Clouds

Written in 1971 just a month after I returned to Jesus as Savior and Lord, the piece “Clouds” formed the heart of this post. Fairly compliant, I used to go with the flow. Any ambition came from trying to show I had worth. Then Jesus overwhelmed me as I grasped his value of me. No greater than anyone else, but enough that Jesus would give his life for me. Something, someone, worth giving purpose beyond pleasure to my life. Transformation: Step One.

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Fresh Cliches

Fresh clichés. An obvious paradox, right? Maybe not. I wonder about some clichés that often get ignored. Sunday worship as a fresh start on the first day of the week. A chance to get lost in worship, to acknowledge our shortcomings, to gain forgiveness. So true it’s become a cliché. But as a cliché for that, Sunday’s not enough. If I wait until Sunday for refreshing, I can accumulate…

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Deep Water Trout

Big Pine Creek in California’s Eastern Sierra Nevada ranks among the prettiest streams I’ve ever fished--shaded by big pines (duh!) with large pools and abundant trout. I can still visualize the first time I came around a bend, and found one of those signature holes.

A five-foot waterfall dropped into a green pool, a good six feet deep. Shallower and slow water along the banks framed a strong current that went deep and swift through the center. Just where big trout feed.

I threw in at…

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Followers Follow Jesus' Words--Challenge 4

None would doubt Morgan’s love of Jesus. His depth of scripture knowledge powered his teaching in an adult Bible study, he served as an elder in an evangelical church, and loved to talk to unbelievers about God. But what began as a casual conversation opened a new dimension. Morgan told of a Hindu friend, a person as full of goodness as he had ever seen. He told Sager of Jesus, but Sager saw no need…he thought he was on the path already. My surprise came when Morgan said he couldn’t imagine a person as good as Sager as not going to heaven. Yes, we had some discussions about that as I…

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Letting Go

My last school used two works to explore the American Dream: The Great Gatsby who achieved it and lost, and Death of a Salesman, where Willie Loman didn’t achieve the dream yet also lost. But Willie Loman’s wife Linda had a haunting line, in talking about the irony of finally paying off the family house after their two sons had moved out, “Life is a casting off.” Or…

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Be Kind to Be Godly

I met her when she was in the college group I led, decades back. We've stayed in touch over the years and I appreciate how she thinks. And one of her Facebook posts struck quite a chord with a number of readers.

”I am having breakfast at a cute place...A nice little family just came in. They have not acknowledged the wait staff once. No 'good morning' or 'thank you' when seated. No eye contact or acknowledgement when given coffee. No eye contact or thank you after placing their order with their very sweet server. I hate it when…”

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When Life Interrupts

Sometimes, an event, or several together, interrupt the life we’ve crafted, the life we enjoy. Sometimes, one that involves our bodies. One that can bring negative and positive changes. Maybe you can identify. For 75 years, my body has treated me well, much better than I have on occasion done to it. A decent athlete—rarely picked first on choosing teams, but usually second or third. Decent strength—a USC football offensive lineman couldn’t pin me in arm wrestling. Decently healthy and functional, playing competitive football and softball into my late 50s. Riding 1,080 miles on a motorcycle in 16 hours at age 70. Honestly, I felt more pity than empathy for those not with those attributes. Yeah, a sin that I feel no pride about. Then, in a few months, life interrupted with…

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