Notes from the Narrow Road: Observations from a pilgrim traveling along The Way

All this talk about bacon has made me wonder about your favorite foods. Not just your favorites, but what are your comfort foods? You know, those foods you turn to when you need to reconnect with who you are, with your roots, with better memories, that make you feel as if all is well with the world. I have many such foods and I have much to say about them all. I know that is shocking to you. Today I'll write about nachos and Rotel Dip. I don't recall the first time my mother made nachos, but I had to have been hooked right from the start. I am fairly simple when it comes to building nachos - tortilla chips, cheddar cheese, and jalapenos. Every now and then some meet is acceptable, but not too often and definitely no vegetables beyond the peppers. My expert opinion on the matter is that the pepper makes or breaks the nacho. Some peppers taste as if they have been pickled in formaldehyde. And some brands are more reliable than others if you use store-bought peppers. The...

There never seemed to be enough bacon at breakfast when I was a child. My brother and I would often fight over bacon. He is six years older than me and could physically intimidate me. But I got up earlier than him. I figured he could beat me but I still would have eaten all the bacon. The blows raining down on me could never change that happy reality. I ate the bacon. Not long after that he would get up early too and we would watch each other. I neglected to pay attention once and he licked some of the bacon, refusing to tell me which pieces. It was cruel and heartless torture. Looking back now I figure that he didn't lick any of it, he just told me he did. There is no doubt that I love bacon, but even I have my limits. I was sent this picture yesterday. Chocolate covered bacon cake. I'll pass.

I have intended to write a serious devotional piece for a while now, but the fact that it has been so long since I last posted just shows that I couldn't bring myself to do it. Instead I'm going to write about bacon. Kim actually bought bacon not long ago. This is a rare and wondrous treat for our family. I could eat a pound of bacon at every meal. Kim knows that, and because she loves me she only buys bacon maybe twice a year. Michael loves bacon, which goes without saying since he is my son. We have even been known to fight over bacon. I'm not proud of that, but the boy has to learn to eat his bacon or lose it. When I was a kid we would take string, some washers and a pound of bacon down to the creek to fish for crawdaddies. I remember vividly the salty, smokey smell of the bacon, the slimy texture, and the way it tasted when I licked my fingers. That's right, children, I never washed my hands after handling raw bacon. And I lived! My grandmother cooked everything in ...

Today in Rockport we had some strong winds and rain from time to time, and some reports of tornadoes to our north and south, but I am ignorant of any real damage in our area. It could have been much worse. I have learned much about hurricane preparation and will know a little more what to expect in the future. One encouraging thing in all this was my involvement with the city's and the county's Emergency Operations Center. County and city leaders, including area service agencies, nursing homes, and many other community leaders met together regularly to basically do whatever needed to be done for the community in the event of a disaster. It was so encouraging to see these people come together to speak with one voice and help the people in Rockport and Aransas County. I am honored to have been included. So, now, on to business. I have two weddings this weekend and a full day on Sunday.

It appears now the storm has turned west and most experts have it making landfall in extreme south Texas sometime Wednesday. The county's Emergency Operations meeting for 4 a.m. today was cancelled. We are now bracing for a strong storm, but we give thanks that the Lord seems to have spared us the worst of it. Having said that, I realize it could change at any minute. We are thankful to the Lord and our thoughts and prayers go out for those who find themselves in the path of the storm.

Gains and I attended the 4:00 p.m. meeting of Aransas County's Emergency Operations team, and listened in to the latest official briefis from the National Weather Service and the State of Texas. Much of this information will be out very soon, but here is a brief summary... Hurricane Watch still in effect, may be upgraded to a Warning tonight or in the morning Dolly has not slowed down, currenlty moving at 18 mph; if the store does not slow down it will make landfall Tuesday afternoon and may not have time to intensify However, all computer models show that it will slow and intensify to a strong Category 1 Hurricane before it makes landfall at about 3 p.m. Wednesday, with winds reaching land at 3 a.m. Wednesday. The storm appears to be getting better organized. The State of Texas is making preparations for a Category 2 Hurricane just to be cautious. Currently the storm is tracking to make landfall at Port Mansfield. However, computer models show it could come in anywhere betw...

It is a little after 10:00 a.m. on Monday and the latest computer models show the storm tracking north, northwest, which places landfall just south of Corpus Christi. The forecasters still say it will go more towards Brownsville, so who knows who's right. While a strong storm, even a Category 1 Hurricane wouldn't require us to evacuate, but we are still doing what we can to prepare. Gains has gone to represent our church at a emergency meeting with city officials, state officials, and the folks from the national weather service to be updated and to make contingency plans. We want to be prepared to help our members in case the storm takes a turn for the worst.

No one around these parts is as excited as Louis Armstrong was to see Dolly. At least not Tropical Storm Dolly, which is watering the Yucatan Peninsula as we speak (So glad we are not in Cancun right now!). Kim and I are learning to join with others in South Texas in watching the radar and tracking the storm. It is expected to enter the Gulf of Mexico and strengthen into a category 1 hurricane, at least that is what they are saying right now. Most computer models have it making landfall far south of us, but who knows? So we watch and wait. Those of you reading from the northern regions can keep abreast of the Jones family storm preparations, such as they are, by checking back here from time to time.

This past Sunday we looked at Jeremiah's letter to the Exiles living in Babylon, in Jeremiah 29. We learned how difficult exile conditions are and how we are prone to long for deliverance instead of the Deliverer. God told the Exiles to make homes for themselves and live their lives - live deeply, live well, live lives of faith trusting in Him - His presence, His power, and His plan. At the time we are not able to see the end from the beginning. That is why we live by faith, not by sight. Things were bleak and hopeless for the Exiles from Judah. Many years before, the Assyrians had taken the citizens of the northern Kingdom of Israel into exile and relocated foreigners to the Promised Land. The Ten Tribes of Israel were scattered across the globe by the Assyrians and lost to the sands of time. Jewish communities did sprout up all over the world but they were scattered, disconnected, and only a shadow of the the people they once were. The Jews from Judah expected the same to happen ...

Several years back, God led FBC Rockport to relocate to the current location, culminating a vision going back perhaps 20 years or more. The Lord provided not only the vision of relocating for the purpose of further kingdom growth and impact, but He then provided the land, sold the old property, got the current building built, filled it full of people from day one, and then provided the funds to pay off the debt. We will be completely debt free in the near future. We have much to celebrate! I believe God called me here to be a part of what He has in mind next. I don’t know what He has in store, but I am convinced that He has only just begun. For this reason, I propose that this fall we enter into a time of prayer and fasting, and that we earnestly seek the Lord together to get a sense of His leading thus far, to discern His current activity in our church and in Aransas County, and then to follow in faith and obedience as He leads us into the future. I am calling this a time of strategic...

I have been reluctant to post pictures of our family on the blog because of the chaotic nature of the Internet - the nature of a pastor's blog lends itself to openness instead of restricting access, so I have chosen to have little control over who can read the blog. So to protect our family's privacy to a certain degree, Kim sends out pictures from time to time via email instead of putting them here on this website. We had several requests for pictures after I posted about our trip to Cancun, and Kim sent some out to some friends and family. If you didn't get the email but would like to, we didn't intend to leave you out. Just let us know where to send them. We have heard back from many people who also sent pictures. We have been blessed especially by those of you in Sherman who were having children around the same time Michael was born. Like you, Kim and I have wondered at how much the children have grown and matured in the course of a small handful of years. Ea...

Kim reports that last week she bought toilet paper for the first time since the church welcomed us to Rockport back in January. For those of you keeping score at home, that is right about six months. Whoever had the over and under on six months owes me dinner.

Every bride is entitled to a shot at her dream wedding. I get that. Some brides dream bigger than others. Kim's sister has waited a long time for her bridal event, and she deserves every moment of happiness she can get. I wouldn't have missed her wedding for the world. It was unfortunate for us, for Michael really, that her wedding was in Cancun. Isla Mujeres, to be exact, an island 15 minutes off the coast of Cancun. We stayed at an all-inclusive resort on the north end of the island, and the wedding was at the northernmost tip of the island. It was gorgeous beyond description, with the turquoise Caribbean Sea on three sides of us. I enjoyed watching the minister perform the ceremony in his broken English, but he did it with great joy and compassion. They served a five course meal for us on the beach after the sun went down. We were surrounded by torches and candles, there was a light breeze, and the food was wonderful. Even Michael enjoyed staying up late for the wedding fest...

Yikes! I looked at the date of my last blog and could not believe it has been this long since I last posted anything. We've been busy, but that is no excuse. So...let me get you up to date. The VBS video is not formatted correctly for this webpage. However, there was talk of putting it on GodTube.com and on FBC Rockport's new webpage, www.fbcrockport.net , which is currently under construction. Of course, you can always order a copy in the church office. The Sunday after youth camp we baptized 8 people, 6 of those were youth who made decisions at camp. Last Sunday Gains baptized another VBS decision, and tomorrow morning I will baptize one more from VBS. We should all be thankful for how the Lord is at work in our midst. The search for a Youth Minister is well under way, and I believe the Search Committee is about ready to solicit resumes. There should be information on the church website. This Tuesday night I will speak with the Church Council briefly about the process of Stra...