Author: Jeff Hampton

For Wilshire Baptist Church

Hard things can be fun when you break through and learn how to do them. They’re even more fun when you learn how to do them with other people.

As the Wilshire Winds have been preparing for our annual summer concert on Sunday evening, there have been parts of the music that have been kicking my back side. Not entire pieces of music from start to finish, but in every piece of music we’re playing there is at least one section or even just a measure or two that challenges me to the point of total frustration. It might be a progression of notes that are difficult to finger, a rhythm that is hard to navigate or a tempo so fast I just can’t move my fingers, tongue or even my brain fast enough. And believe me when I say age plays a big part in all of that. I’m just not as physically or mentally nimble as I once was.

Continue reading “Finding Joy in the Hard Parts”

For Wilshire Baptist Church

Last week LeAnn and I had the pleasure of attending the high school graduation of our youngest nephew Ethan. He was the last of eight nieces and nephews to walk across the stage and take that next big step on their life journey. Without children of our own, it’s as close as we can get to any sort of parental pride.

Continue reading “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!”

For Wilshire Baptist Church

Sunday morning while at church my phone vibrated and like the Pavlov’s dog I’ve become, I had to look. It might be something important, don’t you know. The alert on my screen from Apple News was both dire and dumb: “Antarctica’s ‘Doomsday Glacier’ is melting fast and major cities are in danger. Plus, a big change is coming to HBO’s Max, and more.” 

Continue reading “And More . . .”