The View From My Window Pastor's Weekly Blog

I ran into the local funeral director this morning at the Post Office. He asked how the church was doing and I said, “It’s good, we have a lot of really nice people in our church.” He responded, “Yes, you really do.”

You have a very good reputation around town! The thing that is most impressive to me lately is how hard so many of you are working. Quite a few of you have been involved in digging, raking, carrying, wiring, etc. And many of those doing the grunt work also fill many of the offices in the church. Andy & Mel along with Bob & Angie were seen out raking rocks all day last Saturday. Joe was here almost every evening the week before. Rick gave us one of his vacation to fill in some ditches. Emily & Vickie have been providing food for the workers … and the list goes on and on.

I’d have to say I love to work but I don’t do nearly as much of it as many of you who are serving for the sheer joy of blessing the Lord and one of His churches. Suddenly I’m feeling guilty for not mentioning others of you who work so hard among us, like Pastor LeRoy & Wanda, Ron, several Debs, Dave, Mike … and I’m not even going to mention my most favorite worker of all …

– Pastor Joel Everhart

Okay, it’s fall. I love fall. I just hate what’s next. Alright, hate is (perhaps) too strong a word. The Bible instructs us to give thanks in all things. I suppose winter is a thing therefore I need to learn to be thankful not only in winter but for winter. Pray for me (and for you, too, if you have a similar bend).

I know a few strange people that love winter; I’m hoping to become like them. Actually, there is a lot to enjoy about the season: the holidays, there’s something romantic about the first snow of the season, a fresh coating of snow can be beautiful and makes soup and a hot cup of tea special … I really wouldn’t mind the winter at all if it didn’t get so cold.

Cold — that’s it. That’s what I strongly dislike about winter. Even normal cold is bearable; it’s those winter chills! Do people who love winter not feel wind chills? Is it a mindset? Can I have certain brain cells cauterized so that I don’t mind the cold? Can they do that without making me drool at the time or lose the feeling in my left foot? I know what you’re thinking: Pastor needs all the brain cells he can get. Haha, very funny, everyone’s a comedian. If in ten years I’m loving winter, then I’ll know you prayed for me. But if I’m not, at least I’ll know who to blame.

– Pastor Joel Everhart

They say that dogs have a very keen sense of smell. We humans are often overcome by one rank smell (like the odor of a skunk or burned potatoes) whereas dogs are able to distinguish different scents in the air at the same time. Our primary sense for navigation is our sight; dogs can “smell where they’re going.” In a large crowd of people or out in the woods your dog is able to track you down because she knows your smell. If she could talk she could tell you everywhere you went on any given day just by smelling you when you got home. And, yes, they know if you’ve been with another dog!

Why then do dogs love to roll in poop? No wonder the Lord likens rebellious people to dogs:  they are treated to the finest the Lord has to offer but choose to roll in the “poop” of this world. I hope you have better sense than a dog. Find out what is truly worth living for and stay away from the you know what.

– Pastor Joel Everhart

If you know me very well, you know that I’m in mourning. The summer is over. I know, I know … it’s not “officially” over until some meaningless date passes but, trust me, it’s over.

The kids have been back to school for a while already, darkness comes a little earlier each evening, and the sun is sleeping in later each morning. When it rained it didn’t last several days in a row — it rained then the sun popped out again.

I know I should be thankful for the coming colors of fall, crisp autumn mornings and evenings, and football, but I just need a little time to deal with the loss of summer. It was a great sumer, wasn’t it? Alas, oh summer of 2014 we loved thee well. Rest in peace, for you were good to us.

– Pastor Joel Everhart

The most amazing thing happened this morning while I was out on my run. As I jogged past the Rite Aid on Eisenhower Drive their sign displayed the time and temperature as 5:59am and 60 degrees. When I got to the Dodge Dealership on the same street a block away their display said 5:58am and 64 degrees! I must have been running so fast that I actually caused time to go in reverse just like Superman did in one of his movies. Not only that but I heated up the planet by four degrees! It’s a good thing I only ran four miles — although we could all use a little extra time in our day — nobody likes a heat wave.

I wonder if I ran the other direction if the planet would get cooler? Oh my … the thought just hit me … what if I am personally responsible for global warming? I started running a little over 25 years ago and no one was talking about the planet heating up back then – only since! Please don’t share this column with anyone from the DER, EPA or Department of the Interior…

– Pastor Joel Everhart

Did you know we now have several stretches of highway in Pennsylvania that are posted with a 70 mph speed limit? While traveling home from Pittsburgh a few weeks ago I came upon one on the PA Turnpike. I told Barb, “Look at that! I’ve never seen a 70 mph speed limit sign in our state before!” A half mile later there were construction signs everywhere with a reduced speed of 55 mph. Isn’t that just like life?

You could really be making some time if it weren’t for this restriction or that delay. Our smooth sailing seems to be restricted to half-mile increments divided by ten-mile construction zones. Don’t despair, just ahead is an exit into a better land where the restrictions will be gone and we’ll be free forever. As the old hymn goes, “Just a few more weary days and then I’ll fly away!”

– Pastor Joel Everhart

What a great summer! Lower than normal temperatures, plenty of rain, everything is green and lush. I’d like to circulate a petition calling for this summer to be extended by an extra six months. That would put us somewhere in March to get started on next spring. I know March weather can be a little sketchy but, hey, after nine months of summer we’ll probably be ready for a little cool down. I know it might seem odd to have highs in the 70s for Christmas but I’m willing to give it a try.

You’re probably worried about all those people who make their money in the cold weather months like ski resorts and such. They could plant corn. Guys that plow snow could cut grass instead. The people that supply us with heating oil can go take a flying leap …err… I mean live off the profits from last winter and enjoy an extended vacation in the Sahara Desert.

The truth is … we’ll take whatever weather we get and be thankful that we live in a land where we can get cool when it’s hot and warm when it’s cold. As much as I enjoy complaining (I’m pretty good at it, don’t you think?) I’ve got a lot more to be thankful for. How about you?

– Pastor Joel Everhart

Suddenly my Dad is old. He’s 85 now so you might think I’ve been warming up to the idea of his senior status but you’d be wrong. While vacationing recently I had the opportunity to spend a day at my folks’ house helping them with some things they can no longer do for themselves. I did some painting, cleaned out the gutters and changed a light bulb in their kitchen overhead light. It was on that last job that Dad’s failing physical abilities became most evident. I got the ladder in position and he decided he could do the job so he climbed the couple steps but found he couldn’t extend his arms enough to get the globe off the fixture.

Just a few years ago, he and I carried a couch up a flight of stairs and I was surprised by his abilities even as I questioned every step he took (he’s had two bypass surgeries). Now after “supervising” me for a day he spent the whole next day in his recliner. Even his voice is sounding weak. I want to go back to the days when I’d tell him he shouldn’t be doing something and him proving me wrong. I want to go back tot he days when he’d say, “Don’t tell your mother we did this.”

There’s something very sobering about watching your father age. There’s something very comforting about knowing that a day of renewal is coming for all who are in Jesus Christ.

– Pastor Joel Everhart

I’m not sure what happened but the other morning I woke up at my usual time but it was dark. For about a month the sun was already rising by 5 a.m. but no longer. It’s all downhill from here, you know: days shorter, leaves start to change, kids off to school, Thanksgiving, a few cute snowflakes fall and then … wham! The Polar Vortex comes howling out of Canada to latch onto us and chew away at our souls until our spleens have frostbite. Oh, how I try to hold onto these last few days of summer! Oh, how futile my attempts.

It’s like the book of Ecclesiastics telling us how swift life passes, how meaningless everything is, and that we ought to do something to memorialize each summer like go to the beach or the mountains or whatever because before you know it, you are old and then you are dead. I may have helped the text along a little there, but I’m sure I stayed within the spirit of the writer’s intent.

I read a pastor’s message the other day decrying church members who wander all over creation each summer leaving the church unmanned. I’d say get to church as often as you can, but if you get a chance for some adventure — take it! Live! Inspire the family with sights to be seen and places to be explored. Put as many footprints acrosst his great land as you can. After all, earth is spelled e-ART-h; it’s God’s greatest masterpiece and He loves when we admire His handiwork.

– Pastor Joel Everhart

It’s time to review the lessons I’ve learned from spending a week with a ten month old:

(1) What you think is childproof isn’t, just because you can’t get past a barrier doesn’t mean they can’t. (2) What is funny the first time they do something can become very frustrating the 101st time they do it. (3) Never place a plate of food in front of the child — feed one piece at a time otherwise plan on picking up scattered food morsels (this is the one place where dogs come in handy). (4) You have to choose between thirsty dogs and a wet toddler. (5) The child can nap as you take them for a walk but you can’t. (6) They are afraid of the wrong things. (7) The difference between picking them up when they want to be picked up and picking them up when they do not is a trip to the chiropractor.

– Pastor Joel Everhart

Over the past week it was our joy to host my son, his wife and their 10-month old son, Parker. If you’ve been following this column you also know that we got a new Yorkie puppy about a month ago. Parker is walking and running with ease and it was interesting to see the progression of Callie’s (the puppy) relationship with him evolve.

It started out as love at first sight. Callie could hardly believe they made people more her size; standing on her hind legs she licked the baby full in the face as Parker smiled and giggled. By the second day the puppy was completely terrorized by the boy: whenever the baby was around the dog found a creative place to hide. As time passed the pup learned the baby’s limitations as they developed a cautious friendship and even started playing with one another. This morning as I hoisted the baby into my lap to read him a book (he loves books) Callie jumped up to join us. With a baby on each knee I read “Summer,” a children’s book about the joys of this season of the year.

I’m not sure who enjoyed the session the most because a good time was had by all. By the time you read this article our company will be gone and, boy, will it seem quiet at our house. Quiet is good but I think children are better.

– Pastor Joel Everhart