A few years ago, a popular television program called Monk featured a lead character consumed with perfectionism. He couldn’t prevent the murder of his wife, so he spent the rest of his life trying to control everything else. For a while, my nickname became “Mrs....
Have you noticed how some things are becoming smaller and lighter these days? The first computer took up an entire building. Now you can hold a mini iPad in the palm of your hand. The first mobile phone looked and felt like a brick with an antenna. Now cell phones can...
It’s a letter we’d all like to receive. The envelope bears the return address of an unfamiliar law firm. With shaky hands, we tear open the envelope. Is it a lawsuit? A collection notice? No. It’s notification of a bequest from the estate of a long-lost relative. You...
I love a good story, don’t you? Skilled storytellers have beguiled audiences with mesmerizing tales since the dawn of time. I have vivid memories of waiting breathlessly for stories that began with the words, “Once upon a time.…” I’m still transported by the power of...
This was supposed to be such a productive week. My to-do list for spring break was filled with all the little projects I haven’t gotten to since Christmas break. That was the plan. Reality was a bit different. I haven’t been this sick in more than thirty years. Not a...
I deserve this. I earned it. It’s my right. A sense of entitlement. We see it in political debates about whether certain government benefits are a “gift” or have been earned. We see it in marriages and other relationships as individual people focus more on their...
God, how could you let that drunk driver kill my son? What about the baby born without arms and legs – where’s the good in that? There’s just too much suffering in the world – if God exists, why does He allow it? It’s all God’s fault—if there even is a God…or so an...
Come out and be separate. No. Go out and be salty. Which is it? Are we to be separate or salty? As our culture distances itself from its Judeo-Christian roots, Christians are finding themselves increasingly isolated from mainstream values. Christian holidays are being...
What’s the craziest fad you can recall? The 1960s gave us the Beatles and bellbottoms, mood rings and mini skirts. The 1970s inundated us with pet rocks and platform shoes, streakers and string art. The 1980s gave birth to Cabbage Patch dolls and Care Bears, break...
When you read a Bible verse, how do you decide which words to focus on? For example, which would you say are the important words in the following verses: “Blessed be the LORD, my rock… My lovingkindness and my fortress, My stronghold and my deliverer; My shield and He...
Chosen Reflections: Is Life Temporary or Eternal? They say it’s a cop-out. Avoiding responsibility and evading...
Living with Uncertainty Benjamin Franklin may not have originated the phrase, but he is well known for...
One Word: From Wait to Present Time for my new 2023 “one word.” For 2022, my “one word” was wait, something...