Did you enjoy a shower this morning - not too hot and not too cold, just right? Shortly thereafter, I assume you headed off to work or started work in your home office. I did as well - another routine day. Then my mind went to the millions of Ukrainians that have not seen a shower or any semblance of a routine day in over three weeks. Their suffering hit me and I got on my knees. I confessed taking the blessings of freedom for granted and prayed the Lord would rebuke evil at work to kill freedom in this world.
On June 6th, 1944, those blessings were ...read on
What it means to be free is on full display as war continues in Ukraine. A few short weeks ago, Ukrainians were free to enjoy a life similar to the rest of Europe – Families could play in the park, go shopping and stop by a pub to get a meal. It was business as usual. Then Russia’s leadership, showing no respect for Ukraine’s freedom as a sovereign nation, decided to invade.
What has been cliché in America – “Freedom is not free”, has ...read on
There is quite a contrast being witnessed in real time. In Afghanistan, under threat from the Taliban in August, 2021, President Ashraf Ghani evacuated to a safe haven as Kabul fell to the enemy. In Ukraine this spring, President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to an offer for evacuation with the statement, “I don’t need a ride, I need ammunition!” He, along with leaders of the Parliament and the mayor of Kyiv, took up arms with the military and civilian regimens to stand together against Russian forces.
There is a lot of finger-pointing going on today. It is natural to look for someone to blame when we are struggling. One example is pointing at the teachers for failing to educate the children. Teachers then point at the school administration for various mandates that inhibit their ability to educate. Then the administration points at the government for all the hoops they have to jump through to get funding.
In the 1960’s and ‘70’s, talk of an existential threat was typically in reference to nuclear weapons the superpowers had armed and ready during the Cold War. The term was not meant to grab headlines but to convey the true magnitude of the situation. Today, anything from a foreign adversary to a different point of view may be called an existential threat. Hyperbole seems to be the norm.
When young couples exchange marriage vows, often what is heard is – “… for better, for richer and in health …” After all, they are in the midst of what Gary Chapman calls the tingly feeling of love stage of the relationship. This feeling, per the author of The 5 Love Languages, may last two weeks or two years. Then the journey of learning to love begins.
He kissed his kids goodbye as he left for work, while they were asleep. And he kissed them goodnight when he got home, after they were asleep. The young dad was working hard to provide for his family but the long hours were taking a toll on his marriage and the relationships with his kids.
Trying to find that right balance between work, marriage, family, church and personal time can prove illusive. One can try to ...read on
Times were not good. The pressure was mounting. Oil had dropped to $8 per barrel and the oilfield services sector was being decimated. The young manager had to size down the operation by 75% and survival was still not guaranteed. There was a saying in previous downturns that when the oil companies catch a cold, the services sector contracts pneumonia. This was double pneumonia!
In the midst of one of the most severe downturns in history, the young manager became ...read on
He simply wanted some clarity about his heritage. The young man was adopted as an infant by a couple that provided a wonderful home for him. They were very supportive of their son’s efforts to connect with his birth mother and biological father. They knew clarity would provide the young man greater comfort and confidence in who he was.
One would think that such an inquisitive nature ...read on
I pray you enjoyed a wonderful CHRISTmas and new year with family. Were your holiday gatherings and mealtimes peaceful? When friends and relatives gather, lively discussion can get stirred up as folks express their thoughts around certain topics. Was there pressure to limit conversation to football and the kids?
There is so much to talk through with all that is going on ...read on
Did you enjoy a shower this morning - not too hot and not too cold, just right? Shortly thereafter, I assume you headed off to work or started work in your home office. I did as well - another routine day. Then my mind went to the millions of Ukrainians that have not seen a shower or any semblance of a routine day in over three weeks. Their suffering hit me and I got on my knees. I confessed taking the blessings of freedom for granted and prayed the Lord would rebuke evil at work to kill freedom in this world.
What it means to be free is on full display as war continues in Ukraine. A few short weeks ago, Ukrainians were free to enjoy a life similar to the rest of Europe – Families could play in the park, go shopping and stop by a pub to get a meal. It was business as usual. Then Russia’s leadership, showing no respect for Ukraine’s freedom as a sovereign nation, decided to invade.
There is quite a contrast being witnessed in real time. In Afghanistan, under threat from the Taliban in August, 2021, President Ashraf Ghani evacuated to a safe haven as Kabul fell to the enemy. In Ukraine this spring, President Volodymyr Zelensky responded to an offer for evacuation with the statement, “I don’t need a ride, I need ammunition!” He, along with leaders of the Parliament and the mayor of Kyiv, took up arms with the military and civilian regimens to stand together against Russian forces.
There is a lot of finger-pointing going on today. It is natural to look for someone to blame when we are struggling. One example is pointing at the teachers for failing to educate the children. Teachers then point at the school administration for various mandates that inhibit their ability to educate. Then the administration points at the government for all the hoops they have to jump through to get funding.
In the 1960’s and ‘70’s, talk of an existential threat was typically in reference to nuclear weapons the superpowers had armed and ready during the Cold War. The term was not meant to grab headlines but to convey the true magnitude of the situation. Today, anything from a foreign adversary to a different point of view may be called an existential threat. Hyperbole seems to be the norm.
When young couples exchange marriage vows, often what is heard is – “… for better, for richer and in health …” After all, they are in the midst of what Gary Chapman calls the tingly feeling of love stage of the relationship. This feeling, per the author of 
He kissed his kids goodbye as he left for work, while they were asleep. And he kissed them goodnight when he got home, after they were asleep. The young dad was working hard to provide for his family but the long hours were taking a toll on his marriage and the relationships with his kids.
Times were not good. The pressure was mounting. Oil had dropped to $8 per barrel and the oilfield services sector was being decimated. The young manager had to size down the operation by 75% and survival was still not guaranteed. There was a saying in previous downturns that when the oil companies catch a cold, the services sector contracts pneumonia. This was double pneumonia!
He simply wanted some clarity about his heritage. The young man was adopted as an infant by a couple that provided a wonderful home for him. They were very supportive of their son’s efforts to connect with his birth mother and biological father. They knew clarity would provide the young man greater comfort and confidence in who he was.
I pray you enjoyed a wonderful CHRISTmas and new year with family. Were your holiday gatherings and mealtimes peaceful? When friends and relatives gather, lively discussion can get stirred up as folks express their thoughts around certain topics. Was there pressure to limit conversation to football and the kids?
