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Beyond Fishy
Recently the director of a fishing tournament in Ohio found something fishy at a fishing tournament. Two men were disqualified after their fish were found to be stuffed with lead weights. The director of the tournament estimated the five walleye to be about 20 pounds...
Don’t Grow Languid
The headline grabbed my attention: THOUSANDS WITHOUT WATER IN JACKSON, MISSIPIPPI. A close family member lives in Jackson, and I immediately called him. He was fine but they were drinking boiled water. He seemed “unconcerned,” so I filed the matter in memory. But I...
Nothing Prosaic About the Lord’s Prayer
There is nothing prosaic about the Lord’s Prayer. I begin with that claim not only to get your attention but to dogmatical state a fact. I repeat it, there is nothing prosaic about the Lord’s Prayer. Ponder for a moment. This prayer is the most familiar of Christians...
Our Father sent his Son, Jesus, not to get us into heaven, but to get heaven into us.
Not Getting Us Into Heaven
During the last few weeks, when I awake in the middle of the night and don’t return to sleep quickly, in my mind I sing. Interestingly the most frequent songs that come to mind are Gospel Songs that we sang in the little country church of my youth over 70 years ago....
Continuous Indecision Is Poisonous
The problem is a common one…Continuous indecision. Life on earth is life in the making. It involves constant choice and constant conflict. Conflict between the different facets of our nature that vie for allegiance. Conflict between the different causes that clamor...
The Lord Helps Those Who Help Themselves…Really?
My family was not long on formality. To say that we were “casual” may be an understatement. Warmth of relationship and the caring of my parents is what I remember most. How we related to and treated another, whether formal or casual, is what mattered. That was...
Praying for Mikhail Gorbachev
This week Russia’s former President, Mikhail Gorbachev, was buried in what the newspaper described as a low-key funeral service. When I read that, I remembered an encounter with Gorbachev that was not “low-key” for me. I was with 20 other ministers visiting Russia...
More Reflections on Elvis
I wrote last week about Elvis. We had just closed Elvis Week in Memphis and I had seen the movie "Elvis.” My continued reflection may say more about me than about him. I won’t even try to rationalize why and what I’m thinking about one of the most celebrated...