For decades, I’ve had ambivalent feelings on the Saturday before Easter, or Easter Eve as I think I’ll call it from now on. Holy Week, as it’s known by those who keep the Christian calendar of holy days, is a time of somber self-evaluation and wonder at the amazing...
Easter Eve
Walking Away
It’s been on my mind lately, so when I was reading the account of Jesus healing a demon-possessed man and the aftermath, it struck me. After the incident (read it here), the locals showed up to see what had caused the catastrophe, and when they realized exactly what happened,...
Words Matter
I recently helped lead a confirmation class with my wife. When I lead youth in these kinds of faith-encouraging activities, I often find myself learning more than the folks in the class about various aspects of my faith. It was so with this experience. We were discussing the Trinity...
Winners and… Winners?
Superbowl 57 week is upon us! The hoopla is loved by many and despised by many. Even more tend to ignore it altogether. I’m a football fan, so I watch and listen to some of the celebratory run-up to the “Big Game.” This year, however, I’m finding that there’s...
Mustard Seed Mentality
We like our privacy here in the USA. I like my privacy. We want to do what we want to do without notice (except when we want it) and without restriction. And we don’t like to change unless it is our idea. When Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven...
One Moment at a Time
I was fighting to finish something simple. I had completed my treadmill time and was doing some light free weight lifting (VERY light – 2 pounders). My current regimen includes 30 lifts per rep for three reps. Curls, supine pullovers, crunches and a variety of other things for which...
Glad for the Small Things
We were taking a walk with our little dog after a storm. As we walked, I began to notice a number of small-to-medium-sized branches littering the ground. On many of them were various lichens and other kinds of tree-borne plants. At first, I just walked on by, unintentionally kicking...
Public Faith
The moment it happened, everyone noticed. A young, healthy football player falling to the ground and not moving is something nobody wants to see. The reaction was what amazed and fascinated me. Yes, there were the usual medical folks responding, the huddle of people around the injured, concerned and...
Bright Ideas
It’s the first week of the new year, and today I did something that made me a little sad – I took down the Christmas lights on our front porch. We have put away the ornaments from the tree and taken our candles from our windows. I’m not looking...
More Than I Wanted
Merry Christmas! Yes, I know it’s a few days late, but the wishes are genuine. I hope your time of worshipping the Christ Child was indeed joyous, and that it hasn’t ended already! Jesus is definitely worth more than a passing holiday’s worth of honor and glory. This year,...