March 13, 2019 The Bible places importance on work ethic, financial management, appropriate use of time, and daily enjoyment balanced with eternal perspective. Self-discipline is a common thread throughout Scripture, with many examples of people who did this well and those who did not. I have been pondering the difference between a disciplined person and […]
March 6, 2019 I admit to being a worrier about things over which I have no control or responsibility. It seems foolish to realize this because there are plenty of things I am responsible for managing – including myself! It is a full-time effort to keep me in line. I am grateful for Carol and […]
February 27, 2019 I find it easy to be grateful for hot and cold running water, forced air heat (and cold when appropriate) and electricity. I have no desire to return to those “good old days” of my growing up years when we had none of these. It occurred to me recently that while I […]
February 20, 2019 When we think “head,” most likely we consider facts, information and principles. When we think “heart,” the tendency is to reflect on emotions, feelings and impulses. Both are part of the human make-up as Creator God designed us. When in balance, our life is filled with reason and common sense. If either […]
February 13, 2019 This Saturday, our church family will join with the friends of Craig and Maria Rogers to celebrate Maria’s life. She went Home to Heaven in December, and all of us are hurting. No one questions where she is – we know she is safe with Jesus. But it feels like she was […]
February 6, 2019 Jesus had amazing patience for all kinds of people: disciples who had difficulty learning, tax collectors who were greedy and selfish, people with physical and mental illness, and certainly children, whom adults considered a nuisance. But He showed no patience for phony religious leaders who knew the Scriptures but did not live […]
January 23, 2019 One of the marks of maturity is the ability to see life from a larger perspective. A child’s ability to do this is limited, but as we grow in years and gain insight, we develop a sense of seeing the immediate in light of the past and future. In a crowd of […]
January 16, 2019 People who enjoy mysteries are willing to wait for the outcome of a story. If we cannot handle suspense, we probably do not read or watch mystery stories. It takes time to understand the plot and requires discipline and patience to wait for the conclusion. A mystery is a word or idea […]
January 11, 2019 In chapter four of the Epistle of James, we are told that our life is “just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.” Whatever was intended by this interesting word picture, the writer certainly wanted to illustrate that our life on Planet Earth goes by quickly. Vapor […]
January 2, 2019 It is that time of year when many people make resolutions about goals to accomplish and habits to change. There is debate as to how many are fulfilled or broken, but it seems that most are never accomplished beyond the first few weeks. I have pondered why the success rate is so […]
December 28, 2018 Pondering events of 2018, I have reviewed some decisions that bring a sense of enjoyment. Proactive benefits. I admit to some lack of being proactive, and the results were painful. Anticipating the year ahead, I am trying to learn from experience. There is such a thing as proactive peace of mind. During […]
June 3, 2020 It was perhaps 18 years ago that a couple of people suggested I should write a weekly blog. I did not know what a “blog” was, but Ponder with Pastor Bill came out of that idea. It has been good for me to have this opportunity, and I hope it has been…
May 20, 2020 It feels strange, almost wrong, for me to ask this question: How could the Creator and Controller of the universe be held in captivity by it? I hope I am not dabbling in something inappropriate, but this has been on my mind. The confinement of lockdown is a familiar situation for all…
May 13, 2020 Creator God gives us a statement of beauty and hope when He puts a silver lining around a dark cloud in the sky. He reminds us that the darkness is temporary and there is something more powerful than the cloud. It feels like our lives, our community and our world have a…
Meditación con el pastor Bill 6 de mayo de 2020 Sentado en mi silla de tratamiento esta semana frente a una ventana que me daba una vista para el Monte St. Helens, cubierto de nieve sobre un fondo azul cielo. Era una escena magnífica, y tuve mucho tiempo para disfrutarla y reflexionar sobre el significado…
May 6, 2020 My treatment chair this week faced a window that provided a frame for Mount St. Helens, covered with snow against a sky-blue background. It was a magnificent scene, and I had plenty of time to enjoy it and ponder the significance of that mountain. Prior to 1980, I called it “Mount Chrome…