Keeping them close or cutting them loose?

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew [their] strength;
 they shall mount up with wings as eagles...” (Isaiah 40:31a ) 

I want to exemplify a healthy philosophy of ministry.

Early on, I felt like the Lord wanted me for something more than just warming a seat on Sundays. Who knew what it would be all about? After all these years, some questions still remain unanswered for me:

Crisis in Haiti...

Haiti has a special place in our hearts.

Our granddaughters Angeline (age 8) and Kayleigh (age 9) were born there.

Assertively Apolitical

I finally did it! I finished writing an article that I have been working on for the last several months.
 
"Thank you" Linda, Rebekah and Brian (wife, daughter, and son-in-law) for your input, help with the formatting and finding appropriate reference material.

My purpose and motives are set forth in the preface.

Clicking on the link below will automatically open the article in Adobe Reader.

"ASSERTIVELY APOLITICAL" 

“10 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, [be] with you all. Amen.” (2 Corinthians 13:14 AV)

The manifold wisdom of God...

To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly [places] might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,” (Ephesians 3:10 AV)

If our Bible study is boring, we are missing something; if we think we have God all figured out and explained, guess again.

Sometimes it feels like I plateaued at some point without really noticing. I acquired a certain basic level of knowledge about God and then just sort of coasted after that. The decisions I make, the opinions I express, the avenues of counseling I pursue, the direction I take in personal discipleship sessions, seem to emanate more from a rather dormant orthodoxy lying about in the background.

Don’t be too depressed about depression; don’t despair over despair...

"In addition to my other numerous acquaintances, I have one more intimate confidant. My depression is the most faithful mistress I have known -- no wonder, then, that I return the love."  Soren Kierkegaard

I am not trying to be flippant about such a delicate issue; nor can I avoid oversimplifying in this brief space.

Our formative years were influenced by elements reacting to Freudian principles in a way that, while to some degree understandable, left the mistaken impression that there was never any use in the Christian’s life for psychiatric evaluation or medication.

Meet "Orbus"...

Sunday afternoon, Linda started hearing something like a dog crying, whenever she went into the bathroom. She thought it was the neighbor's a block behind us, as usual.

I heard the same sound a couple of times later in the evening before I went to bed. To me, it sounded like cries of pain, an animal that had been run over or hurt by another animal.

The art of considering...

For All

Ah to be alive
on a mid-September morn
fording a stream
barefoot, pants rolled up,
holding boots, pack on,
sunshine, ice in the shallows,
northern rockies.

Rustle and shimmer of icy creek waters
stones turn underfoot, small and hard as toes
cold nose dripping
singing inside
creek music, heart music,
smell of sun on gravel.

poem by Gary Snyder

_______________________

We are not really known for being quiet and reflective, are we? We are so business-like and goal oriented that I fear we often miss the profundity and sheer joy of the moment.