While I was growing up in Mississippi, my grandmother (my dad’s mom) lived two doors down from me. When I say, I “beat a path” to her house, I did just literally that. There was a visible path through the grass worn down by my bare feet from my front door to hers. Memories can be tricky but I seem to remember she was almost always in the kitchen when I ran through her screen door. For sure I know that every single time I left her house, she…
If you’ve heard the rumor about me, it’s true. I’ve crossed over to the world of e-readers! And if you own an e-reader, you know how difficult it is to keep pace with the latest version of software. At Christmas, when the battle of the Kindle Fire and the latest most improved Nook took place, Nook users could upgrade to a new version of software that would keep us current without having to upgrade to a brand new Nook. Not a bad deal!
The upgrade could be done manually for those…
It’s a very common scenario and takes place thousands of times every day all over the world. Two people meet for the first time and they engage in the “get to know each other” routine. Within minutes, this question will be asked, “What do you do?” Typically the answer to that question will be some sort of definition of a job or a place of employment. Sometimes how the person is dressed will give a clue to his or her occupation. If you were to ask Sheryl, “What do…
Sheryl and I often say here in this blog, and when we are out teaching together that “Words matter and God’s Word matters most.” It’s a true statement and one lesson about words I’ve learned recently is not to overlook even the smallest ones.
My son is home for a couple of days in between his January term at college and the beginning of the spring semester. His “J-term” class this year was theology and just as I imagined, he really enjoyed learning about the founding fathers of church history….
Fifty thousand! According to neuroscientists that is the number of thoughts that the average person thinks daily. And that is either good news or bad news depending upon what we are thinking because inevitably our thoughts convert into the words we speak and the things we do.
Matthew 12:34 tells us that “the mouth speaks out of what fills the heart.” Most of us would just die if our every thought were posted on some jumbo screen for all to see. However, everyone can see our thoughts…
During the Christmas holidays, Sheryl and I read an Advent Devotional that was comprised of writings by Dietrich Bonheoffer who was a German pastor, theologian and ultimately a martyr for his stance against the Nazi regime and for the cause of Christ. Most of the entries were written while he was imprisoned during the final years of Hitler’s reign of destruction. A state of disbelief and terror was gripping the entire world. Every morning as I read, I found it impossible to remove myself from the…
Joy Alert! Today only! Free shipping and 25% off all items! In the wee hours of every morning during this past Christmas season I received this email from a popular clothing store. It was as if they were waving a flag to say, “Hey! Shop with us! We have some deals that will make you joyful this season!” While they did have some great deals, and while I did get in on at least one day of a shopping spree with…
Beginnings and endings are important.
Today we will officially “end” the year 2011 and at the stroke of midnight we will “begin” 2012. Many people will spend some time during these daylight hours being reflective, thinking back over the past months and remembering trials and triumphs, comings and goings, maybe even some beginnings and endings. Others will be looking forward and planning for the New Year – outlining strategies for jobs, exercise routines or gathering the supplies for a new hobby.
As we end our series on the…
One of the most asked questions during the Christmas season is probably, “What do you want for Christmas?” My pat answer has always been “peace on earth” and more often than not I have received a glass globe ornament with a world map and the word “peace” etched on it. Those gifts were creative responses to my request and admittedly a world peace ornament was the best that anyone could do within their power to grant peace on earth. Peace…
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6
I was twenty-seven years old when my father died. He had been sick for quite a while and had truly “fought the good fight” trying to get better so he could live. He even relearned the alphabet and his numbers after a stroke robbed…