Waking From Dreamless Sleep

Recently, I was revisited by an experience for early in my ministry. As a young pastor I was serving in a rural/residential congregation. One of the men in the church had been a FDR Democrat, was a proud union member, a blue collar worker all of his life. He was a “man’s man.” When I knew him, he had been retired and enjoying some of “the fruits of his labors.” Then he ended up having a heart by-pass surgery.

MLiBB 2. Breakthrough with Friendships

Elementary School years were a pretty good time for me. My family moved when I was in the second grade, from Tampa, where we had been living in rental homes, to Orange Park, a “bed room” community south of Jacksonville. Our house sat at the main entrance to the school where I would attend the remainder of 2nd and continue through the 6th grade.

MLiBB 1 -- My First Break in Life

When I was in the first grade I experienced my first broken bone. It all started out innocently, enough, but isn’t that usually the case. A group of us kids from the street were at my next door neighbor’s house playing Cannon Ball. Cannon Ball is a simple, imaginative game. One person, usually a bigger one in the group, lays down with his back on the ground to be the Cannon. He draws his legs up to his chest, with feet positioned for the Ball. The Ball is a lighter kid who simply sits on the feet of the Cannon. The Cannon then launches the Ball for a squealing flight in the air, landing safely several feet away.