Month: November 2011
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Privileged beyond imagination!
This past Sunday I baptized four adults whose range of experience was dramatic. Sathya and Shagun come from a Hindu background, well-educated and prosperous, yet hungering to know the Living God. Shawn came from a past on the streets were he dealt drugs and watched numerous friends die violently. Jon is a middle-aged guy whose […]
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Pulling that load over the mountain!
One of my favorite childhood stories was The Little Engine That Could. The tale has been around for a hundred years, teaching children about sticking to their task. A little engine used to switch railcars in the local yard is called on to pull a long train of freight over a mountain. It succeeds while […]
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The log that fell off the fire
I lit a fire in our fireplace earlier this week. It’s a nice touch for a relaxing evening. To get it going, I placed small pieces of kindling on the bottom, and then arranged wood in a neat array. It burned nicely. One of the pieces rolled off the pile and in a few […]
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You are not ‘all that!’
I’m a good and responsible man, my yard is trimmed, my car is clean. I pay my bills on time, watch my credit score, and take my vitamins. I go to church, read my Bible, pray, and give my tithe. I love my wife and my kids. I don’t curse. I have a temper, but I […]
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Filling in the little squares
A visit to the Emergency Room with Christian who had injured his wrist in gym class was a lesson for me. What is the mission of an ER? It is to provide medical care in an emergency situation, correct? Sadly the process has overwhelmed the mission! We had to speak with three people before we […]
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Anger’s Acid
An email showed up announcing yet another disappointment that I needed to process. “Come on,” I angrily thought to myself, “give me a break.” The details are not important, but suffice to say, my character has been under development recently. Frustration has been a daily companion. I find myself prone to anger which, unless I […]
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Stretch and Grow!
At a church I served there was an old, dilapidated barn on the property. Someone caught the vision of transforming it into a youth center. It needed new floors, wiring, insulation, windows, and siding. The congregation took on the project and I was part of the team. The lead guy, Brent, handed me a tool […]
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Like a chicken with its head cut off
We had fresh chicken on the farm! I introduced my young bride to my Iowa grandma back in 1975 and she had a cultural experience! Early afternoon Grandma Scott selected a fat rooster from the yard. One quick stroke of the hatchet removed his head and then for a moment or two the body ran […]
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Holy Chaos, God
When I was newly married, after a serious disagreement with my wife, I was complaining to my Dad about how difficult Bev could be. (Yes, I hear some of you laughing for you know me too well to just let that statement go without challenge.) Dad stopped my complaint with one of his homespun lessons. […]
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Single-mindedly selfish, stupendously successful!
He was only 56 years of age when he died. His story is fascinating, an adopted son of working class parents who many rank among the top three business leaders of 20th century America. Steve Jobs brought us Apple computers, the Mac, the iPod, the iPhone, and the iPad. Apple was worth around $40 billion […]
CoffeeBreak With The Word 