Will this be the last Mother’s Day that my Mom will be here for? Will Sunday be the last Mother’s Day call I make? I don’t know. The truth is, we never know. Do we? But there are times, like now, when the reality of death is more pressing; more present, I guess. My Mom’s… Read More ›
When my Grandpa died my Dad was in the military. My Granny was trying to take care of her younger children by herself. She had just lost her husband and several months earlier her oldest son was killed at Heart Break Ridge in the Korean War. Overwhelming grief seized her. Two neighbors and a doctor… Read More ›
If you brag about your faith, you may just be missing the point of faith. Or maybe what I should say is that faith in and of itself has zero power. You see, you could have all the faith in the world that jumping into the ocean while holding a large rock will help you… Read More ›
Once there were these fishermen who never fished. They traveled around and went to conferences about fishing. They blogged about fishing. They debated about proper fishing technics. They argued about whether using a fishing pole or net or your bare hands was the proper way to fish. They discussed the pros and cons of using… Read More ›
Plato said something like “Give me your children and I will change the world.” James, in his chapter on the tongue (James 3), which is really about teaching, said that the tongue can set on fire the very course of one’s life. The Nazis understood the significance of this truth and created the “Hitler Youth”… Read More ›
The coin you use! Let’s say that there was this good ol’ boy who decided to take himself a trip to Europe. People told him to exchange his money when he got there, but he refused. He said, “This is good ol’ American money. Its better than whatever money they have.” He went into a… Read More ›
In the early 1980s, King Hussein of Jordan received word that seventy-five of his army officers were meeting in a barracks plotting a coup. The soldier giving the intel asked for permission to surround the barracks and arrest the men. King Hussein contemplated for a moment and then said, “No. Acquire a small helicopter and… Read More ›
Jesus tells the parable of the farmer with a bumper crop who decides to build larger barns to store it all in only to have God say, “You fool, this very night your soul is required of you.” He tells the rich young ruler to sell all of his possessions and give the money to… Read More ›
“Faith, in and of itself, has no power.” I read that in a commentary. My first reaction was to balk. To argue. I read on and realized that the author’s point was a good one. If you put your faith in the wrong thing, it cannot help you. Let’s say you have turned to alcohol… Read More ›
There are things that a sign-up sheet is aptly suited for. A sign-up sheet implies that anyone can add their name to the list. Do you want to clean the building? Anyone can do it. there is a sign-up sheet for that. Do you want to help with snow removal? Anyone is welcome to do… Read More ›