“Beloved.” “Forgiven.” “Perfect.” Those aren't easy words to swallow, given the pig stalls I’ve slopped. Those aren't expressions I would expect to hear from the inside of a whale's belly. Those aren't terms I would describe myself considering the wildernesses I marched into, rebellious head held high until beaten down by the sun of shame. But the story – my story – is His story. And that’s the only one that needs to be to told. Read more
With smeared index cards, we try to relive those days. The ingredients are familiar to any cook, but the portions are customized with an alchemist precision. They are often protected, rarely duplicated. Success is marked by flour on the counter, flour on the kids and flour on the dog. Read more
My mission was to pick up a few apples at the grocery store. How hard could this be? If you don’t know, the male double-helix shopping code is to “get in and get out without any complication.” So I thought this was going to be an easy assignment. But little did I realize I would be faced with such a variety. Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Rome Beauty, McIntosh, Fuji, Gala, Jonagold. There were yellow, green, red, and even... Read more
I grabbed my backpack, took an apple from the bowl on the table, pocketed two of my favorite Hot Wheels and marched out the house. I wasn’t going to take it anymore! I was eight and I was a childhood runaway. I made it all the way to the Dutra’s house where they had a secret hide-out in the back yard. I sat down and rested. It was a quick stop, a layover, a resting point before I made my final... Read more
It's bad enough that on the average day, you and I will be faced with an onslaught of an estimated 200 commercial advertisements. And that number is rising as marketers commandeer the sides of school buses, stadiums and movie theaters. I opened the pages of the newspaper today and a dozen ads fell out of the center. Rich in color, brash in their claims and inviting with their products I opened each one. I found many things that were enticing. Electronics, clothes, and housewares. The political candidates are telling me that there are two Americas, making me long for the other half they so roundly despise. Protesters occupy our downtowns, demanding less obligation, more freedom and benefits. They are of the lesser half and they want more of everything, the very thing they hate. Read more
Every once in a while, someone hands me a shovel and says “dig.” While the past is important, unearthing it serves little in the current demand for life. I’m God’s child who is living for this day determined to make a difference for eternity in my life and in others.. Read more
We cling to the wall, hiding our ability. We know full well that we could be part of the solution, and instead, by our passivity, we become part of the problem. We all have our excuses. I’ve used every one of them. “I’m too busy.” “I don’t have the right skills.” “It’s not the right time.” “I don’t have the experience.” “I’m too young.” “I’m too old. Read more
The tomatoes are still green, but the freeze is coming. It's sad that they won't make it. I don't want to fear the final season. I want to be ready. Read more
Athletes – and people in the marketplace – should not be afraid to ask for God’s blessing. But we should realize that his blessing can be found even in failure, in brokenness. He is far more concerned about our character, our development as his children than the success of the world. Read more
Three in 4 employees say they have no desire to move up in their organizations. This goes against the presumption that we are all clamoring the upward ladder. It seems that most of us are perfectly happy, right where we are. We like comfortable. Read more
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