Blog
Our series examining the impossible demands of Jesus now explores his requirement that his followers must continue. Yes, many disagree, but let’s see what Jesus says about the issue…and what it means for us in practice.
“Remain in me, and I will…
Read MoreFunny, how both optimists and pessimists claim they are the realists. Both have truth, and both tend to ignore the other dimension of reality. My pessimism forced me to choose to develop optimism to save my sanity…and perhaps my life. But how do we balance the realism of both troubles and good times?
Read MoreTears come to us all. They accompany poor health, friction with people, unresolved sins and wrongs, economic hardship, death, floods and fires, culture and politics, the list could go on into eternity. Just one example, my community in SoCal is facing 8 of 10 days with temps over 100, maxing at 109. Three days ago, our power went out in the middle of the day for four hours—luckily we were on our way to the beach. But may we remember that Jesus said troubles come with breathing in John 16:33. His brother James told us…
Read MoreEarlier in the day, the trout on Rock Creek almost jumped into my creel. I’d parked alongside the road and hiked overland to a rarely fished stretch, not another fisherman in sight. Anywhere. I loved both the solitude and lack of competition. The first hole yielded a small brown, maybe 8”, who likely appreciated being returned to his frigid home.
He was the first of twelve trout caught in just over two hours that day; two were keepers at 14” each, and provided dinner for Sheila and me my first night back. Pizza at the campground’s café and a hot shower seemed to top off the day. But God was yet to surprise me. Relaxing in the small cabin…
Read MoreIn 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 MoreSome locals claim the upper Sacramento River, right under the I-5 bridge in Dunsmuir, may yield the best trout fishing in California. Pines creep right down to the water’s edge of the gorgeous stream, yet leave enough space to cast and still not get hung up. Too often, at least.
Wild blackberries give ample reason to study the river, and large boulders in the 20-yard width provide holes for the trout. The rumble of nearby freight trains adds a sense of timelessness.
I’m not sure about the quality of fishing, but I did come to doubt the fisherman’s rationale, “The worst day fishing beats the best day working.” I’d caught…
Read MoreToward the end of the often-disastrous 2020, social media got flooded with memes and posts and comments expressing joy that the crappy year would soon end with 2021. That may explain why I so liked the above meme put up by Jeff Boyer. 2021 won’t fully flush out 2020, and some of the crap will continue to need wiping away. The vaccine rollout has started, but slowly; the cases and hospitalizations have reached all time highs. Yes, we’ll likely beat it, but…
Read More
Image from snapclicksupply.com
Hard times to be happy, aren’t they? COVID: the deaths and shutdowns. Partisan politics: the strife and putdowns. Economic difficulties: job loss and uncertainty. But perhaps we’re seeking solace in the wrong spot. Happiness derives from what’s happening: good times make us happy, bad make us sad. And these times qualify as bad, in so many ways. So, as we prepare for Christmas, let’s change our focus from happiness to…
Read More