living large
When a family member of two of my co-workers was killed in a construction accident, the love for this outgoing outdoorsman, faithful husband, and father of two was on full display. The country church he called home couldn’t possibly handle all the mourners, so the service was moved to a larger sanctuary. Friends and family flooded the church building! And the unspoken message of the abundant attendees was clear: Tim Dougherty touched many lives in a way that was uniquely his because he lived life with his strong, loving arms wrapped around his family and friends.
smelling good
Quite a number of my friends wear fragrances. But before long, the fragrance wears off and they have to spray on more to continue to smell good!
the good life
On the occasion of billionaire Ted Turner’s 75th birthday last year, a CNN profile opened with these poignant words: “What will matter most about Ted Turner’s life story when they roll the final credits? That he started the first 24-hour news network? Built a fortune once worth $10 billion? Was Time magazine’s Man of the Year? Received a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame? Made The New York Times best-seller list? Maybe it was that time he raced a sailboat faster than anyone else. Or the year his baseball team won the World Series. Impressed yet?”
the tale of three men
Once there were three men who served in the same community—Gaius, Diotrephes, and Demetrius.
keep your guard up
A young man and several friends drove to a ski resort, went through a gate that contained warning signs about the dangerous condition of the slopes, and started snowboarding. On the second trip down the mountain, someone shouted, “Avalanche!” but the young man couldn’t escape and perished in the cascading snow. Some in the media severely criticized him for being a novice, but he was actually an “avalanche-certified backcountry guide.” An avalanche researcher said that seasoned skiers are most likely to be seduced into faulty reasoning. He said, “[The young man] died because he was lulled into letting his guard down.”
legacy
The book of Genesis is structured around the phrase, “This is the account of.” Its main divisions begin with, “This is the account of the creation of the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 2:4), “of the descendants of Adam” (Genesis 5:1), “of Noah and his family” (Genesis 6:9), “of Terah’s family” (Genesis 11:27), “of the family of Isaac” (Genesis 25:19), and “of Jacob and his family” (Genesis 37:2). These sections focus on the children that each person produced. The account of Terah is the story of Abraham; the account of Jacob is the story of Joseph.
finding beauty
As we walked through a small nature preserve near our house, my son surprised me when he said, “God was pretty amazing when He made swamps.” “Really?” I responded quizzically. I was a little incredulous as to the combination of the words swamp and amazing. Pointing to the vibrant red branches of a particular plant and the tangled arms of…
legacy
I’m writing from Karamoja, a vast plain located in northeast Uganda. This region is home to the Karamojong, a tribe whose dress, religion, and traditions represent a vestige of pre-colonial Africa.
The Karamojong are fierce warriors, guided by their deep-seated belief that all cattle belong to them by divine mandate. In other words, if anyone else owns a cow, they…
dying for life
Recently, I saw a poster with these words: “When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a way so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.” —Indian (Cherokee) Proverb
The story of Tabitha (Dorcas in Greek) is a sad one. Tabitha was a devout follower of Christ. Not much else…
legacy
Most parents want a better life for their children. Often, those who are financially able will leave their children a sizable inheritance—hoping that an extra cushion of cash will help them handle the needs, dangers, and uncertainties of life. This is a noble act, for Proverbs 13:22 declares, "Good people leave an inheritance to their grandchildren."
But it's not the…
