Month: October 2024

No Longer a Fan…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

I know. I’m old! I’m not sure how I got so old so fast, but here I am and there’s nothing I can do about it. One of the things that’s happened to me as I’ve gotten older is that my likes and dislikes have changed.

Example: I used to love football…and the New Orleans Saints in particular. Yes, La. Tech and LSU were close seconds, but man, those Saints. Even back in the day I would wear the paper bag and yet it didn’t deter me from my love for the black and gold. I lived in constant expectation of “next year.”

Back in the day, Vanessa would leave me home alone on Sunday afternoon if the Saints were playing. She didn’t want to listen to me whoop, holler and shout. I’d whoop, holler and shout if things went well and I’d moan, whine and complain when things didn’t go well (if you’re a Saints fan, you know that was most of the time). It really could be a spectacle at times.

Then, Facebook came along. I soon discovered that Facebook was the new way to watch football with friends. I’d share my comments about the game in real-time and friends would respond and it added to the fun of football, both professional and college.

Now, I really couldn’t care less. It’s just not fun anymore. My love for professional football in general and the Saints in particular really begin its decline after 2020 with BLM and Covid. Sports (not just football) became too political (which is really strange since I’m kind of a political junkie).

I suppose sports was one of the few places a person could go to get away from all the politics, where Democrats, Republicans and Independents could share the joys (or travails) of their favorite team for three hours on a Sunday afternoon. For three hours on a Sunday afternoon, we were united. Yeah, well that changed, and I think it changed me a little, too.

But, it’s probably just because I’m old now. I used to laugh at the old men who sat around the gas stove at Malone’s Hardware complaining about the state of the world. I no longer laugh now because I’ve become one of those old men and I now know why they complained so much and spoke as they did.

I am them and I think it has affected my love for football. Of course, it could be that sports have changed so dramatically in recent years, too. I’d prefer to say it’s that, but I suspect it’s really just that I’m old.

How has it changed? Well, for starters, there’s the money thing. I mean, really, a fan can’t afford to go to a professional game anymore (yeah, people do, but can they really afford it?). I wanted to take my sons, son-in-law and grandsons to see the Saints and the Cowboys. It was going to cost me over $1,000, and that was for standing room only and DID NOT include parking or food! We didn’t go!

Full disclosure: I did purchase four tickets (and no, I didn’t spend $1,000), but as the day approached I just didn’t feel like driving to Dallas, standing through a three hour game and then driving back home. That’s because I’m old! My two oldest grandsons utilized the tickets, so it wasn’t a total loss.

It’s the same with college sports, too. I suppose it really changed for me when NIL became a thing. Now, for the players, it’s all about the Benjamins. I don’t blame them. Get it while you can, I guess, but there’s no loyalty anymore. You never know who is going to be on the team anymore. The teams with the richest alumni can stock their teams with the finest players and claim the championships. These days there are 25 year-olds who have “eligibility” playing college football. Go figure!

I guess I’m just old and I don’t really care anymore. Seriously, I didn’t even watch all of the LSU game last night. I’d rather go to sleep. Besides, I’ve discovered (because things have changed) that I can watch a three hour game in 20 minutes on YouTube the next day. No big deal last night, though. LSU got spanked. You know what that means? It means I didn’t stay up late for nothing and I didn’t go to sleep frustrated, so there’s that.

Yeah, I still watch football, but only when I don’t have anything else I’d rather be doing (like sleeping). Yes, I’ll occasionally comment something on Facebook but I do so only to see if I can wrinkle a few feathers of fan friends. The reality is, though, if I never watched another game, I’d probably be okay with it.

The games I want to see these days? The ones my grandchildren are playing in, and only because my grandchildren are playing in them. I LOVE to see my grandchildren do anything. Because I’m old, I now know why they call them GRANDchildren. Everything about them is grand. I’ve told my children that if I had known grandchildren were this much fun, I would have skipped them and went straight to the grandchildren. You know what? You have to be old to realize that.

So, I’m grateful for getting old even if I don’t like some of the changes that happen when we get old. When I was young, we were told in ministry that we needed to keep working on our “growing edges.” Well, now that I’m older, I have to keep working on those “growing edges.” Those growing edges are just different now.

Let’s face it. The Lord still has a lot of work to do on me and in me, it’s just in different places these days. Will He ever be finished? One day, perhaps He will. After all, I’m a Wesleyan and I believe in the process of sanctification. It is a life-long endeavor. But, you have to get old to realize that.

Thank God for getting old!

Until next time, keep looking up…

Made for Work…

/ pastorlynnmalone / 1 Comment

I admit. I have a lazy streak. In my defense, I’m only lazy after I’ve been working. I’m like the lady that used to work for my grandmother who said, “When I work, I work hard. When I play, I play hard. When I sit, I go to sleep!”

Working is on my mind this morning because of the past few weeks I’ve had. Now that I’m pastoring a church again and running a business, my time off has been scarce. Vanessa and I took a few days away before beginning our new adventure in pastoring, but yesterday was my first day off in 20 days (but was it really a day off since I spent part of the day working on a sermon?).

The purpose of my writing is not to elicit your sympathy. It really is my way of trying to process my inability to find workers for my business. It makes me ask: “What has happened to the work ethic in our culture?”

Lessons in Futility

So, here’s a snapshot of my past month. I’ve been trying to fill a position in my shop for a couple of months now. I advertised for the position. Received a couple dozen applications (that’s a good thing). Spent some time processing those applications. Made a few decisions and began the process of interviewing people.

Called a guy in for a face-to-face interview. Went well. Checked his references. Again, went well. Called to make him an offer. Crickets!!! That’s right! Never returned my call. Emailed him. Crickets! No response. Time to move on…

Called another guy. Came for the interview. Went well. Checked references. Again, went well. Called and made an offer. Accepts offer. Start work on Monday. Monday comes. He’s a no-show! Make a call. Crickets. Email sent asking about the situation. Late on Monday I receive an email back that he’s sick and cant’ make it (he’ll start when he’s better–yeah, when will that be?). Okay, he can’t help it because he’s sick, but dude, you have a phone. Call somebody!

Schedule him to start the following Monday (surely he’ll be better by then). Monday comes and he shows up early. Hey! This is a good sign. Works Monday. Asks to take off early to finish a project he started before he took the job. Okay, sure. Tuesday comes. He’s a no-show! Calls that his truck is broke down. Okay, so he can’t help that, right?

Wednesday comes and he shows up–early again. Points earned. Works the morning. Goes to lunch. Never returns! Haven’t heard a word from him. No call. No email. Crickets. Odd thing is I owe him money for the day and a half he worked. Go figure.

Call another guy in for an interview. 10:00 a.m., Friday? Great! See you then. Friday comes. No guy.

Call another guy. 10:00 a.m., Friday (yes, another Friday)? Great! See you then. Friday comes. No guy.

I’m starting to develop a complex. Is it me? Am I not doing something right? It must be me, right?

Then, I think, “It’s really not me, it’s the world in which we live these days.”

I say that because I’ve got another job posting, as well. I’ve received a couple of dozen applications for that position, too.

I provide a link to every applicant who submits an application on-line to a personality assessment. For every person who actually takes the time to complete the assessment, I set up a phone screen interview. I did that for three applicants who completed the assessment. I call. No response. Three different people, three no answers. I leave messages. Still…I’ve never heard back from a single person.

Bummer! And, I’m still two people short on staff.

Lessons for My Life

I don’t know. Perhaps they’ve found other employment and don’t have the courtesy to call and withdraw their name from consideration. Perhaps they’re just checking boxes on a form so they can continue drawing their unemployment. Perhaps they just reconsidered and decided a job in the quick lube industry isn’t for them.

Okay! No problem. How about a little consideration. Have we lost that with our work ethic, too? Do I blame it on Covid? Or, have I just been walking around all my life with blinders on and didn’t realize that’s how it goes with the job market because I’ve never been in business for myself before now?

Whatever it is, it’s very frustrating…and I guess I’m taking my frustration via this blog. I am, however, reminded of Genesis 2:15–

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.“

The good Lord created us for work. Our work is meant to be an offering of worship to the Lord. I’m wondering if our world might be so upside down because no one wants to work anymore. And, don’t get me started on the government and give-aways. Lord, have mercy…

I’m also reminded of this little passage in the Apostle Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians:

9 We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. 10 Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.” 11 Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. 12 We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living. 13 As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.

So, I’m finding some solace in the fact that it’s not actually a new problem. I guess it’s as old as we humans are.

I could launch into an entire diatribe on the benefits of work, but the blog is long enough already and I’ve got to get ready for work. But, work today is worship (and to lead worship). Then again, work is meant to be worship everyday, but I’ve already been down that road this morning.

So, get up and go to work. It is what we’re made for.

Until next time, keep looking up…

New Places, New Spaces…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

The Church of Jesus Christ is always on the move, and today the Haughton Global Methodist Church begins worship in its new home. It is a new place and a new space and I know the congregation is excited about worshipping for the first time in this new place.

The space is located at 966 Highway 80 in Haughton, LA. It was a church in one of its former lives, but it has been a physical therapy office in its most recent life. We will re-consecrate the space this morning at 10:30 a.m. for use as a place of worship, and I’d love to invite you to join us if you’re in the Haughton/Bossier City area.

I need to commend the congregation on its hard work over the past month in getting the space ready to occupy. Countless hours of service have gone into the process of converting the space back to its original purpose. Let me say, “Thank you” to all those servants who have been so diligent (and so generous) in doing what was necessary to accomplish the task. Great work!

Today will be my first opportunity to see the space after all the work is completed (will it ever really be completed?). I’m excited to see it and to lead worship for the first time in this new place. I’m excited to see all that the Lord has planned for the space and for the congregation.

I’m looking forward to getting to know the Haughton community in a deeper way. It’s going to be a challenge for me as a bi-vocational pastor, but I pray the Lord opens doors and provides opportunities for the congregation to grow and flourish in the community. I covet your prayers for the congregation, too.

Perhaps this new space in this new place will be an encouragement for new people to explore the Kingdom of God. Maybe there are those in the Haughton/East Bossier area who have been waiting for a new place and I pray the Holy Spirit will open their hearts to take a step of faith in hearing His call to salvation in their lives. Would you pray that prayer with me, too?

This new space and new place is located right next door to an oil change place. I find that only a little humorous and ironic. I spend six days a week at an oil change place and now I’ll be leading worship next door to an oil change place. Providential? Who know? I’m just trying to figure out ways we can be a good neighbor. I must confess that I’m also trying to figure out ways to use it evangelistically. We’ll pray the Lord opens doors for both to occur. Will you pray that prayer with us?

Anyway, my blogs may become less frequent now. Most of my Sunday morning time will be spent preparing for worship. They may even be spent finishing the message for that day. Of course, that’s happened before. Either way, the Lord’s got this. The Lord guided us into this, and I know that where the Lord guides, the Lord provides. I’m anxious to see how He does so in this case.

So, that’s all for this week’s blog. I don’t know when the next one might be written, but I’m anxious to see the story He is writing in the life of the Haughton Methodist Church.

Until next time, keep looking up…