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I made a decision over four decades ago that has taken the difficulty out of a lot of other decisions since. I decided to marry Linda. Since that decision, most of my other decisions in and around the house are pretty well taken care of. I only need to ask myself, “What would be better for our marriage?”

In our daily Bible reading schedule as well as the Between the Lines podcast, we came across an interesting section of Scripture a couple of weeks ago in 2 Chronicles.

’Tis the season…for thunderstorms! And this month they’ve been all around us…and on us! I’m actually a lover of thunderstorms. The cloud movement, sudden darkness, flashes of lightning, loud crashes of thunder, whipping wind, downpours of rain, even the power going out!

An angel appears at a faculty meeting and tells the dean that in return for his unselfish and exemplary behavior, the Lord will reward him with his choice of infinite wealth, wisdom, or beauty. Without hesitating, the dean selects infinite wisdom.

A fifty-one-year-old widow in Oklahoma City was diagnosed with a terminal illness and told that she had just a year to live. She had saved up money during her life and decided that over her last year, she would spend as much as possible to find a year of happiness.

We can’t ignore questions like this. Everyone is talking about it. It’s all over the news. Coworkers are making comments. Family members too. It’s actually an age-old question that takes us deep into our Christian roots.

The ragged Bible and meticulous notes belong to Moussa. I can’t post a picture of his face because of threats from his government.

It was a nasty car accident. It was my fault, and I felt really stupid.

Last weekend after Family Camp, Linda and I went with Nicole and our granddaughters to a place a few miles from The Woods, called Pioneer Village. It was a step back in time.

The Pinakothek der Moderne is a world famous art museum in Munich, Germany. They recently reported a crime, but it was the opposite of a heist. Someone snuck their own artwork into the museum and put it on display alongside the prized paintings of Pablo Picasso and other modern masterpieces.

Years ago, Brock and I were sitting in our living room reading and Brock had his music playing. I was listening to the lyrics and thought, “That doesn’t sound good.” So I said to Brock, “What kind of song is that? ‘I want you to pull my britches down’?”

It’s that time of year…for syrupy graduation speeches, often filled with advice that I truly hope graduates do NOT take. I’m talking about the “chase your dreams” and “follow your passions” kind of advice, along with the reminders that, “you are amazing” and “you can do anything.”

“My mom’s been gone for over ten years, but every time I make a decision I hear her voice in my head, approving or disapproving. It’s like I’m still living to please her."

Every time my family drove by the above rock formation, I vowed that I would climb it someday.

Mike is a friend of mine, though that’s not really his name. He struggled in school and barely made it through. I’ve never heard anyone accuse him of being very smart. But I’ve also never heard anyone call him a fool. He really is not that gifted with natural intelligence. But the guy is a master at making good decisions and inspiring people. He has a good marriage, good kids, and he runs his own successful small business. He often jokes that if it were not for his bookkeeper

Jim Carey said, “I think everyone should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.”

As a young Christian, I heard someone say, “God doesn’t want you happy, he wants you holy.” Another way I’ve heard this, “God isn’t interested in your happiness, he’s interested in your holiness.” And it’s often said like it’s a clever play on words.

Obviously, this recent Supreme Court ruling is all over the news. I’ve expected to see Christians celebrating the ruling. But I’ve also been surprised by some professing Christians lamenting it. I see two problems where Christians are confused on this.

“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.” – C.S. Lewis

If you are not an outdoor person, you should become one.