In a series of nine separate and necessary events, each with other people’s decisions involved, in August of 1975 God landed me where I could not have dreamed that big: living in a log cabin in the mountains above Taos, 8,500 ft., the nearest neighbor three miles away. Maybe not heaven for you, but it was for me. No work to do, just living on an unused guest ranch, and being paid for it. In the process of leaving my native SoCal for a fresh start on life, thinking of Colorado but going through Taos in the summer of my 27th year, I found myself “coming home, to a place I’d never been before.” Then came…
Read MorePlay Misty For Me
No, the title doesn’t reflect one of Clint Eastwood’s early films, rather James statement that our lives quickly disappear like a mist. Yes, last week had that passage, but let’s revisit one hidden gem. With the passing of each calendar year, I ponder this bit about mist more and more. Maybe you do as well. How do we balance making a spiritual impact on the world if we’re here so briefly, like fog?
Read MoreIn His Image
A few years back someone in our high school class set up a Facebook page to prep for our upcoming reunion, which introduced me to Roland Peachie. This previously unknown classmate from decades back creates marvelous images with photographs. He posted a pic with these words, “…the new adapter came in today, not only infinity has been fixed (I’d never realized someone broke it) but my Macro is now about 6 feet closer, which I really like.. test shots show even a different background blur with the new adapter.” Must have been Latin he was speaking…
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Picture of NYC by Arcaid Images
A Humbling Trip
When surrounded by works of mankind, we can easily impress ourselves—with ourselves. Last fall Sheila and I make an east coast trek, and the skyscrapers of New York City astounded me. Towering buildings based on solid bedrock. Every square inch seeming used. Honestly, I felt pretty proud to be part of the human race that could craft such a place. But pride…
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image from mirror.co.uk
An Unholy Comfort
I’m a strange cocktail of belief and unbelief. Of stunning spiritual successes and just as stunning descents and stretches of unholy comfort. From decades of ministry and hundreds of conversations, I suspect the father and I…
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The Power of Yielding
Paradoxes comprise faith, and that continues to attract me—I like the concept of a God I can’t comprehend fully. Like Jesus’ statement, “if you save your life you’ll lose it.” Or, the tension between what we do and what God does in transforming us. I’ve battled that one. A lot...
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Caught
A common fallacy is bifurcation, also known as false dichotomy or being caught on the horns of a dilemma. Basically, this gives only two options, forcing the reader to choose one. Obviously, a fallacy when more than two alternatives exist. But this can also be a good argument—some issues yield only two choices. I’ve found this concept abounds in growing closer to Jesus. How do we start our day with God? We have an abundance of options; let’s just find what works best for us. We explored this in a recent post. But some other options are limited.
Only with pain did I learn that.
Read MoreExulting in Guilt
At times
I exult
in the pleasures of sin
blanking out the wrong
enjoying the illicit
caught in the moment
imagining that is all that is
But as pleasure fades...
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