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“Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.” G.K. Chesterton It’s the end of the year. Christmas is around the corner. There are things to do, things to figure out, things to face, things you would like not to face, and in the middle of it all, we find a story. Consider the one told by Matthew. His story seems to start a little slow with a list of names, but of course, a closer look reveals something wondrous - it’s a list of names! Each name on the list is a person

“Praise the Lord, my soul. Lord my God, you are great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. The Lord wraps himself in light as with a garment.” Psalm 104:1-2 This may be what the shepherds saw when they encountered Baby Jesus. Angels appeared to them and told them, “I have good news.”  Imagine that. The angels said there is good news of great joy that on that very day when the angels appeared, a savior was born. (Lk 2:8-11) When they heard the good news, the shepherds

“Faith in God is less apt to proceed from miracles than miracles from faith in God. ” Frederick Buechner I am at a new beginning point right now. The beginning of something brings both anticipation and uncertainty. Will what’s ahead be good? How will it all work out? I guess you may be wondering the same thing if you are in the middle of something. Andrew, John, Peter, Phillip, and Nathaniel may have been asking those same questions as they started to follow Jesus. He had inv

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, all that is within me, bless thy holy name, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget  all his benefits - who forgives…who heals…who redeems…who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good as long as you live. Ps 103:1-5 This is one of my favorite psalms. It tells us to bless and not to forget. We are to remember. When does forgetting begin for you? It often happens sooner than I would like! I sometimes forget to look

They left a night light in the bathroom of the rental where we stayed recently. I notice things like that and find such gestures very thoughtful. We need light. If you wake up in the dark in a strange place and try to find your way, you will bump into the truth, into reality. It may feel like a stubbed toe in the morning. Light brings clarity. It helps us see what is really there. Of course, you need to look. How often do we not see what’s right in front of us? “What do you w

The area where I live was once a farm. When it was developed into a residential area, they retained some land for farming. It is fun to...

I was a radio show host during my college years. The memory of it popped into my mind as I thought about the word engage . We called our...

“To orient your life around Jesus and his teachings positions you to live with greater attentiveness to God’s care and love. What makes...

“The true goal is to be  what we do. ” Abraham Joshua Heschel "Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well." Mt 6:33 We are moving through the Sermon on the Mount to learn how to live it out. As C.S. Lewis said of the Christian life, it is going to be easy and hard. There is an atmosphere in the kingdom of God - an environment that is life and leads to life. “The heart of God is the environment for the Christian. God meant th

"Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well." Mt 6: 33 “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek - to be with the Lord all the days of my life.” Ps 27: 4 Jesus shared some very challenging words in the Sermon on the Mount. When you hear them and think about them, they stop you in your tracks. For example, Jesus addresses a group of his followers. These are people who want to be with him. They are the people who kno

“Praying is talking to God about what we are doing together.” Dallas Willard "Prayer is a surge of the heart, it is a simple look turned...

One day, I was walking on a beach in Florida and stopped to look out at the ocean. Little did I know that someone was also looking at me.  After a seagull nearby caught my attention, I turned and noticed a little boy. He was crouching in the sand, looking up at me. He had a huge smile and a hand full of something. I waved to him, trying to match his smile. He waved back to me. Then he turned to exchange words with his mom a little farther back. They both started to walk towar

“When a blessing is invoked, it changes the atmosphere.”  John O’Donohue “Eternal life begins now and refers not only to length of life...

We are looking at the Sermon on the Mount. In particular, Jesus’ words at the end of the sermon. Jesus says, “ Therefore anyone who hears...

Any good building contractor knows you need a solid plan before starting any building project. The plan needs to include a careful...

“Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart” Joel 2:12a Lent is a season of preparation that invites you to grow...

“It is time to wake up to reality. Every day brings God’s salvation nearer. The night is over, the day has almost dawned.”  (Rom 13:11b,...

“Every breath we draw is a gift of his love; every moment of existence is a grace. Gratitude, therefore, takes nothing for granted, is...

"Autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go."* I grew up in a small town across the street from a cornfield. We would watch the...

Sometimes, the order of things matters. When making a PB&J, it helps to put on the peanut butter before the jelly. When making a new...