It is good to be back. Bet you didn't even miss me. Vacation time or retreat time that takes me away from the house also takes me away from the computer. That's right, I don't have a laptop or notebook or portable or whatever you would call it. I am stuck with one computer at one location and it stayed home while I was gone. I guess I'm just not up-to-date.
Speaking of up-to-date, while on the Hikes Point (Louisville, KY) Christian Church Golf Retreat with eleven of the nicest guys you would want to meet, one of the men was having some tire problems. Ed Wiley had just recently put new tires on the van he and his son-in-law, Norman Cartwright, were driving for the trip. The new tires were on the front of the van. When the van got up to a certain speed one tire would bounce.
Ed had it checked a couple of times before leaving Kentucky but to no avail. While in Myrtle Beach Ed got out early one morning and took the van to a local tire shop for them to look at it. The tires on the van came from a Big 'O' Tire shop here in Kentucky. The tech at the shop asked Ed what kind of tires were on the van. "Those are Big 'O' Tires," Ed responded. The tech deadpanned back, "Those are big ole tires cause that's a big ole van, but what kind are they?"
Ed realized that the man wasn't up on his out-of-state tire brands and had to explain that he had said, "Big 'O' Tires," not "Big ole tires." If you're going to be in the tire business you have to stay up-to-date. Gratefully, in the kingdom of God the only thing that changes is the way things are done and not the facts of salvation or the equipment we use to stay solid in the faith.
We still stand, "having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God." Ephesians 6:14-17 That is always up-to-date.