Nestled among the “whences” and ‘comeths’ of Psalm 121 (KJV) lies a calmness and certainty that draws us when times are difficult and trying. The archaic lingual forms embedded in scripture bring a...

Time is a constant in our lives, though it can feel malleable depending on our awareness of its presence. Getting older appears to be a time accelerant. Recent months and years bring urgency to where...

At the risk of others knowing how often I counsel our dogs, one phrase comes to mind. Read the room. Such wisdom is mostly imparted when calamity is a probable outcome. It is frequently shared when...

We hear it from a young age, “Don’t play with your food.” Mostly, it is about not making a mess for others to clean up, but it is also a reminder that food is a gift and resource not to be squan...

One of the advantages of growing up along the Front Range was the opportunity to experience varied climates, elevations and biomes within a relatively short distance. One could be at the top of Trail...

We are born of generations that covet finishing on top. From sports to academics to making the most of position, wealth, power and influence. Excelling is an admirable trait within its boundaries and...

If you desire clarity over ambiguity, certainty over speculation and cold hard facts over hypothetical conjecture, one arena to consider fleeing might be theology. As much as we like to condense it...

It was bound to happen sooner or later; the writing was on the wall. The advent of affordable electronics coupled with insatiable curiosity seekers came together in the form of yet one more must have...

We live in a world filled with slogans, declarations, and jargon beyond caring. It is pervasive and unsettlingly, particularly when directed at our younger generations. Sound bites have become sound...

It’s time to dust off the boots, match your best jeans with your most colorful shirt and pull out that hat that’s been in the closet for the past 12 months. Fair time is at its height, a tim...

This past week’s district church conference was hosted by my alma mater, McPherson College. Many of the same campus features of some 40 years ago remain firmly etched in my mind. Like most former s...

It was a perfectly good building in its day, six bays of finishing barn plus liquid manure handling capability. Sturdy, practical, and not too far off from today’s standards, the structure was b...

It is official. The annual gathering of members representing my denomination is in the books. For over 230 years, and a few early unrecorded events, the business of the church has been placed before...

On the anniversary of the founding of our republic, there remain concerns over the ongoing debate of the separation of church and state. Everyone, it would seem, has a position to take, and...

More often these days there is the realization of time passing. Measured parameters are increasingly difficult to keep nicely contained. Their march into the future is persistent, relentless in ways...

Numerous scriptural references allude to crowds forming whenever Jesus was nearby. The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) share common themes and formats in relating stories surrounding...

Spring has brought numbers of interesting things to our doorstep, most related to a wetter than normal start to the growing season. Peonies are blooming as never before, columbine have exploded in the...

Recent larger than normal rainfall amounts spurred weeds and flowers alike to new heights, exceeding their botanical potentials faster and more quickly than normal. The pasture is suddenly knee high,...

An old axiom supports the premise that “you get what you give.” Many attest to its validity, but sometimes a little more intentionality is called for. When gifts become expectations, then grace ebb...

Various metrics all point in the same general direction when it comes to measuring the evolution of the church. For years we depended on membership rolls, bodies in the pews, irrevocable declarations...

This is the time of year when professional sports teams are deep into basketball and hockey playoff runs, the kind that demand both individual and team efforts to move forward. Egos and...

Early morning haze and the specter of rising humidity accompanied morning coffee this week. It felt the same as in the past, yet differences were apparent. It had been over five years since our last v...

When judging the success of churches, there continues to be a tendency to fall back on numbers. Attendees, members, baptisms, baby dedications, weddings and souls declared and delivered for Christ are...

Change falls hard on religious institutions and its members because we care intensely and deeply for what our churches have provided to us in the past. Theological conviction and foundation, laid...

Six decades, five states, four varieties and pies too many to count, the saga of a rhubarb dynasty was thought complete, brought to a standstill by last years’ drought and the harsh winter of ...