300 words a day

How to help someone start the new year by being noticed.

Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Philippians 3:1 If you mail a letter tonight, it will be the first mail someone gets in the new year. It could be your first […]

by Jon Swanson

More than a traveling miracle worker.

It’s a Jesus story for kids. A man can’t hear and can’t speak clearly. His friends bring him to where Jesus was. Jesus sticks his fingers in the man’s ears. And then Jesus spits on his own finger and touches the man’s tongue. It’s all gross, at least for a kid. Until the man starts […]

by Jon Swanson

Rich’s ride.

Since March 2020, Rich Dixon has been writing here every Wednesday. It was his way to help me out as my hospital work got intense. He’s taking today off. I told him I’d rerun something. What I found was this post from a decade ago, when the book of the story he’s been telling here […]

by Jon Swanson

Though Mary knew, it would have still been complicated.

On Sunday, like most Sundays, I led an interdenominational chapel service in the hospital where I work. On Christmas. For people watching from beds on Christmas morning. And I talked about Mary. +++ She delivered a baby, as women had done, she wrapped him up, as was appropriate, she put him in a safe place. […]

by Jon Swanson

Seven invitations to look back.

This is a time of year for reviewing, for “most listened to” lists, for what happened this year. Some of us avoid this process. We may not want to remember things from this year. We may not want to be reminded of things from this year. I understand. For some reason, however, the other day, […]