The Discipline of the Lord (came swiftly and from the left side)

(Fort Worth, Texas circa 1969)   Dad is a southpaw.  There are two files in my memory that verify this fact.  One concerns the fact I could never use his baseball glove.  I could catch with it but I always threw like a girl (These days girls throw really well, so I have no idea

Ravings of a United Methodist Pastor (Who really needs to get back to work)

  At a St. Louis Cardinal Baseball game a few years back, a fellow United Methodist clergy member and I were discussing the need for our denomination to attract more gifted people into ordained ministry.  It seemed to us that many of our brightest and best young people don’t even consider whether God may be

If Church Were More Like Baseball…

IF CHURCH WERE MORE LIKE BASEBALL: 1. Pastors would flip their water bottles after knocking a sermon “out of the park” and slowly jog off stage. 2. Worship Directors would be doused with iced Gatorade after particularly good Easter services. 3. Preacher’s would have a “walk up” song. 4. Congregations would do the wave when

United Methodist Clergy Trading Cards (2017 Edition)

United Methodist Clergy Trading Cards At a St. Louis Cardinal Baseball game a few years back, a fellow United Methodist clergy member and I were discussing the need for our denomination to attract more gifted people into ordained ministry.  It seemed to us that many of our brightest and best young people don’t even consider

A Commentary on Weather (Reports)

A Commentary on Weather (Reports) Weather reports in SW Illinois are almost always wrong. They tell us that it is nearly impossible to forecast the weather here but for the most part, we get Kansas City weather a day later and then pass it along to Indianapolis the following day. I would not be suspicious

Zambora the Gorilla Woman (and the proper role of grandparents)

With the DuQuoin State Fair ending today, I thought I would pass along my favorite Fair story circa 1993.  This one is contained in “Exactly As I Remember It.” Zambora the Gorilla Woman (DuQuoin, Illinois, circa 1993)   There is no better grandfather in the world than Fred Bishop.  He was born for the job. 

Hard Work

I wasn’t worked real hard as a kid.  Dad grew up on a farm and I think he figured he worked hard enough for both of us.  -Rev. Shane L. Bishop

A Card Carrying Member

I am a card-carrying member of the Dairy Queen Blizzard Fan Club…deal with it. -Rev. Shane L. Bishop

Getting Back Up Again (A Nefarious Shetland)

  A Nefarious Shetland (Pinckneyville, Illinois, circa 1971) When I was about ten, we lived three miles north of Pinckneyville on Highway 127 in the tiny parsonage of the Oak Grove Baptist Church.  It was 1971 and my father served as the pastor, worship director, secretary, youth director, custodian, bus driver and exterminator of the small

Great News for Writers (there is no money in it)

Great News for Writers (there is no money in it) One interesting thing about writing in 2015 is that for the great majority of us, there is no money in it. Music is much the same thing. And photography. And a bunch of other stuff. I think this is really great news. It does not tempt