June 2014 – Page 4 – 300 words a day

Giving away a piece of your life.

A few years ago, I took some small stones to a conference. They were from a little gravel path Nancy and I made in our backyard. I took them to the conference because I was going to see people face-to-face who I had only talked with online. They were tangible evidence that we had met, […]

by Paul Merrill

Totally different values

We forget. I forget. Almost all over this planet, we are surrounded by the message that the richer you are, the better your life will be. Everywhere we turn, we hear and see messages that we need to: have our dishes washed by a better machine drive a newer car eat tasty food prepared by […]

by Jon Swanson

I sometimes cannot think hard enough.

My friend is writing a paper about propitiation and atonement. “There are five definitions of propitiation,” he told me. And I know that there are at least five major approaches to explaining atonement. I know this because I’ve spent some time recently reading those explanations. And listening to lectures. And I walk away from the […]

by Jon Swanson

one at a time

I started digging dandelions out of our lawn on a Saturday. I had wanted to put fertilizer with weed-killer on the lawn. I couldn’t get the timing right between rain and projects. So I started digging dandelions on Saturday. One a time. Section by section. Front yard, then back. Stooping, then kneeling. It took time, […]

by Jon Swanson

Praying with open eyes.

The king was up early, before the rest of the household. It was an old habit from years of living in caves and in fields. He couldn’t forget being watchful of sheep and soldiers, watching for wolves, both animal and human. He slipped through the building and out the door, nodding silently at the salute […]