A Love of Learning
It’s a beautiful fall-like day—even though fall is still 3 weeks away. I can feel it in the air. A cool breeze is blowing and seems to carry with it the promise of change. Or perhaps it’s only my imagination. But I did see a flock of geese practicing at making a V-formation. And I’ve seen several maple trees that have already changed from green to shades of orange and red. Plus the mornings and evenings are getting nippy; and the kids are back to school or will be soon. It’s Labor Day, and that always signals autumn—and change. And ...
Time for a Great Bumper Sticker Rip-off?
I’ve sometimes reflected on the challenges of being a Christian in what is increasingly being called a post-Christian society. We fail, of course, all the time. More and more often, it appears that our failures make news. We regularly hear of priests accused of pedophilia and televangelists who are caught in adultery. We aren’t reading about a few very successful Christian fellowships in which Palestinian and Jewish believers join in love and fellowship—though Missionaries do inform us that they do exist and are flourishing. But the fault is not entirely that of our news media. More often, we embarrass ourselves. ...
Rest for the Weary
Sometimes life can seem all about work. When I’m not working at my place of employment, I’m at home freelance editing or paying bills or folding the laundry or weeding the garden or heading to the grocery store for the umpteenth time. I’m weary and need a rest. Perhaps you can identify. Like most people, especially in the US where the Protestant work ethic still remains fairly strong, you would probably say that you work hard all year long just to get a few weeks off in the summer and a week or so around the holidays. You are weary ...
For Special Days
This morning was a special day at our church. Today, the Sunday service was led by our youth group. Ushering, worship, the liturgy, and the preaching—all of it was youth-led. I woke up thinking, ah, a day off from the usual tensions of helping with our worship team. Yes, “a day off” were my exact words. Somewhere during my second cup of coffee and reading of the morning paper, God’s voice snuck in. “’A day off’ would not be My words. Today, you should come expecting great things.” Once again, it wasn’t thunder or lightning. It was that still, small ...
Walk Blindly
Saturday after Church service we took the lady I’d taken with me to Church, to our new restaurant. Now I say “our” and really that’s using the term loosely. In all actuality the land and the building are ours, but the business belongs to a couple of men from this city. I had to laugh when I thought about Doris and me walking together. She is 82 and very quickly losing her eyesight. She also is a bit tipsy at times. I, on the other hand am a bit tipsy most of the time!!! As I told my son, it ...
Odds and Ends
Where One Man Has Gone Before!
This past year marked for me the first time that our college graduation ceremony...
Four Stages of Christian Existence
Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also...
Breach of Faith
“What is truth?” said jesting Pilate. So Francis Bacon opens his 1601 essay...
ENDLESSLY TRUE
I’ve seen a deer herd dancing In frozen moonlit night, And brilliant corals...
On Learning to Love what is Commendable
Last week, I argued that the Christian walk was a matter of keeping a balance between...
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The Cross
Forgiveness
Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they...
The Cross
I appreciate most forms of architure. From today’s style of contemporary to the...
The Cross
I have a friend who is a professional photographer. It is his goal to be more disciplined...
The Old Rugged Cross
The other day as I was coming down US 10 approaching exit 153 of US 131, I thought...
The Cross
The Bible says we all have eyes to see and ears to hear. As we look around, some...
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Odds and Ends
Where One Man Has Gone Before!
This past year marked for me the first time that our college graduation ceremony was not stirred by some administrator or invited speaker telling our graduates that they were somehow “special,” somehow destined to do great things, to somehow be “world changers.” For about 5 years, this charge has been part of the flattery of our graduation proceedings—and... [Read more of this review]
Four Stages of Christian Existence
Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:30-31 Ever feel like everyone’s against you? Misunderstandings with the family, difficulties at work, honking car... [Read more of this review]
Breach of Faith
“What is truth?” said jesting Pilate. So Francis Bacon opens his 1601 essay Of Truth, adding, … if there were taken out of men’s minds, vain opinions [and] false valuations … it would leave the minds of a number of men, poor shrunken things. Today, just as in Jesus’ day, it is all too often politicians who cannot see Truth... [Read more of this review]
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The Cross
