Colorful Characters Abound!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

'I was asked to review Malcolm R. Campbell’s “Jock Stewart and the Missing Sea of Fire” before publication.”

Readers who enjoy hard-bitten, wisecracking characters will surely fall in love with Jock Stewart, the main character in the new Malcolm Campbell novel, Jock Stewart and the Missing Sea of Fire. The story of the book revolves around the disappearance of the race horse, Sea of Fire, but it features a wagon load of human “horsing around” by the many colorful characters Campbell created, including Coral Snake Smith, Parker House, a preacher named Cotton Mouth and the Krispy Kreme eating police chief Kruller.

While reading the story and gathering the clues, that frequently came to light as Stewart dialogued with his own intuition, readers may find themselves having great fun picking up the puns, word plays and hilarious cloaked references to cultural and historical items. Jock Stewart is an old time newspaperman, whose “blunt force sarcasm” keeps him in hot water with his bosses, co-workers and the police. But if not for his pressing the issue, the mystery would definitely not have been resolved.

Stewart, Malcolm Campbell’s self-acknowledged alter ego, is also the author’s vehicle to decry the effects of the digital age on the craft of writing and the elegance of language. I found the book entertaining, and it might even become profitable, if I can get permission from the author to use the sermon outline he provided in chapter 13!

God's Newest Letter!!!!!!!!!!!!

One day God decided he wanted to write a letter to all his children that were misbehaving and mistreating one another. He wanted to let them know they were jeopardizing their eternal home in heaven. So he asked one of his angels to go to earth and make a list of all those who needed to get the warning letter.

The angel was gone for a long time, and when he returned he was in very bad shape, bloodied and bruised and broken wings. He reported that the list was so long that perhaps it would be better to send a letter to those who were obedient and striving to love their neighbors. God agreed.

So he sent another angel to collect the names of those who should receive that letter. The angel was only gone for a short time and came back in good condition. He presented the list to God. God took it and wrote the letter, and do you know what it said?

Make a Joyful Noise!!!!!!!!!!!!

Singing is commanded in Scripture as a part of our worship, but it should be so much more than a duty-bound voicing of words. The Bible reveals many reasons why we should want to lift our voices in song.

We should sing of the strength and power of our God. We should sing of the victory that is possible through Him. We should sing songs of exaltation and songs of thanksgiving for our blessings, most especially the blessing of salvation. Our songs should pour forth from an overflow of the joy we have in the love of our Father.


While singing is to be "unto the Lord", it is also for our consecration and edification. As we sing, we draw nearer to God, as well as to one another. Understanding is to be a part of our singing, so let us be sure we are telling the truth when we sing words like, "Jesus Is All The World To Me."


Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Actions Speak Louder Than Words!!!!!!

Actions speak louder than words. That adage is old but it is still true. What you do communicates your character much more vividly than what you say.

Are you one of those who claims to wear the name Christian, but who never shows it in your life? Do the pople you work with ever suspect your belief? Do the people in your neighborhood or at the local market realize that you are religious-minded? If Christianity were a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you?


If the answer to these questions is no, you may be like the tree frog who carries a sign that says, "I am red." The fact he is green is not altered by his statement. Being a Christian is more than saying it, it is LIVING it. After all, the best sermon is a sermon in shoes!


Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven"

Peeper, by Paul Chandler

Through a mutual virtual friend, I was introduced to the author, Paul Chandler. He was kind enough to offer to send me a copy of his new book, Peeper, if I would promise to post a review of the novel. I readily agreed.

I am so glad I did, because I loved Peeper. I was engaged by the story from page one and found myself wondering how this suspense thriller would end right up to the climax on page 234! The book is well crafted and moves a good pace. The characters are developed in such a way as to have the reader pulling for them to succeed or fail, depending on their role in the story.

The premise of the book is that a man who can “peep” into anyone’s thoughts of any with whom he had an encounter. He had been using his skills to make a lot of money from corporate raiders. When an unexpected consequence takes place, Andrew, the peeper, has to deal with his conscience and goes to great lengths to make restitution, even jeopardizing himself and his future.

The kind of conflicts that Andrew faces are not unique to him, we all have to wrestle with decisions and responsibilities that come with opportunities that present themselves. We have to decide what kind of citizens we will be. His dilemma helps us crystallize our own standards.

If you love a good page turner, I suggest you obtain a copy of Peeper, by Paul Chandler, published by iUniverse, inc. I can’t read your mind; but I don’t believe you will be sorry.

Daily Devotional Time

The battle to remain faithful to God is difficult. Satan wants to utterly destroy each one of us, and his schemes are extremely crafty. The only way to gain strength and competency for the fight is in personal devotional time each day. A disciple is a learning follower, thus Bible study is imperative.

Scripture reading should be incorporated into our daily routine to allow God's word to equip us for all good works. Fervent prayer is also needed in our daily quiet time. There's nothing we cannot accomplish through diligent, faithful prayer.

Personal devotional time in the form of Bible study and prayer will strengthen our relationship with God and allow us to be victorious in our struggles with Prince of Darkness.

2 Timothy 2:15 "Study to show thyself approved of the God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."

Dream Vacation for Our Family

My wife and two grandsons and I just returned from a vacation we have been anticipating for a year and a half. We live in South Texas, so it was long drive to Orlando, Florida. We spent six days taking in all the attractions of Disney World, concluding in Star Wars weekend at the Hollywood Studios park. It was a thrill for the 8 & 9 year olds to participate in the Jedi Training Academy and do battle against the villian Darth Maul.

The reason we chose to drive was that we wanted to use the money we would have spent on airline tickets toward the price of a cruise to the Bahamas. So when we left Disney, we went to Port Canaveral to catch the Carnival Sensation. You should have seen me para-sailing off Freeport! We got home today, thrilled by the great time and the great memories.