How do you learn to do something when you have no clue how to do it? Jon Swanson writes a lot lately about learning to follow Jesus. His thoughts challenge me. I realize that I don’t know how, and that I’m not even sure I know what it means. As I’ve thought about this internal […]
Continue readingMore TagCategory: New Beginnings
Please Don’t Make Me Start Over
How do you escape the fate of Sisyphus? One of my first “real” jobs as a kid was a two-week gig at the Iowa State Fair. Each morning I showed up at 6 a.m. A supervisor handed me a sealed metal can with a slot in its top and assigned me to one of the […]
Continue readingMore TagDrift Or Decide?
Do you ever feel like your relationship with Jesus is just sort of drifting along? Simply put, drift is the decision you make when you don’t decide (Gretchen Rubin). It’s what happens when you ignore Lessons From The Jar. Ever driven a long stretch of straight, deserted road? Attention fades, and suddenly you’re not focused […]
Continue readingMore TagHow Do You Face One Of Those Days?
Do you ever experience one of “those” days? I don’t want to be here right now. The past twenty-four hours have not been much fun. I’m angry and impatient. It’s one of those situations that shouldn’t bother me but it does and I want to fix it but I can’t and I wish I could […]
Continue readingMore TagJesus The Optimist?
Is Jesus an optimist? How about His followers? I’ve been writing this week about optimism. I created A Reluctant Optimist’s Code in an attempt to counteract my natural inclination to perceive that The Half Empty Glass Is Leaking. Today I’m wondering what the Bible says about my half-baked ideas. Since I just posted my list […]
Continue readingMore TagWhole Hearts
Do you think you live whole heartedly? God must want me thinking about how we connect to each other. Seems like everywhere I look during the past few days I encounter the issue of vulnerability. Vulnerability—the willingness to permit others to see us as we really are. It’s the key to human connections, and it’s […]
Continue readingMore TagHow To Just Get Over It
How do you get over it? Ever been there? Something terrible happens and you can’t escape the grief. Or maybe a whole lot of things just accumulate and you just don’t feel very positive about life. Unwanted tears appear without warning. You feel stifled under a heavy blanket of pervasive sadness. The fog of depression […]
Continue readingMore TagWell Done
HAPPY NEW YEAR! How old were you when you finally realized that nobody was watching? I grew up in a small town. It was literally impossible to get away with anything. If I messed up on the other side of town, my mom somehow found out before I got home. I developed this eerie sense […]
Continue readingMore TagHow To Find Faith
Have you ever noticed that some things are hard to get unless you already have them? We’re spending Christmas week on a snowy Midwestern farm. Yesterday the kids were preparing for a sledding expedition and one of the little guys realized his boots were in the car. A foot of icy, wet snow covered the […]
Continue readingMore TagWanting Less For Christmas
Today I’m thinking about wanting less. That’s a bit odd, given that we’re heading over the river and through the woods to my in-laws’ house filled with gift-crazed kids from four generations. We’re preparing for the annual unwrapping frenzy loosely inspired by ancient offerings of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. I love opening my surprises as […]
Continue readingMore TagDo I HAVE to Forgive?
To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. Lewis Smedes Don’t you hate it when faith conflicts with feelings? If you’re any sort of sports fan you know about Michael Vick. He’s a pro football player who was convicted and sent to prison for financing and participating in […]
Continue readingMore TagThe Real Hero?
Who’s your hero? I recently heard a surprising, thought-provoking response to that question. A critique group gathered to practice their public speaking skills. They challenged each other to do a two-minute impromptu talk answering the question, “Who is your hero?” The last speaker began with an attention-grabbing opening line: I am my hero. Sounds a […]
Continue readingMore Tag