Lent
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Jiggety Jig
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in ReflectionsLet’s talk about jigs. Not the lively dance with leaping movements, but rather the device for guiding a tool or for holding machine work in place. The older I get, the more I appreciate that the Church has liturgical seasons. I’ve come to think of them as jigs that keep us on track spiritually. And this world has no…
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God’s Gym
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in ReflectionsThe old joke states, “Never ask God for patience because He’ll give you opportunities to practice.” We laugh because it’s true. That’s the comedy. The tragedy is when we follow this terrible advice. I mean, it would be ridiculous to say, “Don’t tell a trainer you want to build muscle, because he might start asking…
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Not a Morning Person
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in ReflectionsDo elk have the choice of being a morning person? Are there some elk, hidden away in the woods, “sleeping in?” Some who stayed up late contemplating the universe, or were up all night partying with other woodland creatures? Alas, I assume that elk are wired the way they are wired, and they don’t have…
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As You Wish
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in ReflectionsOne of the most memorable lines in the movie The Princess Bride is, “As you wish.” At the start of the movie, we learn that the beautiful Buttercup has a farmhand named Westley, whom she bosses around. To each of her requests, Westley responds, “As you wish.” Later on, when Buttercup pushes Dread Pirate Roberts…
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Working All Things for Good
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in ReflectionsMy wife took the beautiful photo that inspired this painting. There was something about this dandelion that captivated me. He’s reaching the end of the line. He is weary, but remains proud and steadfast. Some called him a weed, disrupting the status quo and infecting the neighborhood. But he knows the truth. He has run his…
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I Got a Rock
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in ReflectionsIn the immortal words of a trick-or-treating Charlie Brown…I got a rock. It wasn’t just any rock, mind you; it was a kindness rock. If you are unfamiliar with the concept, people hand-paint ordinary rocks with inspirational or encouraging messages and leave them in a public place for someone to find. This particular one was shaped…
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Proof of Life
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in ReflectionsEvery so often in my life, things are going along swimmingly. I know where I’m going, the path is clear, progress is being made. Everything makes sense and the future is bright. I like when life is like that. But then, seemingly overnight, everything goes dry. Sand has obscured my path, and I feel like…
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For God So Loved His Children
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in ReflectionsIn her first two-plus years of life, my daughter Lucy has only been sick a few times. For that, Kim and I count our blessings, as there is nothing more miserable and sad and pathetic than a sick little kid. In those times when she is suffering, I’d happily take on her sickness and carry…