Work and Rest
My family is on vacation this week in Michigan. Nancy’s dad owned a house in the little village of Lexington for many years and upon his death, this home became the possession of Nancy and her siblings. Lexington sits on
Fellowship Priorities
When Nancy and I first married, the parsonage where we lived had the church office in the back of the house. My desk, computer, books, and files were all in the room. The room had its own entrance, which served
Fellowship: Accountability and Criticism
Coach Herb was my Grade School/Junior High coach. He taught me many life lessons during my formative years. One of the lessons was the importance of accountability and mentorship. Herb was a playful, fun coach, who had high expectations for
Fellowship More Than Food
I grew up in the church and through my travels, I have attended numerous local churches for Sunday morning worship experiences. I commonly hear the following statements: “After worship today, we will have a fellowship time (i.e. coffee, doughnuts, and
Hugs
My wife, Nancy, is known for her hugs. We have people in our life who when I run into them while traveling will say to me, “I need a Nancy hug” or “I could use a Nancy hug right now.”
We Define Maturity
We would define a mature person as one who is able to function happily, usefully, and at her maximum capacity in a given situation. This definition needs correction at the place of “maximum capacity,” for it is possible to lay
A Gardener for Jesus
When I attended community college, I was the student worker for the life-science professor. Part of my responsibility was to oversee the greenhouse in preparation for our annual spring plant sale. The professor gave me his expectations of what I
Fear of Failure
Atychiphobia—”the fear of failure” is a real struggle for many people. In a time in history and a culture that seems less willing to allow people to fail, there is an expectation that everyone will say the right thing, do
Individualism Moving to Interdependence
Maturation from newborn to adult moves through several stages where an individual is learning new concepts and coming to a better understanding of their identity and place in this world. For the past several weeks, graduation festivities have been at