling abilities are pretty impressive...as is her conclusion. Enjoy, and then ask our Father if

Are You Getting Better?

2011-03-03T12:17:00.002-05:00

NO, I haven't ordered an Ipad2 yet (you can't until March 11th!), and I probably won't. The upgrades are nice, but the next "evolution" is expected to be greater still. What I do want to bring to your attention is this. Wait, first, watch this video:If you are not a technogeek, you might not be impressed, but if you are, or if you own an Ipad, you know that it is a pretty versatile "gadget." I

Being Positive Makes Your Live Longer!

2011-03-01T09:30:00.002-05:00