An Excerpt from “Receive Him: A Disciple’s Advent” Philippians 4:4-6; Luke 2:22-40 Anna had many reasons to grumble, complain, and lament. She had been married young, but after only seven years, her husband died leaving her alone and childless. In her day and time, there was no way she could provide for herself. How wouldContinue reading “The Three R’s of Peace”
Tag Archives: Christianity
Paul’s Peace
When my grandmother passed away, I inherited a unique Kurdish kilim. It is a woven hall runner with intricately made designs. When I turn it over to clean, I am always amazed at the tangles of knots and thread on the back. The artisans who weave kilims have an amazing skill. Psalm 139 tells usContinue reading “Paul’s Peace”
James’s Joy
One of the last things Jesus told His disciples before His crucifixion was, “When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow that her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. So also youContinue reading “James’s Joy”
Contraire
My youngest son named our guinea rooster “Contraire.” The bird has earned it. He came as one of ten guinea chicks, and remained as one of three that escaped a mink. Sickness and a raccoon whittled down the flock until Contraire was the sole survivor. He keeps meticulous watch over the regular chickens, sounding likeContinue reading “Contraire”
The Prison of Pot
It was 11:30 one night when my dogs started barking. A group of five boys was walking up the driveway. They called out to me, and I recognized them. I called the dogs, and the boys walked up to the house. They often came to play basketball or eat a meal. My mind raced toContinue reading “The Prison of Pot”
The Curator
“I acquired this piece after a lengthy court battle,” the Curator said, motioning to his left. I gazed intently at the ornate sarcophagus housed in a dimly lit display case. The golden skin and ruby eyes of the case no longer looked like the face of the dried and shrunken mummy inside it. “I reallyContinue reading “The Curator”
The Curator, Part 2
Goliath’s severed head, Nebuchadnezzar’s fingernails, Belshazzar’s golden goblet, and the worm-eaten corpse of Herod featured prominently in the Curator’s collection. I grew tired of hearing his gloating long before he was tired of detailing it. Finally, we had toured the entire museum. Only one exhibit remained. “Perhaps you are pressed for time. Would you likeContinue reading “The Curator, Part 2”
The Curator, Part 1
“I acquired this piece after a lengthy court battle,” the Curator said, motioning to his left. I gazed intently at the ornate sarcophagus housed in a dimly lit display case. The golden skin and ruby eyes of the case no longer looked like the face of the dried and shrunken mummy inside it. “I reallyContinue reading “The Curator, Part 1”
Catalytic Converter
Yesterday, someone asked me if I was a teacher or a student. As a home educator, I can proudly answer, “Both!”
The kids and I did a science experiment this week that still has the wheels of my brain turning. In Jay Wile’s Science in the Industrial Age, he details the life and work of Jons Jakob Berzelius. In addition to exploring chemical formulas, denatured proteins, and organic chemicals, we also learned about catalysts.
Our experiment explored the behavior of a catalyst….
Cleansed or Consumed?
Many men work hard for spiritual cleansing. Some stoke the fire. Some bring large stones to place in the fire. Once the stones are hot, still other men remove them from the fire and pour water over them to create a great storehouse of steam. They bathe in the steam they have created, hoping theirContinue reading “Cleansed or Consumed?”
