must-see destinations
The title of a 2010 LIFE special edition magazine reads: “Heaven on Earth: The World’s Must-See Destinations.” It contains stunning photography of places such as the Grand Canyon, Alaska’s Denali, Petra in Jordan, and Rio de Janeiro. I’ve actually been fortunate enough to visit a few of them. But I have yet to see most of those scenic wonders.
yet to come
My sister might take a year off from work to study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. I told her, “Well, be ready to check out the hills so that you know where to run to during the great tribulation.” Though spoken half in jest, both of us believe that Jesus is coming soon and we take to heart His prophetic words in Matthew 24.
looking
Having grown up in a nonliturgical denomination, I remember the first time my family celebrated Christmas with an Advent wreath. My dad, who was a pastor, had changed his denominational association, and with it came the emphasis on the church calendar. In high school when the transition came, I noted the differences and gained a true appreciation for the ceremony I had encountered only on occasion before this time. While I loved the symbolism in the lighting of each candle, the observance as a whole brought a sense of spiritual anticipation previously unstirred by gifts under the tree.
doomsday predictions
Adoomsday prophet predicted that Jesus would return on September 6, 1994, then May 21, 2011, and then finally on October 21, 2011. He even said that God had stopped saving people after May 21. When the final doomsday prediction did not happen, the man had to finally apologize for his false teachings.
three evils
On January 12, 2010, Haiti was hit by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that leveled an estimated 250,000 homes and 30,000 buildings, killing nearly 300,000 people. A cholera outbreak a few months later claimed thousands more lives.
Philosophers have a name for this kind of devastation. They call it natural evil. With its earthquakes, famines, diseases, and afflictions, the world can…
lost
Yesterday I lost my wedding ring. I was splashing about in a river when the wet band apparently slipped off my finger. I’m devastated. I can’t afford to replace what I lost, as the price of gold is at an all time high. But even as I’m feeling sorry for myself, I realize that I’ve lost only my wedding ring—many…
return of the King
Harold Camping received a lot of attention for declaring that Judgment Day would begin around dinnertime on May 21, 2011. Few people believed him—even his receptionist admitted that “no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen” (Matthew 24:36). The secular world had much fun at Camping’s expense, planning apocalyptic survival parties and playing R.E.M.’s rock song…
sequels
A sequel is typically a book or film that continues the story of some previous work. Last year was the year of movie sequels. According to Newsweek Magazine, in 2011, Hollywood released a record 27 sequels. The total encompasses the highest number of part 2 (or 3 or 4 or . . .) films ever, including new versions of Mission: Impossible and…
He will come
Four years ago, I became the primary caregiver for a 7-year-old Ugandan boy who was dying of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).
During the first 3 weeks that I attended to Okello, he was unable to see me because of painful, blinding tumors that shrouded both his eyes. Okello was able to recognize me, however, whenever I entered his hospital room.…
before the eulogy
In Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Tom, Huck Finn, and Joe Harper slinked off for a few days away without telling anyone. Back home, their distraught loved ones assumed they had drowned, so they held a funeral. The boys—being boys—sneaked back into town and watched the funeral from the rafters of the church. There they enjoyed hearing the good…
today
The film Dead Poets Society introduced me to an old phrase from a Latin poem: carpe diem. It means “seize the day,” an urgent call to live life to the fullest, getting the most out of each and every day. Generally speaking, it’s good advice, especially for those of us who to tend to live passively and watch life pass us by.…
all aboard
Genesis 6:17-21: Look! I am about to cover the earth with a flood that will destroy every living thing that breathes. Everything on earth will die. But I will confirm my covenant with you. So enter the boat—you and your wife and your sons and their wives. Bring a pair of every kind of animal—a male and a female—into the…
when branches bud
[caption id="attachment_8051" align="aligncenter" width="540" caption="—pic submitted by Bharathy Singaravel, India"]
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"[God] will send out His angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather His chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to…
shining at the end
[caption id="attachment_8021" align="aligncenter" width="531" caption="—pic submitted by Kristin Palmer, US"]
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"Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. And the angels will…
gone home
One of my favorite movies is the 1982 science fiction blockbuster E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. The movie ends with an emotional scene as E.T. says goodbye to his young friend Elliot. Before entering the spaceship, E.T. tells him, “I’ll be right here,” pointing his glowing finger to Elliott’s head. E.T. then walks into the spaceship and takes off, leaving a rainbow in…
