When I am embarrassed or cornered or put in an awkward situation, I can be rude and mean and short with people.  I can sound mad, even though I am probably not.  I am visiting my dad and mom this week in their little western Kansas town of 6,000 people.  Earlier today dad and IContinue reading "When I start getting weird"

So I pulled into the northwestern Kansas town of Colby today.  It's my hometown.  It's way out in the middle of the barren High Plains.  The wind was blowing 35 MPH and the dust stuck in my teeth.   The sky opens up out here ... way up.  It's expansive.  It's flat but the hills rollContinue reading "Colby, Kansas"

Grant me, Lord, not to be anxious about earthly things, but to love things heavenly; and even now, while I am placed among things that are passing away, to hold fast to those that shall endure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for everContinue reading "The peace of Christ …"

Here's Psalm 62:9 in two versions ... the English Standard Version first:"Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath."And the New Living Translation:"Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind, and the powerfulContinue reading "Are you common or powerful?"

As a pastor I have occasionally said, "Wow.  There are just some things I do not want to know." Just when I think I have heard it all, I get blown away by what someone says.Rod Dreher, columnist for the Dallas Morning News wrote a fascinating op-ed piece for the February 9 USA Today called How MuchContinue reading "What are you willing to know?"

That's why we need to extend grace and mercy toward one another.  Over and over again we have to remind ourselves of Jesus vital words, "Treat others the way you want to be treated." (Matthew 7:12 ... Follis paraphrase)  I heard a recent sermon on-line by an old Bible college classmate.  He is a talented guyContinue reading "All human relationships have their limitations"

Peter Kreeft, one of my favorite writers, says nothing falls outside God's ultimate sovereignty and creative purposes.  He will accomplish what he says...In Heaven: The Heart's Deepest Longing, Kreeft writes:"Galaxies revolve and dinosaurs breed and rain falls and people fall in love and uncles smoke cheap cigars and people lose their jobs and we all die --Continue reading "Earth is heaven’s workshop…"

"O Lord, I ask you to deliver me from the fear of the unknown future ... from the fear of failure ... from the fear of poverty ... from the fear of bereavement ... from the fear of loneliness ... from the fear of sickness and pain ... from the fear of age ... andContinue reading "One of my new prayers for 2009"