Month: March 2006

I was preparing for a writing workshop I was giving at the Christian college in our town, and I needed an illustration to help the students and faculty with the reality of rejection. Too often the sting of rejection brings … Read more

My wife and I have a bird feeder hanging just outside our kitchen window, and we enjoy watching the various kinds of birds that come to eat. Throughout one summer, two blue jays, in all probability mates who must have … Read more

Each Sunday morning, our pastor invites all the children to come to the front of the church for the pastor's time. There they have a brief lesson on some biblical story, and the pastor leads the children as they pray … Read more

One of the worst nightmares that I have ever had was about being in heaven. That may sound strange, but let me explain. I dreamed that I was standing inside the Pearly Gates, looking out through golden railings, into the … Read more

Memorizing Bible verses was a requirement in my home as a child, and saying a verse at bedtime was a ritual. Some nights I was proud to impress others with my knowledge of long verses, but on the nights I … Read more

The other day I had a cold, so I made my way around the town's one-way system in the car, and as usual, the traffic was congested and slow-moving. In front of the car ahead of me, waiting at the … Read more

For the last two years, I've been constantly saying special prayers to God for a certain group of people. In our community, there are many quiet, shy, and lonely people, who find it hard to relate to others or become … Read more

At Christmastime, I bought gift cards for my grandchildren. I bought inexpensive notebooks for the boys and scrapbooks for the girls and attached the cards to them. This added weight to the packages so they would not guess what was … Read more

Seeking the warmest, brightest sunlight, I moved my small bulb garden from window to window. As I looked out each window, I began to realize that this little basket of bulbs had been the perfect Christmas gift. The bright flowers … Read more

Years ago, I participated in a small group which took place during the summer at Montreat College, North Carolina. Young people from across the United States had gathered for a conference which was meant to inspire their faith and encourage … Read more