untethered
Nik Wallenda became the first man to walk across Niagara Falls on a tightrope. During this amazing accomplishment, the television network that broadcast the event insisted that Wallenda wear a tether, so even if he had slipped he would not have plummeted to his death. Nik protested, but reluctantly agreed to use the tether. I’m glad he did, especially for the sake of his wife and children—but for some it may have diminished his accomplishment a bit.
i am a branch
A young boy was planting an apple tree in the backyard. As soon as it was planted, he exclaimed to his grandfather, “Pop-pop, we just planted an apple tree. Now we’re going to put apples on it!”
The boy’s attitude reflects the way we sometimes view fruitfulness in our life. We often behave as if we can bear fruit by…
never forgotten
One day, a taxi dropped world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma off at New York City’s Peninsula Hotel. But as the cab drove off, Yo-Yo realized he had left his cello in its backseat. It was worth 2.5 million dollars! The hotel staff jumped to action. As one reporter put it, they “put on their own virtuoso performance, contacting officials all over…
every sparrow
My mother, so dignified and proper for her entire life, now lay in a hospice bed—held captive by debilitating age. Quivering from mini-strokes and struggling for breath, her deathly condition defied the gorgeous spring day that danced tantalizingly on the other side of the windowpane.
I had already played out this scenario numerous times in my mind. Yet all the…
pushed away
I don’t remember exactly how old I was, but it was a moment I’ve never forgotten. Cooling off after a hot summer day, my family had gone swimming at a friend’s house. Because I didn’t know how to swim, I was trying to maneuver the water by wearing a life jacket that awkwardly grazed my chin. Looking for security, I…
loss and found
It’s likely that several people you know have been laid off this year. Recently I learned that another good friend had lost his job. This would be bad news for anyone, but it was especially brutal for my friend because his wife’s position had been eliminated just a month before!
King David knew what it felt like to lose his…
