November 2010 – 300 words a day

My Grandfather’s Bible

Over the weekend, I was given a Bible. It’s worn. There is a handwritten date inside: 1914. This was one of my great-grandfather’s Bibles. It was given to my grandfather at some point, and now it’s been passed to me. There are a couple things between the pages, as often happens with Bibles. One is […]

by Jon Swanson

Timothy is out of jail.

That’s really good news, right? That Timothy was released from jail? Of course, many people have known that for a really long time. In fact, as long as people have been reading the book of Hebrews, they have known that Timothy is out of jail and is on his way somewhere. (Hebrews 13:23) I, on […]

by Jon Swanson

An Advent reader

Sorry to bother you. I know it’s Saturday. But tomorrow is the first Sunday of Advent, and I thought some of the people who visit 300 words might be interested in an Advent reader. Three years ago, I wrote an Advent series at advent2007.wordpress.com. I looked at the idea of anticipation, trying to see through […]

by Jon Swanson

Still thankful: a repost

(This was first published the day after Thanksgiving 2009.) It’s the day after the ritual. We are exhausted and confused. Our bodies aren’t used to that much food, to this much time out of the routine, to the tension between expectations and reality. The antidote for the day after Thanksgiving confusion is not shopping. It […]

by Jon Swanson

Thanks.

I’ll let Paul describe how I feel about you. Thanks for showing up here. You have no idea what it means to me. Every time you cross my mind, I break out in exclamations of thanks to God. Each exclamation is a trigger to prayer. I find myself praying for you with a glad heart. […]