When my daughter married a man from Great Britain, it became obvious that she would soon be living there. The huge number of things that she had to do just to gain the visa was mind-boggling. She paid great attention to every detail and … Read more
Archive for January, 2013
Remolded And Restored
There seem to be a lot of people these days who have questionable addictions: drugs, alcohol, tobacco, video games, television, cell phones, texting, computers, work, greed, sports, and bad language — just to name a few. Whether any one … Read more
Change And Pain
In the summer of 2010, the Daily Devotional sponsored a tour of central Europe, featuring the Oberammergau Passion Play. Within city after city, we visited the "old city", with narrow cobblestone streets and buildings that dated back to … Read more
Turtles And People — Endangered Species?
Have you ever considered people to be an endangered species — like the snapping turtle? The elderly man whom I interviewed about his hobby of rescuing turtles had once been "endangered" himself. As a young adult, he became lured by his … Read more
Turtles And Churches — Endangered Species?
It has been said that the Church is one generation away from extinction. That would suggest that the Church is an endangered species. Considering all the influences trying to snuff out faith, we could easily see it that way. We realize … Read more
What Legacy Will You Leave?
Three years ago, I took my mom, then 90, to a nursing home to visit her even more elderly friend, Winnie, who was basically not "with it" anymore. I was in awe of my mother, who despite her own dementia, really "cared" for Winnie. It was … Read more
Panning For Gold
In the movie The Hanging Tree, three men working an alluvial claim find no gold until a terrible storm knocks over a huge tree near to their site. In the hole left by the fallen tree and among its exposed roots, to their delight, they … Read more
The Comfortable Pew
In 1965, Pierre Berton wrote a bestseller entitled The Comfortable Pew: A critical look at Christianity and the religious establishment in the new age. He ends the book with an optimistic prescription that a transformation is … Read more
The Question
I feel sorry for John the Baptist at this time in his life. He was an outdoors man who spent most of his life in the wilderness, in bright, open spaces, with no boundaries. When Herod arrested him, the cruel king didn't have to torture … Read more
Heavenly Glue
Our loving God created us in His image and He delights in us. He continually surprises us with hidden treasures in all of creation for us to discover and enjoy. For example, scientists have identified protein molecules called laminins. … Read more
The Giraffe
Casey, my miniature long-haired dachshund, loves his stuffy toys, and in particular, his stuffed toy, Giraffe. Every night when he hops into bed, he races over to grab Giraffe, then hugs him to his furry little chest with both front paws. … Read more
Life To Its Fullest
One morning this past summer, during our morning walk, my wife and I stopped for a break at our usual bistro. It was a beautiful morning, and we decided to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine. Sitting at a nearby table was a group of three … Read more
Deep Water Faith
I wasn't excited about going, so I held onto the pool's side. That's where I made my mistake.
I was nine and couldn't swim. No one in my family could — not dad nor mom nor any of my grandparents. Since I came from a swim-less family, … Read more
Prayer And Providence
As I stood up from my chair to take my first step at the end of our church's pre-service adult Bible study, I experienced a very brief feeling of vacancy in the back of my left leg. Then I flew across the room and landed on my left hip. … Read more
Lessons From A One-Legged Sandpiper
Recently, while sitting by the ocean in northwest Florida, I watched as three sandpipers scurried by. There was something special about one of them. He had one leg and one little stump.
One leg or two, he could still soar. But to walk … Read more
A Paper Trail
Wentworth Woodhouse in Yorkshire is reported to be the largest privately-owned house in Great Britain. It boasts over 100,000 square feet of opulent space in more than three hundred rooms and, of course, a maze of corridors.
In days gone … Read more
Never Far Away
My Amish neighbours have a foal in their pasture whose mother is never far away. Sometimes, I even see the little one tied behind a buckboard that is rolling along our macadam roadway. It seems that the mare will not pull the buckboard … Read more
But, I Thought …
It all started when my friend invited me to visit her. She worked in the school at Ulukhaktok, a tiny Inuit village in the Land of the Midnight Sun. She thought that I might have the opportunity of teaching some classes and ministering in … Read more
A Modern-Day Miracle
As a biology professor at a Christian university, I often set aside a few minutes of a lecture to share with my class one of the miracles of healing described in the Bible. This practice is to encourage my students to relate what they are … Read more
Undercover Boss
The clerk was miserable, snappy to the point of being rude, and totally uncaring.
While in the store the other day, I needed help in finding certain items. When I asked for direction from a sales clerk, all I got was a pointing finger … Read more
Nail Polish
I'm trying to grow my fingernails. I've been trying all of my life to do this. But when there is the least little bit of stress, I fiddle with my nails and pick at edges that stick out, and before I know it, I've ripped off the end of a … Read more
God Never Fails
Every day can be an adventure with the Lord, a "God day", even if we don't see it at the time. God always seems to give me a personal analogy when I give the Sunday School lesson for the kids at church.
My lesson was from the book of … Read more
Pioneer Stock
Louis L'Amour, author of so many wonderful western (actually historical) novels, said that western men and women possessed character and dignity.
"Wherever you see them, the men and women who went west, old now and often poor, carry … Read more
New Year's Resolutions
A new year has begun, and it seems that each new year, we make resolutions to be a better person as we look forward to the second coming of Christ. Some declare that they would be healthier by joining their local YMCA or other organization … Read more
Kindness, Gentleness, And Forgiveness
As Christians, what a tremendous challenge is presented to us in the prayer which our Lord taught the listeners of His day. We sometimes repeat the Lord's Prayer so glibly, without fully considering the responsibilities of our words or … Read more
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