“Where there is sadness, let me sow joy” Among my favorite things people say to me are these two: “You don’t look like a pastor” and “You don’t act like a pastor.” Part of me wants to reply with a question about how is a pastor supposed to look…sickly, or pious?  Maybe a combination of…

So Patty and I were watching a snowboard competition and loving it when we noticed one of the sponsors was called America’s Navy. Quick visit to that site revealed that it was indeed the U.S. Navy. Also known now as “A Global Force for Good.” Great phrase, but how come the Church isn’t called that?…

From long ago —  Where there is darkness, let me sow light. I’m part of a project that involves painting the first part of Genesis like an abstract expressionist. The opening formless void of chaos was immediately into the sketchbook. And then “there was light, and it was good.”  Whoa. Yellow, like the traditional image…

Coach Joe Paterno apparently didn’t like players having their names on the back of their jerseys. “It’s the name on the front of the jersey that matters most, not the one on the back.” That.  Speaks. Volumes.

Previously, in Perfect Failures, Part One — More about this later…because, we’re also told in Matthew 5:48 to “Be perfect, like God in heaven is perfect”  Let’s think together about this.— John Maxwell recently advised this: “Stop working on your weakness.” He asked what would have happened if you’d come home with a report card showing…

From long ago — Where there is despair,  let me sow hope. “You know who needs encouragement?”  was the question.  “Everybody you meet.” We need to remember an old song, “But I would not give you false hope, on this strange and mournful day.” Our friend St. Paul: “Hope does not disappoint us, because God…

Going into the 2011 National Finals, a rookie NCAA coach asked an experienced coach for advice. “It’s not about being perfect,” began the advice from the UCLA Women’s Softball Coach.  “It’s about managing your failures.” In between those two sentences is an understanding that everybody makes mistakes. Part of the proper handling of our mistakes is…

“Where there is doubt, let me sow faith.” —Prayer of  St. Francis A friend said, “I doubt that anybody has much faith anymore.” Beyond the irony of that, you and I don’t have to look too hard for some shaky faith. Maybe even faith that’s crumbling. Or faith that has collapsed into honest doubt. Where are…

Crazy day with our seven month old puppy. It’s Martin’s first time seeing snow. All of his favorite spots to stop and uhm, take advantage of being outside, are covered up. Poor little guy. He was pretty confused this morning, and even by early afternoon it still takes some real convincing for him to relax…

Back to the prayer attributed to St. Francis: Where there is injury, (let me sow) pardon. Let’s say you and I have been hurt by somebody. Probably not a big stretch to imagine that; I sure just  pictured someone. So can you. How many times do we have to forgive that particular somebody? “Seventy times…