Category: Character Study
A Mysterious Presence
(This piece began with the simple exercise of writing what came to mind when hearing the word “tree.” It went from an initial image to something like a eulogy, as you will see.) In the shadows of the side yard of my house stood a single tall pine. From it hung, for some mysterious reason, Read more about A Mysterious Presence[…]
Deal Gently
A Sermonic Reflection. The last big story about King David helps us understand … why some people see a different God than we do. … and how the future of the church may depend on our making one important choice.
Read the Spirit: Abraham Lincoln & Gettysburg
I am privileged to be published regularly in the newsletter Read the Spirit. I highly recommend your subscribing to it — it comes out every Monday — as various writers around the nation look for the deeper meanings and movements beneath everyday life. The July 4 issue is especially moving, as several writers share personal Read more about Read the Spirit: Abraham Lincoln & Gettysburg[…]
Abraham in My Adolesence
I’m in the 7th grade, soon to be 13 years old. I get up from bed just a little after 10:00 and go outside in the dark. I walk to the edge of the front lawn, just by the street, and I look up. It’s a mid-April night, the skies are clear, stars are visible, and Read more about Abraham in My Adolesence[…]
Travel Is a Spiritual Journey
He said in broken English, “The Bastille station is fermez. How do you say… it is closed.” My stomach dropped. Our carefully-made plans to thread our way through the streets of Paris, navigate the Metro, and arrive safely at our hotel, crumpled. And drawing on memories of high school French from decades ago, I managed Read more about Travel Is a Spiritual Journey[…]
What Great Wine Teaches Us
Not long ago I was privileged to join a Food and Wine Tour in France with my wife and two good friends. We spent time in the Burgundy and Bordeaux regions, tasting, learning about and appreciating the delicious wine of the area. One thing we learned is that the best wine comes from grapes grown Read more about What Great Wine Teaches Us[…]
Your Mundane Ministry
A wise friend commented on my last “Leading With Spirit” posting, about the woman who served me a mocha in the hospital coffee shop. Wayne said, “When we view our work, whatever it is, as a ministry, we are at our best.” I hired a U-Haul once from a dealer who was unfailingly cheerful and Read more about Your Mundane Ministry[…]
The Doctor’s Mocha Medicine
“If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded.” (Matthew 10:42) If you’ve spent any time at all in a hospital, you know that the places of healing aren’t confined to doctor’s offices or operating rooms. Nor are they reserved for patients Read more about The Doctor’s Mocha Medicine[…]