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Linda and I were at the beach a couple of years ago, and a young college-age couple picked a spot to lay in the sun not far from us. (That’s them in the title pic). We both were mildly amused while watching them, as it was obvious they were a new couple and just getting to know each other. The girl pulled her towel out and spread it over the sand in a single motion. The boy pulled his towel out and repeatedly tried to lay it out on the sand. But he was trying to unfurl it aga

I was sitting in my office with a man going on and on about his terrible marriage. His wife does this and that, is on him about everything…blah, blah, blah.I finally interrupted, “What would she tell me?” He said he didn’t know. “So you are having a really bad time getting along with your wife and you don’t even know what she thinks is wrong in the marriage?"“Oh, I can tell you what’s wrong in the marriage!” he exclaimed. I responded, “No, you don’t know have a clue. You’re n

Poor guy. He made his dream escape! And it’s not easy to escape from the Washington State Penitentiary. It took a lot of planning, perfect timing and hard work. But he did it! Then, however, he had to elude authorities. After spending a day on the run, without food or shelter, he came across a cabin in the woods. Perfect! If the place is unoccupied, it would be a chance to catch up on a little sleep, maybe scrounge up some food. If someone is home, he could get help, maybe mo

We were into building go-carts when I was a kid. Not anything that was motorized. We didn’t have access to motors, and it’s probably good that we didn’t. But we were pretty good at building and racing push carts (with a long pole) and pull carts (with our bikes).The earlier models were all wood…and heavy. But then we started to figure out how to take old tricycles and bicycles apart to use the tube frames, axles, and wheels for less weight and friction and more speed. We were

Well, we finally have some heat. My A/C at home worked so hard this last week that it started icing up. We are in that time of summer––the “Dog Days of Summer."The term is actually of ancient Greek origin. During this hottest and most humid time of summer, the star Sirius becomes prominent. Since that star is “Orion’s dog” in astronomy/astrology, this hot muggy season became known as the dog days of summer almost 3,000 years ago.But it is associated with some other things. In

I recently had a conversation with someone who was really pumped about something. A day later, the excitement had dissipated. He had shared his enthusiasm with another person, who with a few comments and questions took the wind out of his sail.When you open your mouth, why do you speak?The Apostle Paul told us that everything should glorify God and bless others. Every word we speak, even criticisms, should be gifts that uplift and encourage (Ephesians 4:29). Jesus’ half broth

I cut my foot a couple of months ago, and it would not heal. After weeks, it was still red, a little swollen, and painful. It was one of those injuries that wouldn’t go away.

Linda and I went to Zia’s in Chicago for our thirty-first anniversary last Tuesday. Our tradition is to talk through the past when we celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, and enjoy the memories. This year we focused on the things we would do differently if we could do it over again…not just in our marriage, but in our early life together. It was a fun conversation. For everything that we said we’d change, we then thought that maybe it would be best that it not be changed. I

When my kids were little, we had specific rules that were for our family. Our kids were not allowed to go to R rated movies. When my kids would ask if they could go to a movie we did not approve of, we would tell them, “No.” But we did not tell their friends that they could not go, and we did not pass judgement on those parents who let their kids go. Our rules were for our family. We could tell our kids what to do, but we did not tell the neighbor’s kids what to do.Whatever y

With my planned trip to Israel this October, many are asking if we are still going and my thoughts on the current conflict. Yes, I plan on going. I'm convinced that the immediate unrest will be over by summer's end. But the current conflict? It's been going on for thousands of years. In my sermon series perparation for the Fall from the Book of Revelation, I am realizing anew that it will not be solved until Jesus ends it with his return. Yaweh not only promised Abraham that

I don't like change. I prefer stability, tradition and security.

I haven't roofed a house in twenty-five years. But I did a lot of during my college and early ministry years. My dad taught me how in high school, and I used roofing as a help to get through college and to supplement our income while church planting.While on sabbatical, I learned of a friend of my in-laws who needed their house shingled but couldn't afford to have it done. I'm not sure how I volunteered, but I'm about half-way into it now.But it brought my mind back to a less

Linda and I celebrated our 30th anniversary last Monday. We enjoy each other more today than even during our dating years. But our's would not make a good chick flick. We don't have a storybook romance. But I think our marriage can serve as an example for any couple. We aren't still married after 30 years because we picked the right person. Neither one of us really knew who or what we were getting. And while e-harmony will tell you that you are better off finding someone with

My heart was broken this week as I learned of an entire group of people who have united together solely out of their opposition to and animosity for another group of people. The part that broke my heart...they’re supposed to be Christians. They all sit together as a group in a church and even have a name for themselves and a Facebook page. It's a solidarity of animosity and anger, united by their mutual ill will. It breaks my heart. Can you imagine how it breaks Jesus’ heart?

I know you are tired of the George Zimmerman / Trayvon Martin case, and you’ve read your fill of blog opinions. I have too. But how about a different view from a Christian perspective. I’m not writing this to convince anyone of Zimmerman’s guilt or innocence, or whether or not Trayvon Martin was the aggressor or innocent victim. I didn’t watch the trial so I don’t have an opinion on the outcome, or even a right to that kind of judgement...I didn’t hear all the arguments or we

Twenty-nine years is a long time for anything. It’s a long time to hold the same job. It’s a long time to live in the same house. It’s a really long time to be married to the same person. I can’t believe that Linda has been able to stay married to me for twenty-nine years. But I’m really glad she has! Neither of us remember a lot about our wedding. The ceremony and celebration wasn’t that big of a deal to us. I think that couples today make way too much out the wedding day

A halfhearted commitment is not a commitment at all! Today is a celebration of commitment. A commitment that could never be described as halfhearted. For 237 years ago today, fifty-six men, all of whom had much to lose, committed themselves wholeheartedly to a cause that they believed in with every fiber of their being. The whole world has since benefited from their commitment to that cause. The closing words of this Declaration of Independence are this: They meant that,

Last Saturday, Linda and I, along with Erica and Brock, made the short trip to Starved Rock on the Illinois River. Besides a lot of Indian legends and French explorer/trader stories, the place is known for its habitat of Bald Eagles. They nest in the high trees atop rocky cliffs along the river. There is something inspirational about seeing eagles in the wild. Seeing them on top of their nests is an extra thrill. But while I’ve seen eagles’ nests in the wild from below, I’ve

Lots of disturbing things on the news this week. It’s hard to read the paper, follow online headlines, or watch the evening news. At least this week it was. There is the whole middle east thing going on, now in several countries. More and more, groups that hate Christianity and want to exterminate Jews are gaining power in their respective countries. There was the suicide bomber in Bulgaria who blew up a bus full of Jewish teenagers. Many of us have been praying for the two l

Mark Twain said, “All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure." What? When does knowledge get in the way of success? Well, obviously, Twain as a satirist, wasn’t speaking of real and/or complete knowledge on any given subject. He was talking about having confidence and not knowing the things that might keep you from launching out into an endeavor, as well as thinking that you know so much that you are unable to learn what you will need to be su