God knows you
Collectors Weekly recently posted a fascinating series of pictures of the contents of suitcases left behind by deceased patients of the Willard Asylum for the Chronic Insane between 1910 and the 1960s. The images tell stories but leave many questions. One suitcase held a woman’s collection of whimsical hairbrushes, packed next to a small straw broom. Another suitcase held a clock, a tube of shoe cream, and a small hand-carved Scottish Terrier. There were books, musical instruments, photographs, and journals. Each photo reminds you that a person left this luggage behind, a person who was someone’s mother, brother, or friend. The scattered remnants give us vague glimpses of the people who owned them.
multi-hat syndrome
A pastor recently listed 36 different “hats” he might wear. The roles included community activist, theologian, financial advisor, and life coach. These roles evolved from the different needs of churchgoers. While it’s important for all of us to respond to others’ needs, if the demands consume us, we may begin to serve people instead of serving God.
greater than our shame
God is greater than our shame. Because Saul failed to realize this, his life ended tragically. The Israelites were engaged in a fierce battle and suffered defeat at the hands of the Philistines on Mt. Gilboa. That day, the Philistines killed Saul’s three sons and wounded him. Humiliation, torture, and death were likely to follow his capture. Unable to endure the shame, Saul committed suicide. Beneath this desperate act, however, lurked the larger and the darker issues of disloyalty and disobedience to God.
he’s not there
My dad passed away a year ago from pancreatic cancer. When we arrived at the graveside for a private family burial, the funeral director was waiting there with my dad’s cremated ashes. It was the first time we had seen the small urn that housed his remains. I suddenly became overwhelmed with grief. A caring family member looked me in the eye and quietly spoke these simple but reassuring words, “Remember, Dad’s not there.”
subversive hymn
We like to sing hymns in our church—the older the better. We often put new music to them, but sometimes we sing the songs as written. The power of the words, the beautiful melodies, the fact that Christians sang these truths long before us, make hymns an important part of our worship.
mirror, mirror
When it comes to physical appearance, we’re constantly bombarded with advice. And truth be told, the suggestions found on magazine covers, in TV commercials, and voiced by store clerks—among other sources—bother me. They’re all trying to nudge me to pursue that perfect look.
origin of the species
A previously unknown monkey species, the Caqueta titi monkey, was discovered deep in the Amazon jungle in August 2009. A month earlier, two newly identified species of fish were found in the area affected by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Taxonomists today are discovering new species of animals, birds, and fish all the time—some 18,516 new species were discovered in 2007 alone. On average, 50 new species are discovered each day. Quentin Wheeler, of the International Institute of Species Exploration at Arizona State University, said, “Most people do not realize just how incomplete our knowledge of Earth’s species is.”
work
The first thing you notice are the nets. They stretch tautly between buildings, hung to catch workers who might attempt to leap to their deaths. This is Foxconn, the behemoth factory in Shenzhen, China, where throngs of young Chinese manufacture iPads, iPhones, and computers for the world. As the nets attest, the job isn’t always fulfilling.
what God looks like
In March of 2012, Americans listened with regret and repulsion as we heard reports of an American soldier in Afghanistan who went on a killing spree in a rural Afghan village. This rogue soldier massacred 16 civilian Afghanis. This is an absolute horror. The aftermath compounds our grief because these evil actions (and several other travesties) will, for some, define American ideals to our Afghani neighbors. Because of the actions of one violent man, many will believe that Americans are filled with hatred and are to be feared. Who can blame them? When someone acts in our name or on our behalf, we’re represented by their actions.
meaning of life
"The meaning of your life is the meaning you give it,” writes philosopher A. C. Grayling in his book Thinking of Answers. He suggests trying to create meaning in our lives through the pursuit of relationships and goals, by developing our talents and interests, and through our hopes and desires. Grayling concludes that life itself is meaningless and the only meaning…
the Word of God
A person’s words are inseparable from the person speaking them. Think about your own words. They come from you and are uniquely yours. Your words communicate your heart. They come from your inner self—your soul—and express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, and character. Your words are spoken with your voice. They are sounded with your own unique mix of accent, pitch,…
art and balance
Organizers call it a “radically open art competition.” It’s also highly democratic. ArtPrize lures artists to my hometown with the possibility of winning substantial cash—if the attendees like what you create. Art aficionados can wander past hundreds of exhibits scattered throughout the city, but they can vote for only one.
Many of the works are awe-inspiring. An elaborate, multicolored ice…
sacred spaces
A torii is a traditional Japanese gate typically painted brilliant red and found at the entrance of Shinto shrines and Japanese Buddhist temples devoted to particular gods. Adherents to those religions believe it marks the point where one leaves the secular world and enters the holy. A large and famous torii stands off the shore of Miyajima Island in the Hiroshima…
every living thing
"The life of every living thing is in [God's] hand, and the breath of every human being" (Job 12:10).
[caption id="attachment_6297" align="aligncenter" width="800" caption="Tiny Turtle at Bali, Indonesia"]
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—submitted by Ruth Tobing, Indonesia
Life-giver
"He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, He doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve His needs—for He has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need" (Acts 17:24-25).
[caption id="attachment_6190" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="Bajra Village, Indonesia"]
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—pic submitted…
