Why I Do Not Believe Life Begins at Conception
I am very deliberate about keeping political commentary far from my weekly blog postings. People have strong opinions about issues of faith, and often, even stronger ones about issues of politics. For me to combine the two is a bit like smoking a cigar while fueling up my lawnmower. This week I am making an…
Read More…and be Thankful
I meet Monday evenings with some dear friends for Bible study. During last week’s study we were looking at Colossians 4:2-6. It was my week to lead, and as I glanced up at the clock to see how we were on time, I noted that we were ninety minutes into this two-hour session and we…
Read MoreWhat is The Fear of the Lord?
When I hear from readers, I make a concerted effort to respond in a timely fashion. (So, if you don’t hear back from me, knock on my monitor screen again.) If the question is public, I’ll usually respond publicly. If it is private, I’ll almost always respond privately. But once in awhile, a reader will…
Read MoreBible Feeding/Bible Famished
What’s Your Bible to You? The Bible is a somewhat enigmatic book. Actually, the Bible is fine, but the way we treat it is often perplexing. The Bible is held in high regard, theoretically, yet treated as unimportant in reality. We’ll look at it when we get around to it. We’ll make time for it…
Read MoreCornerstone or Stumbling Stone
Mountain Hiking One of the attractions that draws people to the Pacific Northwest is the abundance of hiking trails. The Pacific Crest Trail alone is more than 2,200 miles in each direction. Washington State is home to beyond 10,500 miles of mountainous hiking trails, some leading you beyond 12,000 feet in elevation if you are…
Read MoreCreating Our Own Dashed Expectations
Misreading the Situation July 21, 1861 was an enormous wake-up call for masses of Northern elites, journalists, politicians, and overconfident onlookers. Known later as The First Battle of Bull Run the day’s events stand in history as an example of the disastrous consequences for those who misread reality and who have an overconfidence in their misguided perceptions.…
Read MoreWho is Melchizedek?
Melchizedek is one of most enigmatic figures in the entire canon of Hebrew scripture. Relatively little is said about him, yet he stands as a foundational pillar for Christian priesthood in new covenant theology. The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind,“You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”– Psalm 110:4, ESV The…
Read MoreNot to Us, but to God be the Glory
We are a soccer family, and have been for decades, so the World Cup coming to the US, Canada, and Mexico in 2026 was a lot of fun for us. It marked the first time in history that three nations jointly hosted the quadrennial event, and one of the host cities was Seattle, just south…
Read MoreBe Authentic
On July 21, 1989, the R & B band, Milli Vanilli, suffered a painful and severe unmasking before an audience of roughly 80,000 fans as the band participated in a live Club MTV concert in Bristol, Connecticut. The discomforting moment came as band members Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan “performed” the song, Girl You Know It’s True. The…
Read MoreWhat’s in a Name?
What’s in a Name? Most people give lengthy consideration to the naming of their children. It is one of the first, and certainly most permanent, gifts a parent gives to their child. Some names are given to recognize kinship or to honor someone as family legacy. Other names are chosen because the name has a…
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