Sometimes we just have to do it … address the elephants that make it impossible to navigate a room without bumping into them. The one facing us today is sexual orientation, which includes everything from same sex marriage to gender re-identification. This past month in the U.S we’ve been encouraged to not only accept but [...]
I was old enough to know better when I made a risky decision. I was out with friends and started talking with a guy from another high school who was bowling next to us. By the end of the evening, we were getting along so well that, when he offered to drive me home, I [...]
I can imagine how breathless and scared the women must have been as they made their way to the tomb that early Sunday morning. The night before, after Sabbath ended, they’d purchased spices for Jesus’ body, which was now in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb. They’d watched His crucifixion from a distance and had followed those [...]
In 1971 the English zoologist Desmond Morris wrote a classic study about human intimacy and how it develops. He suggested that all bonded couples go through twelve distinct stages that build on each other before the couple reaches full intimacy. The first two stages he proposes both involve our eyes. Morris called stage one “eye [...]
My prayer partners and I begin each year picking a word we want to learn more about and experience at a deeper level. Last year my word was “gratitude” and boy did it deliver! Knowing myself to be a “glass half-empty” person, I knew I needed to be reminded often that the glass isn’t just [...]
In these days of Covid we’ve been forced to ask more questions. Do I really need to attend that concert I’ve been wanting to see? Is it safe to go to a movie theater or worship service if I wear a mask? Can I fly without fear of getting the latest and most contagious strain [...]
As I walk around my neighborhood, I see few signs of Jesus. The blowup figures in people’s yards are mostly Santa Claus and Will Ferrell’s Elf, with an occasional reindeer thrown in. I see few manger scenes, which were common when I was growing up. I know it’s still early, but I don’t expect much [...]
My son Sky has always liked machines and big challenges. One vivid memory I have is of him driving our tractor across the field as Tony and I threw bales onto the hay wagon. Sky was only six or seven years old, so his feet barely reached the pedals. But he was grinning from ear [...]
In Christian circles the idea of “sharing our testimony” about Jesus has fallen out of fashion to some degree, maybe because it smacks of tent evangelism, street witnessing, and in-your-face spiritual confrontations from years ago. But in all other areas of life, testimonials are welcomed among neighbors and friends. We often hear: “Hey, do you [...]
Psychological tests reveal babies less than an hour old will stare at faces far longer than any other object or pattern. They seem to “know” they need to recognize the faces of those who will care for them – those who can be trusted. By four months their brains are processing facial recognition at levels [...]
Adventuring with God 