On the way to our region’s annual, denominational meeting, I was on the road for several hours. As I drove, I passed numerous cars, vans and trucks, and I saw a vast diversity of scenery. Passing by an area of wetlands set against a backdrop of dense forest, I began to think about all of the life hidden from my sight as I continued to […]
What does it take to be happy? Do we find happiness in our circumstances and the things we possess? Is happiness merely the result of our feelings, or is there something unwavering which produces happiness within us? Recently, I sat with another pastor who I just met. We were sharing ministry stories, especially discussing our favorite authors and resources. The conversation moved to our sources […]
“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 […]
I’ve been reading (and rereading) Radical, by David Platt. It is a challenging look at how we blend American culture and philosophies with the Gospel message. More that simply understanding the message of the Bible through our cultural background, Platt argues we are reworking the true message of the biblical witness to fit our personal agendas and preconceptions. As I reviewed the chapter on we […]
Well, here we are again, entering into another new beginning. These new beginnings are wonderful opportunities to assess where we’ve been and to prayerfully consider where we are going. Now is where we remind ourselves of what God did for us in the past and ask ourselves what we did for God. It is the time when we dream about the future and pray for God’s vision […]
“Frequently when I come to a certain part of ‘Our Father’ or to a petition, I land in such rich thoughts that I leave behind all set prayers. When such rich, good thoughts arrive, then one should leave the other commandments aside and offer room to those thoughts and listen in stillness and for all the world not put up obstructions… I have learned more […]
Last night our church held its annual Fall Festival for our children and their families and friends. This year we began with “Trunk or Treat” where families decorated the trunks of their cars and vans and then stood by them to hand out candy as the children made their way around a part of the parking lot sectioned off for the event. The children had a […]
Have you ever noticed that sometimes life simply gets in the way of your plans? For the past two weeks or so, I have planned on posting something meaningful, but the busyness of those days consumed my time and to be honest, my creativity. I would look at the blank page and think, “I really need to post something meaningful,” but felt that there was […]
We love the familiar: the broken in shoes, our favorite chair, the worn-out sweatshirt we continue to wear. We follow routine paths in our driving and our actions. We eat our favorite foods and enjoy our favorite television programs. There is simply something comforting about the things and places we know well that make us feel secure amid the changes around us. At the same […]
Dr. Samuel P. Langley was a respected former professor of mathematics and astronomy who became the director of the Smithsonian Institution. He was an accomplished thinker, scientist, and inventor who published several important works on aerodynamic. He also possessed a vision for achieving manned flight. In 1898, Langley approached the U.S. War Department for funding to design and build and airplane to carry a man […]