My friend was dropping by one morning for a short visit, so I spent a few minutes beforehand tidying up things in preparation. Okay, I may have just been moving a little stack of books and papers from one place to another out of sight, …( read more )

The open palm of the hand is generally understood as an indication of trust and surrender. It shows peaceful acceptance and acquiescence. In the Christian world, a raised, open palm is also a sign of adoration and praise to God. Its …( read more )

A newborn baby's first possession is his name. Parents normally put much time and consideration into the name that they give their child. It is a person's name that identifies and sets him apart from all the other people in the world. …( read more )

Imagine a long, endless line stretching in both directions far into infinity. Everything that God has created has its place somewhere along the spectrum of this line. In one direction, it stretches far away into deep outer space with all …( read more )

Over a lifetime of moves and other changes along the way, I have been a part of several churches. My current church was once very large, but as is true of many churches today, it has diminished significantly in numbers over the years. The …( read more )

This past summer, I went on my first cruise. My daughter's family and I had planned a "last hurrah" sort of family trip before their two busy, active teenagers would soon be heading off to college and unknown parts of the world. One leg …( read more )

Have you ever seen blessings in disguise in your life? You know, those things which — at the time — seemed to be inconveniences or obstacles, but later proved to be for the very best? Sometimes, these stumbling blocks are just …( read more )

I love a good checklist! Checklists are so … functional. They are neat and orderly, systematic and defined, satisfying my mostly orderly mind and soul. Some days when I don't have a specific list of errands or chores to tackle, I could …( read more )

I started out playing French horn as a fifth-grader in our elementary school beginner band. One reason that I picked out the French horn was that my mom had encouraged me to choose something a little more unusual than clarinet or flute. …( read more )