I admire eloquent speakers and those quick on their feet. My husband and my dad have those gifts. Each is a skilled story teller, and I love a good story. But a few people are so loquacious that my brain has a difficult time keeping up! Their verbosity overwhelms me. And while they seem to have …
The day after basement flood #2 (See Pipe Lesson 1) I decided to milk as much out of our plumbing problems as possible. There had to be a silver lining in this gray cloud of water leaks. Hence, multiple posts about pipes! Typically copper pipes don’t spring leaks spontaneously. So it took some detective work to …
Recently we experienced an unexpectedly busy 24-hour period, filled with one problem after another. It began when JB discovered a leak in our basement, the second in a year, caused by a nail poking through the joist. By the next afternoon our plumber had repaired the faulty pipe and we enjoyed running water once more. …
Back in the “olden days” we used cameras that required film. And one year at a Lutheran summer camp in Vermont, I learned how to develop that film. A crucial element in this process involved keeping an eye on the clock–because timing was everything. The film itself revealed “the negatives.” No one spent time studying …
In many ways my husband and I are alike. We each enjoy nature, hiking, music, exercise, family time, funny (clean) movies, and most of all, God’s Word. In other ways, however, we differ. One discrepancy manifests itself in our philosophies about possessions. I hold to the adage, “A place for everything . . .” But …
As a child I enjoyed reading and rereading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, in which the eccentric factory owner, Willy Wonka, must manage five children visiting his chocolate factory. This first occurs when they see the river of chocolate for the first time. The gluttonous and obese Augustus Gloop is mesmerized by the gallons of sweetness …
I appreciate some parts of my body more than others. When I’m hungry and it’s time to eat I appreciate my teeth and tongue. When I want to research and read I appreciate my eyes. When it’s time to listen to Mozart I appreciate my ears. But what would life be like without elbows? No …
When we lived in South Florida, fall sometimes brought rainstorms so strong that driving became impossible. The cascading downpour prevented drivers from being able to see through their windshields. They pulled their cars to the side of the road, waiting for the sheets of rain to subside. Those torrential storms remind me of legalism. Some believers are not …
If you think the Old Testament is boring or irrelevant, consider Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. In 1 Kings 12 we read about his first (and worst) decision as the newly crowned fourth king of Israel. He started off well, just as his once-wise father Solomon had, by recognizing his need for advice in how to rule the …
Years ago we attended a fun outdoor family event with some church friends and their children. We rode a little train, admired the petting zoo, and enjoyed the morning. Later, light rain began just as we settled in a field to watch the Ronald McDonald show. We quickly ducked under our blankets to stay dry. …
