"For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant of all, that I might win more of them. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some." --1 Corinthians 9:19,22b There's a certain poetry in living our lives being "true to myself." After all,... Continue Reading →
Simplify
"Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction." --Proverbs 29:18, NIV I'm too busy. Well, at least that's what I keep telling myself. If I'm being honest, I probably have a lot more available time than I might let on. I find myself scrambling... Continue Reading →
Entitled?
A single mother huddles closely with her two children, aged 3 and 5, in the backseat of a minivan. A holey blanket wrapped tightly around them is the only thing between them and the bitter cold. Everything they own is in that vehicle. As her children shiver in their sleep, tummies growling, she prays with... Continue Reading →
Completion
"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6 ESV). Do you ever feel as though you're just spinning your wheels? I know that visitors to my home have felt that way while attempting to climb... Continue Reading →
Taking Life for Granted
As I sit to write this my father, who has had numerous health issues over the last several years, is lying in a Fort Lauderdale hospital bed. My parents were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary with a Caribbean cruise. Since this isn't his first rodeo, I find myself wondering how many more second chances he's... Continue Reading →
One Body
"For the body does not consist of one member but of many.... But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body" (1 Corinthians 12:14,18-20 ESV).... Continue Reading →
Driven
I am driven. It's true. I have an obsessive personality and tend to throw myself into projects or hobbies without holding anything back. That has often led to burnout. That's not to say that I lose the desire to pursue those things, but rather that I pursue until my inner motivation is depleted or until... Continue Reading →
Disappointment
Disappointment comes in many different flavors, and none of them taste good. Do you remember a time in your childhood when you had gone on and on for months about that certain present that you wanted for Christmas? You had built your hopes up so high; you were absolutely certain that you were getting that... Continue Reading →
The Road
The road before me stretched out as far as my eyes could see. It was like standing on the shore of a vast ocean, unable to see the land on the other side. Even from a boat, miles out at sea, the far distant shore remains well beyond sight. Eventually, even the beginning of my... Continue Reading →
Word for the Weekend: Static
One of the definitions of Static is "lacking in movement, action, or change, especially in a way viewed as undesirable or uninteresting" (dictionary.com here and following). Weekends tend to be fantastic times for testing the validity of this definition. Newton's First Law of Motion states that a body at rest will tend to stay at... Continue Reading →
Skipping Stones 