Monthly Archives: January 2016

I am excited and pleased about the gifts that are showing up at JOY.  I could be thinking about the monetary gifts of generosity that JOY has received over the past few months.  And, I am thankful for those.  But … Continue reading →

We often think that the word, “rejoice” is to be reserved for Christmas or Easter.  To “Rejoice!” means to find great joy or delight in something or someone. I am finding reasons to rejoice at times and in places that I … Continue reading →

This week I have been thinking about congregational leadership.  Most leaders in the Church are volunteers and volunteers are not paid workers so, they often think about their jobs a little differently than a paid job.  I thank God always … Continue reading →

All evening, and already this morning, I was thinking about one of the most important aspects of any group activity: continuity.  In football, one of the most important challenges is to keep one’s offensive line intact.  When there are a … Continue reading →

Over the centuries, the Church has developed rituals that have helped people to see the glory and magnificence of God and to feel God’s presence.  These rituals are the things that are hard for us to see change.  We have … Continue reading →

I love the phrase, “Expect a miracle!”  It does not give a timeline or about what the miracle will occur only to expect one.  For me, it is true that God does miracles everyday and we need to expect them … Continue reading →

There are a few meanings of the word “pilot.”  The person who flies the airplane is a pilot. There is a marine pilot that guides the way for ships navigating into port.  Then there is the first, test program for … Continue reading →

Advertisements everywhere trumpet the news that their product can make your floors, finish, headlights, skin, etc. etc. look like new again.  We search for ways to look younger and to take steps back to the past where things were easier … Continue reading →

Last week, I spoke with a man who wondered why his life never seemed to turn around.  One bad thing after another seemed to happen in his life.  He saw not connection between what happened to him and his own … Continue reading →

Baptism, for us Lutherans, is a very significant event in our lives. And most of us do not even remember it.  Martin Luther said that each morning we should make the sign of the cross to remember that we were … Continue reading →