Category: Faith and Love

Are You a Storyteller?

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Are you a storyteller?

My good friend, Mac, has been a storyteller all his life.  He has used that talent to communicate humor and interesting ideas, all with a moral, all with a lesson to be learned.  Mac has for many years, journeyed, on a weekly basis, to the children’s cancer ward of Lutheran Hospital where he shares his stories and amazes the children with his magic acts.  He has shared his talent from the pulpit as a lay minister and has given the children’s message with his stories.  His is a talent we admire. Continue reading

Making the Team

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In high school I learned that I made the basketball team!  I had worked hard and had made it!  As the first game of the season approached, I was thrilled to know that I would start!  A couple of errant passes, a missed layup and a foul, and  I found myself on the bench.  Crushed!

While in college, I had aspirations of becoming an actor.  I auditioned for a part in Shakespeare”s Twelfth Night and was cast in the role of Sebastian, one of the male leads.  A few years later, in another city, I auditioned with the local Civic Theater for a role in Bus Stop, and was cast in in the role of Beauregard ‘Bo Decker, the male lead. My “aspirations” were encouraged. Continue reading

A Man’s Reach Should Exceed His Grasp

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Chicago. A week before Christmas, some years ago. It is cold!  Snow on the streets and sidewalks.

Then, I heard the voice of God say to me:  “Help him!”  I looked, there was no one there.  Then I heard the Voice again, saying “Help him!”, and I looked again and that is when I saw, lying in the middle of Clark St., an elderly man, unable to rise. Cars were driving around him.  So I acted, I helped, and the act became a focus point of my thoughts the remainder of that night and the next day. Continue reading

A Note in the Midst of Grief

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My dear friend,

Last week, I was the speaker in chapel at the retirement community where I live, part-time. I spoke on a familiar topic, God’s love for us, and how that love touches us in ways that we don’t always understand.  As you know, God’s love can sometimes seem hard and harsh.

In the middle of my talk, I said that Jesus knew the heart of the Father and Jesus knew that people last forever. I believe that. These bodies won’t last (Lord knows!), but our spirit does. At this point in my talk, completely unplanned, I spoke about the sadness and the goodness of Thanksgiving week, including the death of your husband (I’ll call him Mike), and the loving effect that his life had on all who knew him. His spirit lives! Continue reading

Not by Accident

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I am fascinated by theories that postulate cause and effect. One example is the “butterfly effect” which theorizes that the flutter of butterfly wings in one part of the world will have an impact elsewhere. Sounds a bit mystical, doesn’t it?  Is this theory implying that small causes can have large effects?

Or, how about this: past experiences can determine future responses. Then there is “Chaos theory” which states, in part, that the present determines the future.

I have my own cause and effect theory which I call “Not by Accident” and it suggests that what we have experienced or learned in our earlier days, we now pass on to others, intentionally or not, as we live our lives. These influences could be both good or bad. Continue reading

Love

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Wouldn’t you agree that the most common theme at this sacred time of year is love. Love in all its forms, settings, worship, family. Love. A gift, a grace, a blessing, a joy.

We love our husband or wife, or that special person in our life. We love our children, and our grandchildren, and our great-grandchildren, and all our family, extended beyond blood. We love our animals, sunsets, oceans, reunions, lakes, mountains, and dreams. I love to write, to read, to travel, to love. You, too, have loves of your own. We are created to love, you and me. Continue reading

God’s Inspiration

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Morning?  Evening? Or maybe, you find time in the middle of the day to spend with God, when you meditate and pray.  Or maybe, you’re like me who finds that time, most of the time, except when my day is so filled that…  But wait, I seem to recall Martin Luther saying when his schedule was so very busy, he doubled his time with God.

Well, I’m no Martin Luther!  Nor did I set out to write a confessional essay, about how undisciplined I am in my time with God. In fact, I wanted to write about daily devotionals and those times when God and my better angels speak. Continue reading

I Believe…

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I believe that God is in charge of all that meets us where we live.

I believe that everything that happens in our lives passes through God’s hand.

I believe with assurance that everything that touches our lives, both good and bad, including those that cause pain, are all gifts from God and God’s gifts all have purpose. 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