Author: Patrick

I was sitting in a restaurant with my wife. It was a pre-race meal for her. She was competing in one of several half-IRONMAN distance triathlons on her way to competing in the full distance race in a few months. (For those who don't know, a full IRONMAN triathlon is a 2.4 mile swim, a … Continue reading Goals or Habits?

I worked with youth in the first church I served. One of the events we hosted each year was a fast for 30 hours to raise money and awareness for world hunger. We would eat lunch on Friday and then not eat again until 6:00 PM on Saturday evening. We would gather at church Friday … Continue reading Fasting

If I am meeting someone for lunch at a restaurant that is new to me, I will frequently check out the menu ahead of time. Especially if it's a business lunch, I don't want to be the guy who takes 20 minutes to order. "Is the chicken baked or fried? Lightly breaded, or not? Spicy? … Continue reading All or None

This was our worship service last night. Click HERE. Peace.

I did not like to read growing up. I mean at all. Like really, at all. If I could get out of reading a menu, I would. Did you know you could take a sabbatical in 6th grade? I didn't know that at the time, but I took one. About a week in to the … Continue reading Books

30 years ago I graduated from college, and April 27th marked 25 years since I officially became "Reverend" Patrick Day. I vividly remember trying to decide where to go to seminary. I was interested in Austin Seminary in Texas. A friend who was from Austin told me, "Patrick, because I want you to succeed, do … Continue reading It’s Not Broken, But…

In the Christian tradition this week is kind of a big deal. Last Sunday we celebrated with palms the story of Jesus entering into Jerusalem to confront religious and political powers. This week he will be betrayed by a friend, denied by another, turned over to the authorities, tortured, and killed on a cross. Sunday … Continue reading Holy Week

Last week I wrote this, talking about how I was worried people in college would notice me in my brand new loafers. I've been thinking about that notion a lot this week. When I was a child we did not have a vaccine for Chicken Pox. (This is not a post about vaccines; it's a … Continue reading Noticed

This is a picture of my dad. *** For the last several years during Lent, our family has had a practice that is in addition to any other Lenten discipline we might choose. Each day there is a bag on the kitchen table and each member of the family has to place something in the … Continue reading Shoes

As a preacher, I have never been good at coming up with the catchy sayings or cool sermon titles to draw people in. You know the, "Come learn about the four M's to a better life," kind of thing. As a matter of fact, cleverness has often backfired on me. I was doing a thing … Continue reading Expectations