Steve Sikes Blog  

    I remember congregating in our “soon to arrive” baby’s room with my wife, Patti, my sister and sister-in-law – trying to come up with a name for our future daughter!  Patti was scheduled to deliver the next day and we were playing, <u>“NAME THAT BABY!”  </u>O the names we came up with over 25 years ago!  We ended up naming our beautiful baby girl, Jessica Janette Sikes.  Previously, Patti and I had studied with and baptized a young lady named Janette; a young woman in her early twenties, full of joy and the Holy Spirit!  After her conversion, she died of leukemia, so faithfully strong, that we decided to name our first baby girl after her – Janette.
.     2,758 or so years ago, the prophet Isaiah was invited into a “soon to arrive” baby’s room along with the Father, the Spirit and the Word of God!  Isaiah’s only required ticket at the door was to have a seraphim touch his mouth with a burning coal (Isaiah 6).  Part of his message?  <u>“NAME THAT BABY!”</u>.
. 1. Wonderful Counselor
2. Mighty God
3. Eternal Father
4. Prince of Peace

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Names are important.  If you don’t believe me, ask someone who was in the Messiah’s “soon to arrive” baby room!  “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”  (Isaiah 9:6)  God is good! 

With many of our college students coming home this past week, my mind went back to December, 1972.  It was semester break at Harding (University) College and I was driving home to Oklahoma in my 1968 Ford Galaxy 500.  I was single, a college junior, and sleep-deprived from finals’ week.  The snowy road conditions were hazardous and I was beginning to nod-off while driving.

I pulled into a Texaco gas station (where “You can trust your car to the man who wears the star”) to get some gas and walk around.  Inside the station a small sign read, “Free Coffee.”

In western lore, Louis L’Amour described a man’s cup of coffee as being so black and strong you could float a horseshoe in it.  As I sipped my free coffee while driving home that day, there was no doubt I was indeed drinking some form of liquid horseshoe! 

I stayed awake and made it home safe.  I know Mom and Dad were praying for my journey (as we have been for our young adults), but I have to attribute part of their answered prayer to one free cup of Texaco coffee!  God is not only good – He has a sense of humor!  Star Buckless Coffee anyone? 

NBC’s sitcom, The Office, is an unrealistic view of a self-absorbed office manager who believes he has complete control over his own life and staff.  This sitcom mockingly depicts the everyday lives of office employees in the fictional Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, said to be located in Scranton, PA.  This week I was reminded of The Office in an extremely contrasting way.
. On Wednesday, our office staff honored my wife, Patti, by taking her out to eat on her birthday.  However, before leaving the building we all gathered in Dan’s office for some Pitman tradition!  Each of us gave Patti a present and a birthday card for her to read out-loud.  Patti was genuinely encouraged!  Thanks, Dan, Katherine and Dottie!
. Even before ordering our food, our subject matter at the restaurant centered on one topic: The work of God in the lives of our church family!  We discussed how different ones in our church family had come to faith; who led who to Christ; what Bible studies are presently going on; the upcoming ladies’ retreat; etc. 
. What struck me was the stark contrast of two offices: the one on TV and ours.  I am blessed to work with Christians who love the Lord and one another – whose number one goal is NOT to self-please, NOT to control, but to please God and acknowledge His power.  “So we make it our goal to please Him…”  (2 Cor 5:9)  God is good!