Welcome to my website! Each week I will post a blog called PONDERING AND KINDLING. Our overarching theme is just that. To ponder means “giving thought to” or “reviewing.” It is to think about something carefully, especially before making a decision or reaching a conclusion. Kindling is “to light or set on fire, to arouse or inspire.” I will be writing a regularly blog, reflecting on what’s happening, pondering issues that are confronting us. Or, I may be seeking to arouse you to act on some concern, to kindle a fire of compassion that will call you to action.
There will be no effort to hide the fact that I am a Christian, in fact, a pastor. Though that factor may not always be explicit; it will never be diminished.
Along with my regular PONDERING AND KINDLING, there will be a feature of communication I have used through many years of preaching and teaching. When I am developing dimensions of my theme, there are often occasions when have stated the truth I have been seeking to convey, will obviously pause longer than usual, in a way that clearly invites pondering. After the pause, I will speak clearly and deliberately, “Let me say that again.” I will then repeat the core idea or truth of what I have been saying. This is an effective practice of repetition which is effective in communication. In each issue of PONDERING AND KINDLING, I will regularly invite you to “Let me say that again” and will share some significant truth in a way that will enable you to claim and store in your powerful memory bank.
Also, because a picture is worth a thousand words, we will share photos and paintings which we find inspiring and worth pondering. The ad world believes that a picture can convey information more effectively than words and certainly speaks to us emotionally. The painting above is by my daughter, Kerry Peeples. She calls it Hide and Seek. Ponder it. I think this is an exciting triptych capturing our theme.
Again, welcome! I’m excited about sharing with you. May my pondering will stimulate your pondering, and kindle a vision of what God yet has for you, and the confidence that what God inspires, God empowers.