A few years ago I met a friend for coffee. We ordered our drinks and sat down and my friend cut to the chase. “How are you?” she asked with a certain pointedness that suggested she wasn’t interested in small talk. “Work is hard,” I said. The church I…
As we wait to celebrate the birth of Christ, gather online on Sunday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. for Hope in the Darkness: An Advent Cantata. Featuring video of original music by Bill Campbell, contemporary music director, and readings from St. Paul people, t…
As a teenager, I recall the time when our rural church decided to create a Christmas Eve production involving all youth of the church from four or five years of age through high schoolers. For the congregation it was a “big deal” as we had not previo…
“From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is praised” – Psalm 113:3 During the summer of 2019, I served at a nonprofit mission camp in Tennessee. I worked to serve the Lord, serve the people in the Cumberland Plateau, and the v…
A thrill of hope occurred right before Halloween, during the end of October, and when we had a small dusting of snow across the Midwest. I recall that the snow quickly melted by the afternoon that day, but the thrill of hope that I heard from my youn…
Traveling is my passion. It started back when I was a kid when our family took long driving trips. We would see as many sights and people as possible as we made our way to our destinations. “A Thrill of Hope” for me is planning and experiencing inter…
1
Earlier this year, a police officer in Slidell, Louisiana, made what had every appearance of a fairly routine traffic stop. Only after they pulled over did realize there was more to discuss with the driver than originally anticipated. The officer ran…
My dad planted a tree in my yard, not too long before he died, though I can’t recall the exact timeframe. It was special, just one connection to him; and while the tree did fairly well for the last 12 years or so, it was struggling recently and was c…
The fire tetrahedron contains four components, which is the only relevant application of my high school parallelogram indoctrination. These components are ignition, fuel, oxygen, and a chemical reaction. A fire starved of oxygen will not burn. To put…
If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, COVID-fatigued, or are struggling to find the energy to function in the way you are accustomed to, consider reaching out to our staff counselor/social worker, Angie Vaaler, LMSW. Her services are free of char…
7
As I write this, I can hear my kids doing remote school with their amazing teachers here in Davenport (Thank you, teachers!). I am continually distracted by the unexpected joy of my third-grade daughter learning multiplication through a screen. It tu…
If you were to step into the kitchen right now and bake a cake from scratch, how would you rate your skill as a baker? What about your coordination for catching a ball? Or your talent for dancing? How would you evaluate the level of your compassion?…