toxic environment
Two dolphins—Shadow and Chelmers—died of a drug overdose at the Connyland Marine Park in Switzerland. Forensic experts suppose that partygoers at a nearby rave placed a heroinlike substance into the dolphins’ tank water. The dolphin trainers who found Chelmers described him as “shaking all over and foaming at the mouth.” Based on these symptoms and the presence of buprenorphine in the dolphins’ bodies, it seems likely that the dolphins died due to their toxic environment.
a psalm for the struggle
It was the kind of eatery where you stand in line, place your order, and then step aside to wait for your food to appear. After I did just that, a young man took my place in front of the cash register. He ordered his food by using gestures and broken words. Paying was difficult for him, because one of his wrists was turned so that his fingers pointed back to his body. And walking to a table meant overcoming the uneven function of his legs. This young man struggled physically, yet courageously.
correcting blind spots
In The Call to Joy and Pain, Ajith Fernando, a Christian leader from Sri Lanka, wrote: “The church in each culture has its own special challenges—theological blind spots that hinder Christians from growing to full maturity in Christ. . . . I think one of the most serious theological blind spots in [today’s] western church is a defective understanding of suffering. . . . The ‘good life’—comfort, convenience, and a painless life—have become necessities that people view as basic rights. If they do not have these, they think something has gone wrong. . . . One of the results of this attitude is a severe restriction of spiritual growth, for God intends us to grow through trials.”
live prepared
On a recent family trip to the mountains, we were driving late at night through thickly wooded areas. A small bright gleam to the left captured our attention, and my husband quickly slowed the car as two deer leaped across our path. We took that teachable moment to explain to our kids the power of peripheral vision—giving them insight to use one day when they’re behind the wheel.
ghost car
In 1939, General Motors created a “ghost car”—a transparent vehicle with a body made of Plexiglas. The see-through outer shell of the Pontiac Deluxe Six revealed a custom chrome-plated dashboard, a spare tire lodged in the trunk, and even the door-locking mechanisms. The “ghost car” debuted at the New York World’s Fair and then traveled to various dealerships before finding a semi-permanent parking spot inside the Smithsonian Institute. In 2011, it sold at an auction for $308,000.
staying grounded
Best-selling author John Eldredge recently wrote a book about Jesus titled Beautiful Outlaw. One of the things that struck Eldredge as he researched and wrote his new work was noting how grounded Jesus was as a person.
Eldredge wrote that Jesus had the “ability to navigate praise, then hatred, false flattery, then adoring crowds, vicious slander, and then people who simply…
persevering
The film October Sky tells the remarkable story of a teenage boy’s dream to build rockets. After watching Sputnik, the first earth-orbiting artificial satellite, race across the night sky in 1957, a deep desire was ignited within Homer Hickam to make rockets and become a part of NASA’s space program.
The problem was that nearly everything in Homer’s life was set…
today #13
Today . . .
Lord, they mock me!
They look at me and laugh!
They even tease me!
They say, “Where is your God now?”
I am an embarrassment!
I am so upset!
Yet, when I think of Your goodness,
Yet, when I consider Your ways,
I know that You are with me!
You are my Rock!
You are my Peace!
You are my Strength!
You are my Encouragement!
Protect me, O God!
Hide…
carried
Mark 11:23-24: “I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will…
a time to learn
A video on YouTube captured a mother squirrel trying to teach her baby how to scale a cement wall. Over and over the mother squirrel patiently showed how it was done, but the wall was simply too big for the younger rodent to conquer.
Eventually, a few college students intervened. They first placed a backpack up against the wall, hoping…
God's unobstructed view
Every Sunday I drive an overloaded car full of former street kids to church. While I try to navigate the crazy Kampala roads, the boys are constantly demanding my attention.
“Look over there, Auntie Rox!” one shouts, “That’s where we used to find scrap to sell.” “See those men?” adds another. “They beat me and stole my shoes!” “I used…
lost
Soon after Charles Lindbergh completed his monumental transatlantic flight in the Spirit of St. Louis, the US Ambassador to Mexico asked Lindbergh to make another flight in order to foster positive US-Mexico relations.
Taking off from Washington DC on December 13, 1927, Lindbergh began the 24-hour flight to Mexico City. After navigating through dense fog, Lindbergh lost his bearings. With only…
