life or death
In early 2013, a man was arrested for stealing his father’s corpse. The man’s 93-year-old beloved dad had died and his body had been laid in a casket and placed on cemetery grounds, being readied for burial. The son of the deceased, however, had other plans. He stole the casket and brought it home. The reason? He was hoping his father would be miraculously resurrected. Um, that didn’t happen. Instead of seeing his dad’s life restored, the man reaped possible imprisonment and the death of a dream.
the way out
Shin was born in a North Korean prison camp, where he lived until he was 23. He never thought to escape, for he didn’t imagine that life was any different on the other side of the electrified fence. Then he met a new prisoner. Park told Shin about the outside world, especially that people enjoyed pork and boiled chicken rather than the rats that Shin ate to survive. One evening Shin and Park dropped the firewood they were collecting and ran toward the fence. Park arrived first, and was immediately electrocuted when he squeezed between the first and second wires. Shin crawled across his lifeless friend and scrambled to freedom. Today Shin lives in South Korea, where he calls attention to the barbaric conditions in the camps.
October 28, 2013
What’s the most challenging issue in your life and why?
suffering for good
Within the span of just 20 minutes last December, four Pakistani women were shot and killed in the city of Karachi. A fifth woman was shot in the city of Peshawar. To make the situation even more horrific, these women were medical staff, implementing a polio vaccine program organized by the UN. A spokesman for the Karachi police explained to the BBC how “these were pre-planned and coordinated attacks in various localities.”
being messed with
I played football, baseball, and golf in high school. I’ve had multiple exercise routines over the years and now run 5 or 6 days a week. No one would ever call me limber, however. For years, trainers have encouraged me to stretch and coax my muscles to be more flexible. I agree with the idea, but I’ve never wanted to endure the pain and inconvenience required to follow the advice. Stretching hurts. But with the years piling up, I’ve determined that I must heed the trainers’ wisdom. I’m clinging to the hope that the work will be worth it in the end; but for now, these stretching exercises are truly a pain.
privilege of love
Three nights ago, my husband and I closed a chapter in our life. Youth ministry has been my niche for as long as we’ve been married (nearly 18 years) and even longer for my husband. As we prepare to lead a church plant, this fall has been a long series of goodbyes—our last youth retreat, Christmas banquet, youth service. This past Monday evening was our final, and most difficult, goodbye.
the gift of time
As a nurse, Geri knew that at any moment she might be called on to help in a medical emergency. But she never really expected it. One day, as her family vacationed in a northern resort town, a man near her suddenly crumpled to the ground. Geri’s training kicked in. Her quick actions kept him alive.
don’t be evil
How does a cute, little baby grow up to become the face of evil? How does an Austrian boy become Adolf Hitler or a son of privilege turn into Osama bin Laden? And what makes one group of people slaughter members of a neighboring group? How could they possibly think that was a good idea?
discover what’s yours
Some residents in my state are discovering lost treasure. Many have reclaimed cash, property, and other financial holdings. With the help of the state’s I-cash program, Melva recovered $296.33 that her previous bank hadn’t sent to her. Robert logged into the program’s website and discovered that his grandmother had left him a $3,000 inheritance. The program’s motto is: Discover what’s yours.
real life
Recently, some friends and I read the Gospels out loud during a weekend retreat. The cabin we rented, nestled in a beautiful setting, was owned by a religious community. We took in a few of their services—enduring worship that was lifeless and joyless. Later, when we met with those who had led the services, we realized that the values they espoused conflicted sharply with biblical Christianity. At that point, we realized that more than just the worship was lacking real life.
here comes . . .
I was driving my family to a relative’s home when I was pulled over for speeding. I had been driving faster than the suspiciously low speed limit, so there wasn’t much I could say. But when I learned that my insurance rate would skyrocket due to the ticket, I contacted the village prosecutor and asked for a compromise. He agreed, and soon a court document arrived in the mail. It began, “Here comes Mr. Wallace, prosecutor for Oakville,” and explained that he would charge me with a lesser offense.
actions and adventure
On a recent visit home to the United States, I got my first taste of D-BOX—motion theater seats that pitch you forward and backward, side to side, and up and down in sync with the action depicted on the screen.
true identity
Peter Chiarelli, a 4-star general and the second highest-ranking US Army officer, attended a Washington, DC, dinner last year. Valerie Jarrett, a presidential adviser, was seated at a table when Chiarelli passed behind her. Chiarelli’s uniform had a stripe down the side of the pants, almost identical to the wait staff’s uniform. Seeing only his striped pants, Valerie asked General Chiarelli for a beverage. Without skipping a beat, the general picked up Jarrett’s order and brought it to her. She was mortified at her mistake, but Chiarelli brushed the mishap off. He even invited her to join his family for dinner at his home.
