upstairs downstairs
Walk into her house and a showcase living room quickly commands your attention. Ornate, expensive furniture populates rooms tastefully embellished with understated artwork. A lavish floral arrangement adorns a perfectly lit breakfast nook.
But no one ever sits on the furniture. The flower-shaped soaps in the soap dish never clean anyone’s hands; the towels in the kitchen and bathroom don’t…
dogs and cats and whales
Frank’s dog tormented cats. So when Thor broke free one day and ran off, Frank got a bad feeling. Sure enough, the dog snatched a poor, unsuspecting cat in its jaws. But then, out of the shadows, came a furious streak of gray—another cat! Launching itself onto Thor’s back, it viciously raked the dog’s eyes and nose. The hapless hound…
slightly off?
Argh . . . I’m no longer perfect.” I groaned inwardly. The realization struck me when we replaced our home television with a 42-inch set. The color was good, the sound perfect, but what happened to the subtitles? Why were they so blurry? I had lost my 20-20 vision! My doctor informed me that my left-eye vision is slightly off…
painful truth
My 4-year-old son and I were watching television when we saw a commercial for skin cream. A woman’s face appeared and then the camera zoomed in, revealing a rather serious set of crow’s feet. But it didn’t stop there. Computer animation gave us a peek beneath the surface of her skin—into her very pores. Finally, they showed the wrinkle cream…
can you relate?
Recently, I went to great lengths to help a friend. My efforts cost me significant time, money, and energy. And what did I get in return when it was all said and done? Nothing. Not even a “thank you.”
My stewing over this person’s lack of gratitude came to an abrupt halt, however, when I discovered a stack of blank…
pseudo praise
When Hitler sought to placate Austrian minister Kurt von Schuschnigg by complimenting and praising him publicly, a disgusted Winston Churchill muttered, “When a snake wants to eat his victims, he first covers them in saliva.”
The Bible calls Hitler’s use of insincere praise flattery—words said and actions done to gain favor with others and advantage over them. Though some write…
shockingly honest
What seemed like an ordinary day in church soon became extraordinary. The minister merely asked one of his elders to lead in prayer. But the man stood and said, “I’m sorry, Pastor. I’ve been arguing with my wife all the way to church, and I am in no condition to pray.” Then he sat down.
After one of those l-o-o-o-n-n-g…
too big to fail
Jerry terHorst resigned as US Press Secretary when his friend President Gerald Ford pardoned disgraced former President Richard Nixon. He told Ford that he didn’t know how he could “credibly defend” the President’s decision to pardon Nixon when common citizens were being punished for conscientiously refusing to serve in the Vietnam War. For his part, President Ford did not want…
the right thing
Gjyste Vjerdha was busy working her nightly, graveyard-shift cleaning job at a restaurant with her 22-year-old son, Gentjan. As she tidied up a restroom, Gjyste found some women’s rings worth thousands of dollars. The thought of keeping the treasures might have crossed her mind, but she chose to do the right thing and take the jewelry to her manager. Later…
glorious mess
In 1998, Dr. Larry Crabb wrote the book Inside Out. The book encourages Christians to stop pretending they have it all together and to be honest about what’s going on in their hearts. As they do so, Crabb reveals, God can free them up to become more of who they were meant to be.
After the book was published, Larry…
vipers
Last year, Tiger Woods’ public persona unraveled as one moral failure after another rushed to light. While this sad occasion offers us another opportunity to critique the feeding frenzy of pop journalism as well as the idol status we offer our celebrities (a status they could never live up to), it also provides each of us a sober reminder. If…
priceless
Michael Forbes has lived on the Aberdeenshire dunes in Scotland for 41 years. His rustic buildings never bothered his neighbors, but they’re an eyesore to Donald Trump, who is building a luxury hotel and golf course nearby. Trump offered Forbes free golf and above market value for his 23 acres, but Forbes replied that he wouldn’t leave for any amount…
uncovered
I remember how nervous he was, how fearful. Our friend came in and sat on our couch. He had something to tell us, but he couldn’t get the words out. He carried a weight he had held alone, a burden he couldn’t hide anymore. The hiding had nearly buried him.
Most of us have something we try to hide, some…
correct change
Making decisions while shopping has never been one of my strong points. I take forever to settle on a purchase, and then all the way from the checkout line to my house, I still question whether or not I got the best deal. Recently, after finishing my shopping, I realized after leaving the store that the cashier had rung up…
telling the truth
Professional integrity and a commitment to excellence are the working philosophies which guide us on a daily basis.” This is one of the introductory sentences from a Web site designed to provide fictional explanations, fake employment references, and verification for unexcused absences. A more accurate sentence would be “professional lying and commitment to providing false testimony are what guide us…
