“We seldom rise above the quality of the pictures that hang in the galleries of our minds,” writes author Warren Wiersbe. Our minds are full of pictures that have shaped our lives. One picture that’s hanging in my mind’s gallery features CROWS. Here’s the crows’ background. I’ll be the first to admit it; sometimes I’m…
I had trouble sleeping. My mind was trying to untie a mental knot of anticipation, anxiety, and appreciation. Tomorrow, I would step down as Regional Leader and give my responsibilities to a new leader. As I lie thinking about this event, an image of a BOOK came to mind. What did this BOOK mean and…
Deep learning is personal and transformational. Some of my deep learning moments with God have been through pictures that only my eyes could see. I’m writing to give you a peek at some of these private and personal images that fill the gallery of my mind. Author and pastor Warren Wiersbe compares our lives to…
The traffic was terrible. Peggy and I chose Savanah, Georgia for a brief vacation because it had a reputation as an easy-going Southern city with history to see and exotic food to eat. We hadn’t expected jammed streets, limited parking, and people wearing green t-shirts and drinking green beer. Welcome to Savannah on St. Patrick’s…
A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away . . . I was an art student. In fact, I was once certified to teach art in grades K-12. Why didn’t I pursue this career? A deciding factor was a grade on a watercolor painting. The painting was a collection of nondescript bottles gathered…
Have you ever had a picture lodge in your mind that you can’t stop thinking about? No matter where you are or what you’re doing, this picture creeps into your consciousness. Here’s my latest re-occuring picture. In his book The Contemplative Pastor, author Eugene Peterson describes a scene from Moby Dick of a whaleboat dashing…
Houses don’t appear out of nowhere. There’s no magic wand that makes them materialize. Nearly a hundred years ago, you could order a home from a Sears catalogue, have it delivered to your site, and built in a few days. Today, you can buy modular homes that can be assembled within hours. However, no matter…
I’m a vinyl record enthusiast. Nestled on my office bookshelf is a vintage stereo system. This isn’t a five-channel surround-sound extravaganza; it’s just two speakers, a turntable, and a splendid Yamaha 1970s receiver. I love the sound of vinyl but there is a downside. Sometimes a needle gets stuck on a scratch, playing the same…
I can hear my wife Peggy saying, “Not another sports’ analogy!” Bear with me even if you’re tired of one more sports comparison to life and ministry. Have you noticed that our compliments often include sports’ analogies? We evaluate a message or workshop by saying “That was a home run.” or “You hit it out…
I’m slightly obsessed with time. There’s a clock in every room of our house. This includes a grandfather clock and three mantle clocks. In my study, I have a “bird” clock with bird calls marking the hour. I have a Beatles clock over my window. Hanging above the closest door is a Nashville skyline clock…