Our governor in Arkansas has declared this a day of prayer, of asking the Lord to protect us and to lift the plague of this world-wide virus. Prayer is a quiet thing, but it is the most powerful weapon we have. When we seemingly have no control, we turn to the One who has all […]

Prayers
The Prayer of Jabez–Oh, that thou wouldst bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it might not grieve me! (I Chronicles 4:10). The Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi–Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where […]

Of Presidents and Pines
Happy Presidents Day. This is a good day to reflect on why we have presidents instead of kings, czars, or some other autocratic ruler. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that these men, elected to the highest office in the land, with all the weight of crucial decisions on their shoulders are, first of […]

The Prayer of Cyrus Brown
“The proper way for a man to pray,” Said Deacon Lemuel Keyes, “And the only proper attitude Is down upon his knees.” “No, I should say the way to pray,” Said Rev. Doctor Wise, “Is standing straight with outstretched arms And rapt and upturned eyes.” “Oh, no; no, no,” said Elder Slow, “Such posture […]

The Benefits of Worry
Every day as I listen to the news, I find a new reason to worry. I think it’s time to re-print a poem by an anonymous author. Worry? Why worry? What can worry do? It never keeps a trouble from overtaking you. It gives you indigestion and sleepless hours at night and fills with […]

Troubles
This morning as I look out of my window on the world, I see a quiet neighborhood, a sleepy, just-waking-up neighborhood with shadowy trees newly emerging from night, the dedicated walker striding up the hill, a few people driving to their jobs already, and I’m grateful for normalcy. If I looked beyond the obvious and […]

