Last year I found myself getting bored at work. I had been at the bottom of the totem pole in my department and was itching for a new challenge. But there didn’t appear to be any way up or out of that role. I had conversations with my manager (who is wonderful, by the way) …
In 1872, John Godfrey Saxe wrote a poem entitled The Blind Men and the Elephant in which six blind sages each describe their wildly divergent conclusions after encountering an elephant. The last two stanzas read: And so these men of Indostan Disputed loud and long, Each in his own opinion Exceeding stiff and strong, Though …
Maybe because I just had two molar implants, I’ve got teeth on my mind. I even thought of a New Testament truth related to the dental world, in fact. But first, let’s talk teeth. When children reach the age of six they start to lose their baby teeth. Their original teeth get loose and fall …
One of our kids would point to my personality type as the culprit, but for whatever reason, I like to think outside the box. While all our kids are musically and/or artistically creative, I tend toward creative thoughts. I find myself asking why things are always done a certain way. It’s fun to come up …
JB and I met in a high school Spanish class. We students jokingly referred to our teacher as la bruja (the witch) even though she was the sweetest marshmallow of a Cuban lady you could ever hope to meet. And I honestly don’t remember much of what she taught us because I’ve had little reason …
A little over a year ago, our daughter married a wonderful young man. They chose to have a small ceremony with mainly family in attendance. We celebrated with them and enjoyed watching their beaming faces during the reception. Couples prepare far in advance for their wedding day, choosing the church, the decorations, the bridal gown …
While living in South Florida over two decades ago, I often saw a bony-legged young woman briskly walking down long stretches of road. Her determined stride and gaunt appearance revealed her inner struggle. After moving to Colorado, I repeatedly noticed a tall, emaciated woman swiftly ambling down the path behind our house. She wore a …
Each December we usually hear the nativity account from Luke 2 read in church. It can become so familiar that we often don’t pay attention. This year, however, I suddenly realized something I had not thought about before. The first five verses explain that Caesar Augustus took a census, requiring Joseph and Mary (his betrothed) …
It’s the time of year for parties, food, and gifts galore! None of this relates to the original nativity… or does it? While we may go overboard, might we actually have the basics down for celebrating Christ’s birth? In the Old Testament, God established feasts, basically commanding the Jews to hold seven annual parties—many of …
Recently we stopped by Sam’s Club to replenish a few things we’d run out of. Always one with an eye for a good deal, JB spotted a sale on some lights we might use in landscaping our yard next spring. A woman on that same aisle noticed, and kindly warned, “Don’t buy them!” She went …
J.B. and I (and two of our kids—all in different departments) work at a company that distributes software to IT providers. We provide solutions to help small businesses track their inventory, backup their data, and work more efficiently. But a threat to them all, regardless of their industry or business model, is cyber attacks. We …
In middle school, I sometimes quoted a phrase I thought quite clever. “I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I’m not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant!” How often do others misunderstand us? Whether due to our unclear choice of words or the hearer’s …
