The least common denominator primes us
Every class has those kids. The smart ones, the curve-breakers, who pick it up early and run with it. They get it on the first go around. Hardly need our help at all. They have natural aptitude. Sit in the front of the class, graduate first in their class. They are on their way. Hardly need […]
If I Had My Way I’d be Out of a Job
My goal in life is to retire because the work I do no longer needs doing. To become obsolete. Walking the fields, strolling the sidelines, and as far as I can see children are playing: determined and skillful, sweating and graceful, completely exhausted, and deliriously happy. No yelling. No carding. No injuries. No […]
Where measure has no meaning
Toss or save Full or empty In-fashion or out New or old Useful or useless How we are people of the dichotomy. One or the other, thanks. Don’t both me with the muddle in the middle. Just get rid of it! My goodness, the safe shredding industry has taken root over night, to help us […]
Sewing Order
“We will so order our lives after the example of Christ…” That’s the beginning of the prayer we offer to newly baptized children or just confirmed young people in our church. This phrase always catches me. It’s that word: order. Not just act like Christ. Not just dress up like Christ. Not just have Christ as a […]
Signs and Wonders Still
In the old days, God made himself known through signs and wonders. Jesus worked miracles. Prophets dreamed dreams and had visions. But what about today? Well, if we can keep this just among ourselves, I’ll tell you…God gets my attention through little stuff no one else would notice. Like 11:11. It’s the date of my […]
Sound Cancellation Magic and Mystery
Close your eyes and what do you see? Pin your nose and what do you smell? Shut your mouth and what do you taste? Cover your skin and what do you feel? Hold your ears and… you still hear what you heard before, just a bit quieter. I can’t shut out sound like I can […]
Father, Mayday is Calling
A man I love side-stepped death. No one expected him to come through, but he did. I would say it was by the grace of God. But he wouldn’t. He would say, “Guess my time wasn’t up.” For him, living and dying are two sides of a card. When the Great Hand flips it, you […]
By Our Wounds, We are Healed
You don’t start out the best at anything. The only way to get better is to work at it. Things take practice and patience, trial and error, falling down and getting up. Three years ago this April, I fell and could not get back up. I needed help, which included a repair to the hamstring […]
What they need, not what we have, is what is needed
Give us a few links and we’ll complete the chain. Sketch a few shapes and we’ll fill in the picture. Hum a few bars and we’ll finish the song. Humans are designed to add the details so the story comes clearer. Even if it’s not the real story. Even if it’s not the right song or the intended picture. […]
I go to prepare a place for you
Until that which we write, we think, we pray, comes to life, we are noisy gongs and clanging cymbals. This is the pre-Easter world, the pre-Easter us. Oh, the list. Thank God, the baby Jesus was born into a smelly stable. At least He knew what He was getting himself into, or at least He […]