Whatever Happened to Empathy? I never thought of myself as especially empathetic. Yet even I am dismayed at the lack of empathy exhibited in our culture, on the news, and especially on social media. Empathy has been defined as the ability to understand and feel...
Anniversary Reaction I may forget where I placed my eyeglasses (and yes, it’s possible they’re on my head). I may forget what I ate for breakfast (but I probably didn’t forget to eat!). And I may forget your birthday (even though it’s written on my calendar)....
What’s the Purpose of Freedom? “Land of the free and home of the brave.” We sing it as part of our national anthem. We’re free! But what does that actually mean? Just how free are we? We have freedom of speech, religion, press, and assembly. We’re free to bear...
Find and Do the Next Right Thing I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Peter. Peter: the impulsive, well-meaning disciple who wanted to do the right thing. Unfortunately, his propensity for putting his foot in his mouth often got in the way. I know...
Grace Givers I’ve been thinking lately about stewardship. That’s not a word we hear very often anymore. It’s one of those words that seems to have fallen out of favor. Most people haven’t noticed. But maybe we should notice. A steward is someone who has the...
Be the Change Our world is changing at breakneck speed. And most, if not all of us, have been affected in ways large and small. Isolation due to a pandemic. Raw emotions in response to the ugliness of racism. Predictions of murder hornets, cicada...
Colorblind sin Sin is ugly. Horrific. Heartbreaking. And colorblind. It’s not white. It’s not black. The murder of George Floyd by an abusive authority figure is sin. Ugly, gruesome sin. The perpetrator—as well as those who stood by and watched—must be charged,...
Time to Shed My Snake Skin I found an unwelcome surprise outside my front door a few weeks ago: a two-foot-long shed snake skin. Of course, I posted a photo on social media—not much else excitement during these days of pandemic “sheltering at home.”...
Do You Know a Late Bloomer? The amaryllis flower was a Christmas gift more than a year ago. Thankful that I live in Florida, I planted the bulbs outside after the blossoms died. Then I waited for one year, eager to see a repeat of the beautiful blooms the...
Is there any role in life more under-appreciated than motherhood? I don’t think so. In honor of Mother’s Day this weekend, I offer you Anita Renfroe’s humorous, classic look at the things moms say, set to the tune of the William Tell Overture. Click on the word...
The Role of Government and the King Who Rules Summer is over and the season of pumpkin-flavored everything is...
Biblical Wisdom in Engaging Culture Are you a dolphin or a jellyfish? Even the most casual observation of our...
What Makes Your Identity Special? Identity is a hot topic lately. Who are you? What are you? And the hottest...