Deacon's Diary

Deacon's Diary is a weekly feature that appears on the back side of the bulletin at the First Baptist Church of Avalon, Texas.

 Let me be the first to say.

We all know that Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon. Carried up there in the Apollo eleven craft, he set foot on the moon on July 20th, 1969. Russia Yuri Gagarin was the first man to orbit the earth back on April 12th, 1961. Most of us have heard about Sir Edmund Hillary, who on May 29th, 1953, was the first man to reach the top of Mt. Everest. Most of us didn't know that a man from Norway named Erling Kagge was the first man to go to the South Pole all alone in 1911, and most us probably didn't care either. Many of us have probably heard that Ferdinand Magellan and his crew are credited with being the first to sail around the world back in 1522, but did you know that a guy named Joshua Slocum was the first to do it all alone in 1898? Probably not. But because we have become the great record keepers that we are today, all that is now part of our history. All that and much, much more. Some things are not so clear, like whom was the first to fly a mechanical airplane. Was it the Wright brothers, Richard William Pearse of New Zealand, or Otto Lilienthal of Germany? Other things are more clear, but on the trivial side, like the man named Gene Rychlak that became the first man to bench press 1000 pounds. What all this means is that we are, and have always been,  somewhat obsessed with keeping up with 'firsts'. We all know that George Washington was the first man to become our first president. In November, if Hillary Clinton is elected, she will be the first woman to become our president. That would mean Bill would be the first man to become, well, the first man.

All these 'first' are all well and good I suppose. Some of them mark noble and triumphant achievements. Others don't really mean anything at all other than they were just first. Some of these things were shocking because they proved that things that were previously believed to be impossible were not impossible at all.

 While some first, like the one about flying, are still disputed in history, there are a couple of them that are not disputed at all. The first sinner on this planet was also the first man on this planet. And the first man to go through this world without sin was also the first and only Son of God. Because of His sacrifice the impossibility of us as sinners to be reconciled with a Holy God is no longer impossible. Let us all be among the first to say, "Thank you Jesus!"

Deacon's Diary is a weekly feature that appears on the back side of the bulletin at the First Baptist Church of Avalon, Texas.

Give me a break.

Spring is, and I guess it has always been, my favorite time of the year. Everything is turning green again. The recent rains have got the creeks a running and all the lakes are full. Me and Kay are start to get that itch to go fishing and/or maybe camping again. That boat out in the garage looks a lot better and more inviting than it did last month, and I suspect that it will start calling out to me even louder in the coming weeks. The kids are getting a little antsy too. Summer vacation is just around the corner and they will be out of school before you know it. Yep, it's coming at us quickly, and I welcome it.

I realize, however, that this sense of anticipation is not one that is unique to just me and my family. According to a google search that I did this morning, 82 percent of Americans plan to take summer vacations most every year. People all across the country are making plans to leave their work behind for a time just to get away from it all. Our youth group right here at the First Baptist is starting to raise the money they need for church camp. Calendars that hang in offices is all sorts of business settings are being circled, and dates are marked in capital letters with that little eight letter word, 'VACATION'.

All of this is a good thing for the most part. Putting our duties involved with our jobs aside for a period of rest and recreation is certainly good for us.  There is no one that I know of that will argue otherwise. Getting away from the grind of work and/or school has a beneficial effect on the mind and the body that is, as they say, priceless. So, let me take this opportunity to wish you all a safe and happy break this summer no matter what your plans may be.

If there is a down side to the summer time, it would have to be the decline in church attendance that comes with it every year. With all the things that go along with our summer activities it just becomes near impossible to be in church every Sunday, whether we like it or not. But that surely doesn't not mean that we take a vacation from God. On the contrary, as a matter of fact, God goes with us on any and all of our vacations. I have found that a good vacation can bring me even closer to God. I have a sign hanging on the wall in front of me that reads, "I'd rather be fishing and thinking about God than sitting in church thinking about fishing." Take a break. Take God with you!

Deacon's Diary is a weekly feature that appears on the back side of the bulletin at the First Baptist Church of Avalon, Texas.

When the Son came out.

Deacon's Diary is a weekly feature that appears on the back side of the bulletin at the First Baptist Church of Avalon, Texas.

All together now.

Deacon's Diary is a weekly feature that appears on the back side of the bulletin at the First Baptist Church af Avalon, Texas,

Dog gone confusion.

Deacon's Diary is a weekly feature that appears on the back side of the bulletin at the First Baptist Church of Avalon, Texas.

Where in the world?

Deacon's Diary is a weekly feature that appears on the back side of the bulletin at the First Baptist Church of Avalon, Texas.

On purpose.

Deacon's Diary is a weekly feature that appears on the back side of the bulletin at the First Baptist Church of Avalon, Texas.

Is that your final answer?

Deacon's Diary is a weekly feature that appears on the back side of the bulletin at the First Baptist Church of Avalon, Texas.

Pet peve.

Deacon's Diary is a weekly feature that appears on the back side of the bulletin at the First Baptist Church of Avalon, Texas.

The value of values.

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