“Is it worth it?” I continue to ask myself. Getting up early is not easy for me, but there are some emerging benefits that are making me rethink my plans and priorities. As I mentioned in my previous post, my schedule has seen a lot of transition recently, that led to more early morning time for devotion and prayer. In the brief time since these […]
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he [Jesus] departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” – Mark 1:35 ESV What if there really is a hidden spiritual value in quiet, early mornings? I’ve been asking myself this question recently, and I am afraid that the answer might be, “Yes.” After some recent dental surgery, […]
You reap what you sow! It is a biblical truth, and one worth remembering, just not always in a negative way. The context of this quote does speak of mocking God and reminds us to consider that our work will be shown for what it is. This is an important caution, for all of us have times when we are a little “plastic,” trying to […]
As we continue to prepare for the upcoming move, we face that challenge of challenges – finding boxes. It is amazing how many you need to move a houseful of belongings, especially if you are a pastor with a healthy library. After commenting on Facebook about finding a particularly large number of good boxes, a friend commented, “Nothing like moving to make one appreciate the […]
Tuesday was one of the better Valentine’s Days I’ve experienced. We did not make any real plans due to a busy schedule, but we celebrated that we would be able to spend most of the day together which is always a blessing. After teaching a class and completing the work in my morning office hours, I was able to join my wife for a little […]
The past two months, I participated in a watercolor painting class. After a little motivation from my wife (including two day classes as a Valentine’s Day gift), I decided to take the next step. It was intimidating, but enjoyable and I learned so many things about painting and about life. I expected to gain some understanding of artistic design, painting tools and watercolor techniques. What […]
When I was preparing for ministry, my wife’s grandmother called me to her bedside in the nursing home and gave me this advice, “Always remember, your job is to study God’s word, preach God’s word, and love the people.” It was wonderful advice, and one of the best summations of pastoral minsitry I’ve heard. The real challenge is keeping that focus. Every day, I try […]