As Rosanna Rosannadanna said, “It’s always something.”

My niece Deanna’s house burned down Friday night. She lives a city block from my Mom, but Mom slept through the fire trucks that finally extinguished the blaze. She lost everything.

Fires are not unknown in our family. Until the death of my brother Charlie in 2006 and our father’s death on November 3, 2007, the most defining event in our family was the burning of our house in February of 1954. It came when all 6 children were still living at home and a month after Dad had lost his job. Twenty or more years later, Charlie’s house burned.

We know all too well the pain caused by such things. Deanna has health problems too and frankly, this was the last thing she needed. We will appreciate our friends praying for her.

I’m about to do something here I never do: tell you what we’ve been doing, where we went, and such.

Saturday, December 8. Freddie Arnold did an all day Disaster Relief training at our Baptist Center.

Sunday, December 9. I worshiped with FBC Kenner in the morning and participated in a church mediation discussion for a couple of hours that night.

Tuesday. Welcomed a team of volunteers from Anderson University in South Carolina who were working on various projects around our city, and had supper/spoke to them that night at our Volunteer Village at Hopeview Church in St. Bernard Parish.

Thursday. We participated in a monthly session planning for the restructuring of our association in the next year or so. Professor Reggie Ogea is leading us. That night, I spoke to the staff Christmas banquet for the FBC of LaFayette, Louisiana, and drove home.

Friday night was our annual pastors and wives Christmas banquet at Williams Boulevard Baptist Church in Kenner. Cajun storyteller Mickey Bounds was the speaker. We do recommend him highly.

Saturday, I drove 60 miles south to Port Sulphur Baptist Church where Pastor Lynn Rodrigue and a big team of volunteers were conducting a health fair. At Lynn’s request, I set up and drew adults and children from 9:30 am until 1:15 pm. My arm was ready to quit after that! Met lots of nursing students from Holy Cross who were helping. One of our Baptist heroes, Dr. Patricia Prechter, head of the nursing school there and member of Oak Park Baptist Church (as well as Colonel in the La. National Guard!) was on hand. (Go to www.joemckeever.com and under the archives, scroll down to February 2006 and find the article about Pat’s talk at her church. She’s such a winner.)

Sunday, today. Worshiped down the street with Riverside Baptist Church in River Ridge. Pastor Jim Caldwell is preaching through Galatians and was in chapter 2. He said, “The Christian life is not a sin management program. The goal is not trying to sin less than the other guy. The goal of the Christian life is to have a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and love Him. Do that, keep the focus on Him, and you will sin less. It does not work the other way around.”

Jim said, “It’s like dieting. If I go on a diet that says I can have no ice cream, all I can think about is ice cream. It’s the same with sin. Focus on it and you’re defeated from the start. Focus on Jesus Christ.”

Good preaching. I hear lots of it in our churches, I’m happy to report.

I’ll be preaching Sunday morning, December 23, at the FBC of Kenner for the 10:30 am service, and again at the Christmas Eve Vespers Service at 5 pm. Both are in the sanctuary at 1400 Williams Boulevard, Kenner. You’re welcome of course. When Associate Pastor Greg Finch announced this morning that Riverside had called off their Christmas Eve service since so few people would be in town, I invited them to come up the street to FBC Kenner for ours.

You’re invited, too.