Those in the northern part of the country are accustomed to getting plenty of snow in the winter. The snow, as it comes down, is pure and white. It appears as though it could not get any whiter. Then, as it mixes with salt and dirt, it first becomes dingy, and then...
Snowdrifts
Now is the time for spring. Over the winter, we experienced lots of snowfall, and the wind and the snowplows contributed to ever-increasing piles of snow. At some points in the winter, the snowdrifts become so tall they seem to hide the snowmen in the front yard! Once...
The Easy Way Out?
On a chilly afternoon, we visited the gravesite of a friend who had taken her own life four years prior. A group grieved together about the life of one who had ended her life too early. Suicide is on the rise, and opinions differ about why this is so. But taking one’s...
Milestones
Another year and another holiday season are behind us. We ponder a new year and wonder what it holds, but do not pay as much attention to what has happened as we should. What things happened the past year that made us especially thankful? That is why milestones are so...
Choosing to be Choosy
I have trouble staying awake in art galleries. My wife has taken me to several well-known ones, but not being an art lover means that these works of art (or occasionally history) are lost on me. I also find that skimming the photos of others on their cell phones not...
The Stars in the Skies
It was a starry night when I went camping with my sons. They looked into the sky in awe of what they saw, and one asked, “How big is the universe?” “We don’t know,” I said, “but God is bigger still.” “Cool,” was all he could say. There was a silence that enveloped us...
Like a Deer
As we pulled out of our driveway one morning, our lights again caught the stray deer in our neighborhood. We have caught this creature foraging for fruit, flowers, and about anything else that might seem tasty. I am not an expert on deer. I do not hunt them. Any time...
Fear, Faith, and Foolishness in Adoption
Followers of Jesus Christ want to know and to do His will. We struggled with this both before and after our adoption. Were we really able to carry out the mission of rearing our adopted sons? Many times, we wrestle with knowing what to do next because we are not...