My Fervent Wish

I think it is the secret desire of every pastor to see more people become pastors. There is a tremendous shortage of ministers throughout the United States. I'll admit that the pay potential is probably not as high as it is in other professions. But the benefits are out of this world, literally! You often get a housing allowance or a parsonage to live in. You get health benefits. A book allowance (a huge plus for a book worm like me!)

But getting paid to preach God's holy word is its own reward! Man, there is nothing like it in all the world. God uses you to be a blessing in other people's lives. And there is an aura of respect that often goes along with being a servant of Jesus Christ.

I love reading and studying and growing more knowledgeable in the ways of the Lord. I love visiting with other people in the church, especially on the days I have serious cabin fever from sitting in front of a monitor all morning.

I also love getting together with other ministers. Being the pastor of a non-denominational church, I have to be more intentional and assertive about developing friendships with other clergy. But since I am an outgoing person, that is usually not a problem.

I should say that the only time I don't like making a house call is if they have a wild dog running loose or if the home owner is a heavy smoker. There was one lady I used to visit in Potter who was a chain smoker. And whenever I came home, my clothes smelled like I had been cleaning out chimneys all afternoon. Jeanne would make me put my clothes in the washer and take a shower immediately.

I also love the flexible hours. On Mondays, I sometimes skip town and catch a movie at the Darboy theater (I didn't go today, perhaps tomorrow).

I should also say that I am a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to making a sermon. Once I get going, I will work all night if need be until I get it done. Toward the end of the week, it is hard for me to think about anything else exceot getting that sermon out. It's like when a mom is giving birth. Her husband might really want to talk about the drapes for the new baby's room. But at that moment, the mom cannot think about drapes, but only about the ordeal of the birth. It's kind of like that for me. That sermon is my baby, and there is strain and pain associated with getting it out each week.

And once it is out, I tweak it and fine tune it and cut things out and add things in right up to the time of the service. I'm certainly not suggesting that other ministers do it the way I do it, only that this is my routine. I have Jeanne read the transcripts in advance, and she will make helpful suggestions. But she has a job of her own, and I sometimes feel guilty for relying on her proofreading skills all the time. Perhaps I should find someone else.

PM

Favorite Places To Eat

I am always open to trying out new restaurants. I love to eat. My favorite place is Famous Dave's BBQ on Westhill Blvd in Appleton. Many restaurants brag about how great their ribs are, but they usually fall short of the glory of God. The ribs at Famous Daves are cooked with a sweet and sassy sauce, and they have a tangy St Louis flavor. If you like good bbq, you don;t want to miss Famous Dave's.

For Mexican food, it is a tossup between Los Compadres in Appleton (Darboy Shopping Plaza) and El Camino in Kiel, Wisconsin. Both restaurants serve authentic style food, and both places make you feel like you have just stepped out of the country into the land of Mexico. The prices at El Camino are cheaper, and the enchiladas are wonderful. The burritos and tacos are better at Los Compadres.

For Chinese food, I like the Chinese buffet in DePere, Wisconsin. It is huge, and they have many creative dishes you don't always see at the average buffet. I love the lo mein and curry chicken.

But there is also a Chinese buffet on CE in Appleton by the movie theater I really like. They don't have as many items as the Chinese buffet on OO, but they have put a lot of thought into the dishes that they do have. Each one has a lot of flavor.

For steak, I don't think you can beat Schwarz's Supper Club in St Ana. The T-Bones are so juicy that even when I order an 18 ounce bone, I want to keep eating. (Help me, Lord!) And for what you get, the prices are quite reasonable. I only wish they didn;t make you wait so long in the bar before they seat you. What is up with that? If it was crowded, that would be one thing. But the last time I was there, we waited more than 30 minutes in the bar. Then when we were seated, the large eating area was fairly empty. I guess they want you to buy drinks at the bar before you go in, but I still wish that a person could just go in and eat.

Otherwise, the best steaks are the ones my brother in law Doug makes. I'll take one of those over most of the steaks that you can get in a restaurant. He does a great job. Too bad it doesn't pay as well as being a CPA :)

I also like eating at the Golden Corral Buffet and Bakery, but unless I'm about to enter a sumo wrestling tournament, it is usually not a good idea. There is simply too much good food, and the temptation for me is to load up on all the stuff I should be eating in moderation.

For Italian food, it is hard to beat Victoria's Restaurant in downtown Appleton. They give you enough food in one entree for two people to share, and the dishes are tremendous. It is a little on the expensive side, but you get what you pay for at this place. If you can get a parking place, I highly recommend it.

The Appleton area Olive Garden should not be ignored, either. it is one of the best Olive Garden's in the area, and they have the best salad and breadsticks in town. I also love the Mediterranean Seafood Pacifico, or whatever they call it. The Shrimp Primavera is another favorite.

For fast food, I like Jimmy John's sub shop because the veggies and bread are always fresh, and I get to eat healthy for a change. When I don't feel like eating healthy, I head over to Wendy's or Culver's.

I went once to Prime Quarter Steakhouse, where you grill your own steaks. But I guess I am a little old fashioned. WHen I eat out, I like it when the CHEF cooks the food. If I want to cook (which isn't too often), I'll stay at home and cook something on the grill.

Marc

Going to the Movies

I LOVE going to the movies. The theatre experience is fantastic. I love the tremendous surround sound. I love being lost in an absorbing story totally cut off from the outside world for a couple of hours. I love movie theatre popcorn. And giant cokes the size of an Oscar right from the fountain. And where else can you enjoy a film on that big a screen?

People complain about the prices. But you'll pay $80 a hit to watch a 2 hour concert or a broadway play. For $5.75, I go on Monday afternoons and have a blast. I know the ticket people, and I'm a regular, so they don't mind if I bring in a Wendy's double cheeseburger with me, because they know I'm going buy the giant coke.

I have also discovered that spiritual truths are communicated in a movie even if it was unintended by the movie makers. I recently saw The Aviator on dvd, which was a movie about the life of the enigmatic Howard Hughes. The biopic showed how driven and self-centered Hughes was, and how he could never find true satisfaction and happiness in spite of his great wealth and his interest in flying machines and movies. Inadvertently, the movie showed how empty a person's life could be without God.

I also saw North Country, one of the better movies I have seen this year. I was especially struck by a scene early in the movie where the North Country girl goes back home to flee from an abusive boyfriend. She goes to church on Sunday, and the parishioners simply stare at her with looks of condemnation and judgment. And they whisper among themselves, "There's the girl who got pregnant out of wedlock. There's the girl who goes from one boyfriend to the next." It made me wonder if this was a parody of the small town church, or if there really is a tendency among blood bought believers to pass judgment on others simply because they have a notorious history.

I learn something almost every time I go to the movies, and I usually find something I can use in a future sermon. Except when I saw "Bewitched," one of the lamest movies I have ever seen in the theaters. Only the inspired performance of Will Ferrell kept me from falling asleep.