In his account, every relationship he knew was a disappointment. His father was emotionally distant. His mother was more interested in her social life than in her family. His bosses were ‘idiots.’ His children were ingrates. Tom (a pseudonym) had… Continue reading

Here in Northwest New Jersey the roads wind through hills, with trees lining the way. The driver has a fairly limited forward visibility, curves hidden, deer very likely to suddenly appear straight ahead just as the car reaches the crest… Continue reading

(My thoughts this morning are borrowed from a blog I wrote a few days after my Dad died 7 years ago. Today marks 4 months since Bev left earth for one of those rooms in our Father’s house. Bear with… Continue reading

Do you allow yourself to compare yourself with another, fantasizing about what it would be like to have their life instead of yours?  Wishing we were taller or thinner or more intelligent or more gregarious – and the list goes… Continue reading

One of the most common phobias, stretching across all cultures, is ophidiophobia- fear of snakes!  While working in the vegetation around my koi pond, a little harmless snake suddenly came into my field of vision. Yes, I jumped back, even… Continue reading

Sometimes I awaken around 2 am only to slip into worry – awake, alert, and anxious. In those small hours of the morning the “what if” scenarios play out vividly. Concerns about work, health, kids, marriage, spiritual issues, the future… Continue reading

We headed out for a hike in the woodlands yesterday; a beautiful day that compelled us to get out of the house. The children leading the way set off at a jog for a few hundred yards, then settled into… Continue reading

Vast wealth can open up all kinds of opportunities. I think of Bill and Melinda Gates who are using their $billions to fight disease and illiteracy in dozens of places on the globe. That same wealth can cripple. There is… Continue reading

She is a quiet person of a gentle spirit who also serves faithfully, keeps her commitments, and loves her family. Yet, she wondered … aloud to me, with sadness, “Why doesn’t God use me?”  Her conclusion was mistaken. Somehow she… Continue reading

I had only been the pastor of a church for 3 months when the agent visited my office. There was an outstanding balance due the IRS for unpaid payroll taxes, a substantial sum accumulated before I was called to the… Continue reading