In the valley; especially in the valley

January 28, 2022

Almost ten years ago I wrote this Fragment. It’s about my friend and brother… Don Talley.  Don is once again in a fight.  This time with Covid.  And while Don’s physical body is more vulnerable than most, the inventory of his soul is empowered with grit and confidence.  Consider this an invitation to thank God […]

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The Shredder and C. T. Studd

January 21, 2022

Sitting on the top shelf of a storage area in our basement was a banker’s box. The box has been the final resting place for financial information for Mary and me. Everything from mortgage papers to tax returns. On nearly every visit into this area I catch a glimpse of this box. Over time, the […]

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7 to 1

January 14, 2022

It was 1896 when the Supreme Court of the United States convened for what would become a landmark case. Seven justices were opposed by one dissenting voice. That voice belonged to John Marshall Harlan, a Kentucky lawyer who was appointed to the highest court in the land by President Rutherford B. Hayes. The case in […]

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Magnificat – (Latin: “My soul magnifies the Lord”)

January 7, 2022

“And Mary said…” Mary. The mother of Jesus. Poet. Songwriter. Praise leader. Mary.             “My soul magnifies the Lord,                         and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,             for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.                         For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;             for he […]

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A Christmas Lesson from a Copper Mine

December 17, 2021

What follows is an extended Christmas Friday Fragment. It’s about twice the normal length… but I couldn’t do the story justice without the extra details. I trust that it prompts you to adoration of a God who “con-descended” into the darkness for us. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome […]

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A Call to Central Casting

December 10, 2021

It’s become a tradition. Grandkids. Christmas Eve. Full stomachs. And a creative adaptation of the Christmas story. All written, directed, and acted by our tribe of young people that we call our Grands. Three years ago, with the quality and humor and content of the program consistently improving, a new actor burst on the scene. […]

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It was never about the whale…

December 3, 2021

I think I’ve gotten the story wrong for years. You know, the story of Jonah. The story about a lead actor with a sea creature in a supporting role. The following two verses of scripture sum up the distilled version of nearly every Jonah account. And the LORD appointed a great fish to swallow up […]

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Fourth

November 19, 2021

“The greatest of these is love.” Then, and now… and for eternity. Lisa Johnson. That was the name that quickened the pulse of nearly every 8th grade boy that walked the halls at Edison Junior High. She was poised, mature and lovely. I didn’t know very much about her… just that she lived with her […]

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We in a culture of Them

November 12, 2021

Hanging in my office is an artist’s rendition of an 80 year old Daniel and a collection of lions. The familiarity of the story often robs me of the consequential impact. Daniel. Courageous. Wise. Faithful. Loyal. Relevant. Brilliant. The stuff of flannel graph stories. The stuff of epic cinematography. While I love the diet managing, […]

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Casual Fridays

November 5, 2021

It was my first real job… a Systems Analyst for a small insurance company in Fort Wayne, Indiana. An annual salary of just north of $10,000 a year. But then, this was 1977. As an incentive to attract young college graduates, the company offered, Every Other Friday Off! I jumped at the opportunity. I bought […]

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