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After this tragedy, we must pause for prayer.

It doesn’t matter what the tragedy is, we often pause to pray.  Do we not?  Do you ever wonder why that is? I don’t mean to be snarky, but why do we stop after we screw something up and then ask an all powerful Lord to straighten it out?  I’m not suggesting we discount prayer.  […]

Colin Kaepernick, Identity Politics, and “Just Do It…”

I was hoping this nonsense would end, but no such luck. In fact, in full disclosure, the only way this stops is when we either tire of it due to shear volume or we become far more discerning as a culture and as Christians. I’m in questioning how likely either appear to be… By now […]

My friend called. I didn’t answer…

And I’ve never been more ashamed in my life. It had been a long day.  I’d been waging a war with a monster bureaucracy a good portion of the day.  It would take an entire day just to explain it all.  I hadn’t been allowed to take any sort of nourishment because I needed to […]

Hot Sauce as the catalyst for Christian behavior? Interesting…

Yup.  I’m circling back on some things from nearly a year ago.  …Which is good.  We need to reflect.  If I were truly Godly, when compelled to make a statement to what I experience, a true Christian response would be to bite my tongue, say a prayer, and ask the Lord to make it into […]

Today is the day…

I have friends getting married today.  Dear friends.  They stem from different back grounds with different environments in which they were raised.  One a long time believer, another born again more recently.  The way they found one another and the content of their caring is pretty inspiring. As much as I would love to write […]

Abortion is as Holocaust does…

I had a person extol the virtues of abortion to me a short time ago while showing tremendous aberration towards the holocaust. I’ll admit freely I tricked them deliberately by asking them their opinion on the holocaust, since our initial discussion surrounded that of abortion.   When you think about it, they’re quite the same. […]

I type this with a Joyful heart… (Part 2 of 2)

I experienced something that I never assumed possible.  Troubles with a trusted brother.  You know.  The kind you read about or hear about, but also the kind you never expect to actually happen to you or around you.  That kind of trouble. Oh how wrong the person that mutters, “I never thought something like that […]

I type this with a heavy heart… (Part 1 of 2)

I was dealt a considerable blow today. Have you ever had something happen to you that was really hard to wrap your mind around?  As if each time the fog lifted on the matter, you could only catch a glimpse at something.  Upon each attempt your mind filed a snapshot of what you thought the […]

The “Love Dare” and my fall from Grace…

Yup…  You guessed it.  Here I was all high and mighty about my hard work on the Love Dare…  Yuppers, I’d undertaken and completed the whole ditty on time in 40 days, and the residual bliss stemming from the self-examination coupled with proper application had me chest bumping and high fiving myself.  Tons of faux […]

“God never gives you more than you can handle…” You sure about that?

How often do you hear that phrase or something similar?  I can’t walk ten feet without hearing somebody say it.  Let’s take this in context too by the way.  When a phrase like “God never gives you more than you can handle,” is uttered, it is almost always in the tone of consolement.  Consolation and […]

It’s not our job to toughen our children…

“It’s not our job to toughen our children up to face a cruel and heartless world.  It’s our job to raise children who will make the world a little less cruel and heartless.”  I ran across this in picture form the other day and it struck a chord with me.  I was tempted as many […]

Alfie Evans has ascended and what did we learn?

If you think about this there are some pretty serious ramifications at play here and we’re gingerly skipping past too many of them without a care in the world.  I’ve been studying Hippocrates diligently for a little over a year.  The man was just about as ethical as I can imagine.  He knew the rule […]

It takes a village to raise a child…

Where have I heard that before?  It became popular on a book cover and then used widely on a campaign trail not so long ago.  It’s a catchy little phrase and when used in the context our political class prefers, it simply means, “We all take part in shaping youth.”  There are many other similar […]

Facts are facts… Face it.

Are they?  I had a really great discussion the other day with a delivery driver that came to my shop.  He noticed I was listening to some Christian Apologetic lectures in the back ground and apparently the FedEx guys aren’t busy like the UPS drivers I watch that literally run packages to the door.  My […]

Lent and the Love Dare – Part 4 of 4

  SPOILER…  I survived the Love Dare.  So did my wife.  So did our marriage.  At this time, we must pause our program for station identification and thank our show’s sponsors, The Love Dare, Kirk Cameron, Fireproof Movie, etc., etc., etc. Did I leave anyone out?  YES.  The Lord.  Man, what a great day it is […]

Lent and the Love Dare – Part 3 of 4

HALF WAY THERE, he said with a resounding sense of pride.  If the Love Dare was a week, this would be hump day…  😉  You know all about Kirk Cameron, the movie “Fireproof” and my Lent challenge by now so let’s jump right in for the second half of the marriage devotional. Day 21 – […]

Lent and the Love Dare – Part 2 of 4

As I laid out in the first portion of this four part blog series, I had enjoyed watching the movie “Fireproof” with Kirk Cameron a few years back, bought the DVD, but hadn’t watched it in a while.  I was contemplating a Lent plan, and watching the Olympics.  During a commercial I was thumbing through […]

Lent and the Love Dare – Part 1 of 4

I’m not Catholic, but I’ve always enjoyed the idea of Lent.  If for nothing else I like the idea of giving something up in sacrifice or to simply pay daily devotional in a focused method.  I wrestled, as silly as that might sound, with what careful pledge and examination I could address over the course […]

Man, kids have changed these days…

Haven’t they?  Seriously.  What tops your list of gripes about today’s youth?  They want it all given to them.  They don’t want to work.  They don’t respect people.  They’re addicted to their phones and social media.  They don’t hold conversations with people and have meaningful two way dialogue.  They’re not interested in church.  They don’t […]

I wish I had a mentor…

I’ve been fortunate to have a handful by the way, and they’ve forever altered the quality and content of my life. What is a mentor you ask?  Dictionary.com explains this in noun form as “an experienced and trusted adviser.”  The Merriam-Webster dictionary is similar, “a trusted counselor or guide” and subsequent examples are that of […]

Postmodernism. You’ve heard me mention it, but do you know what it is?

And more importantly what to do when you stumble across it?  Well, the fact is, and I don’t mean to start this blog entry by punching you in the face, but if you are wondering to yourself right now when the last time it was you were in proximity to postmodernism, then you’re already at […]

A Tale of Two Cities and One Sweet Little Girl…

A Tale of Two Cities and One Sweet Little Girl… Today’s entry will be a bit different and also very personal to me… My dad approached me to take a few moments and write a bit of a story, or more so, an explanation about my daughter’s recent fundraising project.  I asked myself, “how do […]

Depression is the flaw in love…

“I need to be alone. I need to ponder my shame and my despair in seclusion; I need the sunshine and the paving stones of the streets without companions, without conversation, face to face with myself, with only the music of my heart for company.” ― Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer “The prince is never going to […]

I wanna get dumped in the ocean…

Wrestle tuna nearly half my size, and fend off hungry sharks with a knife just barely big enough to spread butter on a bagel.  That’s right.  I want to risk plenty, and for what?  The sport of it?  Check this video out.  You’ll benefit from the largest screen available to view it.  This video is […]

I just want to blog about love today…

I’m a football fan.  I played football when I was little and started JV the first two years in high school and started Varsity as a junior and senior.  I was what I’d describe as an average player.  I was surrounded by guys that were extremely talented though, many of which were truly great.  Playing […]

The movie “Moneyball” can be used as a church building template? Say it isn’t so…

Yes, as a matter of fact I believe it can be used as an example of what we seem to miss all too often when hoping, praying, and working to fill the pews…  Now, before we go any further, it should be stated in plain English, right up front, “Moneyball” is a baseball movie.  What […]

Mass shootings, gun violence, western culture, and you…

Everybody who has a heartbeat wants to make an impact on this.  Don’t we?  We hurt and we’re sorrowful.  We want to move forward, but more apropos, we want to have done something to stop things like this on some level.  Is there anyone you know that doesn’t?  We’re compelled to ban something or pass some […]

!!!AWESOME!!!

How often do you hear that in a day’s time?  I notice it often. “Hey, kudos on your spelling test son.  Awesome!” “Did you see the new Batman movie?  It was awesome.” “Wow, I love those earrings, they’re awesome.” Awesome, awesome, awesome…  Ugh…  Awesome is defined as extremely impressive or daunting; inspiring great admiration, apprehension, or […]

“But if not…” Do you know the significance of this phrase?

I didn’t.  Rest assured I do now.  It’s a great story too, so buckle in for a quick ride. Some of you are movie buffs.  Me too.  I love film.  I especially respond to dramas, and I will make special time to see a really cerebral drama in the theater if the claim looks valid. […]

Credo ut intelligam

Credo ut intelligam – Latin for “I believe so that I may understand” can be considered a mouthful.  If you do some searching around you’ll end up settling on Augustine of Hippo.  Another, albeit longer, Latin ditty you’ll find is nearly the same – Neque enim quaero intelligere ut credam, sed credo ut intelligam.  Augustine was […]

Marriage is work? Where is that written? Because,

Nobody mentioned that one to me before I entered into it. OK, that’s not true, and while wifey and I were the beneficiaries of some really great pastoral guidance, I’m not sure a person can truly know without experiencing marriage just how tough it can be on occasion. The funny thing about marriage is you […]

CONFLICT?

Conflict…  I experienced that yesterday.  I suppose you’d define conflict for my purposes as a clash between two things.  I was at odds within a situation our family has experienced.  I’m at odds no longer. There’s no secret that my son, Hollis, doesn’t hear well.  He’s fought hearing problems since the day we brought him […]

What do your children see when they look at you?

I stumbled across a video link on Kevin Sorbo’s facebook page the other day.  I typically don’t stop to watch every video I happen to notice.  If I did, I’d get absolutely nothing else done.  I think it was his comment that drew me in, so I stopped to watch it. Wowsers….  I really really […]

“Just Breathe”

I dig this song.  Acoustic ballads are typically an easy relate anyway.  There’s very little clutter and by virtue of being a ballad, there is a message inside the bottle.  When looking into why Eddie Vedder wrote this song, he’s proven to be a bit vague.  I suspect that’s for good reason.  When writing songs […]

My support group only seems to support my negativity. Is that normal?

I’ve had my eye on several support groups now for quite a while.  I’ll be very forthcoming with you about it.  There are things I’d very much like to change for the positive about my life.  I have thought at different times in my life, and many recently, that it would be hard for somebody […]

I’m feeling transgendered today. You suppose there is a version of the Bible that will support my notion?

Relax.  I wasn’t feeling transgendered.  Rather, as a 43yr old white American male, I was actually self identifying as a teenage Scandinavian girl.  …An early teenage girl.  …Or at least that’s the intellect I’m boasting as I say something as silly as that… But, if you really want to be thorough, and I’m rooted deeply […]

If you can have anything you want, do you really need God?

Yeah, I said that.  We’re headed into some really interesting and revolutionary times.  There are some who resist things like technology at face value, much based on fear.  There are fuddy-duddies who just resist change.  Plain and simple.  There are some who are excited and not only embrace innovations but look forward to all the things […]

15 Reasons We Should Still Be Using Hymnals? Are you kidding me???

Is that a silly thing to ask or what?  I’m hoping that at some point a fog machine is added to the 5 piece rock and roll band we have at church each morning.  In fact, I’m not sure I’d be shocked if Jesus rolled up in his Cadillac Escalade sporting 22″ chrome spinner wheelz and […]

11 Reasons why “13 Reasons Why” is good and terrible for you and your kids…

The blog title is crap, I know.  …And cliche.  But you’re here, so let’s delve in. 1 – Cinematically speaking, this series is very well done. The production is on point with this series.  The music is well chosen, and you’re going to miss out big time if you don’t turn on the closed captioning.  Yeah, […]

It’s too late to change your mind, you let laws be your guide…

Ever heard of a band called “Broken Bells” by chance?  I was listening to a really snappy tune from them the other day and was digging on some dark but interesting lyrics.  If you’re not into that, or don’t find value in the lyrics contained in music, you can stop reading.  I don’t mind.  I […]

Holy Moses! Millennials are people too…

Who woulda thunk it?  I recently happened across a piece on patheos.com where a self proclaimed millennial gave us the key to the kingdom as he saw it…  I found it refreshing.  I wrote a blog not long ago about how to respond and consider millennials and church.  Essentially it came down to “ask them […]

The top 37 things you’ll regret when you’re older…

…And #1 is?  Well, let’s wait on that for just a moment. Recently as I was surfing the net, I noticed many friends were sharing around the same article.  It kept popping up in various circles I frequent, so much like the cat, curiosity got the best of me.  I followed the link to what […]

21 things modern men need to stop doing?

My response you ask?  “Only 21?” I recently read an article from Chad Howse titled “21 Things Modern Men Need to Stop Doing” and it got me thinking.  I need to warn you up front, there’s a little color in the language Chad used, but it’s not what I’d call “X rated” by any means. […]

4% of Millennials are church goers???

That sounds pretty pathetic doesn’t it?  What kind of heathens comprise this generation?  Are they truly the ever-texting Godless mongrels that mark the end of days? Not so fast…  Before we go ahead and step right up with a new list of labels, maybe we should ask ourselves some pretty serious questions first.  Just how serious […]

OK, this is important and I’m going to say goodbye to some you…

Honestly people.  I’m getting sick and tired of that mantra that precedes some blather about “if you don’t copy and paste this nonsense, you’ll ________________…”  Facebook is great for this.  A large part of me says, as some of you may, ‘Get off Facebook if you don’t like it…’  That’s not a bad impulse and […]

It’s baby killing season again, WOO HOO!

Actually, that’s a silly blog title.  There is no season – Roe v. Wade says you can murder all year long.  No limits.  No fees.  No blackout dates.  It almost sounds like a commercial for a product or service doesn’t it?  Abortion is that easy to do and that accessible… I live in Iowa.  15 […]

We all have someone that digs at us…

“At least we dig each other…”  You know that tune?  I do.  It is one of my very favorites.  I love Incubus and have for a number of years.  My brother was listening to this stuff, and it rubbed onto me big time.  I’m not sure why, but I’m drawn to music for rhythm and […]

I don’t like that history, so I’ll just rewrite it real quick. Please hold…

We don’t actually hear people say that often out loud, but the fact is that it happens daily.  We manage to do it on a personal level with silly facebook memes and pics with text to define or orient a thought.  We see one, and there’s really a yes or no decision when we notice […]

I could never give up a child…

I’ve heard them all.  My wife happened across this article and shared it with me.  Believe me, as an adoptive parent, I’ve experienced just about every cliche you can think of.  Some are silly.  Some or ignorant.  Some are naive.  Some are mean.  But, just as all things, if we seek more understanding and good […]

Jesus in a comic book role? Uhhh….

Ok, sorry…  “Graphic Novel” for you enthusiasts. I was never a comic book guy.  In the area I grew up, there simply wasn’t access to them.  The newsstand at the local grocery had a few, but none of any gravitas.  I noticed a link to the article “Gods and monsters: the Bible gets a comic […]

I’m weary, and I hurt, and I worry, but then…

God sends you a message… The election period was rough.  People were and still are behaving stupidly.  I was labeled a racist for no more than simply being light skinned.  I was labeled a bully for no more than holding an opinion the label maker didn’t share.  I wasn’t terribly enthused about the short term […]

I saw the most anti-Christian meme the other day. …And it was a friend who was passing it around.

That kind of troubled me.  In fact, the longer I thought about it, the more bothered I became.  I wasn’t really sure how to balance it either.  Just how worked up should I get over stuff like this?  Should I comment on their Facebook post?  If anything, what should be said? Well, let’s see… The […]

Hitler was a Christian. Therefore…

How often do you hear that one?  I’m running across it from time to time – more often than I’d like actually.  Nobody with two brain cells to rub together is buying that crock, right?  Wrong. The whirling propaganda chain has been placed on the big sprocket, and we’re being deluged with nonsense.  The problem […]

Does my faith allow dying?

Yes. The problem is simple.  We often don’t understand it, or can’t talk about it.  Well, actually that begs a question: Can’t or Won’t? What do you think when people ask why somebody young, or lively, or with many young children dies or is subject to dying?  What do you say to those consumed with […]

Can Christianity Spread without Freedom?

This is a big one folks.  It really is.  There are many who cannot balance politics and religion.  More importantly, they don’t understand that there are absolutely essential times when both should be completely separated, and also times they are linked at the hip for their very survival.  A blog post trying to make clear […]

Dear Abby, my friends don’t seem interested in Church or the Gospel…

I’ll bet you don’t see that one much…  Ha!  Probably because we’re busy asking questions of Abby like why our husbands don’t look at us the way they used to, or which stroller is best for an extended trip to the mall, or when it is appropriate to blow the neighbors leaves back onto their […]

Anybody up for killing some babies today? Let’s go!

Yeah, that was pretty heavy handed.  In fact, of my six readers, I just lost four of you.  But, that’s ok.  I can’t force you to the reality of abortion.  If there was such a case though that would absolutely slap you in the face, it would be that of Gianna Jessen. I’m not sure how […]

I love social media and it loves me back. Or does it?

A good friend of mine and I were talking yesterday and just as I was thinking it he mentions, “Have you noticed how negative Facebook and social media have become?”   There’s a couple of things to consider here. Facebook is not a webpage in a traditional sense. If you visit my website, you can […]

KYRIE ELEISON!!!

Translated from the Greek, “Lord, have mercy” Kyrie Eleison – \ˈkir-ē-ˌā-ə-ˈlā-(ə-) I remember listening to the song with this title as a kid over and over and over. I remember not having a single friend with any idea what Richard Page, lead singer of Mr. Mister, was singing but we thought it was pretty close to “Kary Elise” or […]

Apparently my muted cries for plush front row seating have been heard…

Yes, I’m a front row Christian.  Yes, I like my La-Z-Boy recliner.  Yes, I like naps.  Oh, whoops… http://babylonbee.com/news/church-unveils-new-full-body-massage-pews/ I was alerted to the article above by my Pastor, Steve, recently.  I found it humorous.  As always, I came back to the thought later and pondered for a bit not having dealt with it forthwith like […]

Do my actions have immediate consequences or is there a ripple effect?

#bluelivesmatter #blacklivesmatter Sure they do.  But what about #alllivesmatter?  I saw this facebook meme running around the other day and it was one of the few I gave more than a half second to for consideration. Is there anybody who doesn’t fully comprehend what is arguably the most famous passage in the Bible? John 3:16 […]

“Well, I don’t judge…”

My response?  YOU BETTER… I can’t tell you how many times I hear that in conversation these days.  It appears that progressives have managed to yet again propagandize and alter a perfectly good word and turn it on it’s ear.  On a side note, they’re really good at this.  Most of the time the association […]

Your sin is worse than mine. Let me prove it to you…

If your reaction to my blog subject line was “Finally, somebody gets me” then you’re set for disappointment.  There seems to be a steady stream of this kind of false thought running through the Christian circles, and others for that matter, and it is high time we tackled it. After the Orlando Florida tragedy, I […]

A Child Shall Lead Them…

I have been delving deeper into college choices for our children.  While they are very young, the education and the philosophy are supremely important in order to hone my kid’s swords.  …Or dull them.  Thus, the education they are subjected to and embrace will have a profound impact on their lives.  I have to balance my […]

Let’s force Christianity on people…

Wait a minute…  Maybe let’s not.  Sounded almost militant didn’t it? OK, that’s a poor way to start when putting thoughts to paper, but the fact is, I struggle with this stuff.  What are we supposed to do as Christians?  Are is not necessary to spread the Gospel?  There’s some low hanging fruit from scripture […]

I sat in the back row for Good Friday Services…

…And you guessed it.  I didn’t like it one bit.  My wife was ‘on call’ that weekend and since we were traveling to family on Easter Sunday, we wanted to catch a Good Friday service.  We went to Cornerstone Bible Fellowship and the mood was somber and dark.  The crucifixion was no party, so it […]

Hallelujah Redux

Hallelujah – Hebrew for “Glory to the Lord” – After discussion with my wife and others I decided to revisit the subject of “Hallelujah” made famous by Leonard Cohen’s writing, and timeless by Jeff Buckley’s version of the song. Let’s delve into this a bit.  It is important I post my disclaimer up front.  I’m not learned […]

Chris Kyle and acting in Christian Faith? Balance that…

I wrote a think piece on Chris Kyle, PTSD, and being a good neighbor some time ago.  It’s time I shared my thoughts with you on this.  I’m posting my think piece below for you to consider.  Below this piece will be a thought from Albert Mohler that may alter your perspective.  Resist the temptation […]

How can I pass off a ‘foodie’ post as biblical you ask? Well, read below…

There’s a little more to it than that of course, so give me a little latitude to bring this full circle.  Hang in there.  I think I can do it. I had a conversation waiting outside a courthouse with a minister the other day about how uptight people get in front of the men in […]

Kindness. Do you have it in you? What am I saying? Do I have it in me???

Facebook.  Yeah, I love it and I loathe it at the same time.  In an age where accusations appear to be enough to convict someone in the eyes of the public, it’s a dangerous thing to construct a meme or snippet about a person or event, as the soft headed among us glam onto these […]

Lent… You reckon the Catholics are onto something?

Lent.  Not every Christian observes it in the sense that they give up something, fast, or sacrifice for Lent.  Should we though? If we’re in agreement that Lent is an observation of the time Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted by Satan and the fast lasted for 40 days and 40 nights, what does […]

The Iowa Caucus and the Retreat from Decency…

I’m feeling kind of sad today.  As I set here zipping down through facebook posts, I’m seeing a lot of really troubling stuff.  Granted many are partial attempts at humor so they shouldn’t be considered a big deal.  But…  There’s still a lot being said in spite of the chuckles. People are actually bragging about […]

50,000,000 babies killed since Roe vs Wade. Your reponse???

I make it no secret that if not for the gift of adoption my wife and I may not have had a family.  We simply couldn’t get and stay pregnant.  The eight year battle with infertility isn’t the reason I write today.  The fact that the birth parents of our children having chose life over […]

Did the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” stumble upon the greatest question of all time?

I dig the Indiana Jones movies.  Well…  Not the last one.  It was utterly terrible and stamped with a monster FAIL right in the title sequence…  That aside, my personal favorite is the Last Crusade.  I like the intertwined stories of the crusade and the black/white parallel with Hitler’s quest for the third reich. As […]

The day after Mira. …Not so fast…

I put pen to paper, or more appropriately, chubby little digits to keyboard, the day after we laid Mira’s body to rest.  Those thoughts are below: “Mira was laid to rest yesterday. The visitation and funeral for Mira were tough events to endure, but some of the most heartfelt fellowship I’ve witnessed in life was […]

It’s been a rough Christmas season….

For nearly a year and a half I’ve been involved as best I can with my family’s best friends and their cancer stricken 6yr daughter.  We’ve been the best of friends for over two decades, and our daughters are the same age and also the best of friends.  When something happens to them, it also […]

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me…

Yes, I love all kinds of music.  Pretty much everything under the sun with two exceptions.  I’m not much on the angry rap or the extra twangy country…  Otherwise, I generally love whatever is playing.  Well, mostly love.  I should have included ‘pop’ as it were.  I find this entire genre of music utterly forgettable. […]

The first post and the reason this blog exists…

  I grew up in a Christian-Presbyterian Church far from where I live now.  I know what God is.  I know what Satan is.  I have two little children now, 6 and 2.  I look around me in the world and I don’t like what I see.  I notice God missing and I want to […]