JONATHAN C DOW
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 . . .
Neck-Craning Expectation
As the weather has warmed and the days have become longer, my wife and I have appreciated the opportunity to enjoy our deck in the evenings. As we sat outside for the first time this season, we chatted about the day, eagerly sharing the funny and the frustrating things that transpired.
During a lull in the conversation, I noticed a large . . .
Posted in: #assurance#guidance#peace
The East Side of the Jordan
Not too long ago, while sitting in the choir loft during a sermon, I followed a thought along a rabbit trail that led me to Numbers chapter 33. (Sorry, Pastor).
Titled "Stages in Israel's Journey," this passage captures Israel's rest stops on their trek out of Egypt to the Promised Land. It basically reads, "The Israelites left this city . . .
Posted in: #grief#leadership#ministry#relationships
Scored Bread
Most every Sunday at my church, I sit at the keyboard in the choir loft. When Communion is served, I am privileged to have a direct line of sight to the Table and can easily see the elements as they are consecrated by our pastor.
One particular Sunday, when the Celebrant lifted the homemade loaf and began to break it, the bread stretched, . . .
Posted in: #characterdevelopment#healing#peace
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 . . .
Posted in: #assurance#hope#intimacywithgod
Where is the Lord?
One of the Saturday morning cartoons I loved as a child was Mr. Magoo. Bumbling along from one self-created comical peril to the next, he always escaped, utterly oblivious to the disaster he narrowly avoided. Mr. Magoo's extreme near-sightedness and blissful ignorance generated countless hold-your-breath moments that left me wondering, "How . . .
Unlearning
Almost a month ago, we bought a "real" kitchen trashcan: The 13-gallon, stainless steel, foot pedal, removable insert kind. It is shiny, sleek, and has significantly more capacity than our previous receptacle.
Our former kitchen trashcan was actually a rescue: a salvaged base of a paper shredder that bit the dust years ago. And although . . .