New Orleans mission trip - having fun

Our mission team left New Orleans on Friday morning. Some of the group came on back Friday night, and the rest came in on Saturday. Today I thought I would post some of the humorous pictures I took during the week. Although we worked hard, we also had a lot of fun, as you can see.
Woody worked hard installing a toilet, so he had an excuse for sitting down on the john-- I mean, on the job. I was caught by surprise in this picture while eating ice cream. We kept playing pranks on one another and acting silly. Julie wanted to recycle the paper lunch bags, so a prankster glued the inside of the bags together so that the next morning when Judy started to make our lunches, the bags wouldn't open. One day they packed a bag for "Sam" and "Roger," when we had nobody on our team by that name, and in one of the bags a mustard and peanut butter sandwich. Somebody tied James's shoes together, and James said he figured something would happen to him, since he was the main instigator of many of the pranks. Items would disappear and then reappear later.
Several times we would get lost, and every time we got lost, we seemed to end up circling the Super Dome. It got to be a joke that we had to come see another side of the Super Dome. Becky got a tiny cut on her arm, and Woody acted like it was a major injury in need of a tourniquet. We saw a poster advertising a concert by a group called "Slighty Stoopid" and that phrase became a favorite phrase if we did anything dumb. Dan the coffee man really enjoyed the coffee and beignets at the Cafe du Monde. In fact, Dan also enjoyed the coffee at the Community Coffee House, and the coffee at Celebration Church, and the coffee at Cracker Barrel, and anywhere else he could find coffee. And I had to include this picture of Glenn pointing to home in the map at the seaport ministry, mainly because it reminds me of all his funny expressions. Here are a few of his quotes:
"Elvis is dead, and I don't feel too good myself."
"I'm like Daniel Boone. I've never been lost a day in my life. I've been bewildered for weeks at a time, but never lost."
"We the unwilling, led by the unknowing, have been doing the impossible with nothing at all for so long that we are now qualified to do anything with nothing at all."

My other blogs

I have two other blogs, for those who might be interested:
"Holy Humor" at www.holyhumor.blogspot.com has about one selected column per month from my weekly newspaper column, "Holy Humor," which is published in the Effingham (Rincon, Ga.) Herald and Poplarville (Miss.) Democrat. These are true humorous stories from church life, with a spiritual punchline. Columns go back to 2007.
"Explain the Bible" at www.explainthebible.blogspot.com is a question-and-answer blog. This is a new blog I started in December 2009 almost as a practical necessity. Nearly every week I get an email, phone call or person inquiry from somebody asking me a question about the Bible. With the permission of the questioners, I have posted their first names and their questions, followed by my answers, since other people may be wondering the same things.
Check them out, and if you appreciate the blogs, take time to click on the Google ads and I get credit.

Forgetting Mom can be costly

I heard about a young minister who was preparing to preach his first sermon. He asked an experienced pastor for advice on how to begin his sermon.
"Start with an illustration that will grab their attention," the older preacher said. "For example: 'Some of the best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who was not my wife.' "He smiled at the younger man's shocked expression before adding, "She was my mother."
The next Sunday the young pastor nervously clung to the pulpit as he faced the congregation. Finally he said, "Some of the best years of my life were spent in the arms of a woman who was not my wife." He was pleased at the instant reaction--then became panic-stricken, and said, "But for the life of me, I can't remember who she was!"

Forgetting your mother can be costly. It's Mother's Day. Don't forget.

I think he should have stayed for the sermon

You've heard of dumb criminal stories, but here's one with a strange church twist. Howard Morgan of Savannah visited Asbury United Methodist Church for Easter services yesterday, but instead of staying for the sermon, he stole a member's car keys, left church and drove away in the car, running into five other cards in the parking lot as he left. Police had no problem finding him, since he had filled out visitor information in the church's guest book and had given them his correct name and address. I think he should have stayed for the sermon. He told the police that "the devil made him do it." Read the story from WTOC-TV in Savannah here and the report in the Savannah Morning News here.

"March Madness" in church

It's "March Madness," the time when basketball fans get excited about the college playoffs.
We have "March Madness" in church, too. Matt Tullos has noticed lots of sports terms that fit in church. Basketball has an "alley-oop." In church, an "alley-oop" would be when the singer sings an incredible song that relates to the sermon and the preacher slams it home. But be careful, as church can also have an "alley-oops," as when the pastor preaches a sermon on adultery and then the soloist sings, "Why Not Tonight?"
Basketball also has a "slam-dunk." In church, a "slam-dunk" happens when the pastor loses his grip in the baptistry. There is also a foul called a "double-dribble." In church, this is when the Lord's Supper juice glasses are cracked.
Football has a "blitz." In church, a "blitz" is when a 20 people rush the associate pastor five minutes before the service, each with an announcement that must be made. Football also has a "screen pass." In church, a "screen pass" is when the pastor plans to use a clip from a Disney movie and then chickens out. Then there is the "illegal use of the hands" foul. This happens in more formal churches when charismatic worship is practiced. Then there is the "two-minute warning." In church, this is when the pastor slows down his sermon with the words, "Finally, church..."
Baseball has the term "stealing home." In church this is when a member slips out the back door during the invitation. Another baseball term is a "pinch hitter." In church, this is when a visiting preacher steps up to the pulpit.
My favorite sports term is a "sacrifice." This is done by a baseball player who allows himself to get out in order to advance a runner or even bring a runner home. And this is what Jesus did for us on the cross, getting "out" in order to advance us to our eternal "home" in Heaven. He had to do this because all of us have a "batting average" that is below .500 (we are sinners who often strike out) and we aren't good enough to get to Heaven on our own good deeds. Thank God, that even in the bottom of the ninth, with two outs, we can make a comeback and win the victory through faith in Jesus Christ!
That's the message of the Easter season, when "March Madness" turns into "April Gladness."