Brief Thoughts, Inspirations, and the occasional Provocation for the people of Garden Sanctuary, and you too…
Often, the criticism that stings the most is that which you know is true. False narratives can be shrugged off, but when the criticism has a measure of truth, it has a way of hitting just a little harder. Much of the criticism that gets leveled at the church is not valid. However, one that... Continue Reading →
Imagine everything you believe in falling apart in one day. Your future, your religion, your occupation for the last three years, your entire worldview... it all comes crashing down in one 24 hour period. That is "Good" Friday for the disciples. for the disciples, they do not recognize a pending miracle, all they know is... Continue Reading →
Human beings are forgetful. We forget everything from keys, to lunch, to post office runs, to the occasional teenager that we assumed was riding home from practice with their friend. Most of our life is spent in the fog of busyness. It is only on occasion that we have real moments of clarity. We forget. ... Continue Reading →
"For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." -2 Corinthians 4:6 (NKJV) Clarity is defined as "the quality of being coherent and intelligible." There are few... Continue Reading →
January is a month of fresh starts, evaluations, resolutions, and new plans. No matter how often we may say, or even sincerely think, that we are not going to get caught up in the new leaf hype, most of us do it anyway. Maybe you started a new exercise routine, journaling, prayer discipline, or a... Continue Reading →
If I had a dollar for every time my four year old told me she was "a big girl" and "not a baby," I would probably be rich in a week. She is constantly reminding me that she can handle tasks on her own and that she doesn't need my help. Yet, again and again,... Continue Reading →
I suppose that parenting and teaching clichés will never go away, even the ones that we all promised ourselves we would never use. I can remember telling myself that I would never say "because I said so," but try as I might, my four year old still manages to get that one out of me... Continue Reading →
Some of the purest education, and entertainment, in my life is watching my daughters interact with their friends. Their imagination in play and conversation has more than once left me laughing. Their straightforward, often "too" literal, thinking, has taught me my fair share of lessons as well. Their descriptions of people and events are often... Continue Reading →
Growing up with two older sisters had its share of challenges. However, one way it always benefited me was with meeting new teachers. Both of my sisters were well behaved and pretty mild-mannered in school. Since I was a few years younger than both of them, I often ended up with teachers that could still... Continue Reading →
There are few things that feel better than making a plan or commitment, knowing it will be difficult, and then following through and seeing the task completed. On the contrary, few things are more personally disappointing, and publicly embarrassing then not being able to follow through on a promise. Credibility is the foundation for trust... Continue Reading →
It has been said the greatest of performers have one thing in common. Consistency. That's right. Being great is not about always being the best. It is not about being head and shoulders above all your competitions. It is simply about consistently being better than average. That said, what does your 2019 look like thus... Continue Reading →
The car needs gas. The kids need baths. Your boss called, that's weird you didn't even hear your phone ring. The stack of bills on the counter got knocked off and now they are all out of order. The doctor's office called. Your appointment was yesterday. They rescheduled for six weeks from now, and charged... Continue Reading →
I secretly love my phone's camera. I say secretly because I could never admit to Heather, my wife, that I like anything about this phone. I have always staunchly been on the other side of the Android vs. Apple debate and have teased her for years for not agreeing with me. However, in my last... Continue Reading →
I recently heard someone lamenting that they were experiencing the end of a season in their life and they did not know how they were going to function after it came to a complete close. The season to which they referred? Football Season. Although they were saying it for the sake of humor, I am... Continue Reading →
"Do your homework before you go play" "But Mom, I don't have any homework" How many times have you heard or participated in a conversation much like that one? Being familiar with such dialogue, you probably already know that the truth of the matter is the student actually had an assignment, but they either forgot... Continue Reading →
Another day, another story of violence. It almost seems run of the mill to hear that some deranged soul opened fire in a crowd somewhere or that yet another city is entering the throes of violence that follow a police shooting. The problems once associated with high schoolers are now seen in middle school and... Continue Reading →
As we draw to the end of what has been one of the most anticipated midterm election cycles in recent history, I can not help but wonder what was lost and gained over the last months, weeks, days, and hours. Thank God, I'm not a cable news watcher, or I would no doubt have lost... Continue Reading →
Preachers are liars. There, I said it. Every preacher I have ever met was a liar. Furthermore, if you are a minister reading this, you are probably a liar too. And here is the thing, we all lie about the same things. Pastors and ministry leaders are notorious for telling these three “Ok” lies. 1. ... Continue Reading →
Growing up in an area that was steeped in Civil War history, I suppose my love for tales of that era is not all that unique. I know I am not alone in saying I thoroughly enjoy reading not only the history and first-hand accounts, but also historical fiction that is based in that time... Continue Reading →
Following last night’s announcement of Brett Kavanaugh as Donald Trump’s nominee to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by the retiring Anthony Kennedy, I was interested in seeing the reactions of others. When I turned to social media to discover the sentiment of my fellow Americans, most of the reactions were not surprising, but there... Continue Reading →
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