PUT ANOTHER BLOG ON THE FIRE

I always encouraged my kids to go to college. Not because of the old accepted adage that "you can't get a good job without a degree" but because I knew that it would make them better writers, increase their vocabularies, and teach them concepts and curriculum never even approached in high school. Just as important was the maturing that I knew they’d get there. The REAL axiom that comes into play here regarding college is: "What doesn't kill you, makes you smarter". But above that, just being exposed to a vast melting pot of kids from all different walks of life, different parts of the country, and different socio-economic backgrounds is First Grade in learning that 'the way I grew up doing it' doesn't make it the right way (or the best way).

Now I'm not talking about the 'train up a child...he will not depart from it' Proverbs core beliefs and core values here (at least not in this post). I'm talking about the every day things like a shoe then a sock, or both socks then both shoes, or the above the roll or below the roll in each one of our lives, and how quickly our eyes are opened when we observe behavior totally foreign to our own.

My kids have all left home, gone to college, and then returned (for visits only, mind you) with strange habits, likes and desires that they never acquired under my roof; disgusting habits that I would had hoped they would avoid. Things like sushi, and coffee, pizza dipped in ranch dressing, Red Bull and enery drinks, not to mention bad language habits like, well like, you know, like, oh like this one, like you know what I mean?

Honestly, many of my famous Whittern home recipes are variations and deviations on what I learned from my college roommates. First year in college, you eat in the dorms. This of course is one of the first things that make you smarter, if you don't die from it. You learn during times of stress (like finals week) to order Hideaway Pizza, or head to the Town Talk Cafe at midnight. My first year out of the dorms about all my roommate and I had figured out we could cook were grilled cheese sandwiches (the old gas stove we had was equipped with a griddle in the middle of it). We soon learned that even cheap Buddig meat was edible between buttered and grilled bread surrounded by melted cheese. The next year I lived in a townhouse with two other guys, and we decided that each night, one of us would be in charge of the meal. Still being somewhat of a picky eater at that stage in my life (learning to eat new things is another thing you pick up rapidly in college), I would usually hang around to ‘help’ in the preparation of the food; mostly I was there to see what ingredients were going into the concoction I was going to be expected to eat. One night, my roommate (Boyd) and I decided we were going to fix up a roast. We went to the grocery store, bought cow, spuds and rabbit food (roast, potatoes and carrots) and headed back to the kitchen. As we prepared to start the process, I immediately grabbed our biggest pot (the one we used for spaghetti noodles) and plopped it on top of the stove. At the same time, my roommate grabbed the biggest and deepest baking pan he could find. In unison, we asked each other, "What are you doing?" Boyd added, "You put a roast in the oven, you fool!" I replied, "No idiot, you cook a roast on the stove!" We had lived together for three years, so we were pretty much in the 'too many cooks spoil the batter' stage of our relationship (and were familiar enough with each other to use pet names, like 'fool' and 'idiot'. For some reason after all these years my wife and I haven't become that familiar yet.)

You see in my house, my mom fixed her roast on top of the stove (almost like a stew, but without all the stew stuff, and simmered to perfection). Boyd's mom had always fixed a pot roast in the oven, like a turkey, baked to perfection. Each method was the only method we knew...the only 'roast' we understood...the only way to do it. And since every boy's mom was the best cook he knew, you didn't dare question her methods. (Girls, take note when you get married. Don't get between a boy and his mom's cooking).

So what's best (besides "momma knows...")??? "A crockpot, stupid," you may yell at your computer screen. Shoot, I once ate a 'campfire pot roast' individually wrapped in foil and fixed beneath the coals of a campfire that rocked my culinary world (but when I build a campfire in the backyard, the Fire Marshall shows up). It's not up to me to diss (or dish) your pot roast. You know what you like. You know what fits your lifestyle. You know what particular preparation style takes you back to momma's table. We musn't be too quick to judge others and their ways. There is so much that goes into who we are that isn't apparent on the surface...and we are all SO different.

We in America are quick to point out rights and wrongs. We in the church are quick to point out rights and wrongs, too. The Bible is really clear about many things. But look around at the differences in Christianity, the differences in denominations and theologies, the difference between one Southern Baptist Church and another, and you can see the many offshoots and embellishments of those fundamental truths. Take that a step further, and you can see the difference in the people sitting in front of you and the ones sitting behind you in church on Sundays. One especially enjoys children; one is drawn to seniors. One is analytical and is great with computers; one loves to get dirty in the garden. One is uncomfortable in crowds; one asks people over to the house nightly. It's how God planned it.

1 Corinthians 12:14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.  :17 If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear?
:18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.

Obviously, a well-rounded church should have lots of ministries, each one born of a specific need, desire or calling of someone in the church, thus allowing 'service opportunities' for each different part of the body. A Christian not involved in a local church ministry is somewhat of an oxymoron. Each of us has to follow our calling in that respect. If you don’t like what ministries you see, then start a new one…but find something. Conversely, I don't believe you can be involved in every ministry of a church. Have you seen Undercover Boss? These guys are great CEOs, and obviously know how to run a major company...but when they get in the trenches, most of them are enthusiastic and they're available; but they're often inept. The other jobs just weren’t their calling.  In addition to that, I've seen way too many people come into the church, get involved in everything and then disappear into nothing.

Remember that a lack of caring and a lack of calling to a given ministry look exactly the same on the outside. Don't be too quick to judge someone's heart, because they don't participate or aren't drawn to your ministry. You can elevate or revere it so much that it borders upon becoming a sacred cow. So then what do you do??? Well, my advice is to slowly cook it on the stove (the way my momma used to cook her cow). Personally I think it gets too dry in the oven or the crockpot!

Put Another Log On The Fire (the song)
For your listening enjoyment...the inspiration for this BLOG TITLE!!