A friend reminded me yesterday of the subtle, subversive nature of sin. He pointed out how the world offers many shiny promises of hope and fulfillment. Money, possessions, and accomplishments dangle before us constantly, cleverly tempting us to swallow the lure of false security.
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Make Room For The Cross
I like metaphors. Perhaps I’m a bit simple-minded, but I’ve encountered a few metaphors that seem to help me as I stumble my way along my path. One illustration that incorporates a lot of meaning in many circumstances is The Story of the Jar. I won’t repeat the story, but please click the link if […]
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Everybody’s got a story. As I listen to reader reactions to Relentless Grace, I’m more convinced than ever of this truth: everybody’s got a story.
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Last week I wrote about The Story of the Jar. I won’t repeat the story, but please click the link if you’re not familiar with this metaphor. As I’ve discussed this demonstration with various groups, I’m always struck by the variety of lessons that emerge. Today I’d like to think about the finite capacity of […]
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I recall Martin Luther King as a scary figure. Unrest and violence seemed to surround him. As a kid I really didn’t appreciate the significance of the issues, didn’t recognize the injustice. I grew up in the mostly white Midwest, and all I saw was disruption to what seemed a pretty safe, peaceful world.
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A teacher stood before his class. On a table the students observed a large glass jar and a pile of fist-sized rocks. He carefully placed as many rocks into the jar as possible and asked the students to acknowledge that no more rocks would fit. Then he reached under the table, retrieved a pitcher containing pea-sized […]
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One interesting aspect of working with young adolescents involves observing their efforts to discover and define their identity. It’s a fascinating, often painful, and frequently humorous developmental challenge for each individual.
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“Life won’t ever be normal again.”“The way it used to be” wasn’t normal either, because normal is an illusion. Every life is different, every set of circumstances unique. The good old days weren’t perfect. Blessings and trials coexist in all situations.Question: Have you experienced a change that made you feel that life wouldn’t ever return […]
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If I’ve learned anything from the accident that confined me to a wheelchair, it’s the principle that my journey is not the product of luck or fate or blind random chance. The path I follow is determined by my choices.
Continue readingMore TagThe Illusion Of Normal
I’ve been following the progress of two friends who currently struggle with life-altering medical situations. Both express their grief over the loss of “normal life.” I’ve been there; paralysis destroys anything resembling normal. I wasted many years lamenting the fact that I’d never be “normal” again. I’ve learned slowly and painfully that there’s no such […]
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A teacher stood before his class. On a table the students observed a large glass jar and a pile of fist-sized rocks. He carefully placed as many rocks into the jar as possible and asked the students to acknowledge that no more rocks would fit. Then he reached under the table, retrieved a pitcher containing […]
Continue readingMore TagHappy New Year?
HAPPY NEW YEAR! It’s one of those perfunctory greetings we exchange for a few weeks, often without really thinking. What’s it mean? If you recently lost your job, your house nears foreclosure, or a relationship just ended painfully, do I really expect your new year to begin “happily?”
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