Yesterday I audaciously suggested that simple prohibitions aren’t working. As much as I want to resist the notion- after all, the bible straightforwardly tells us not to do certain things- I must resist it, because the same bible that tells us not to do certain things also tells us that telling us not to do certain things isn’t enough. In fact, Paul drives home the point that absolute laws (“Thou shalt not…”) can actually create trouble for us. Continue Reading…
Looking for Solutions
Humbling. It’s all I can say. Tisha and I finally reached the point where we found ourselves standing at the bookstore…together…looking for books to help us assist our kids for the gargantuan leap from tweens to teens. That means talks about puberty, sex, and etc. Perfect. Just perfect.
Our first child is nearly there. Sadly, I know she hears things at school, and on the bus to school, that are generating tons of Continue Reading…
Don’t Take Things So Seriously
I’ve got to admit… I have an penchant for taking things too seriously. I don’t know if it’s a debilitating weakness or not, but I do know it can be a weakness if left unchecked.
We have to be careful, though. People can be pushed to the brink. Stories circulate about kids committing suicide because of how Continue Reading…
Blessings
On certain days I feel like blessings are most difficult to ascertain. The tendency is to believe blessings are only positive- a raise, a newborn child, an answered prayer. And while these, indeed, are blessings, you can’t help but think that there are some blessings or “mercies in disguise.” This is Laura Story’s suggestion, and I think she’s right.
How was Joseph purged of conceit? He spent significant time in an Egyptian dungeon.
How did the apostle Paul learn to appreciate grace? He possessed a physical ailment that taught him God’s grace was sufficient.
How do you rejoice in salvation when you know the greatest man ever to live had to die so agonizingly to make it possible? The blessings of God often come through unconventional, and often painful, experiences.
Take a moment and listen to the powerful words “Blessing” by Laura Story. Think…What if?
