Could it be that the Dallas Mavericks victory over the Miami Heat and the winning of the NBA title shows us something about the kingdom of heaven? I think so. Consider these words, spoken by Jesus, “God’s kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidently found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic – what a find! – and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy that field.” Well, the... Read more
A very good friend wrote this to me today: I never thought I would survive the day when my mother passed away, but I have seen it, and I am still here. I keep wanting to go home and find her there. I can’t though, for she is everywhere. There is a quiet wellspring of inner strength, a deep reservoir of life. Even in the face of death it remains, it supplies, it cannot hear cries of emptiness for it knows... Read more
I received an email this afternoon containing these words: It was beautiful, the most moving and meaningful church service ever. I will remember it always. You taught us with a loving touch about the most special day of the year. It transcends all, your elegant message making the call to understand it God was a deliverer today. Healings and joys and the hopefulness of special requests. He delivered himself through you, as you sat patiently on your front porch, waiting, waiting for him to speak. ... Read more
I am determined to spend much of the day on the thing I tend to put off until they threaten to bury me. Each of us has our list of things we put off, whether they be tasks of some sort, relationships, finances, spiritual, self-care–I honestly don’t think there is one person who is on top of everything in life. I remember once thinking that my list of necessary “to-do’s” had grown to a point where I could see the... Read more
I have a working clothes dryer today. I’ve been without one for two years now when the aging one I had been using finally gave up the ghost. The particular washer and dryer I had were a Scandinavian brand and the washing machine plugged into the dryer, not into a normal outlet in the wall. I discovered there was no one around here who could fix it and replacing the dryer was cost prohibitive. So, I just did without. I... Read more
An article about the growing use of anti-psychotic drugs for children and youth (especially juvenile offenders) just caught my eye. These drugs are only approved to treat schizophrenia and serious bipolar disorders and have not been tested on children and youth. Research suggests they are primarily used for their sedating effects with no regard for the long term side-effects (like diabetes, weight gain, and possible long-term damage to brain development. It’s such an easy solution. Sedate them, keep them as... Read more
The word “friendship” has, like so many other emotionally rich words, been cheapened by commerce. It is possible to have thousands of “friends” on Facebook or some other social networking site, and yet not have a single friend in the true sense of the word. This past Sunday, I talked about the biblical story of Jonathan and David, an unusual friendship that teaches us about the nature of God’s willingness to befriend us. Jonathan, the son of first king of... Read more
Another pastor bites the dust. Last week, news readers heard about Matt Jarrell, a traveling man with a wife, four children and a congregation in Mesquite, TX. This pastor accumulated arrests on his travels for soliciting prostitutes, illegal handgun possession, and rape. Two days after the final arrest, he hanged himself in his jail cell. Jarrell led the double life, a life without integrity. I read this once: “Integrity is the act of doing what is right when alone and... Read more
Well, despite the predictions of Harold Camping, of Family Radio and end-of-the-world scenarios, it didn’t happen. By now, should Camping have been correct, those of us left on this rapidly self-destructing earth should have been faced with a massive clean-up effort after the true believers were caught up in heaven on May 21. At least I suppose there would be a massive clean-up effort–those rolling earthquakes that were supposed to start in New Zealand and move around the earth would... Read more
I’ve come to the conclusion that, at heart, we all want to be only children. Deep inside each of us wants the full attention of our mother, father, God and anyone else we consider important in our lives. We don’t want to share that attention with others. I suspect we’re convinced that if we do, there won’t be enough love, gifts, time, etc. to go around. Two weeks with grandchildren now have reinforced that view. These particular grands are both... Read more
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