Admit it, eagle cams have hooked a lot of us. Redding and Big Bear in CA, over 50 in all. We eagerly watch the hatching, the fledging, the first flights. And I’ve picked up a lesson from them, one we might all use in…
Read MoreThe Haunting and True Reason for the Season
In the Christmas season, we all heard the songs and the verses that reveal the reason for the season. But Matthew 1:21 gives an encouraging yet haunting purpose, as given by the angel to Mary, “you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Yes, we sin; yes, we need saving. Let’s explore this, because I’ve found that I, and perhaps many more, have an incomplete concept of sin, which can retard our spiritual journey. Let’s start by…
Read MoreSex, Lies, and Thieves
I hesitated to share this poem, for it reveals the shallowness of my early experiences with God. I condensed God’s rules to a few I could keep. Mostly. Maybe you do the same. Maybe, like me, you might consider getting deeper with Him.
Read MoreAn Era Has Ended
Every so often, just for fun, I look back at old posts to see if I still agree with them. Sometimes, they have become even more relevant, as did one of the first “Unconventional” posts from 2014. So, let’s revisit the topic but with a new material, examining how America has become a post-Christian nation, and what it might mean. America was founded with the concept of religious liberty for all, and with…
Read MoreUnnoticed Nudges
Ruth. Quite a lady! Only one other biblical book is named after a woman. David, the pre-eminent King of Israel, was her great grandson (Ruth 4:13-22). Several more generations later, another of her descendants was this well-known character we call Jesus (Matthew 1:1,5). She played a key role in our redemption history, and her life gives us a lesson on how God nudges events in our lives for a good goal. But she began…
Read MoreNo Masks!
For over a year now, we’ve battled COVID, with a variety of strategies. One of the more controversial one deals with wearing masks, should we or shouldn’t we? If we’ve been fully vaccinated or not? Yeah, it’s partisan and often judgmental. But perhaps we can use COVID masking, which many of us disagree on, as a metaphor for a deeper spiritual truth. One I suspect we may also disagree on. However, this one…
Read MoreSecrets of a Serene Spirit
In a surprise twist, I re-learned the secrets of a serene spirit at a recent memorial service. I met with the family before, and they detailed a very difficult life for their mother Darlene. When just 16, a car accident not only killed the driver in her car, but injured her badly, including the loss of all her teeth. She married three times, and each husband died. Humorously, she wouldn’t marry her longtime boyfriend—she wanted to keep him alive. She lost a young son, one of the most difficult losses when your child dies young. But…
Read MoreConsequences of Easter
We’re still in the afterglow of Easter, Good Friday, and Maundy Thursday. But to truly celebrate these, we need to realize the significance of the most neglected day: Maundy Thursday, the Passover meal that Jesus shared with his followers before the spiritual thunderstorm of Friday and Sunday erupted. That meal has become communion, the Lord’s supper, the eucharist: some bread and wine to remind us of Jesus’ sacrifice. But two dear Christian friends, Cecil Murphey and E Wayne Kempton, combined to change my view. First, here’s an…
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