We broken humans often get ourselves into a fix-it mentality. When our personal or professional lives are a mess, we try to find a quick fix that we can apply so we can move on. When those fixes fail, we come to find out that the problem is—gasp!—us, and there’s no quick fix for that.
So then we focus on fixing those (more…)
When my boys were little, one of them had a toy called Stretch Armstrong. And yes, Stretch stretched, across the room, down the hallway, from the top bunk to the bottom—until my son broke him. We put a colorful bandage on Stretch’s leg, and stretched Stretch less after that.
We all eventually find our breaking point when we’re overextended. Lately I’ve wondered (more…)
Truth is a timeless universal buzzword. I’ve found people are much more open to discussing the concept of truth than the concept of redemption. Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” That same question can be a springboard from which to share the gospel.
Truth is, few people take the time to consider the origin of truth. So let’s follow the logical progression (more…)
Last spring my oldest son got engaged. A shower would be held at my house, which necessitated finally repairing my unsightly kitchen ceiling. Then a reception hall proved unavailable, making my house the venue of choice. That, of course, necessitated more home renovations. In between, there was a second shower, wedding plans, another family wedding, Thanksgiving, then THE wedding (the week (more…)
As a writer, I’m hypercritical of books and movies. It’s hard to read a book without editing or rewriting it as I read, and it’s hard to watch a movie without calling out vapid dialog or flat storylines. But my biggest pet peeve is something all my literature and writing instructors drilled into me: A properly written story should be character-driven, not plot-driven.
The (more…)