A few years ago, Cindy and I were hiking up to Lake Serene in Washington State. This was a long hike that meandered up several feet in elevation. Can you say, “switchbacks” boys and girls? Sure, I knew you could. As we were hiking, people coming back down kept telling us, “Its not far now.”… Read More ›

Sometimes it can feel like trying to convince a cat that it should not scratch the furniture. When we had a cat, no amount of trying to reason with him worked at all. We reasoned with a spray bottle. We reasoned with catnip. No matter what we did, the cat just went on clawing the… Read More ›

How do you describe the presence of God? How do you convey the majesty of heaven? And what about heavenly beings? Is it possible that the descriptions, few and mysterious as they are, are not intended to be taken literally? And is it possible that the person given the vision was allowed to see what… Read More ›

Its sad really. A correction officer with years of honored service under her belt, helps an inmate escape. What was she thinking? How exactly did she think it would all end? Did she think that she and he would allude the law for the rest of their lives? When the law began to close in… Read More ›

It’s one thing to cry out “Woe is me!” It is a cry of pain; a cry of distress over circumstances; a cry of “why me?”; a cry of lament that swirls around the soul. For many of us, these are but moments of self-focus. They may be imagined or real. They may be heavy… Read More ›

Let us say that you have this dear friend. Now this friend has adult children who have turned away from God. And now this friend is all full of grief and guilt and shame. But you know. You have seen this friend do everything for their children. You have seen the laying down of self;… Read More ›

Where did the legend of the Phoenix come from? I really don’t know. But maybe the ancient people witnessed a truth that was difficult to describe without a symbol. Life often springs up in the midst of death. Fire consumes and life sprouts anew. It is what AA calls rock bottom. The ash heap of… Read More ›

Its not about nice clothes or jewelry. There is an antecedent here. The clothes may be a symptom of the real problem. I was talking to a lady who was explaining to me why she was leaving the church I was working with at the time. She just didn’t get along with anyone at church…. Read More ›

In the first episode of the Korean show “Lawless Lawyer” a young boy watched as some thugs kill his mother and attempt to kill him. He manages to escape and is running through the streets. He runs into the arms of a police officer. The thug who was chasing him said, “Oh good, you’re here…. Read More ›

It is Wormtongue from the Lord of the Rings. He deceives and undermines and then is surprised when his king is angry at him; angry enough to raise his sword against him; angry enough to banish him from the kingdom. He even says, “All I have ever done, was in service to you my king.”… Read More ›