Do you ever wonder what kinds of critters invade your yard once darkness settles in? My wife, Diana, has found a new source of entertainment by scanning the overnight footage of our recently installed security camera. Even in winter, you'd expect to see birds and squirrels. But the camera also captured the image of a fox in our yard on two consecutive occasions. The first visit was at 2:30 am. The next night, he came much earlier—10:16 pm. But in both cases, his (her?) bushy tail made a strong statement against the blanket of white snow. Amazing what a camera…
Your One Job
The moment he said it, you knew you’d remember it. We had just finished recording a Moody Radio special with Attorney David Gibbs, Jr. His ministry, the Christian Law Association, assists Christians under fire as they live out their biblical faith. Though the list of those opposing Christians is long—and getting longer—Attorney Gibbs stressed our need as Christ-followers to be kind and gracious, even as we stand up for our legal rights. That's when he declared, "I have one job in life: to make Jesus look good." I felt my conscience rumble as I pondered a recent phone conversation about…
You Are Mine
Remember those pastel-colored "Sweetheart" candies with Valentine's messages? To meet the demands of Valentine's season, the Necco company (original makers) used to manufacture 100,000 pounds of candy hearts daily! And each candy featured a phrase like: “Cutie Pie” “Kiss Me” “Be Mine” In the spirit of the season, I offer a more ancient—not to mention substantive—valentine found in Isaiah 43:1. Directed originally to the Israelites, it’s a valentine you, too, can claim: But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called…
Spiritual Anesthesia
“How bad is it?” I asked the doctor. "Well, if we don't intervene, you'll experience some permanent vision loss in your one eye." The conversation was enough to get me to submit to a series of procedures in which the doctor injects medication into the leaky blood vessels. Translation: he pokes a needle in your eye. Put yourself in my shoes, sitting in the reclining chair. The doctor’s assistant walks in and drizzles some drops into your eyes. Feel the sting? Now, sit there and wait for twenty minutes while you feel your pulse quicken. Next, it's time for some…
The Darkening of America
America is growing darker—literally. Consider. Everybody wants to sell you an LED bulb that's "the equivalent of 60 watts." But what if you have a somewhat larger room or a higher ceiling? What if you want the equivalent of a 100-watt bulb? Not as readily available. Then there's the dimming of hotel rooms. It's not just that they've switched to LEDs (in this economy, who could blame management?). The problem is they use the absolute lowest wattage bulbs money can buy. Which means your room is quite dim. Another example. This summer, we installed a new ceiling fan in my…
The Price of Purity
Imagine hearing this conversation… "I was all excited—and then—not so excited." "What do you mean?" I asked Timothy as I offered him a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. "No secret that I love to read," he mumbled as he crunched one I'd left in the oven too long. "You're forever talking about your latest book," I teased. "And you know I like action novels, right?" "Again, not exactly a secret." "Well, I recently discovered this author—an ex-military guy that spins a story like few others. Gritty characters. Action that never lets up. And, of course, the good guys…
Trash Talk
As the new year swallows up the last of this year’s Christmas memories, one story lingers. Like many pragmatic folks, Emma's parents' stuff Christmas presents into empty household boxes: detergent, cereal, Amazon boxes, whatever happens to be around. It makes wrapping gifts like stuffed animals or plush slippers a bit easier. To the young, though, it can be confusing. We watched three-year-old Emma tear the wrapping off one gift, revealing a box of trash can liners. Not fully understanding, she shouted, “Hey, Dad. I get my own trash can!” As she spoke, she had the nicest smile on her face….
With Christ in the School of Self-Denial
Imagine if Jesus opened a “School of Self Denial” right in your neighborhood—and He invited you to enroll. At what grade level would He place you? Self-denial is not exactly trending these days. Self-actualization or self-assertiveness—there, you'll get some clicks. But self-denial? My Amazon search revealed only three book titles—all written by Puritans more than 500 years ago. Apparently, today’s Christians don’t care much for self-denial. Odd. Because this was Jesus’ sweet spot, His thing. At the Incarnation, He denied Himself the majesty of heaven. In a prayer life that often began “while it was still dark,” He denied Himself…
Our Advent Problem
Houston, we have an (Advent) problem. We love celebrating Christ's coming with carols, candles, crèches, and cookies, not to mention cash. And we are right to celebrate so joyously. God came to dwell among us! But there’s another Advent that gets comparatively little enthusiasm. I refer to Christ’s second coming. Curiously, those who claim to know Christ best often show much more enthusiasm for the babe in the manger than the King on His throne. Think I’m being too harsh? Ponder all we’ve just experienced with Christmas, the First Advent, and then ask yourself: Where are all the songs about…
Move Me Closer
What’s on your Christmas playlist? We enjoy an eclectic mix of childhood favorites like the Carpenters, Living Strings, and the Rudolph TV soundtrack. We also have most of the Mannheim Steamroller albums, with a nod to country artists Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, Alan Jackson, and many others, in a digitized set of Shell Oil country Christmas cassettes (circa 1989). Natalie Cole's Hallmark album is a must, as are Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, John Tesh, Mariah Carey, and Michael Bublé. Then there’s Andy Griffith’s delightful collection of Christmas carols and stories. But one album and one alone is reserved for…