Back when our kids wanted to travel in the same car as their parents, we journeyed three days to get to a camp in Iowa where I was to speak. I've discovered that the best way for a speaker to gain credibility at family camp is to leave his children at home, but ours have always come along. And I think it's been comforting to other parents to watch...

Funny how a $10 bill looks so big when you take it to church, but so small when you take it to the market. Funny how long it takes to serve God for an hour, but how quickly a team plays 60 minutes of basketball. Funny how long a couple of hours are spent at church, but how short they are when watching a movie. Funny how we...

Eight months ago I became a proud part of the public transit commuter culture. Five days a week I join my fellow commuters at the crack of dawn at the side of the road and wait for the good old #351. I usually spend two to three hours a day on that bus, and lately I've been looking for ways to be more productive. Sure, watching the woman across the...

"Three fast-food workers were found shot to death Wednesday…." "An explosion caused by a leaking propane tank leveled a house, killing a woman…." "A young actor…was found dead in a hotel…." "A former long-haul trucker was executed by injection Wednesday for raping and stabbing three women…." "One body was discovered Wednesday...

I have a friend who is going through a difficult trial--the same exact thing I went through 12 years ago. She responds to my attempts at empathy with glib spiritual statements. I’m afraid she isn’t dealing with her inner feelings. Advice: The best advice is an old saying: “Unsolicited advice is always heard as criticism.” It’s hard to...

The woman had been caught in the act of adultery.  Jewish law demanded her execution, but Rome had removed capital jurisdiction from Jewish courts, except for temple violations.  It was the perfect predicament with which to trap Jesus. The Jewish leaders dragged the woman into the temple and threw her down at Jesus’ feet.  Would he reject...

This morning in our news there was an announcement from a prominent politician in our region. She resigned her position for “deeply personal” reasons. She went on to explain that the government would find another politician but her young child would not get another mother. A wise mother had obviously grappled with the many aspects of her decision. Decision...