This is the day to have a good day
Have a Good Day. Such a hackneyed phrase we use upon parting, offered limply to someone we don’t know well. Why title your book this way? Apparently because Dr. Rilling knew he had something to say in the sermon he chose for the first chapter, its namesake (with added exclamation!). But truth be told, it’s probably also why […]
Maybe we should judge a book by its cover
You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but you can start there. In fact, I must. I received a mailed copy of Dr. Rilling’s book, “Have a Good Day,” that appeared to be in quite poor shape. Mildew had stained the inside cover and, while the dust jacket was mostly intact, it was fragile […]
Letting Love Show
Using our bodies may be the most sacred of all things we do on earth. It’s the one thing we are given that is meant to be used wholly for our time here on our earth – our LIFE-time. The greatest testimony of all, beyond the life of our Lord, is our own life as […]
Where There’s a Will There’s a Way!
Have you seen this?!! Paul Pierce’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer wins it for the Wizards. https://youtu.be/oDg3cuFF4k4 But who is that fan who runs out into the celebratory huddle? OMG -I know him! That’s Will Smith. He even made the Washington Post. Will is the son of upstanding members of our church community. I know because I had Will in […]
Good words inspired by the Good Word III
Dear friends, Here are my most recent highlights from the Upper Room magazine devotional reading and writing. Just me and my daily doodlings, courtesy of the little book that reaches around the world. That God, He is always slipping in a good word when we’re not looking. It is human nature to want to push […]
Beattitude addendum
Blessed is the moment when we stop asking “what does it mean?” and start doing what it says.
Transparent but not invisible
I don’t know much about art. The arts appreciation sessions of my youth were probably mostly lost on me. Oh, I can describe what I see: the colors, the form, the brush strokes, the character, his expression, her touch. Perhaps, if the artist is clever I can even sense three dimensions even though the canvas […]
Where life gets real, there is always hope
We lost a young man in our church last Tuesday afternoon. He died as the result of a tragic accident. Suddenly. On the day he graduated from 8th grade. He was a good kid but not perfect – an adventurous boy, a reliable friend, a brother you could count on, a loving son. He regularly […]
Strengthened in Prayer: multi-tasking is Biblical
First Thessalonians (5:17) says it clearly: “Pray continually.” I assume that means 24-7, 365. So, if I understand that correctly, that means my life should be one continuous prayer. Praising. Confessing. Thanking. Asking. But, wait, God wants me to be going about His business here on earth, too. So, if God expects me to pray without […]
Halftime inspiration
“We can be a new team in the second half,” the coach said, looking intently at each face in the halftime huddle. “Jesus says so!”