Christmas is around the corner – and you’re going to make it. One way or another, you’ll make it. Because Christmas isn’t about the amount of gifts you can give, or the amount of food you can prep, the number of lights in the trees, or the number of people who are coming/not coming to […]

There’s an article floating around the internet from the magazine Popular Mechanics with the “real face of Jesus.” It’s a nifty read on how a face of Jesus was recreated and what he could have looked like.  Anthropologists and a top-notch medical scientist took a skull from a first century Galilean man and used that skull […]

“In the fifteenth year of the reign of emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip was ruler of the Ituraea and Traconitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, and during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, […]

Waiting is one of my least favorite things to do – Christmas presents that are delivered early are sometimes unwrapped early Dinner that is cooked at ready to go at 5:45, is eaten at 5:45 Even Americanized Mexican restaurants are some of my favorites because at most of them, you are given chips as soon […]

Sometimes we can be a bit cynical. Or at least I should say, sometimes I can be a bit cynical. It’s easy to do; after all our society raises us to see flaws quickly, to pass judgement, and to move on. Think of the way that we approach our leadership, the presidential election, and even […]

In the aftermath of Paris, Beirut, and Baghdad’s bombings, I struggle with turning the other check – especially when so many people are killed in the name of religious extremism. There are many things that Jesus tells us – and this is one of the harder ones for me to get through my head. Perhaps […]

There is a widow in 1 Kings 17. And she is dying. She has no food left. And no Crisco to cook it with. She isn’t lazy. Maybe that’s the first place we go when we find someone starving. Pull yourself up by your bootstraps sort of mentality. But she has no boots, or straps, […]

I’ve never been much of a wine drinker. Jesus was at meals and stuff, and at least one wedding – which is great for him. But for me, most of my life I have been unable to appreciate the stuff.  However, this past week I was able to go visit with family where they grow […]

My garden is about done for the year. Summer has made way into fall, and like most of you, I am harvesting what I planted in the spring (though on a much smaller scale to you farmers).  And as I pulled up my carrots, I noticed most of them look funny. By that, I mean […]

As part of my continuing education, I decided that I would stay with friends. Sleeping on couches isn’t half bad, plus the church saves some dollars as I crash with friends. It’s a win-win, but that’s not what my meditation is about this week. As a part of staying with a buddy, I went to […]