The tectonic plates of the art world shifted a bit last month. Experts discovered
that The Colossus, a great painting regarded as one of Francisco do Goya’s finest
works, was actually not created by the master artist, but by an understudy. The
news reporter went on to say, Read the rest of this entry »
For two weeks the on ramp to Interstate 75 near my home had been blocked by orange barrels with flashing yellow lights. Like a maze-savvy lab rat, I had grown accustomed to passing the direct entrance to the highway, following a circular detour and taking the long way onto I-75. This path made perfect sense as it was the most efficient way to enter the highway – until last Saturday. Read the rest of this entry »
The tingling in her hands and feet crept in slowly, usually in the mornings. My dear friend, Kara, * didn’t feel as strong as she used to. When these odd symptoms lingered she went to the doctor for answers. His countenance gave her little comfort as he reacted to her describing her symptoms. Also unsettling was the nurse’s request that her husband come next month “for emotional support” when discussing diagnosis and treatment. Once home, Kara noticed a diagnosis code on the MRI prescription — 340. A quick online search revealed what the doctor was testing for — Multiple Sclerosis. Read the rest of this entry »
Hope
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8
Today I found myself needing a heaped-up helping of hope. The President our nation chose yesterday is politically inexperienced, said that he didn’t want his daughters “punished with a baby” if they “make a mistake,” does not uphold God’s pattern of marriage between one man and one woman, and published a book with the statement, “I will stand with them (the Muslims) should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.” Trying to obey God, I did pray for our new leader this morning. Soon after, I went searching scripture for hope. Let me share with you what God shared with me. Read the rest of this entry »
Make Me Something Daddy
“Make me something, Daddy,” the little girl said, expectantly holding out a tiny handful of Playdough. The child knew that the creative powers Daddy could bring to bear on that lifeless piece of clay dwarfed that of her own. Daddy’s repertoire of sculptures to create was infinite. Daddy’s hands could magically transform that pliable goop into a powerful lion or a beautiful ballerina while the child’s hands more often created a sticky mess.
“Give me a little more to work with,” said the father, eager to create something wonderful for his child. Read the rest of this entry »
Remote Control Prayer
A recent 4-day power outage caused my kids to break out every toy in the house that did not require electricity. One such relic, that had taken backseat to the Play Station for years, was a battery-powered remote control truck. My son was delighted anew with the absolute power of Read the rest of this entry »
Imaginary Battles
Heart racing. Hands glued to the controls. Intense concentration. Frustrated exclamations spouting forth intermittently. Read the rest of this entry »
Top 10 Spiritual Lies (& Truth that Shatters Them)
Three Things
OK. I confess. I’m Type A. I have a To Do List – everyday. At the very core of my being there’s a little voice saying, “If you get through 75%-100% of your List, it’s a good day.” Conversely, if I accomplish 50% or less, the little voice gets up on its little soapbox and goes on a tirade, “You have been unproductive. You have insufficient checks on your List. What good are you if you can’t finish your list?” Frankly, the little voice used to really get me down if I didn’t check enough boxes — until I discovered something missing in my Read the rest of this entry »
Tuesday – 9PM. A grave warning flashed up on my computer screen. “Primary EIDE drive is operating outside normal parameters. Back-up immediately. Replace hard drive.” My computer was crashing and so was my ability to accomplish the week’s To Do List. No more e-mail. No more progress on work or school projects. No more accomplishing anything that mattered.
Suddenly, I realized how dependent I’d become on the computer for numerous aspects of my life. In that moment I also discovered how dangerous it is to depend on the wrong thing or person when you’re trying to accomplish anything significant. Read the rest of this entry »