Short Reads

Guess what: Yet another new Bible translation is being rolled out this summer. The big announcement came a week or so ago at the International Christian Retail Show in Atlanta. Actual copies will be on sale by Labor Day.

Have … Read more »

On a hot day in Samaria, Jesus said something odd to his disciples as they returned from a quick trip to the sandwich shop. The morning’s travel had left them all thirsty and hungry, so much that Jesus was “tired … Read more »

Some mornings when you open your inbox, you wish you hadn’t.

An update arrived last week from a couple who are lifelong friends of ours, telling that the wife’s Stage IV cancer is now clearly winning the war. These people … Read more »

A seven-year-old climbs in the minivan after attending a birthday party. “Did you have fun?” his mother asks. A star quarterback tells the after-game interviewer, “We said at halftime, ‘We’re too uptight. Let’s just go out there and have fun, … Read more »

W. C. Fields, the famous comedian and actor who spun such punch lines as “I once spent a year in Philadelphia, I think it was on a Sunday” and “I certainly do not drink all the time; I have to … Read more »

Suddenly it seems my phone is ringing twice as often these early-summer days, while my mailbox is jammed, and the roadsides have sprouted more red-white-and-blue signs than yellow dandelions. Guess what: Another political season has burst open. Here we go … Read more »

Certain attributes stand out in a crowd, no matter what you do. Red hair, for example. Unusual height (ask me about that one!). A non-majority skin color.

Other things, however, can be covered over. Especially in the spiritual realm. I … Read more »

About five weeks ago I wrote a post here about finding the will to forgive those who offend us, belittle us, or make us look bad in the eyes of our friends. I told the story of the former Nazi … Read more »

My city, though only a half-million in population, has the No. 1 Subaru dealership in America. Here in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, the all-wheel-drive feature means they sell a ton of Legacy models (plus Imprezas, Foresters, Crosstreks and … Read more »

Once upon a time …

If you’re a storywriter, people expect you to construct a plot that’s reasonable. The characters in your story need to behave consistently with their personal values (whether good or evil). The loving mother gets up … Read more »