Glow Worms
In response to a critic, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once replied, “We are all worms, but I do believe that I am a glow-worm.”
love and knowledge
An old legend about the Titanic goes like this: A woman boarding the ship nervously asked a deckhand if the Titanic was truly unsinkable, to which he replied, “God Himself could not sink this ship.”
unfair and unjust
At a recent kids’ function, I watched two boys play a jousting game on an inflatable “fighting” ring. Each boy was instructed to stand on an inflated pedestal and use an oversized pole shaped like a Q-tip to knock the other off his perch. The one who fell off first would lose.
work ethics
Every October, the office where I work becomes extremely quiet. The leaders are away attending annual meetings in another country. So those of us who are left behind say to each other with a wink, “When the cat’s away, the mice will play.”
great expectations
Most of us have an innate desire to help others. We work overtime to ensure that the company meets an important deadline. The sound engineer makes sure the new church sound system is ready for the Sunday service. A young man loses his job and his father offers to pay his rent. These stories remind us that we occasionally underestimate our influence. In contrast, we can also use our positions or authority to negatively impact those who love and respect us—sometimes even inadvertently.
not mine
My husband and I believe that the most influential people in a child’s life are his or her parents. But we wonder at times if our parenting decisions are having the impact we hoped for. Now that our kids are adolescents, friendships no longer consist of playing with toys and learning to share. Likewise, because they’re not always within sight, our kids have more experiences on their own than when they were younger. These days, instead of searching for a lesson to deposit in their hearts and minds (Proverbs 3:1), I find myself looking for a place to kneel and pray for them.
i am He
Friends, it is time I revealed to you who I really am. I—Sheridan Voysey—am He. I am the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.
glory & authority
John records for us two events that occurred at the beginning (probably in the first few weeks) of Jesus’ public ministry. Jesus performed the first of his 35 recorded miracles at a wedding in Cana, turning plain water used for ceremonial washing into top-quality wine (John 2:1-11). More than just showing us a tender and compassionate Jesus helping an embarrassed, newly married couple whose wine ran out too early, we’re offered a taste of His transforming power!
breaking tradition
I didn’t realize how much my family’s Christmas traditions were ingrained in me until it came time for my husband and me to form our own. While we may have strong opinions about when to begin decorating or the best way to open presents, the real issue is deeper. In the ever-changing flow of life, traditions bring a sense of stability. Even though no amount of Christmas baking, tree-decorating, or family get-togethers can guarantee us permanence, we still hold them dear.
using the keys
Based on the bulky size of the key ring that holds my car and house keys, losing it shouldn’t be an issue. But it seems that I’m always searching for my keys, and they’re hardest to find when I need them most. One time I lost a set of keys after wrapping up gift baskets we had made for a youth fundraiser. I imagined someone opening her gift, only to wonder how to claim the house and car that came with her basket!
tale of two sons
A mother asks her two sons to clean their room. The first yells, “Don’t be such a nag, Mom!” and locks himself in his room. Later he feels bad and decides to clean his room. The second says, “Yeah, Mom, anything for you,” but continues to play his video games.
dethroned
Muammar Gaddafi, Africa’s longest-reigning head of state, used to pitch his infamous luxury tent at the end of my street whenever he was in Uganda for Africa Union Summit meetings. My son and I would attempt to count the number of soldiers and short-range missile launchers that surrounded Gaddafi’s canvas residence. It was clear that the “Colonel” feared for his life and went beyond standard security measures for protection.
true freedom
Many countries annually exercise their freedom to literally change time. I experienced this timely change when I was in the US a few years ago. During my visit in the spring, I witnessed Daylight Savings Time—a national law that calls for all clocks to be set back by one hour. It’s designed to save energy, and it also leads to lighter mornings for children who are heading to school. Interesting!
just say the word
When a man entered a Denny’s restaurant proclaiming that he was the new boss, manager Tracy Brant didn’t buy it. Although the man was sporting a coat, tie, and toting a briefcase, Tracy dialed Denny’s headquarters to verify his claim. Meanwhile, the well-dressed intruder cooked himself a burger and fries in the restaurant kitchen. Before he finished eating, Brant confirmed that he was only masquerading as a manager. He had no legitimate authority in the restaurant.
the strong lion
Ethiopia suffers an alarmingly high rate of marriages by abduction (some estimates say 70 percent of marriages happen this way). Earlier this year, seven men abducted a 12-year-old girl, beating her and intending to force her to marry one of them. She somehow escaped, and when the men tracked her down they discovered serious trouble. Several lions had gathered round the girl, chasing off her abusers and protecting her for half a day. The police said, “[The lions] stood guard until we found her and then just left her like a gift and went back into the forest.”
