A family friend stopped by the house last week, and their young grandchild accompanied them. After asking my son, I offered the little boy one of his prized toys to play with. The only requirement was that the pirate ship was off limits. My son has arranged each piece to look like an action scene. … Read more
My daughter and I painted masterpieces a few evenings ago. Ok, really, we just had fun. It feels great to be creative. In Genesis, we learn about God’s creative work. Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Did you know that the verb used in Genesis to describe God’s creation … Read more
Who can blame a bunch of fishermen for being afraid? From their perspective, they were trying to save their lives. Where was Jesus? Asleep. Mark 4:35-41 35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he … Read more
I remember with fondness a trip that I took in graduate school. We canoed a river as a team building exercise. My partner happened to be an international student who came from a country where he was on the national canoe championship team. I sat in the front and steered and we flew down the … Read more
If you’ve ever watched a dog learn to “stay,” then you have likely seen the owner walk away and return. When the owner is almost back with the reward, the dog inevitably decides to break the “stay.” The dog was so close to the prize, and now it is time for a do … Read more
It seems as though everyone is talking about the Royal baby today. Just over 2000 years ago, there was another royal baby destined not to rule England but the world. Luke 2: In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the … Read more
The Easter sermon that I attend this year spotlighted faces from the crowd on crucifixion day. One of those faces was Barabbas. I have always judged him harshly as far worse of a person than me. I never knew how much we had in common. Matthew 27:15-26 15 Now it was the governor’s custom at the … Read more
Tomorrow, a candidate will wake up victorious, and another campaign will have failed. Spin it as you may, it hurts to fail — especially publicly. I’m sure you’ve given a public speech and stumbled or played for piano recital and flubbed. I know that I have. If I can’t win, then I don’t want … Read more
Genesis 6:5-8 5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the … Read more