Batten Down the Hatches

Batten Down the Hatches

  It seems that life is made up of one storm after the other, with peaceful stretches in between. When we feel tossed around by circumstances, it’s time to batten down the hatches and hold tight. One of my favorite poems is The Voyagers by Van Dyke: O Maker of the mighty deep, whereon our vessels […]

How Many Wise Men Came?

How Many Wise Men Came?

  Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem — (Matthew 2:1). Today is the day Christians celebrate the Epiphany, when wise men from the east bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, came to find and […]

The Story of a Blind Beggar and Faith

The Story of a Blind Beggar and Faith

It was just another day in the life of Bartimaeus. He sat beside the road in the dust, the sun beating down on his head and back, hoping that a few kind-hearted people who passed by would give him enough money to buy food. That’s the way many blind people made a living in those […]

A Fearful, Agonizing Day Called Good Friday

A Fearful, Agonizing Day Called Good Friday

I think Good Friday is misnamed. How could the day that the Lord Jesus died have been called anything but horrible, heart-breaking, anguished? An explanation is that it was once called “God’s Friday” but through translation, was interpreted as Good Friday. We think of it as good because, even though it was the day the Lord was crucified, it was […]

The Peace and Triumph of Palm Sunday

The Peace and Triumph of Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday–a Day to celebrate the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It is a cloudy, warm day in NW Arkansas, but five years ago, that was not the case. In 2013, on Monday, the day after Palm Sunday was memorable for being downright uncomfortable. A brisk wind blew snow in front of it; snow that […]

Sorrowful Friday

Sorrowful Friday

Today is Good Friday; a German word for it is Karfreitag, sorrowful Friday. Some people believe it once was called God’s Friday. It was the day Jesus died for sinful humanity and is the beginning of the Easter weekend. I don’t like to think about the crucifixion. Oh, I love thinking about the Resurrection and the Lord’s […]