Pastor's Devotions by Tim Harris

  Many of you know that I tend to be a planner. I’m usually looking down the road at least three months in advance, often much more. This is true both in my work at the church and in my personal life. I’m always looking at my calendar and planning the next steps that need to be taken, what I need to do to prepare for that which is on its way, laying out plans for a new preaching or teaching series, or looking ahead to our next family vacation.   Such was the case a number of years ago when Kim and I took our kids to Disney World in Orlando. At the time Jonathan was ten years old, Nathaniel was eight, and Joanna was seven. This was a big trip for us as a family and I wanted to make sure we didn’t waste money or time. So, I put together an itinerary for our five days in Disney which included which park we would go to each day, which rides had fastpass , when we would go back to the hotel and take breaks, some dinner reservations, etc. Most of it was all put together about four m...

Now that we have a grandson (Jesse Gabriel, born on August 11 th !), so many people have said to Kim and me, “Enjoy them while they’re little. They get so big, so fast!”  And, I’m sure that’s true; in fact, as a parent, I know that’s true.  After all, it seems like it wasn’t all that long ago that we were celebrating the birth of our first son, Jonathan, and not too long afterwards the births of Nathaniel and Joanna. (We had three children in less than four years!) Now our “little boy” has had a little boy of his own. Yes, they get so big, so fast!   As of late I’ve been feeling a bit philosophical about life. The passage of time, the circles of life, the stages of life, the brevity of life, etc. are all swirling around inside my head. Sometimes it’s hard for me to wrap my head around it all. After all, how is it that just a short time ago I was holding my baby boy who is now holding his own baby boy? How could it be that my three little kids who were once so dependent up...

This past Monday he arrived! Our first grandchild/son came into the world at 10:18 am, weighing in at 8 lbs. 4 oz., 20.75 inches long! After months and months of waiting (which I wrote about in last week’s devotion), Jesse Gabriel Harris has arrived! And, now the next chapter begins, for his parents, for us as a family, and for Jesse himself. On both Kim’s and my side of the family, Jesse is the first of the next generation. His arrival marks not only the birth of a baby into the family, but the start of another generation within our family line. Jesse Gabriel will in fact be the eldest among his cousins on our side of the family as well as among his cousins within Danielle’s family. Thus, his arrival marks a very special occasion within each of our families.   He is truly the start of a whole new generation.   The concept of generations is an important one throughout the Bible. Although most of us dislike reading them, the Bible is filled with genealogies that tell us of the ...

For those of you who haven’t heard, Kim and I are about to become grandparents for the first time. Our son Jonathan and his wife Danielle are expecting their first child, a boy, any day now. Of course, the excitement is mounting! Kim and I are waiting for that phone call to come anytime within the next week that they are on their way to the hospital, followed by a call that the baby has arrived! In the meantime, we wait.   It was last December, Christmas night to be exact, that Jonathan and Danielle revealed to us the pregnancy. At the appropriate time they let their friends, co-workers, and others know as well. Since that time, there have been a couple of virtual baby showers, the baby’s room has been set up, and all of the other things have been done that new parents and families do to prepare for a baby’s arrival. It has been an exciting time for us all. And we know the excitement is just beginning and that when he comes, life will not be the same for us as a family. In the mean...