Blog
The prophet Amos wrote about something called a plumb line. A plumb line is a construction tool used by builders. It uses a weight attached at the bottom of a rope or string that employs gravity to provide a straight up and down measurement. Once aligned, a builder...
Some believers have allowed their anger and disgust to become a condemning voice within the Church. They are using their undisciplined emotions to employ the same tactics and labels used by arrogant news media sources and biased social media commentators. In the...
This morning, I brought Jan flowers, a card, and a gift to honor her on Valentine’s Day. I am thinking back fifty-five years ago to our first date. One night, I entered the cafeteria at Multnomah University, where we were students, then known as Multnomah School of...
Have you ever had a friend move away and realize you might never see them again? It is a sad feeling, a sorrow of sorts. Maybe you attended a family reunion where a parent or grandparent was present, and you left the gathering realizing this might have been the last...
The Church is going through a transition. We are being prepared for the future through a process of simplification. Before that transition can take place on a larger scale, it must first happen in our personal lives. It is never enough to ask, or even demand that...
When I worked as a street cop, I wore a duty belt. On my duty belt, I carried a handgun, holster, extra ammunition, nightstick, pepper spray, handcuffs, and a radio. Today, even more gear is carried. An average police duty weighs anywhere between 15 to 25 pounds. You...
We are all guilty in some way of redefining God to fit our image of Him. This is not a new phenomenon. Each generation will face this challenge as the spirit of the age attempts to form doctrines and theologies that lessen the majesty and unchangeable nature of...
We toss about phrases like “standing on a threshold” or “on the verge” with ease. These are many times offered as hopeful declarations, not really knowing what they mean. To truly stand on a threshold or be on the verge of something significant will change the meaning...
There are times when we plan to make a change of direction in our lives that we can resemble a driver preparing to make a turn. First, we make a decision to initiate a turn. Then we announce our intentions by activating our turn signals, and finally, we slow our...
Our brain is a unique and wonderful creation. When high-stress events take place the region of the brain called the amygdala takes over. This is part of our thinking process where the fight or flight response is issued. The amygdala is the emotional center of our...
In 1973, during our first year of marriage, I bought a new Ford pickup. It was an F-150 XLT fully loaded. The price was $3,732.00. I went on Ford’s website this morning and did a build for a similar truck and the price is ten times what it was in 1973. The cost of...
As a young undercover cop working in an organized crime unit, I had an assumed name and a state-issued driver’s license. My cover was really good. Even if another law enforcement officer ran me through a national computer database it would not reveal that my ID was...
The phrase “follow the money” has become popular in our cultural conversations. The statement invites us to look deeper than the surface issues to discover the recipient of money who would gain advantage from its added resource. The problem occurs when we stop at the...
For the last few months, a crippled doe has found a place of rest in our front yard. She was born with a severely deformed leg and has been limping about three-legged all of her short life. The other deer is her brother, a young spike-horned buck who always stays by...
I love wide-open spaces. An expanse of sagebrush, quaking aspen draws, and old, weathered cabins are a thing of beauty to me. Traveling along a dirt road far off the asphalt beaten path and seeing these old structures speaks to me. I can imagine a stagecoach pulling...