It was my senior year, county championships, mile run. My coach had entered me because he said I might break the county record. My personal best was 15 seconds faster than any other runner in the field. On the starting line I leered at my competition, literally growled at them, saliva running onto my beard. …
Tag: faith
A Sow Named Gertrude
There’s a sow who lives on my daughter Brianna’s farm named Gertrude. Because of her trim figure, she has avoided being a pork chop, and become a pet. A while back dogs attacked her and ran off with her ears. Yea, that’s right, her ears! Oh, don’t feel too sad for Gertrude, she’s still one…
Love Carries A Saw
My friend Bob used to remind me that God comes as love, carrying a saw. When he was 19, Bob and his brother crashed into a telephone pole, and walked away unscathed. But Bob stumbled going up the embankment and his arm touched a down power line. He said during his six month’s hospital stay…
Going to Work with Dad
My father put me to work at an early age. At six years old he gave me my first job; to carry 92 fire brick up to the second story of a home in progress. He gave me until lunch to do it. A mixture of fear and awe settled over me. Fear that if…
The Daring Dream
Christmas, the daring dream, Creeps ever closer. The silent night’s Holy birth of God, awash Into a world of angels. Children’s faces, Joy! Alighted by surprise, Squinting into mystery, Watch Him, who fell so far. Oh, sons of earth, Come! See Him, as we rehearse The daring dream of the star.
Grumpy Disciples-Contemplation’s Role in Re-creation
One of my favorite times of the day is what I call office hours. I shut the door to my office, put on piano music, light a candle, and close my eyes. The silence wraps me like a heavy blanket. My thoughts are a bundle of sharp brambles; their edges poke at me, a reminder…
Contemplative Prayer-The Fire of transformation
It’s clear from scripture that God is fire. Moses stood before a burning bush, as well as followed that same pillar of fire guiding him in the desert. Tongues of fire appeared over the heads of the apostles at Pentecost. The Bible describes God as a consuming fire. Which reminds me of a little bon…
Contemplative Prayer-In Whose Presence?
Squeezed inside a makeshift tent in the living room, a perfect hiding place for a granddaughter’s over-worked imagination. “What’s that?” I whisper. Her eyes widen, and a thin smile parts her lips. My eyes mimic hers in widening fear as we stare at one another. “The monster’s close, don’t move a muscle,” I say. Her…
Contemplative Prayer-In Whose Arms?
For contemplative prayer to be grounded, it relies on two movements of faith. The first happens when we reach for the person of Jesus Christ in his invitation to “come.” In my mind’s eye I see his arm stretched toward me, the same way it was stretched on the cross and nailed in place. His…
Contemplative Prayer-On whose terms?
After 42 and a half years learning every aspect of prayer, I’ve decided contemplative prayer is the key to opening up vast spiritual understanding, deepening my love for God, and prying open a door to mystery which builds love between lovers, the same way secrets do between those in whom we share them. Unless we…
The Bridge…and Coming Home
The sound of the old pickup truck turning onto Flocktown road always sent a thrill up my spine. Dad was home! My brother JoJo and I would often meet him at the old stone bridge where we had spent hours catching crawdads and splashing in the creek. The older I get the more I…
Watch The White Line
Self-Leadership in a Crisis God uses times of crisis to prepare leaders for, well… times of crisis. Perhaps you can trace your own leadership roots to a trial, weakness or disappointment. It’s how God prepared and reconstructed the Apostle Paul, who bravely said, “For when I’m weak, then I’m strong.” That’s comforting for someone…
To Sir, with love 