What's In A Name?

Two elderly ladies had been friends for many decades. Over the years they had shared all kinds of activities and adventures. Lately, their activities had been limited to meeting a few times a week to play cards.

One day they were playing cards when one looked at the other and said, "Now don't get mad at me....I know we've been friends for a long time.....but I just can't think of your name! I've thought and thought, but I can't remember it. Please tell me what your name is."

Her friend glared at her. For at least three minutes she just stared and glared at her. Finally she said, "How soon do you need to know?"

Food Related Ponderings?

• Since bread is square, then why is sandwich meat round?
• Why does a round pizza come in a square box?
• What disease did cured ham actually have?
• Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet soup?
• Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?
• If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?
• Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out!"
• Better yet, who was the first person to watch a white thing come out a chicken behind and think, "that ought to taste good."

FBC Lake Butler Added to Schedule

I will be preaching at my home church, First Baptist Church of Lake Butler, on Sunday, February 19, 2006. I will be preaching the 11am and 6pm worship services.

First Baptist Church is located at 195 East Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida. For more info call the church office at (386) 496-3704.

Green Cove Springs Tomorrow

I'll be preaching the special 5th Sunday Service tomorrow (January 29th) at Sharon Baptist Church. There will be a Gospel Sing featuring Kevin Owen & Cheryl Kent at 1oam. The morning worhip service will begin at 11am and a covered-dish lunch will follow.

Sharon Baptist Church is located at 5584 Sharon Rd. near Green Cove Springs, Florida.

Podcast Now On iTunes

My new ministry project, a Podcast called "Walking with the Giant" is now available on iTunes. The program is a free download.

The program is also listed on Podcasting News, Podcast Alley, Podcast Pickle and other podcasting directories.

Technological Ponderings?

• How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage?
• Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?
• If the professor on Gilligan's island can make a radio out of a coconut, why can't he fix a hole in a boat?
• If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?

Union County Tragedy

God has certainly used me in many ways since my entering the ministry in 1994. Last night was another “first” in that I was scheduled to preach at my home church, First Baptist of Lake Butler, Florida, and then I learned of the tragic accident that occurred earlier in the afternoon. A Union County school bus, semi-truck and a car were involved in a crash on SR121. Seven children were killed and several others were taken to area hospitals, some by helicopter. I was told that none of the people involved are members of our church; however, with this being a small, close-knit community, the impact is still great.

Our service last night consisted of a lot of prayer and a message of “hope” from God’s Word. I have never led a service in the wake of such a tragedy that has hit so close to home. A reporter and photographer from the Gainesville Sun newspaper were also present preparing a story about local churches dealing with the tragedy. You can read the story at: http://gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060126/LOCAL/201260355/1078.

I praise the Lord for giving me the words needed for this service. We serve an awesome God!

I ask that you please be in prayer for everyone involved in this accident and for the healing, physically, emotionally & spiritually, that is needed.

Escape!

Here's another one of those online games that will drive you crazy! It is called "Escape" and can be played (or since adults don't play games, I should have said it can be "studied") at: http://members.iinet.net.au/~pontipak/redsquare.html.

The object of the game is to move the red block around without getting hit by the blue blocks or touching the black walls. If you can go longer than 18 seconds you are phenomenal.

Note: I have made it to just over 12 seconds at the time of this post.

RSS Feed for WWTG

If you use an RSS type newsreader to subscribe to news and podcasts feel free to add this one to your reader: http://feeds.feedburner.com/jamescroft/opEf. This is the feed for the new program "Walking with the Giant" (see yesterday's post for info or click the link).

This blogsite also has an RSS feed, it is: http://feeds.feedburner.com/WalkingWithTheGiant.

Should you need these feeds in the future just click on the two icons to the left, "xml" button for the blog feed and the "sound" button for the podcast.

Audio Newsletter Now Available!!!

I have a new ministry project that I would like to share with you. It is “Walking with the Giant”. This is a monthly 30-minute audio newsletter for this ministry and can be downloaded (free) from the web or delivered to you on an audio CD for a small monthly donation. Click the link below for more information:

"Walking with the Giant"

I will use this site to announce when a new edition of the program is available each month.

Also, please feel free to forward this info to anyone you think might be interested.

I look forward to hearing what you think about this new ministry. You can e-mail me at evangelist@jamescroft.org.

For more info about my ministry you can visit www.jamescroft.org.

Praise Christian Church

I have been asked by Pastor Cecil Hysmith to preach this Sunday morning (11am) at Praise Christian Church. The church is located between Cross City and Old Town.

Financial Ponderings?

• If Wyle E. Coyote had enough money to buy all that ACME stuff, why didn't he just buy dinner?
• Why do you have to "put your two cents in"...but it's only a "penny for your thoughts?" Where's that extra penny going to?
• If money doesn't grow on trees then why do banks have branches?

Predictions for 2006

THE TOP TEN PREDICTIONS FOR 2006:

10. The Bible will still have the answers.
9. Prayer will still work.
8. The Holy Spirit will still move.
7. God will still inhabit the praises of His people.
6. There will still be God-anointed preaching.
5. There will still be singing of praise.
4. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
3. There will still be room at the Cross.
2. Jesus will still love you.
1. Jesus will still save the lost.

Author Unknown

FBC Lake Butler Tonight

I will be leading the Bible Study tonight at First Baptist Church of Lake Butler. The service begins at 6:30pm and the church is located at 195 East Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida.

Good Morning

"Somebody has well said there are only two kinds of people in the world. There are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good morning, Lord," and there are those who wake up in the morning and say, "Good Lord, it's morning."

Interview with an Honest Boss

I've never seen this one before and I must admit it is cute. Check out "Interview with an Honest Boss" at: http://www.hallmark.com/wcsstore/HallmarkStore/images/products/ecards/nfg1969.swf.

The Senility Prayer

Grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference.

Not exactly Biblical, but funny.

"Art" Work

A Sunday School teacher began her lesson with a question, "Boys and girls, what do we know about God?"

A hand shot up in the air. "He is an artist!" said the kindergarten boy.

"Really? How do you! know?" the teacher asked.

"You know - Our Father, who does art in Heaven... "

Triskadekaphobic?

Do you have a fear of the number "13"?

Even though it is Friday the 13th, this is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it!

How about you?

Shiloh Baptist Added to Schedule

I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Mark Driskell this Sunday night at Shiloh Baptist Church. The evening worship service begins at 7pm. Shiloh Baptist Church is located at 173 SW Shiloh Way near Fort White, Florida.

Red Skelton's Pledge

This site was sent to me and I want to share it with you. It contains a story by Red Skelton concerning the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America. You can hear it at: http://www.patriotfilesannex.org/Pledge.htm.

Orange Heights on Sunday

I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Lonnie Broome this Sunday morning, January 15th at Orange Heights Baptist Church. The service will begin at 11am.

Orange Heights Baptist Church is located at 16700 NE SR 26 in Orange Heights, Florida.

Small Crowd Big Miracle

I preached the morning & evening services at Gadara Baptist Church in Keystone Heights, Florida yesterday. The morning service was well attended and there was a good Spirit during the service. The night service was much less attended (could be the preacher?) but what a miracle we experienced! Let me start during the afternoon...

After having lunch with a family from the church I returned to spend the afternoon in the pastor's study to save driving over an hour back home and then back to the church again. While studying, the church's telephone rang and I answered the call. It was someone wanting to know the time of the evening service. There was no other conversation and I didn't give the call much thought at that time.

Again, as in the morning service, there was a good Spirit, just a much smaller crowd. During the Invitation we learned of a man whose wife is suffering from cancer. We gathered around him and had prayer for his wife and him. God was certainly present!

After the service had concluded one of the men of the church came to the front row with a couple and motioned for me. I learned that they had called about the service time. Before we left, the gentleman had accepted Christ as Savior and his wife rededicated her life to the Lord!

There is no greater miracle than someone passing from death to life by repenting of their sin and asking Jesus to save them! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Who says nothing much happens in night services? When Jesus is in the house... anything can happen!!!

What if I had chose NOT to answer the telephone?

If A Dog Were Your Teacher

You would learn stuff like.....

• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
• Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
• When it's in your best interest-practice obedience.
• Take naps and stretch before rising.
• Thrive on attention and let others touch you.
• Run, romp, and play daily.
• Avoid biting, when a simple growl will do.
• When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
• On hot days, lay down and rest.
• No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout... run right back and make friends.
• Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.
• Be loyal.
• Never pretend to be something you're not.
• When someone is having a bad day just jump in their arms and bring a happy smile.

Parking Problem

A minister parked his car in a no-parking zone in a large city because he was short of time and couldn't find a space with a meter. Then he put a note under the windshield wiper that read: "I have circled the block 10 times. If I don't park here, I'll miss my appointment. Forgive us our trespasses."

When he returned, he found a citation from a police officer along with this note "I've circled this block for 10 years. If I don't give you a ticket, I'll lose my job. Lead us not into temptation."

When You're Caught

Please, remember this is only a joke and should not be tried in your office!

Top 10 things to say when you're caught sleeping at your desk:

10. "They told me at the Blood Bank this might happen.."
9. "This is just a 15 minute power nap they raved about in the time management course I just took!"
8. "Whew! Guess I left the top off the Whiteout. You probably got here just in time."
7. "I wasn't sleeping! I was meditating on the company's mission statement and envisioning a new business strategy."
6. "I was testing my keyboard for drool resistance."
5. "I was doing a highly specific Yoga exercise to relieve work-related stress. Are you discriminatory toward people who practice Yoga?"
4. "Darn! Why did you interrupt me? I had almost figured out how to handle that big problem."
3. "Did you ever notice sound coming out of these keyboards when you put your ear down real close?"
2. "Who put decaf in the coffee pot?!?"

AND THE NUMBER ONE best thing to say if you get caught sleeping at your desk........

1. Raise your head slowly and say, "...in Jesus name, Amen."

FBC Lake Butler Tonight

I will be leading the Prayer Meeting/Bible Study tonight at First Baptist Church of Lake Butler. The service will begin at 6:30pm. The church is located at 195 East Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida. Please be in prayer for this service.

Chicken and Eggs Game

Have you ever tried to catch fresh layed eggs in a basket? Well, now's your chance! You can give it a try at this link: http://www.downloadlab.com/chickenandeggs.html.

If you miss one, then I guess the "yoke's" on you!!! (An oldie, but still a goodie.)

Youth Valentine Banquet

I have added a youth Valentine banquet to my schedule for Saturday, February 4, 2006. This will be for the youth of First Baptist Church of Lake Butler, Florida, my home church.

Happy New Year Card

This is a cute animated New Year's card that also has sound: http://www.icq.com/img/friendship/static/card_16961_rs.swf.

FBC Lake Butler Added to Schedule

I will be leading the prayer meeting & Bible study services on Wednesday nights in January at First Baptist Church of Lake Butler. The services on the 4th, 11th, 18th and 25th all begin at 6:30pm.

First Baptist Church is located at 195 East Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida. For more info call the church office at (386) 496-3704.

FBC is currently seeking a pastor, so please be in prayer for the church and the Pastor Search Committee.