What’s In Your Hands?

loaves of flat bread with two fishes

Luke 9:12-17 records Jesus feeding 5000 men with five loaves of bread and two fish.  The result was that all ate, everyone was satisfied, and the disciples picked up 12 baskets of broken pieces leftover.  Luke didn’t give much detail about the precise way Jesus did this except to say,…

Read More

Space Available

movers unloading boxes at a residence

Growing families often move residences one or more times to find the additional space they require.  A larger house generally means more bedrooms and baths, more storage, and more kitchen cabinets. There is something very gratifying about moving from cramped conditions into what feels so much more spacious.  But the…

Read More

The Unexpected Through the Unlikely

Most of us very familiar with the Christmas Story of Jesus’ incarnation marvel at what God did, and give no thought to a possible alternative story line.  We have the advantage of Biblical history that specifically fulfills prophesy.  But those who originally received these prophesies could only guess what the…

Read More

Making Time Where There is None

closeup of watch being repaired

We are busy people.  For some, it is a badge of honor demonstrating productivity and worth.  For others it is a demanding, stressful prison sentence with no release date.  Most of us attempt to responsibly manage our time, but busyness grows like weeds to manage us. On Judgment Day, I…

Read More

The Get-Out-of-Jail Free Card

get out of jail card from a monopoly game on top of a folded u.s. flag. A wooden gavel is in the background

Anyone who has played the game of Monopoly knows the value of having a Get-Out-of-Jail Free card.  While a bad roll of the dice can suddenly land a player in jail, presenting this special card allows the holder to continue the game instead of languishing in lost turns while the…

Read More

Instruments in the Hands of God

composite image of jerusalem and the tower of david

The sea looked and fled,    the Jordan turned back;4 the mountains leaped like rams,    the hills like lambs.5 Why was it, sea, that you fled?    Why, Jordan, did you turn back?6 Why, mountains, did you leap like rams,    you hills, like lambs?7 Tremble, earth, at the presence of the Lord,    at the presence of the God of Jacob. To most, these…

Read More

Hedging a Bet

dice in hand

From late spring through early fall, our family farm is a popular place for gatherings, reunions, campouts, and weekend chillouts.  About 65 years ago, my father built a cabin on the creek running through the property that has served as the centerpiece of these events.  There’s just one problem: it…

Read More

Amazing Grace

letterpress letters spelling the word grace

Grace is defined as the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God; a virtue or excellence of divine origin.  Most older people are surprised by the practice of grace because we have been raised to believe we must earn what we receive.  Many of the younger generation are thought…

Read More