river in the sand
With our swimsuits on and the sand between our toes, my family and I decided to try a beach experiment. We picked a spot about 20 feet from the shoreline and set to work digging with plastic spades. Our goal was to hollow out a mini riverbed that would extend all the way back down to the sea. After some…
fear
During my first 3 years in Uganda, I had occasional contact with blood as I held dying children, helped to dress wounds and open tumors, and sought to comfort AIDS and cancer patients.
My understanding was that as long as there was no exchange of bodily fluids or blood, I was at zero risk for contracting HIV. It therefore came…
no fear
Imagine sashaying through life with no fear. One woman knows what it feels like to be fear-free. Researchers exposed her to snakes and spiders, led her through a haunted house, and showed her scary flicks. No fear. Real death threats and being robbed at gunpoint left her (happily) whistling in the dark. Why? The woman has a genetic condition affecting…
wealth of wisdom
Australian volunteer worker Paul Hol found a treasure while sorting through hundreds of donated books. He unearthed a first edition copy of the novel 1984, penned by George Orwell in 1948. The book still sported its original dust jacket in the color red—the rarest color for that print run. Paul’s find eventually sold for nearly $2,000 at a private auction.…
blameless
The word blameless has become such an anomaly today that we rarely hear it used. Well, at least not in the arenas of business, sports, or politics. You hear the words shrewd and skillful being spoken, but definitely not blameless. So when this word recently popped up during a casual conversation, it stirred my interest. Two questions came to mind: What…
burning strong
Over the past few months, I've encouraged my husband to create a small fire pit in our backyard. As someone who enjoys camping, I love sitting on a cool night in front of a blazing campfire with a mug of hot chocolate in my hands. Tonight as we sat with family near the crackling flames (in the freshly completed fire…
invisible fire
Marty, my hairdresser, told me about this guy she knows—he has flames tattooed on his scalp. With a full head of hair, no one can see the inferno on his skull. But, when he shaves his head, the fire is visible. It’s kind of a cool concept—now you see it, now you don’t. Unless he chooses to share it, the…
fearing God
Several years ago, I went to the doctor for a checkup. I’d been feeling poorly for a while—tired, blue, and lethargic. I knew I needed to lose weight and return to exercising. However, sitting in that sterile medical room, across from a serious-looking doctor, my predicament finally sank in. My cholesterol was high, and my weight was out of control.…
not on His birthday
The news item in Kenya’s leading daily was so terse it smacked of an emergency. The government was importing “an extra 41 million male condoms…15 million in the next two weeks…the remainder in the first week of December.” But no, nothing untoward had suddenly visited upon this beautiful land. It was just a good government preparing to meet its peoples…
taking God for granted
My wife and I have been married for 16 years. But, to my own embarrassment, there have been times when I’ve taken her for granted. I’ve been so familiar with her presence that I’ve been insensitive to her needs and wants.
Just as it’s not healthy to take our spouses for granted, King David would say it’s not healthy to…
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…
goosebumps
Kentucky is an 11-year-old penguin who is scared to stick even one toe in the water. Experts say his phobia developed because he has “molting issues,” which is zookeeper lingo for losing your feathers too easily. As it turns out, having fewer feathers means more goosebumps and a greater sensitivity to cold water!
Gideon was afraid to get his feet…
"omg"
With the advent of cell phones, texting, and online chat, an abbreviated form of language has emerged. Texters and chatters regularly communicate with shortcuts like “lol” (laugh out loud) or “idk” (I don’t know).
For the most part, these abbreviations are harmless. One popular shortcut, however, is truly offensive to believers in Jesus—“omg.” The most common meaning given to this…
