Author: Stan Escott

We The People!

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Cautionary Fact #1:  The French Revolution was a period of far-reaching social and political upheaval in France that lasted from 1789 until 1799. During which time history recorded the overthrow of a monarchy and the institution of a dictatorship under Napoleon.

Cautionary Fact #2:  Joseph de Maistre, the most visionary of France’s early counterrevolutionary philosophers, in a letter written in August 1811, commented about Russia’s new constitution and in light of the French Revolution, stated “Every country has the government it deserves.” Continue reading

How Did She Do That?

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One year ago, January 23, 2016, Joanne, the love of my life, the loving mom to our four kids and extended family, and friend to all, died.  Nearly five years earlier, she had been diagnosed with interstitial lung disease, most likely caused by an allergic reaction to the drug amiodorone. This disease causes scarring of the lungs and has a progressive effect on lung function, leading to death.  There is no known cure. Her prognosis was three to five years.

How does one react to the realization of such a prognosis?  How does one live each day with that in your life, just down the road a piece?  How does that effect how you interact with family and a wide circle of friends?  For her, it was her grace, love and calmness that were on display.  A close friend once observed that Joanne was the “personification of grace”, and she was!  As time passed I had cause to ask: “How does she do that?” Continue reading

Batteries Not Included

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Christmas morning.  Your children are all excited.  The presents, clustered around the Christmas tree, are so inviting.  But they will wait.  The time comes and the melee begins with squeals of laughter.  Your oldest daughter has just discovered the gift that was always at the top of her wish list, and now she is holding it!  Her happiness palpable.  You help here overcome plastic shrink-wrap and then your eyes see that terrible phrase: Batteries Not Included.  Oh, no.  You hadn’t expected that and now you are faced with your daughter’s impatient disappointment.  A quick trip to the store and peace is restored. Continue reading

Taste and See

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Have you ever been invited to a real feast? I mean an incredible feast where you walk into the dining room and there before you a beautiful buffet. You are overwhelmed by the wonderful smells that surround you as you walk by the table.  The au deurves! The aroma is so humm. Even The vegetables makes your mouth water. And then you walk by the main course and you again are overwhelmed by a perfect aroma that is hard to describe. Continue reading

Book 14 and Pastor Noah Tal

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Here is a little story for your consideration:

In the adult Sunday School class, Pastor, Noah Tal, was on fire, really into his message from God. We knew that God spoke to Pastor Tal, he had made that clear in his books. He had explained that God had shared with him parts of God’s complicated message. It is a message that Pastor Tal had passed onto us in a series of books which he called “God’s Plan Revealed”. Continue reading

Will They Know We Are Christians…

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Derek Hill, member of the leadership team for the Bible Society Group of Great Britain, has an article on the “What Christians Want To Know” website entitled “Doers of The Word: 6 Tips to Living Out Your Faith”.  Hill does not imply that his six tips are the “keys to the kingdom”, but they are a good start to living out your faith.  Included among those tips were four that really stood out for me.  My comments follow each tip: Continue reading

Thanksgiving 2016

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Tuesday, November 8, 2016 the world came to an end! Christ returned and God’s wrath is being visited upon all of us! The Russians are coming!  We elected satan!  No, no, no, no!

None of those things are true, not even close! But, why am I afraid? Why do I have trouble breathing at times and why do those feelings crowd my life first thing each morning? Why do I feel like I lost a loved one? Is this what grief feels like?  Is that what I am feeling? Yes, it is a form of grief! Continue reading

The Voice of God?

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What does the voice of God sound like to you?  Have you ever heard it?  How do you hear it? Under what circumstances? Did the voice seem familiar? Perhaps you thought it was just your conscience giving you trouble. Had you heard it before? Can you sort out God’s voice from all the other voices that you hear?  Was it a loud voice, or was it a small voice, even a whisper? Continue reading

On Your Faith Journey

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When was the last time you examined the elements of your faith journey?  You know, those ups and downs, that inspirational moment when an event or a sermon, or some Bible study made a real difference.  Maybe it was a crisis in your life or the life of your family.  Perhaps the change happened in an ambulance on the way to a hospital.

Whatever that was, how did that change make a difference in your life? What followed that part of your faith journey? Did you find yourself more open to other’s needs? Did you seek to love your neighbor?  Did you ever consider that your personal faith journey is reflected in four specific events, or roads, documented in the New Testament? Continue reading

I’m Simply Grand!

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I know that the following will seem like a silly bit of prose, but beneath that silliness is something to considered.  When do we fail to take responsibility?  When does our arrogance and self-righteousness color and detract from our qualities?  When does “not my responsibility” blind us to the needs of others?  Just thinkin’.

I’m Simply Grand!

Don’t look at me I’m not to blame I didn’t rain out your silly game.  I didn’t bring the clouds so grey, and cause the thunder to pound away and dampen down your Saturday! Continue reading

To a Cancer Survivor

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A letter to a cancer survivor from one just diagnosed with lung cancer, June, 2014.

Hope you had a great time camping with the kids.  I know they look forward to those trips and time away from the daily routine is important.  Especially after all that you have been through.

I wanted to tell you about a recent experience I had. Very early one morning, after I finished my morning readings, I was recalling the words that Dr. Smith had said to me just two days before.  He told me I had lung cancer and it was advanced and “hot” and he would need to operate soon!  My wife, Joanne, and I were shocked!  I immediately thought about the worse that could happen.  The doctor detailed what the surgery would mean and the length of recovery.  We left that consultation feeling dazed and numb. Continue reading