Once upon a depressingly long time ago, I had this encounter with my mother. It was shortly before Christmas, and, me being a gotta-have-it-now kind of boy, I was pitching a fit because I didn’t want to wait until Christmas Day to open my presents, which were at that moment taunting me from underneath the tree. My mother did her best to talk me down from this poorly thought out position by reminding me that most of the fun, most... Read more
I am not known to have the best memory in the world—or even in my own house. I frequently meet and hold lengthy conversations with people who clearly know who I am. Typically, it will happen at a church gathering, or at some kind of school reunion where people I have taught or taught with will meander over to me with a gleam in their eye. “Hey, David!” Clearly this person knows me. “Hey!” I respond. This perfectly non-committal response... Read more
Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 CORINTHIANS 12:8–9 NIV I can’t sing. That doesn’t mean that I don’t sing. I do. I sing in the car, in the shower, when I’m alone, and when... Read more
First times are, for a brief moment, glorious. First times are the essence of adventure. No matter what you do or experience, given enough repetitions, it can become routine and stale. But, when it’s brand new, the moment can sometimes be overwhelming–in a good way, of course. Of course, the experience of newness, and the memory of whatever experience it was that was new, can be very fleeting. I can barely remember the first time I experienced or participated in... Read more
My youngest daughter disobeyed me this past weekend. Actually, she put the crowning touch on what has, in truth, been a lifetime of disobedience. Ever since she was a little girl, barely able to walk, I have given her one simple instruction. I have repeated myself countless times, and, honestly, I feel I have been very clear as to my expectations. But, in what seems a willful refusal to honor her father, she has persisted in her rebellious ways. Although... Read more
I was not a good student. Throughout my elementary, middle, and high school years, I consistently struggled to experience any kind of academic success. My grades were always very low, and, not surprisingly, I actually developed a strong dislike for school. I had an aversion to all things academic. The issue wasn’t really intellectual ability; the one area where I did experience success was in standardized testing. I typically scored in the top five or ten percent of test-takers, which... Read more
The Great Eggs and Okra Fiasco of North Georgia My grandmother, God rest her, was an excellent cook. I want to get that out of the way right up front because I don’t want anyone to think I am disrespecting her culinary abilities. My grandfather wasn’t overweight accidentally if you catch my drift. The woman knew her way around a kitchen. But even the best of us in whatever field we excel in will have occasional misses, and my dear... Read more
My First Real Loss The year I graduated from high school I stayed for a while with a gentleman who was manager of the little outdoor furniture factory where I worked during my high school years. My plan was to spend a year working and saving before I began college, and this individual, Mr. Ted, and his wife were kind enough to allow me to live with them for that interim period. One frosty morning as Christmas approached, before sunrise,... Read more
So Much Potential What caught my eye initially was the simple unpretentious nature of the message on the small country church’s sign. Two words, with no further elaboration or explanation, announcing to the world one consequence of our new reality: REVIVAL CANCELED. That was all, but it was surely enough. Church members, community members, and passersby could all connect the necessary dots to understand what was behind the terse announcement. We are in a crisis. Social distancing is the phrase... Read more
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