As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:13-14 NIV) Oh, I know. She looks adorable, doesn’t she? My little 12-pound puppy is a new hybrid called the Teddy Bear breed. Cute and cuddly, she’s affectionate and loyal and altogether dear. A true companion dog, she can almost always be found wherever I am, and I love her dearly. She is also trouble. She barks! She barks when the UPS truck arrives, which is actually quite handy when I’m typing away in my office with the air conditioning running. However, she might just as well be raising the alarm that the […] Read more »

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. (James 1:19-20 NIV) Oooooh, I get so angry at myself when I get angry. I know anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires, so when I feel a wave of anger rush over me—I also get angry about getting angry. Anger and I have a longstanding difficult relationship. In the old days, people called it a “besetting sin.” The word “beset” implies persistent. I honestly don’t struggle with a desire to steal. Most days, I don’t have trouble with envy, but since toddlerhood, I’ve had to fight against anger, […] Read more »

Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (Luke 12:27 ESV It’s the simple things. The common daylily that opens its lovely petals at dawn and by dusk is already fading … each magnificent flower lasting only a day, then quickly replaced by another. A shimmering rainbow hanging out of a dreary sky. Monarch butterflies dancing among the flowers. The laugh of a baby, innocent and happy. Isn’t it lovely that our Lord taught us to stop and consider the small things? In this huge, busy, troubled world, Jesus bids us pause and really look at tiny things—and learn from them. Consider the intricacy of […] Read more »

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. (Hebrews 12:11-12 NIV) Ray and I are not year-round bicyclists. Here in New England, the season is short and the time off long. After a winter of no biking, even if we have kept up with other exercise, we don’t just hop on our bicycles and go thirty miles. Not even close. Typically, our first ride gets off to a slow start as we gather up our scattered gear, remember to pack the Band-Aids and cell phone, inflate the tires … you get the idea. When we’re finally on […] Read more »