Untangled
Recently I downloaded a video game onto my phone called Tangle Master 3D. Each round begins with multi-colored pieces of intertwined rope that you have to untangle in as few moves as possible. As you navigate each level, the snarls become increasingly complex both in the number of ropes tangled and in the intricacy of the knot.
One . . .
Posted in: #assurance#hope#relationships
It Wasn't Goodbye
a poem in memoriam
My extraordinary mother, Joyce Cole Dow, passed away on June 20, 2020. At her funeral, I was blessed to be able to share this poem inspired by many summer vacations in Maine spent at my grandmother’s cottage. This quaint retreat is nestled along the bank of a beautiful spring-fed lake. Behind the cottage is a steep, tree-covered . . .
Posted in: #assurance#grief#hope
It is What it Is...
but what if it's not?
One phrase that I have allowed to slip into my conversational vocabulary is, "Well, it is what it is." Usually, it's accompanied by a resigned sigh and an implied, "Suck it up, buttercup."
It makes sense, then, that as I pondered the account of Jairus in Mark 5, this emotionally acquiesced phrase bubbled to the surface. In the unfolding . . .
Satisfied
Hope for When God Moves the Finish Line
Recently, I’ve been listening to the Book of Mark as I get ready for work in the mornings. Although I had downloaded a fully dramatized version, complete with quills scratching on parchment, dogs barking, creaking doors, and busy street-market background sounds, I instead chose to enjoy a simple narration spoken by a gentleman named . . .
Posted in: #characterdevelopment#hope#leadership
What's Mine is Yours
Last Fall, a good friend and I embarked on an 8-hour road trip to Michigan. The long journey allowed for deep conversation with this young man who is like a son in the faith to me. As the miles passed and the fuel gauge began to creep towards "E," we stopped at a Pilot to refuel. Enjoying the opportunity to stretch and feeling a little . . .
Posted in: #assurance#hope
Worn Soles and Worn Souls
After two and a half years of walking the halls of the hospital, I decided to replace my work shoes. While the brand-new pair was a bit expensive, I knew that it was well worth the investment. Curious to see just how worn my old soles were, I laid both pair, side by side, on the bed. The difference was striking. "No wonder my feet were . . .
Finding Forky
Calling people "up" instead of "out"
Wanting to escape the relentless summer heat, my wife and I decided to set aside our normal Saturday chores to go to a local movie theater. Appreciating the clever story-telling of the previous three films, we decided to see Toy Story 4.
Though we enjoyed the movie, I left the theater with an unresolved heaviness that I had not . . .
