Our mom is our first love. It is hard to deny the bond between a mother and her children. The second Sunday of May is the day we set aside to honor our mothers. Anna Jarvis of Grafton, West Virginia, encouraged the observance of this special day in 1908. In 1914 President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day an official U.S. holiday. Mother’s Day commemorates and celebrates the best mom in…
Read MoreObservations on my journey
Serving in an interim position has provided me with some unique opportunities. I have met people I would never have met and visited places I would likely never have seen. I just this week traveled from my home in Florida to Wisconsin. Some random conversations and encounters in two airports got me thinking: Is much in life random? A conversation while waiting in the security line in Sarasota…
Read MoreGreat is Thy Faithfulness
Lamentations 3 is not a pleasant and upbeat chapter until you arrive at verse 21: 22 Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” When facing challenging days, it is easy to believe that we are in ‘unprecedented’ times. Though our trouble may seem…
Read MoreI Thank My God
I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you. This is how Paul begins the Epistle to the Romans. He states that he thanks God for their faith. In a sense, he is thankful for their faith and friendship. Reading this today made me think about the people who have shared their faith and friendship with me. It started when I was young. My grandmother loved Jesus and…
Read MoreGetting Ready…
On your mark, get set, and GO! This brings back many memories from yesteryear. The sound that a race is about to take place. Though I have never been much of a runner, life resembles a race in many ways. Life is more like a journey than a race. At times because I thought life was a race, I was so focussed and in such a hurry to finish…
Read MoreGive me that mountain: A challenge for today!
Just about 11 months ago, I retired from full-time ministry. I began the journey in late 1981 and retired in May 2022. Regarding retirement, there were some things we expected, and there have some unexpected things as well. Some things we had figured out beforehand, and many we did not. What has gone according to plan? We have developed a hobby or two. We made some new friends. We…
Read MoreEverything I have, I have received!
The Apostle Paul makes this statement in 1 Corinthians 4:7. He talks to a group that feels superior and reminds them of a truth. “What do you have that you have not received?” That is a great question. When you get to the place where you feel pretty assured that you are something special, it would be good to remember Paul’s statement: everything I have, I received. You are…
Read MoreI Come To The Garden Alone
After celebrating Passover with his disciples, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He took with Him Peter, James, and John. Jesus was filled with sorrow and was overwhelmed with what was awaiting Him. He asked His friends to keep watch with Him. The picture from the garden is quite dramatic: He is praying to the Father with His face to the ground. His Prayer? “Father, if it…
Read MoreWere You There?
Palm Sunday is past. The entry into Jerusalem, somewhat like a parade amidst the crowds shouting Hosanna, is now a dim memory. A habit I developed years ago was working my way through the Gospel accounts of the events of Holy Week, including Jesus’ teaching, arrest, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection. The Gospels spend much time recounting the week’s events that changed the world. Though I have known the story for…
Read MoreTake Me Out To The Ballgame!
Today Susanne and I will attend the Detroit Tigers’ opening baseball game. This year will be somewhat different. We attended the Tigers’ home openers for many years while pastoring in metro Detroit. Today we will be attending their first game of the season, and it just happens to be at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, home of the Tamp Bay Rays. Susanne and I will be sporting our Detroit…
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