Monthly Archives: May 2015

It’s not what you think. Right now I’m listening to Matt Redman singing, “Nothing But The Blood” on Pandora.  Anyone who knows me understands:  I love music. “Amazin’ love, how can it be–that a king would die for me . . .” Chicago.  Good jazz, energetic or smooth, depending on my mood. Beethoven, Mangione, Gaither … Continue reading »

“I’m much better now, thank you,” she said; “Facebook is such a great therapist.  Where else can you get priceless counsel from dozens of people from all over — and it doesn’t cost a thing?” Really?  Let’s think about that. A person having received counseling does not a counselor make.  First, was the counselor any good?  If so, … Continue reading »

Dear Anyone Who Reads This, it’s not God’s fault. God knows I carry burdens.  Every day.  Some days they’re not quite so backbreaking.  Other days?  Well— I gotta be honest.  After all, I am teaming up with God, here.  Most of the time most of the things weighing me down aren’t mine to carry. Yeah.  … Continue reading »

Change your thoughts and you change your world. The Rev. Norman Vincent Peale said that.  He said it a lot.  There’s a reason. It’s true. Many casual readers of this blog – friends of friends of whom I may never hear – saw Dr. Peale’s name and their mind curled.  Yeah, like lips do, only … Continue reading »

Ah-h-h.  Perfect morning.  Gentle rain, fresh coffee, quiet time. And chocolate.  Hershey’s.  That big sucker.  ‘Giant’.  7 ounces of YEEAAH! No, fresh coffee and, especially, the serious chocolate don’t give my praying any special sway with God.  Do NOT inundate me with your affront about there being no chocolate in Heaven.       “Lord?” Yes, Dan … Continue reading »

I feel bad for those whose philosophy and personal belief extends no farther than their present horizon. Understand:  there’s a reason for the scientific method.  Witness this by physicist Richard P. Feynman:  “It doesn’t matter how beautiful your theory is, it doesn’t matter how smart you are. If it doesn’t agree with experiment, it’s wrong.”  Don’t … Continue reading »

Faith and perfectionism do not play well together.  To walk by faith, one must leave some space between God’s hand and his own. Perfectionists prefer leaving nothing to chance.  They’d rather wait to begin any project until all possible obstacles have been removed.  You understand why, right? It HAS to be perfect the first time.  … Continue reading »

Roses grew wherever we lived.  If they weren’t there when we moved in, they were just as soon as we could plant them. By ‘we’ I mean my mother. There were things Mother was not:  well-educated, cultured, stylish, soft-spoken or grammatically correct.  I’d add ‘politically-correct’ to that large group of glaring shortcomings, but it hadn’t … Continue reading »

make this your common practice:  confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed.  The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. « ♦ ♦ ♦ » James wrote it.  He’d been around his older half-brother … Continue reading »

That’s him. Sam Hill.  He was a real person, was a mover and shaker in helping create The Pacific Highway; built a home overlooking the Columbia River Gorge known as Maryhill; had 10 miles of paved road built on the grounds; and even had a replica of Stonehenge constructed there. I know.  You’re wondering why … Continue reading »