Number 28! I was waiting for my take-out order to be ready. The restaurant was packed, and the kitchen staff was working hard to keep up. The worker called out again, “number 28!” An agitated young man behind her piped up, “I’m number 28! I told you I’m number 28!” The lady apologized, gave […]
It’s an unusual Sunday morning for me. Icy road have cancelled church and stopped all activity in the area. (Except for those brave souls who believe, “My Nissan Sentra can drive on ice perfectly fine, thank you very much. But that’s another story.) So, I’m relaxing at home with a cup of coffee, looking out […]
I love the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Every year I try to carve out some time to look ahead and plan for the coming year, but I also try to look back to the successes and failures of the past year. As I’ve looked back over 2016, I’ve found some things I’ve read […]
Over 2000 years ago, God came to earth as the newest member of a homeless refugee family. Since that time, Christmas has been a reminder that God’s invitation of love, hope, and forgiveness is available to all mankind. Humanity is fallen and we are unable to save ourselves. At the right time, God chose […]
Christmas is a season of love. We love candy canes. We love Christmas lights strung around trees and across rooftops. We love the smell of freshly cut wreaths and the sound of children singing Silent Night. We love Peppermint Mochas with whipped cream and Hallmark movies with sappy endings. We love tearing open neatly […]
With our presidential election hovering just around the corner, many people are faced with the question, “which morally reprehensible option has the greatest likelihood of enacting policies that I agree with?”. Ok, it might not be that bad, but it feels that bad sometimes. A quick cyber stroll through Facebook or Twitter will confirm that […]
In his account of the life of Jesus, John includes a late night meeting between Jesus and a prominent religious leader. It appears that the leader was afraid of being seen with Jesus in public. At the same time, he couldn’t stop thinking about the teaching he had heard from Jesus, and wanted to know […]
Everyone knows how important relationships are to a healthy life. One thing we don’t always know is how to evaluate the relationships we are currently in. Understanding the status of our relationships is the first step to growing in our relationships. In other words, if you don’t know how you are doing, it’s nearly impossible […]
There’s lots of talk in churches and other organizations about developing an “ownership” mindset when it comes to their group. The thought is that the group would run better if members took pride in the organization the way an owner would. For instance, many people spend lots of time deciding which shrubs and flowers to […]
Social media can be a dangerous place. More than ever there are people lurking out there, phone in hand, ready to pounce on the first thing someone says that appears to be incorrect, intolerant, or unfeeling. It’s as if we have created a culture of people who derive joy and meaning out of correcting others, […]