Abundant Harvest from the Compost Pile
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23a–NIV). The fruit… Paul didn’t write here, “The fruits of the Spirit…” but rather “The fruit…” Singular. But when counted, aren’t there nine? 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8… Yep, nine! Why, I wonder,…
Message in a Mammogram
Awake! Awake! Put on your strength… Put on your beautiful garments… O captive daughter of Zion! How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet… who brings good news, who proclaims peace, who brings glad tidings of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God…
Springs of Living Water
“… Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13, 14–NIV). We’ve had…
A Gaggle of Geese and a Purple Heart
Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13–NIV). Walking Lake Junaluska the other day, I saw again the family of geese that I’d witnessed some time ago–the goslings more grown up, but not yet fully grown….
When God Writes the Story
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven… [God] has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 11–NIV). I…
If These Walls… (Part 2)
Come, see the glorious works of the LORD… Be still and know that I am God (Psalms 46:8a; 10a — NLT). We sat on the old front porch, swinging like girls on the porch swing. The men were men–surveying the property, walking its boundary lines….
God In A Haiku
I must go begging For water… morning glories Have captured my well. (Chiyo) The first haiku I ever remember reading was in my poetry volume of Childcraft — The How and Why Library. When I read it, I had no idea that a haiku is…
In Her He Dwells and Shines His Light
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds… let us encourage one another… (Hebrews 10:24, 25b NIV). Her name is of Spanish origin and means “light,” and that’s no surprise because that’s exactly what I noticed when I…
Donnie Harrison — Another Sort of Hero
Our Father in heaven… (Matthew 6:9a — ESV). This morning, I tucked into Ian’s keepsake box several newspaper articles and the memorial bulletin from his heroic friend Riley Howell‘s funeral. As I closed the lid, I thought, The loss of a friend is no small thing. I…
Riley Howell–The Heart of a Hero
I saw a pair of Canada geese at the lake this morning—protectively walking with their seven downy goslings. They weren’t particularly fearful but rather, tentative, watchful. The couple had a job to do after all—to protect their young as they taught them to be aware…