Each year, I heft all of our boxes of lights down from our attic like a Himalayan Sherpa, minus their skill, strength, and style. Once the boxes and my person are safely on the ground, I begin the time honored tradition of checking the lights. Over the years, I have been exceptionally lucky when it comes to our Christmas lights. Occasionally, I will discover a bulb or two that has burned out, but...
One of my oldest and dearest friends, Pastor Mike Miller, recently reached out to ask me to offer some insights into an article he was writing for his church newsletter. As I read what he had written, I found myself both convicted and encouraged. His words cut through the mess of our current crisis and through the mess we often make of this time of year and point us to the true heart of Christmas...
Movies tend to be somewhat therapeutic for me. They provide my overactive, hyper-analytical mind with something outside of my everyday, real-life struggles to focus my attention and energy on. I often find myself looking for myself in the movie. I try to figure out who best represents the point of view I would hold were I to find myself in the same situations, with the same options, and with the...
I have not always been a fan of memes. Actually, I still find that I am more often annoyed than amused by memes. For those who aren’t 100% sure what a “meme” is, according to Merriam-Webster, a meme is “an amusing or interesting item (such as a captioned picture or video) or genre of items that is spread widely online, especially through social media.” All those pictures with famous quotes...
Much like everybody else, I find many of my waking hours occupied contemplating the new realities and possibilities created by the COVID-19 outbreak. Honestly, it is impossible to escape it at this juncture. All of our normal distractions have been infected. March Madness has been turned into March Sadness as all tournaments have been canceled. Likewise, professional athletics have been put on an...
One of my favorite movie series’ of all time is Pirates of the Caribbean. I watch the original trilogy at least once a year, all of which are currently available on the Disney+ app. The reasons I love these movies are legion, but not the least is the relevant themes that persist throughout the course of the story. At first blush, the movies appear to be about an absent-minded captain seeking...
Last week, I had to make my bi-yearly visit to the doctor’s office. I got my CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) several years ago so that I could drive our church bus when necessary, and in order to maintain it, the Department of Transportation requires that I have a physical done once every two years. I had time last Friday morning and the deadline for getting the paperwork in was fast...
“Life is hard. Then you die. Then they throw dirt in your face. Then the worms eat you. Be grateful it happens in that order.” I don’t really know who David Gerrold is, but I’m grateful for this quote that is attributed to him. While it certainly presents a painfully dark and narrow view of life, there are times when it paints a fairly accurate picture of the struggle I feel in my heart. For any...
West Virginia offered a host of recreational activities not available where I grew up in the northern plains of Indiana. So, when I moved to the “Mountain State,” I took advantage of as many of the outdoor adventures as possible. My wife Robyn and I hiked the hills of nearby state parks, I took a college course on Whitewater Rafting and served as a guide for a summer, and I purchased a mountain...
Over the years, I have developed quite the collection of nativity sets. For those unfamiliar with this term, the nativity is the depiction of the birth of Jesus. It is often referred to as the manger. These sets often contain the virgin Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, a donkey, an ox, some shepherds with sheep, wisemen/magi with their accompanying animals, and an angel or a star. These nativity...
Jeremy Myers is the Lead Pastor of First Baptist Church of Seymour, Indiana, where he has served since 2017. He has over 25 years of experience in local church ministry and not-for-profit leadership. He has a passion for helping emerging and existing generations learn to make space for each other and caring for the under-served and marginalized. In 2016, he earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from Palmer Theological Seminary, with his thesis focusing on developing connections between senior adults and youth in the church. He is a passionate and gifted communicator and is regularly invited to speak at retreats, camps, conferences, and other events. He lives in Seymour, Indiana with his wife Robyn, their two children, Mikayla and JJ, and their Golden Doodle, Evie.
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