Every parent has heard themselves say this at one time or another: “If you two don’t stop bickering, I’ll stop this car and punish you both!” I mean, surely I’m not the only one! Please tell me I’m not the only dad that has threatened this!
Seriously, as parents, we really do set expectations of behavior…
“There’s no time like the present.” This and many other “time” quotes really get to a central wisdom we humans have learned: Timing is everything.
I have a dear couple who are dating. And, on top of that, they are exploring becoming Orthodox. Talk about a double whammy! Their relationship is growing with each other and…
Ever thought about giving up? Yeah, I know. What time is it? I confess to struggling with this temptation all the time. And the temptation to give up seems to come in all sorts of shapes and sizes; from small things to big things. Plus, it seems we live in a modern culture that celebrates…
Have you ever heard of the story of the donkey who saved a prophet’s life by talking to him? And you thought your dreams were strange! Seriously, this powerful story in the First Testament is worth your time! Read the whole story in Numbers 22.
To make a long story short, Balaam is something of a…
As we come to another infamous anniversary of September 11th, the perennial struggle with “purpose” comes to my mind. I was having a conversation the other day with a dear, educated man, who also happens to be an ordained clergyman in one of the many Protestant denominations in our fair city, and the conversation turned, as it…
The famous author J.K. Rowling once said: “I’m interested in that drive, that rush to judgment, that is so prevalent in our society. We all know that pleasurable rush that comes from condemning, and in the short term it’s quite a satisfying thing to do, isn’t it?” And she’s right! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve…
Real inspiration isn’t easy! In fact, I’ve become suspicious of the real lasting power of inspiration based on mere sentiment or even “good intentions.” It just always seems to be reduced to nothing more than making someone else “feel” better about “inspiring” someone else. And the sentiment seems to disappear in an instant when “real…
A recent article on the Christian view of marriage is titled "Marriage is a Lifetime of Suffering." You won't see that on any Hallmark card for wedding anniversaries anytime soon. And yet, the idea of salvific suffering is so foreign to us as to be actually offensive to many. But the Christian understanding of life…
Queen Elizabeth once said "Grief is the price we pay for love." And that is true, in part, but not the whole picture. In fact, I'm convinced in our modern world of therapy and "positive thinking" we run the risk of falling into the false notion that we should never "feel" bad or sad. And…
My daughter is getting to "that" age. Yep, she's discovered that there are such things as "boys." I invite you all to pray and fast that I survive!
Seriously, one of the most powerful concerns I have as a parent is guiding my children to avoid the shortsightedness that seems to dominate the human race when…