Here We Go Again

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Just started week five in Advanced Biblical Counseling. So far so good. I am really enjoying taking these counseling classes. Next semester I will be taking a stat's class in preparation for choosing my Ministry Project (dissertationesque paper a few hundred pages long) so I'll enjoy this one while I can.

In the mean while, you can enjoy my philosophical musings over at Biblical Turbulence.  HA!

More Pictures of Dad and me

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 Me looking spiffy on 8/27/1973 in my bell bottom pants and fancy white belt. The insert is my dad in 1941 so four or near five years old.

Here is Luke at about the same age

Home coming from the Navy. After I got my crow, so this would be 1987ish. My nephew Eric is holding the picture in the foreground.

William Donald Leigh: 1937-2012

Here are a few of the pictures I swiped from momma's house. More to come as I have time to scan them.

Dad at 12 years old, 1949

 In 8th grade

 1955, obviously, in the Navy. Probably still at Jacksonville Naval Station.

 1955 again. With Grandma, right before he left for San Francisco.

 1976, playing baseball with me in the backyard. Del Ray Court.

Mom and Dad in June, 1977. On our Mountain vacation. First trip I ever took that wasn't to Orlando.

 Christmas Day, 1981

3 generation picture with Luke. 1996

Me and my Dad

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This is my Dad and me circa 1990. I just got out of the Navy. I can tell b/c I grew a beard right after I got out.

My Dad; My Hero

I grew up listening to Waylon and Willie croon on about their heroes being old, worn-out cowboys. Heroes are those rare people that make an indelible impact on our lives, so forcefully that they cause not only our admiration, but often our emulation. Well, while I like the song, I never wanted to be a cowboy.  There was, however, someone that I tried to pattern my life after: my real life hero, my dad. Yeah, I know that it sounds blasé, but it really is true. I love Bluegrass music, Merle Haggard, and football because he did. I joined the Navy because he had been a sailor. I worked as an engineer because he did. I tried to smoke Winston cigarettes because that was his brand, even though the “cool” people smoked Marlboro. (Luckily that was a short lived attempt. I never could get used to the smell.)

His life was hard, and because of that he was a hard man. His philosophy of life was simple: work hard and take care of your little acre. In other words, take care of you and yours, leave everyone else to theirs. Not an earth shattering revelation or groundbreaking epistemology of course, but it was his. He grew up very poor in the mountains of East Kentucky and left school in the eighth grade to help support the family. At nineteen he joined the Navy and spent his time in Asia touring on the USS Oriskany CV34 (The Mighty “O”) on two WestPac’s . He got a giant cobra tattoo in Hong Kong, and his True Love knuckles in the Philippians. (Did I mention my tattoo???  When I left for Boot Camp, my dad didn’t warn me about loose women or crotchety old CC’s, but he did tell me that if I got a tattoo to make sure a short sleeved shirt covered it up. Smart man and advice I’m glad I heeded. Current occupation and all.) He worked at NASA building platforms for the Saturn program, and married my mom making a buck an hour. Four kids and a move to Georgia later, he was in management at Sheet Metal Engineers. Things were going well when he lost two children in separate car crashes about five years apart. Life was never really the same.

On August 8 he lost his final battle, a bout with Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis, of all things. PAP is a very rare (about 500 cases per year worldwide) lung disorder that is an autoimmune disease; the body cranks up the production of the surfactant protein and fills the air sacks in the lungs with fluid. Throughout his life he taught me things, and I guess that makes him my hero still. Even though he had become dependent on me in his last years, he will always be the one man that I will think about and wonder what he would have done in a given situation.

I will miss him terribly, and can only hope that I can measure up to the high benchmark he set for me. My hero is not a cowboy. He is a sheet metal worker. Not a barroom brawler, but a hard worker. Not a whoremonger, but a devoted husband. Not a modern-day drifter, but a dedicated family man. Not a high rider, but my dad.

Expository Preaching

New posts on expository preaching at Biblical Turbulence

Even More Things I Poner While The Ushers Take Up The Offering

Just before someone gets nervous, do they experience cocoons in their stomach?

If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?

If the cops arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent?

If you put a chameleon in a mirrored box what color would it change to?

What do they pack Styrofoam in?

It is hard to understand how a cemetery raised its burial cost and blamed it on the cost of living.

If someone with multiple personalities threatens to kill himself, is it considered a hostage situation?

Instead of talking to your plants, if you yelled at them would they still grow, but only to be troubled and insecure?

Is there another word for synonym?

The Summer So Far

Well, the Summer of 2012 is half gone. Here's a few of the happening here at The Dam...

The Royal Ambassadors had their recognition services

And so did the Girls In Action.


We had VBS. Guess who played Jonah? Hmmm, FatPastor, maybe???? That's me with a "school" of students in the Belly of the Fish.

We also had our Pinewood Derby

 We were going to call it the RA Pinewood Deby, but then a GA won the Grand Champion, soooo...stay tuned for more happenings.

Biblical Turbulence

New posts at Biblical Turbulence.

Dr. Preacher?????????

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I finished my final just a short while ago. Biblical Counseling and the Law is in my rear view mirror, but Advanced Biblical Exposition awaits next month. No rest for the proverbial weary, right?

I know what y’all are saying? Shouldn’t you be TEACHING Advanced Biblical Exposition. Possibly. But, alas I shall approach it with an open mind. Got the textbook list today and at least I own all the books already. One semester closer to Dr Leigh! That doesn’t sound right. How about Dr Steve? Nope that sounds like an afternoon TV Show. Let’s just stick to Preacher.

Hmmm, Dr Preacher?????????

To e-book or not to e-book

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A great article on physical books v e-books.

http://www.challies.com/articles/on-books-and-true-ownership?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+challies%2FXhEt+%28Challies+Dot+Com%29


To me the issue is one of ownership, that the books might one day "run out" and be gone just doesn't set well with me. I cannot tell you the times I've gone back to books over and over for quotes, ideas, etc. Plus you can't curl up with an kindle on a cold rainy day. Well, you can, I suppose, but it's just not the same.

If Darth Vader Would Have Been There

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If Darth Vader Had Been There

Very funny stuff from http://iwastesomuchtime.com/on/?i=32515
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Preacher Steve’s Simple Step to Stop Smoking

So I made some comments Sunday about tobacco use. Something about leaving tobacco products outside the church, that they would be there when the service was over because there is “not a hog or dog in Kershaw County that would mess with that stuff.”  I know, I know…Some of you think that old fashion, SOUTHERN Baptist preaching is out of style. (I hit liquor pretty hard too. I haven’t started preaching against movies yet. Mostly because I want to see The Avengers this Summer.)  And some of you are thinking that stuff doesn’t apply to you. You know:

I don’t drink

and I don’t chew,

and I don’t run with the girls who do!

Mostly though, I’ve been told, “You don’t know how hard it is to quit.” OK. Here it is…

Preacher Steve’s Simple Step to Stop Smoking

Buy a small New Testament and place a book mark at Philippians 4:13. Place the Testament where you normally keep your cigarettes. Whenever you get the urge to smoke, open up to Philippians and take a long drag on “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Then put it back. Smoking cured.

For addition help,

Repeatedly watch; “First Cigarette” circa 1970.

Easter 2012

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Our annual Easter Picture, this time WITH Shea!

Palm Sunday

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My Palm Sunday message is on the Sermon Player below.





If your browser has trouble loading it, click through here: 

Regret, Ruin, and Restoration.

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Junk Mail and Jesus

Jesus said, “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.” (Luke 6:31)




A version of the Golden Rule is found in the scriptures of at least seven major world religions and in the ethical teachings of scores of great philosophers throughout history. The one major difference is Jesus puts this statement in to a positive context, rather than negative.


In-other-words, Jesus says treat others how you want them to treat you, whereas other religions place it in the negative, treat others how they have already treated you. Even so, it is considered the simplest statement of ethics ever conceived. Its widespread acceptance speaks of a universal truth—people just want to be treated like people.



The human dimension is fast disappearing from much of humanity. Our existence is now defined as a series of numbers - Social Security, bank account, license plate, driver's license, credit card, church tithing envelope number, etc. We get telemarketing calls from computers. We belong to social networks in order to keep current with friends...a very depersonalized way of staying in touch. We email, facebook, text, twitter, and tweak each other. (OK, maybe I made that last one up.) And, perhaps the greatest insult of all, is that our genetic makeup is being mapped. Once our DNA is mapped, we will lose all individuality. Can you imagine me being cloned?! Woo boy. That’s all we need is a bunch of "mes" running around. All though...a couple of extra "yous" would help with the BIP this Sunday! Nonetheless, all that makes us truly human - spirit, soul, and the image of God - is being replaced by bits and bytes of digital information. We are truly being objectified.



The illustrations may be new, but the tendency to treat people like objects isn't. Even Jesus' disciples were more concerned about using a blind man as a theological case study than they were about his need to be healed (see John 9:2). How do you see people? When you relate to them, is it to meet your needs or theirs? Have you put the Golden Rule into practice this week? Cassatt, Camden, Columbia, and for that matter our country, could use a little more “golden ruling!”



I hate junk mail. (Are preachers allowed to say hate?) Most of it ends up in the round file pretty quick. Last week I had a letter from Bestbuy. Typical junk coupons, I thought. “50% off. On 1 package of chewing gum with a $500 purchase.” But I opened it anyway. It was a ten dollar gift card. Not a coupon. A gift card! As good as cash. I had to think, do I treat people like I treat junk mail? Do you? Do we cast them away before we know what is on the inside? As you look through your mail box and sort out the unsolicited junk mail, be wary. If all that electronic wizardry makes you feel depersonalized, be very careful and think; you may be treating others the same way.



Food for thought,

Passion Week: Day 7

Day 7: Saturday. 

Jesus' body lies in the tomb.

Passion Week: Day 6

Day 6 Friday. Trials, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial.

Jesus' third trial is held early in the morning before the Sanhedrin. The first three trials were before the religious authorities where He is found guilty. Jesus is then taken before Pilate (the fourth trial) where He is found innocent. He is subsequently taken to Herod who also finds Him innocent (the fifth), and then back to Pilate who again finds Him innocent (the sixth) but relents under pressure, no doubt fearing an uprising. He notes on the sign on the cross that His crime was being the King of the Jews. He probably did this to avoid trouble with Rome (There was to be no king but Caesar). 

About 9:00 AM. Jesus is crucified on a hill called The Skull outside the city. Literally, Golgotha in Aramaic, or Calvary in Latin, it was most likely named this because it was the place of execution. While we cannot know for certain, it is tradition that this is the site where God commanded Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. 

At noon, the sky becomes dark. The darkness is highly symbolic of the Father turning His back on the one He had earlier called My beloved Son. No doubt that this was also the Father’s mercy, veiling His Son’s pain and agony. Jesus will make seven proclamations while on the cross. These are known collectively as The Seven Last Saying of Christ. They are:

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

 “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” 

 “Woman, behold your son!” “Behold your mother!

"Eloi, Eloi, lamasabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"

“I thirst"

“It is finished!”

“Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”

At 3:00 PM Jesus utters the most important of these sayings to believers when he cries with a loud voice: “It is finished.” This is just one word in the Greek, Tetelestai. The phrase literally means Paid, as in paid in full. The rapidity of the trial and crucifixion was seen as necessary by the Jews for fear of the fickle crowds turning again to embrace Jesus. It was in actuality part of the Father’s plan from the beginning, as Jesus dies while the paschal lambs are being offered at the temple. The Son of God became sin for us! "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5 (NKJV) The veil is rent in the Temple (Mk. 15:38) 

Jesus had been on the cross for 6 hours when His body is given to two of His followers, who up until this point had kept their devotion to Christ secret. (John 3:2) Jesus is laid in Joseph's tomb before the Sabbath began at sunset, or around 6:00 PM. In less than twelve hours Jesus has fulfilled the Father’s purposes: The sin of the world has been placed on the Lamb of God.

Maranatha! Even so, Come Lord Jesus!

Passion Week: Day 5

Day 5 Thursday. Day of Preparation and Passover in the Evening.

Today (and perhaps on Wednesday evening) preparation is made for the Passover. Judas may have also utilized this time to meet with the priests for his betrayal (Matt.26:1-5; 14-16; 17-19). The Passover is celebrated on Thursday evening (which is Friday by Jewish reckoning) in an upper room. Tradition has it that it was owned by Mark's parents. At the end of the Jewish feast, Jesus institutes the Last Supper (Matt. 14:12-26; Lk. 22:17-23). The Last Supper is followed by the Upper Room Discourse (Jn. 13-17). Sometime in the evening, after the Passover, Jesus and His disciples leave the Upper Room and go to Gethsemane, a place near the Mt. of Olives where it was a custom for Jesus to Pray (Matt. 26:36-460). While in the Garden, Jesus is betrayed by Judas and arrested by the temple guards (Jn. 18:2-12). The Trials begin. Before dawn Jesus is tried twice before Annas and then Caiaphas. Everything about these trials is illegal.