Clickbait is today's yellow journalism. In months ahead we'll hear false statements made not for the sake of truth but for a political click ..read more

So, where is your happy place? That place you go, to sit at the Lord's feet in peace and listen to Him ..read more

I miss not having a Sunday paper. I loved going through the sections and getting caught up on the news, sports, and of course, looking at the Sunday comics.   In our family the comics were literally a gift that kept on giving as we would use the colorful comics to wrap presents. The goal was to use one that had a humorous message for the receiver. The problem was that often the punchline of a multi-panel comic wouldn’t fit the box we were wrapping. The solution was easily found using the single panel “Family Circus” comic.   Family Circus is a memorable comic. Comics Kingdom describ ..read more

I’m spending the first part of a summer study sabbatical in the solitude of the Arizona desert. Looking out upon the desert landscape, with the temperatures approaching 110, the song “A Horse With No Name” from the band America came to my mind. “I've been through the desert on a horse with no name, it felt good to be out of the rain.”   The band explained that the song is a “lyrical exploration of solitude and introspection set in the vastness of a desert.” The song captures the sense of detachment and isolation experienced in such a landscape. It is a place where personal identity loses ..read more

Even if you haven’t seen Toy Story, it’s likely that you are familiar with Bud Lightyear’s iconic declaration, “To infinity and beyond!” It offers a sense of boundless exploration and adventure. It encapsulates the spirit of curiosity and the desire to push beyond known limits. It is a fantastical statement that calls us to see beyond the boundaries of time and space.   Infinity is defined as: unlimited extent of time, space, or quantity; boundlessness. Therefore, nothing and everything is beyond infinity as infinity is undefinable by words or experience. Knowing that the sun is 93 mil ..read more

Since 1955 our taxes have been due on April 15. According to Benjamin Franklin, “Only two things are certain in life: Death and Taxes.” This rather fatalistic proverb draws our attention to the actual inevitability of death to highlight the difficulty in avoiding the burden of taxes. The implication is that both are things we want to avoid.   The similarities between the two are clear. In preparation to send in our taxes by April 15th we will spend hours sorting through our receipts and double checking the numbers on the forms. Why? To see if we can eke out a lower tax bill. Likewise, ma ..read more

I am amazed by the speed with which technology changes. Where culture and technology once passed us by at the speed of a Schwinn Stingray, today they are moving at the speed of a bullet train. I recognize the blessings of technological advancements and yet I wonder if culture is driving technology or if technology is driving culture.   My first camera was an old square Brownie. It’s not that I’m that old, it’s just that it was the first camera that I was allowed to use on my own. At the time I could have never imagined that one day I could take a picture with a phone or that I could see ..read more

An acquaintance of mine recently suggested that it would be good to have a community praise service to thank God for the abundant snow that we have received. I appreciated his prompting, and while I'm not certain how to facilitate such a meeting, it got me thinking about the appropriateness of us giving God thanks for the provision of the life-giving snow and rain that we have had the last couple of months. Such praise should be natural for as Psalms 147 says, "How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! He is the one who covers the sky with clouds. He d ..read more

The phrase “Lest We Forget!” comes to my mind when I think about why we celebrate holidays. Unless we remember their origin, the reason for the holiday, it can be easy for us to forget why we are celebrating. And, if we forget the reason, then our celebration will be empty. The fall is rich with holidays – some we know the reason for the celebration, others, not so much. At Thanksgiving we share a meal remembering the pilgrims arrival in North America. At Christmas we give gifts remembering the birth of Christ our Savior. But what about some of the lesser known fall holidays? Do we know why t ..read more

My wife and I celebrated our 40th anniversary by spending a week in Glacier National Park. In addition to the natural beauty of the area, I was struck by the wildlife that we encountered along the trails. We saw the typical wildlife one would expect to see along trails; some deer, including a 4-point buck, and a few bald eagles. An unexpected encounter was with a herd of big horn sheep and a mountain goat. But my greatest surprise was when I came across a black bear moseying up a trail ahead of me. These animals made the same choice we make – they followed the path of least resistance. The sh ..read more