My wife and I did some wood stove shopping a few months back. We love our wood stove, but we’ve had it for a long time. Only heaven knows how many fires have been built in that stove. How many conversations around that old stove have been warmed and enriched by the special heat that’s…
One of our goals for this year as a family was remodeling our bathrooms. We have a great friend who works in the remodeling business, and in preparation for our project, we sat down with him and planned out what we wanted to see in our new bathrooms. New colors. New tile. New vanities, tubs,…
I’ve noticed that sometimes, (not all the time, but sometimes,) as a writer, I sit and ponder what word I should use in a particular sentence. I agonize over what, specific expression, or phrase will be best. My reason for such deliberation is that my deep desire as a writer is to say exactly what…
I recently watched a news conference by the President of the United States. It was being conducted at the White House in the press briefing room. We’ve all seen either the White House Press Secretary, or the President himself standing at the podium in that room fielding questions from the White House press corp. It’s…
As Fall approaches, and another school year begins, I’ve been reminded of the faithful way God leads, guides, and directs our lives. If we divided our lives into seasons that match Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter, it might prove to be somewhat illuminating. Just as Spring, of course is the time of beginnings, those early…
Question: What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done? What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever tried to do? Man, I don’t know about you, but for me, trying to answer the question “What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done” could very well be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, because, probably like you, I’ve…
I spoke to her, just yesterday. A physician somewhere in these United States, who was trying to make a difficult decision in her life. And, she’d been asking God for direction. “But,” she said, “God doesn’t seem to be saying anything; at least not anything I can hear. Why, do you suppose, God doesn’t ‘speak…
How long has it been since you handed in a paper, and had someone grade it? Tests and grading seemed to be a way of life when I was growing up. Every Friday, when I was in Miss Jordan’s 4th grade class, we had a spelling test. She would lean against the front her desk,…
We live out in the country on 3.5 acres of pasture, trees, lawn, orchard, and … weeds. Lots and lots of weeds. I’ve got one of the handy-dandy green riding mowers, and when it’s not unbearably hot, I kind of enjoy riding around the lawn and the orchard on my riding mower. I get a…
Once, I was invited to be the devotional speaker for a retreat of university professors. As you might imagine, that can be an intimidating assignment, and it was especially so with this particular group of professors, because many of them had been my instructors. I was speaking to university professors from my alma mater. Earlier…