My grandmother was a church organist, and my brothers and I sang hymns with her all the time. When my grandfather died, we sang “In the Garden” at his funeral. “And He walks with me, and He talks with me, and He tells me I am His own, and the joy we share as we […]
When I was growing up, my grandfather owned a small farm and managed a large farm. One day he told me his tractor needed to be replaced. I went to my room and got my piggy bank off the shelf and counted what was in it – $11. I took that $11 and gave it […]
Socks are the item of clothing most needed in homeless shelters, but they’re the least donated. New socks contribute to better mobility and minimize the possibility of frostbite. New socks reduce the risk of cellulitis, impetigo, fungal infections, trench foot and skin breakdowns. Living on the street, many unsheltered people rarely take their shoes off. […]
There are approximately ten Lego pieces sold for every person on earth – more than 75 billion little plastic bricks. I had no idea how many Lego pieces there are in the world! The Lego Group is building a 1.7 million-square-foot production site in Chesterfield, Virginia. There will be 1,761 people working in this plant. […]
When I went to college, you couldn’t have a car on campus your first year. My second year couldn’t come soon enough. I bought a 1966 VW Bug. Can you believe the total cost was $1,275 for a brand new one? This car didn’t even have a radio. I loaded it down and went to […]
Several years ago, I had the misfortune of coming down with a case of bacterial meningitis. I was one sick puppy. They flew me from Harrisonburg hospital to VCU hospital. I was on a ventilator that facilitated my breathing. The doctor at Harrisonburg got me on the right antibiotic and after about ten days, I […]
Although Masada does not appear in the Bible, the fortress has a deep significance for the Jewish nation. It was the site of an historic event around 73 – 74 AD. At the end of the First Jewish-Roman War, a group of Jews was held under siege at Masada by Roman soldiers. Masada is on […]
When I pastored in Manassas, our congregation was privileged to have a church chef. He not only cooked for our church, but also worked as a full-time cook for a local nursing home. One day I dropped by to see where he worked and watched him go from room to room asking what the patients […]
When I was in seminary, we often had hundreds and even thousands of pages to read. I learned to speed read, and I also learned to read the last chapter first. Richard Hays has written a book, Reading Backwards, which tells us how important this practice is in understanding the Bible. It is important that […]
This summer has been filled with odd weather. Forest fires in Canada have created hazy, smoke-filled days all over the eastern United States. I cannot remember a time when smoke has traveled this far and plagued us for so long. The smoke has drifted hundreds of miles and continues to lay across our land. When […]