October 30, 2019 Reprinted from October 29, 2009 While enjoying breakfast with family in the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge and admiring the waterfall on a very stormy day in October, I found myself unusually fascinated with something I have previously thought little about – falling leaves. For a short time, I entered their world and …
September 25, 2019 Trying to relive the past is not only impossible, it can be a dangerous mental exercise. As we grow older, it is easy to fall into a routine of saying, “We used to” or, “When I was in charge” or maybe, “In the good old days.” I have never understood what that …
June 6, 2018 I consider it a gift to live on a part of Planet Earth that has four definite seasons. The beauty of each one brings enjoyment, but they also provide reminders that our individual lives have seasons. Springtime is filled with buds and babies, and then summer arrives with foliage that provides shade …
December 28, 2017 The Bible describes our relationship with Jesus as “walking.” Colossians 2:6 teaches us that accepting Jesus leads to doing life with Him. We are to “be occupied with Him” and “walk about” with Him. One of the gifts of friendship is to be able to walk and talk with someone we trust. …
October 4, 2017 Mountain climbers give extensive time to training, followed by the energy and resources needed for the journey. The risk involved is overcome by their desire to reach the summit. Upon finally arriving, their statement is simple: “It was worth all that it took.” This example can apply to many of our life …
September 6, 2017 Fires and floods tend to bring people together with the one goal of preserving lives. Property and personal possessions are cherished and efforts are made to save as much as possible, but the concern for life is what appropriately gets energy and attention. I find it difficult to believe that anyone would …
August 30, 2017 Life is often described in terms of years or decades, but we know that it is lived as individual days. The current day is the only one we have. Yesterday is gone. We may not be on Planet Earth tomorrow. I have been pondering the significance of today. The reality is that …
June 29, 2017 I was a young child when a pastor visited our Sunday school. We watched as he lifted a glass of water to his lips and drank all of it. Then he said, “Water – the strongest drink in the world – it holds up battleships.” Over time, I learned the significance of …
June 21, 2017 We have a low-maintenance yard with no lawn. It is not difficult to keep it looking nice, which means it is also easy for me to neglect the grooming it needs. Not long ago, during a rainy period, the dry days did not correspond to my days off work. I was amazed …
June 14, 2017 While working in the garage, I was distracted by looking out the window at a tree across the street. Admiring its size and beauty, I thought about how it enhanced the house it stood in front of. It was one that remained after a number of others were taken down because of …
February 8, 2017 Ours is a busy and fast-paced culture. Unless we deliberately plan our schedule, we will find someone else doing it for us. While each of us has the same number of minutes in a day, we often allow another person or event to keep us from living a joy-filled life because we …