Wonderings, Ponderings and Other Thoughts

Our worship leader at Mosaic is also the nurse coordinator for the Wonder Center at Greenville Hospital System. I often call and leave messages in a funny voice on her office voicemail. I always begin with something like, "This is Howard Royston from Tiglath, Kentucky, and I'm wondering about a few things so I called the Wonder Center." Then I leave a message about some strange thought the character has. For example, "If dust mites can't be seen by the naked eye, how do you know they are actually in your vaccuum when you vaccuum? I was just wondering." You get the idea. From time to time in this blog I have real wonders, ponderings, observations and random thoughts. Here's a few:

• My son was recently following a woman driving a Toyota Hybrid Prius and couldn't believe it when she tossed a fast food bag out the window and onto the road. Now that's environmental irony!
• Is it just me, or are the highways and interstates in our country in horrible shape? President Eisenhower would not appreciate our neglected maintenance. The national interstate system was his brain-child.
• Night at the Museum is great movie using comedy to teach our children the value of learning history, geography, politics and more. Some of the movie was shot on location at New York's American Museum of Natural History, where they actually offer sleepover learning adventures for children so they really can experience a "night at the museum".
• Is new Alabama head football coach, Nick Saban the only professional or college coach to adamantly deny interest in another coaching position and then later accept the very position in question? Some in the media are acting like this is something new.
• An Egyptian-born colleague in ministry recently told me that he met a Christian missionary from Pakistan to the United States. When he asked the man why, the missionary responded: "I have come to reach Arabs in America with the gospel because the anglo church isn't reaching them." Ouch!
• Do we really care if "The Donald" and Rosie can't get along? And, are people really that fascinated with what Paris and Brittany are doing?
• As the American casualty death toll in Iraq recently surpassed the 3,000 mark, media outlets were scrambling to report on the execution of Saddam and the pictures from it that someone leaked to the Internet. Families of those fallen men and women deserve better! Those faithful service men and women simply went where they were told. We owe them a national moment of silence and prayers for their families.
• As we enjoy one of the mildest winters in memory, I am feeling guilty about driving my car for unneccessary trips. But even if I do get a Hybrid, I promise to use a trash can for my fast food bags.
• I've seen a significant rise in the number of excessive overweight people where I work out. Every time I see them walking, riding a bike, lifting weights and sweating I smile at them and beam inside because what they are doing is tough and so worthy. Hey I'm balding (okay bald), and you can get rid of weight, but you can't get your hair back. Keep it up my sweaty friends, you inspire me!
• Jon David is developmentally and learning disabled. This young man worships regularly at Mosaic. His passion in worship encourages and challenges me. He gets it! God knows him, understands him and is utterly pleased when John David sings loud, smiles, claps and praises God with unbridled passion. I want to be more like him when I worship the Father.

By the way the Wonder Center at the Center for Developmental Services in Greenville is a great place that helps children and their families with all kinds of special medical needs. You might want to give them a call and volunteer your time.