A Poetic Pause

There is an interesting caesura found in the bible—a poetic pause that lies between the writing of the books of Malachi and Mathew.

Recognition

• The “First Thanksgiving” was celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621.
• The observance of a “national day of prayer, humiliation, and thanksgiving” was celebrated collectively after a proclamation by President George Washington in 1789.
• Thanksgiving Day became a federal holiday in 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

Six Months a Griever

I read a blog the other day. . .

This woman wrote that her husband had died six months ago and now that she has completely recovered from her grief she is ready to take what she’s learned and teach others how to get back up on their feet.

Six months?

Beyond the Deluge

It’s probably just me, but I don’t recall seeing the sunshine while coping with the worst of my grief. Days seemed chronically cold and dreary, the air was almost too thick to breath. I couldn’t seem to focus on anything that wasn’t held in my hand. Nights were long and restless, interrupted by the reoccurring nightmares that made the thought of returning to my pillow truly unappealing.

The Creator’s Canvas

As a result of my fast-paced life, I often failed to notice the splendor laying right at my feet. The relaxed pace of retirement has enabled me to see the world in slow motion.  Apparently I had stepped over an awful lot of beauty and charm right in my own backyard.

Brokenness

Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/zenonline/3365196275/

Are people who possess a strong faith immune to brokenness? Can one really find joy in EVERYTHING? Or is brokenness the best kept secret in the church today?

Believe

I still believe in Christmas. I still believe what it embodies. I believe in the gift that I can’t live without and I’m overwhelmed by the selfless devotion of the giver.

The River

 

I clung to the log for what seemed like more than a half hour. The cold water was pouring over my head and I could sense that my legs and right arm had become numb. 

Paper Jesus

It seems that the biblical God has worn out his welcome in today’s culture.  Many people see him as being out-of-touch. What if we each could design a god that coincided with our own special requirements?  Think of the advantages . . .

Capote

Capote

Ever wonder what God’s voice sounds like? Some people I’ve talked to have told me that they actually hear him answer their prayers in a clear audible voice. Sorry, I don’t believe most of you. But what if that was true? What if when God spoke he sounded like Truman Capote?