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

So we finally got to see the new parasite, I mean baby. The doctor said both mother and child are doing well. They drained Kim of most of her bodily fluids to run all kinds of tests, so obviously we will know more when those results come back. We go back for more specialized testing (due to Kim's age) on the first Friday in December, so we will know even more then. For now everything seems to be on target. The sonogram know-it-all computer said the baby was 11 weeks and 2 days old. That is exactly what Kim said it should be. Exactly. When we had our first sonogram for the pregnancy we lost earlier this year, the sonogram showed the child was smaller than it should have been, and that was the first indicator that something was wrong. Not so this time. All is well. The baby had a good, strong heartbeat and we got to see it move around a lot. Michael went with us and put on quite a show at the doctor's office. They even gave him his own sonogram picture that he carried around wi...

In case you haven't heard, the Gospel/Contemporary Christian Singer Ray Boltz is gay. He has been wildly successful in Christian circles since the late 1980s, writing such beloved songs as, "Thank You," "Watch the Lamb," and "I Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb." If you did a search for Ray Boltz on your computer you will see that the Christian blogosphere is all atwitter with the news. Apparently Ray has struggled with this all his life. In 2004 he came out to his family and separated from his wife. They formalized their divorce in 2008 and he has chosen to live an openly gay lifestyle. He has now begun preforming in churches that minister to the gay community across North America. He will be performing in one such church in Houston this November. Now, let me give you complete disclosure: I have never liked Ray Boltz's music. I know, I'm sorry. Back "in the day" there weren't many choices so we all listened to and enjoyed Ray...

Many of you already know that Kim is pregnant again. Right now she is at about 10 weeks. We will go to the doctor for the first time on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, so we will know how things are going then. So far so good. Except, of course, for the reality that Kim is pregnant. By that I mean the normal hormonal changes that occur in the first trimester. Kim is having a hard time now, but even with that we think the news is good. When she was pregnant with Michael she experienced wild emotional swings and often had terrible depression, but no morning sickness except for some dizziness. After the first trimester that all went away. When she was pregnant earlier this year with the baby we lost to miscarriage, Kim didn't have any symptoms or side effects. Now she is sick all the time, either tired or on the verge of throwing up, but no mood swings. So we hope that is a good sign that this pregnancy is really taking hold. We wanted to say to all our friends and family, especially...

Kim, Michael and I got back into town yesterday afternoon. We traveled to north Texas for the annual meeting of the Baptist General Convention of Texas. We stayed at my parent's place in Cleburne so they could have some grandson time while Kim and I attended the convention. Well, we almost made it to my parent's house before Kim realized that we had packed all of Michael's stuff, but had forgotten our own clothes. We had the t-shirts and shorts we were wearing and the t-shirts and shorts we brought to wear home. So...I opted to not go and buy new clothes for two days just to go to the convention. Kim rested, Michael played with my parents, and I studied for two days. Oh well. I hope you all remembered to give thanks for our veterans on Veteran's Day. Jesus told us, "Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." Veterans do this for us every day, and we should be thankful for their great love for all of us. They had th...

The median household income for Rockport is $38,582. However, 20% of the households in Rockport, 1,726 homes to be exact, have income at or below $15,000 a year. It is estimated that that in five years that number will drop to 1,629 and represent 18% of the households in Rockport. Not a large drop. We all complain now and again about how expensive it is to live in Rockport. My question is, how do these people do it on $15,000 or less a year? The state-wide average for Texas is 14% of the households at or below $15,000 a year. What do you think of that?

Here at last! Kim and I voted early, and I am glad for that. If you have not voted yet, I strongly encourage you to go out today and brave the lines (I hope there are lines) and cast your vote. Your vote is important because you are important - you are a precious child of God and your voice, your thoughts, your opinions, your vote matters. In the church I try to remember that numbers are important in as much as they represent people, and people are always important. Your vote is important also because I have friends and relatives who have sacrificed so much in the service of this country to protect and preserve your right to vote, and to establish governments in this world that embrace the importance of each person by giving them the right to vote. You may be tempted to believe that voting doesn't change anything. Well, it might change you. Give it a try. While I have been dismayed by the course the national campaigns have run this election cycle, and find myself wondering ...