The other day, I attended a meeting at The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection in Kansas City. Two staff members along with an elder from Eastminster attended with me. We met with several staff members and key lay leaders of Church of the Resurrection. It was our first meeting and it was powerfully significant.

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Moderating meetings is an art. To keep people focused on the matter being discussed and ultimately on the bigger issue of the mission of the organization demands skills that are innate and learned. And so my life, a series of meetings, conversations and contexts that require “moderating” demand of me the abilities of listening to and directing the conversation in order to advance the bigger mission which should be driving the conversation.

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Words are powerful. They can change things. For example, when I am discouraged and someone encourages me with their words, my outlook changes. I bet the same is true for you.

The Bible is filled with words. And all of the words in the Word are for our benefit. God’s words change things. The Bible says that nothing is impossible for those who believe in Jesus. The words in the Bible are hope for the hopeless and friend to the friendless.

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Weeds are a curious thing. Like many of you, I work hard to maintain my yard. I really like a green lawn that is lush and thick. I also like flowerbeds that are well manicured, and although there is a hedgerow out back, I really like it to be maintained as well. And, no matter how hard I work at it, both with my time and the appropriate use of fertilizers and weed retardants, weeds still appear. It is so aggravating. From a dormant fertilizer and weed repellant to four seasonal applications of weed “killers,” weeds are the gift that keeps on giving.

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The breakfast gathering was early, but that was okay. I’m an early riser. Normally I eat a light breakfast of fruit and cereal after a workout, but the plan needed to be reordered.

I parked the car on Douglas in front of INTRUST. It was 6:25 and the gathering started in 20 minutes. Century II Exhibition Hall was filling. I quickly went through the buffet line and headed to table 41, where I met the folks I had invited.

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The intersection was gridlocked at 21st and Webb. Two cars were involved in a serious accident. It was clear that one turned in the front of the other. Glass everywhere. Windshields busted through and crushed metal the norm. I wondered, as I finally made it through the intersection, if the occupants survived. Oh, so scary. Oh, so not necessary. At least I thought.

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Janet’s parents have been with us the past week. What a tremendous joy to be with them and see the impact of their lives on Janet.

Evie and Don did so many things right. They taught Janet and her siblings their heritage and instilled in them the importance of passing it on. When I reflect on my relationship with Janet the past 33 years, 31 of them married, I see her parents’ imprint everywhere.

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I was sitting at a table in an interrogation room at the New Delhi airport. I wondered how I missed the stamp on the back of my visa that stated: “Do not return to the country within two months of your previous visit without getting permission from the Home Mission." I had just flown 14 hours from Chicago. I was tired. I was 46 days away from my last visit. I was upset with myself and wondering what was going to happen to me. My limited Hindi did not help me understand the immigration officer in his broken English, mixed with Hindi sentences.

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I have fond memories of Easter as a child. My sister and I would color eggs around the kitchen table, a setting nicely prepared by my mom with bowls of colored dyes, dipping utensils for the eggs and creative decals. It was an amazing time Saturday morning.

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The other night, Rob and I were talking about his education at Bucknell. I know that Bucknell is a sensitive subject when it comes to KU basketball fans. Rob and I were not talking about Bucknell’s basketball team. He has made the decision to double major in engineering and economics.

Janet and I are so proud of our children. Now my youngest has committed to a plan of action for his college curriculum, but most important for his life after college.

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