I’d been eight months in the country. It was my first of many experiences: First time living away from family. First time overseas. First time living on my own. First time in a job where I was responsible for the work being done. First time living with the consequences of my actions when no one … More Lessons Learned
She’d heard the words herself. There was no need to wait to confirm. When an opportunity presented itself, she let it all out. Little did she know she’d only heard part of the story. Though I watch it every year, I still get mad at Emma, the nosy housekeeper in the 1954 movie, White Christmas. She … More What if they hadn’t waited?
Sometimes people ask the dumbest questions. “How do you know it works?” they might ask. “Because I’ve tried it,” comes the obvious response. We know things work by testing them. I know my car runs well, because I drove it today. I know I am qualified for a position, because I’ve worked in this field … More Passing the Test
Have you ever had to get a parking pass validated? It seems you never can find anyone working when you need it, but without that stamp, you can’t prove you were ever in the building. I’m a notary public, and it’s funny that the entire value of my signature and stamp is to validate that the … More Validation
I did some manual labor today that gave me some interesting insight into a metaphorical activity I’m sometimes prone to perform — casting stones. It started with a pile of rocks. They were in the wrong place in my yard, and I’m trying to get things looking better for the upcoming sale of my house. … More Casting Stones
I had a memory pop up on Facebook this week, reminding me that it was nine years ago that I headed to the library to volunteer. A short four months later, I was running the joint! I wasn’t really going for that purpose. We had just returned a year earlier from the mission field. Twenty … More Volunteer
Guest Blog Post: Nathan W. Ghattas Love is undeniably the main theme of the Bible. It’s about God’s love for us. The turning point in all of history, the pinnacle moment that allowed all peoples to be reconciled with the God we walked away from and denied, was Christ being glorified on the cross. Christ, … More The Nature of Love
You have to love Southern Baptists — we have a plan for everything. I’m just grateful God still uses us despite our desires to put everything in order! However, I’m really not bashing them, because I’m grateful for a denomination that desires to teach the Bible and witness to a lost and dying world. My … More Who’s Your One?
I finished my work in the house, so headed out to the shop to see if there was any way I could help my son with what will definitely be the hardest part of letting go of the place that’s been home for the last ten years. He wasn’t cleaning, but working on just one … More Scraps
There are some moments in life you never forget. They become embedded pictures in your mind, even when the details grow fuzzy. My first visit to an African marketplace did it for me. The year was 1986. Only a few months in the capital city of Abidjan, Ivory Coast, a friend took me to the … More First Impressions
