I normally don't pass along other websites too often but here is one I discovered this morning. The journey began while researching videos to use at church. But in the great spirit of the internet, I stumbled upon this:http://www.thebuddygroup.comYou must choose the Flash version to really, really enjoy it.

Thursday morning I decided to try something a little different during my morning prayer. I decided to list one hundred things that I was thankful for that day – not tomorrow or the day before, but right then. It was interesting to begin thinking about what I am grateful for and to appreciate little things that often are taken for granted. What would be on your top 100 list ... right now?

Starting in August, we will be spending the remainder of the year at LifePoint exploring the life of Jesus. One of the messages I will be teaching in August is about Jesus' mission as expressed in Luke 4:18-19. So, in the spirit of the Internet, I went in search of funny -- but true -- mission statements. Along the way, I found this:Dilbert's Automatic Mission Statement GeneratorGive it try ... you might recognize one or two.

There are some pastoral functions that college cannot quite prepare you for. Pastoral things like turning out the lights after everyone leaves and making sure the doors are locked. I do remember a guest lecturer one day talking about his weekly schedule -- when he mowed his grass, went shopping, etc. But I tuned him out after he mentioned yard work and probably missed the part about turning out lights.On the more "spiritual" side of the scale, four years of college did not prepare me for conducting my first funeral. That was done by my seeking out the counsel of a retired pastor who patiently walked me through the process of where to stand and what to say.Pastors are often called upon to do funerals of people they do not know very well. I treat every occasion as an opportunity to step into a sacred moment, one that is filled…