Recently, I was startled on my morning walk by a little bird chirping at me as loudly as she could. She wasn’t a kind of bird that I had noticed before, but she was very fierce. Her wings were out to her side and her feathers were puffed up to make herself look large. As …
From Worship Experiences
Praying for My Enemies
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:44 The current political situation is very hard for me, as I am sure it is for many of you. I disagree with many (pretty much all) of the policies of the party currently in power. I am distressed by …
Wash Your Hands, Pilate
Right now, during cold and flu season, it is very important to wash your hands. Washing your hands is the #1 way to prevent getting many contagious diseases, especially if you have already been vaccinated. Lately I’ve been washing my hands so much that I have used lots of lotion to keep them from being …
Christian Classics Everyone Should Read
I have been thinking about Christian classics – the books I think everyone should read. I’m not usually big on book recommendations because everyone has such individual reading tastes. But there are some Christian books that I return to again and again. They contain timeless truths or push me to grow in my faith. I like …
Simeon and Anna in the Temple
Have you ever wondered how Simeon and Anna recognized Jesus? The story appears in Luke 2:22-38. Mary and Joseph have taken Jesus to the Temple in accordance with Jewish law. They are not there for Jesus. Instead, they are there to offer two pigeons for the purification of Mary after childbirth. Leviticus 12 explains the …
Clean House for the New Year
I like to have a clean house for the new year. Usually Tom and I are on our way to a National Park Site and the RV has been thoroughly cleaned before we start out. This year, however, we are not volunteering anyplace until May. So this week I have been working on cleaning the …
Three Sermons and a Funeral
During November I was working: three sermons and a funeral. Sounds like a bad movie title, doesn’t it? October was a month of staying home (mostly) and recovering from my surgery. November has offered all kinds of opportunities to preach and be out in the world. In fact, with three sermons and a funeral in …
New Every Morning
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 This summer, on the mornings that I don’t work, I walk to Middlesboro, Kentucky. I usually head out sometime between 7:30 and 8 and it takes me about 45 …
Looking for Jesus in Wrong Places
I have been reading the One Year Bible and have finished three of the gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. In each of them are stories about people looking for Jesus in the wrong places. A little like the lyrics from the old song, “Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places.” First we have the …
Do Not Fret – Be Still Before the Lord
I have to confess that I fret. Lately I have been waking up around 5 a.m. and have trouble falling back asleep. The political situation in the United States, in particular, has made me very anxious. During the day I can push it to the back of my mind, but at night the anxiety rises …