I remember praying hard for a job I wanted.I engaged friends and extended family in the petition.As a family, we bowed our heads and pleaded in earnest.My heart was pure.My motives were honest.And someone else got the job. Six months later, the position was eliminated. Thank goodness He didn’t give me what I wanted.But that hasn’t stopped me. I’ve asked for increased recognition, for earthly rewards, for selfish, petty things. I ask and ask and ask. In retrospect, there are... Read more
“It’s not how you start your life, it’s how you finish.” Confronted with these words, I chronicle the timeline of my life. Like a stock chart, a roller coaster, or a heart machine, there is little consistency. I’m up. I’m down. And there’s really little in between. When my days are done, how will I have lived? One day, Will be I viewed as a good husband, a partner to the end?Will I have loved with integrity, honesty and faithfulness?Will I... Read more
I read the words in the newspaper, disbelieving. He was gone, leaving a wife and a couple of sons at home. He left undone too many things that should have been. They said it was his heart. But I wonder if it was his soul that went first. Flashback. We were young men in the faith, ready to change the world. We knocked on doors, talked to people on street corners, picked up hitchhikers and were always ready to give... Read more
We all love to hear words of praise. I don’t care how humble you are, there is still a welling of pride that comes when others recognize the works of your hands.We like praise. We love praise. We crave praise. It started as children when even the worse drawing with a blunt crayon was hung on the refrigerator. Proudly beaming for days, we sulked when it finally had to come down. Something inside of us wants our efforts to be... Read more
As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I knew they were wrong. Something inside of me wanted to tell the truth, but like a split-second decision that changes your destiny, the river flowed out of the wrong channel. Trying to catch the words, they were gone, smoke spreading on a cold morning. Now out in the open, I had to deal with the after affect. So, I justified the words, first to myself, then to God. Neither... Read more
(Photo credit: itspaulkelly) What makes something beautiful? The human eye is drawn to objects perfectly proportioned. Think of the spiral of a sea shell or the Egyptian pyramids. Certain faces on people seem to have the perfect dimensions. Some designs seem so perfect. And why are some faces so perfect? Interestingly, beauty can actually be mathematically equated to 1:1.6. This ratio is calculated by using a series of numbers called the Fibonacci sequence, or the Golden Ratio. It’s sequence looks like this: 1,2,3,5,... Read more
When you take a snapshot of our personal and collective wealth compared to just 30 years ago, it is staggering. While pockets of poverty exist, even our poor live much better than the majority of the world. Our “middle class” is extraordinarily well off, living in a world that is virtually limitless in its ability to produce, supply and purchase more goods and luxuries. Yet despite our wealth, we are a lonely people. While money buys automobiles, homes, and... Read more
“Nobody likes being around people who hate their jobs. We all need to love what we do, or go work somewhere else. It’s really that simple.” That’s the honest appraisal by writer and blogger Jeff Goins. He recently had an experience with a surly flight attendant, who made the entire group of passengers uncomfortable. Clearly, she was in the wrong career field. “We’ve all encountered someone like this—angry, frustrated workers who make their jobs worse by complaining about them,” he writes.... Read more
If you want to peer into my life, just take a look at my key ring. I have a key to my front door, the back door and the door off the bedroom. I have a key to my car, my office and my desk. There’s a key to my gym locker and the lock for the shed. And then there are two mystery keys. I’m not sure I’m ready to get rid of them. Then there’s the remote key that... Read more
“God is Good.”“God is Love”“God is Light” You’ve heard these expressions from the time you were a wee child. You’ll hear them in Hollywood, popular culture and in fact, from many churches. From these images, we’ve imagined the Almighty as the grandfather we never had. This elderly gentleman smiles at us, pats us on the back, and gives us our allowance. He doesn’t ask for anything in return. No wonder, when asked about eternity, eight out of 10 Americans will answer that... Read more
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