Every once in a while, I need a good dose of Ecclesiastes. I like to remind myself that the purported wisest man in the world, the one about whom the Queen of Sheba said, “you
Read moreTag: encouragement
Rose Resurrection
My knockout roses had gotten the dreaded broomstick disease, and it was spreading amongst the bushes. I fought tears as I watched my rose bushes resisting the ropes that held each tightly onto the tow ball while the truck driver inched forward. With quick acceleration, each yielded, its root ball exposed, the rose bush toppled. Their former places now sunken, I asked workers to fill the holes with loose dirt. Sullen, I ambled across the garden, thanking God that at least not all needed to be removed and that the plague would stop. …
Read moreWhen We Face Trials
When we face trials, many scenarios can unfold. God can perform an immediate miracle or His deliverance may develop. Through this window of time, God’s love and peace can enable us to endure and finally
Read moreDon’t Sniff Temptation
Stop. Sniff. Stop again. Sniff again. Caught. We call our little Chihuahua-terrier mix our cordless dust buster. Wherever we happen to sit to eat, she positions herself underneath our feet so she can retrieve any
Read moreFinish What You Start
I have often been admonished to “Finish what you start.” The thing is, I’m not a great finisher. I’m a great starter. I have great ideas, and a house full of unfinished projects. I have
Read moreHow to Find Peace Where the Sparrows Live
I’ve often wondered how to find peace where the sparrows live and how the answer to that quirky thought compared to my life-long desire to discover and abide in God’s presence. Those who know me,
Read moreLove Shows Mercy
The time for the annual adventure had arrived—and I dreaded it. In my younger years, Dad’s present of choice for my mom on Christmas and her birthday was a dress. I’m not quite sure what
Read moreMY WIFE IS
My Wife Is… My wife is an iceberg. Massive. White. And cold. If that is the image that came to mind, then you have it all wrong. To begin with, my wife isn’t white at
Read moreWar Isn’t a Game
War isn’t a game. Did you let your kids have toy guns? I tried to keep them from my sons, but they would “make” their own. A stick, a pencil, or a piece of toast
Read moreFree Indeed
People long to be free, but, without the right guide, they will never be free indeed. From late teens to senior adults, the group arrived, and each individual found a chair. A few talked and
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