Throughout the Scripture we find places where the people of God built altars. Sometimes, these were directly connected to houses of worship, but often, they were places of remembrance. When individuals and communities experienced unique encounters with God, an altar would be set up to remember that experience and honor God in the future. Occasionally, people would erect standing stones, large stones placed in an […]
It’s nice to share. That is what I was taught when I was younger and what we taught our children when we became parents. Generosity is a virtue that is important to cultivate, but equally important to the need to give is understanding what we should be giving. When we share things that bless others, make them stronger and encourage them to experience all that […]
“I didn’t do it!” oh, how I remember those shouts from my young children when we would ask them about how something got broken, went missing, or used inappropriately. Their immediate response was denial. It seemed, no one in our family did it. We even developed a humorous spirit about these moments, blaming the dogs, mystery visitors, even imaginary animals for the unexplained events. We […]
There are so many reasons to be thankful, including so many people that bless our lives. Several days ago, I was visiting with a friend at his home. He and I were sitting on the front porch talking and watching the neighborhood activity. Children were riding their bikes along the sidewalk, several couples were strolling together, and people were coming in and out of their homes. Occasionally, […]
Everyone wants to be wanted. We all want to know that we have value, that we belong and that our life makes a difference. Lacking that sense of belonging and worth can lead to all sorts of destructive behavior that wounds both the individual and the people surrounding them. Even if things do not go that far, people can be left with an emotional wound […]
Why is is that some of the most simple lessons seem more challenging to learn and put into practice? Recently, I was browsing religion and faith blogs to find some personal inspiration and to make connection with other bloggers with similar interests. I found a number of interesting sites and posts and even discovered a couple of blogs I enjoyed so much I added them […]
Worship is extravagant. When we speak of worship, beyond our Christian conversations, we easily equate the action to deep emotion and value. “I worship the ground she walks on,” we say, and we know that we are sharing how deeply we feel toward that person we love. To say such a thing is an expression of profound love, appreciation and desire. It is the nature […]
I got to hold my new grandson for the first time last night. What a wonderful gift! Looking down as he rested in my arms, his sweet eyes looking back through his desire to go back to sleep, was one of the more precious moments of my life. Looking at each detail of his face, his hands, and his feet filled me with awe and […]
I have an extra large umbrella, partially because it keeps me drier, but mostly because it is fun to share. It does not happen often, but there are those special times when my wife and I are together while the rain is falling I can bring out the umbrella and we can walk together. It is a pleasure to share my covering with her and […]
The past two days, my morning devotional readings were on the subject of encouragement. Specifically, they were focused on the value of being and encourager. At first, I found myself walking away from the readings saying to myself, “That’s nice. It is a good idea to encourage others,” but honestly, I was not very moved by what I read. Little did I know, those readings […]