JONATHAN C DOW

The God of "Both/And"

For the last few weeks, I've been listening to the book of Luke when getting ready for work. It's been a refreshing way to focus my heart and my mind in the mornings and to get an eternal perspective on the day.

One of the things I have appreciated in hearing the Gospel stories is the breadth of ways that Jesus ministered to . . .

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November 04, 2023

Resting at Home

Discovering Peace in the Season of "Yet to Be"

Most every weekend we pass through an older part of town that is slowly transitioning from residential to commercial property. The slow process over the 20 years that we have lived here has been painful to watch.

While the houses have often been abandoned, gutted, and then demolished, there is one ranch-style home that we have watched . . .

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June 01, 2023

I Hear You

Not too long ago, my wife and I ventured deep into the land of Amazon, purchasing an Echo Dot and an Echo Show. We also bought programmable lightbulbs that we not only can adjust the brightness but also change the color simply with our voice.

Honestly, we thought the steepest part of the learning curve would be getting everything set up . . .

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January 01, 2023

New to You

...new to me ...new to us

Over the last year, my wife and I have gotten spoiled by the convenience of online ordering and grocery pick up. However, when there were no open slots available over a recent weekend, we jokingly lamented our first-world problem and made a Saturday evening trek to Walmart.

After our shopping excursion, the sea of little white plastic . . .

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April 01, 2022

Horrible, Candle-Snuffing Words

Recently on a quiet Friday evening, I pulled out a DVD of one of my favorite movies. Near the beginning of "Finding Neverland," the playwright, J.M. Barrie meets a jaded young boy named Peter. Unimpressed with Mr. Barrie's vivid imagination, young Peter remains aloof. And when the playwright suggests that his dog, Porthos, be a bear in a . . .

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February 01, 2022

30 Things in 30 Years

"Mentionables" in our Journey of Grief.

In the movie, "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood," one of the main characters makes a poignant statement that is the springboard for this entry. In his gentle, thoughtful, and intentional way of love, Mr. Rogers says to the family surrounding the bedside of a dying man, “You know, death is something many of us are uncomfortable . . .

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January 08, 2022

Six Months Closer

Several months after my mom passed away, I scheduled an appointment with a dear brother who cuts my hair. It was good medicine to see him. Amidst the hustle and bustle of his salon, our conversation drifted from topic to topic carried along by his infectious joy, his tender heart, and his deep compassion.

As we continued to catch up, I . . .

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July 01, 2021

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