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Seeds
The samara fruit reminded me of Jesus’ Parable of the Sower from Mark 4:3-20. In the parable, Jesus speaks of four different conditions for the seeds the farmer is planting. Seeds that fell along the path, in rocky places, and among thorns did not survive into maturity. Only those seeds that fell on good soil “came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times (v. 8).” In my mind, I have always had a limited idea of the number of attempts the farmer tossed out there for growth….a handful of seeds, maybe a couple of handfuls. However, seeing the multitude of helicopters falling…
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Slow Down
Slowing down isn’t just for driving to avoid an accident or speeding ticket. It’s a lesson for life. We are busy with activities from one end of the spectrum to the other: work, sports, household chores and improvements, volunteering, taking care of others, and the list goes on. Endless activity creates stress and often pushes out the things that really matter.
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Go
After hearing of Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples arrived in Galilee in trust. They had no idea what to expect. And they certainly didn’t understand what had just happened. Jesus’ message to them about the next step was clear: Go and share the Good News with everyone. All four Gospels write about this “Great Commission” in one way or another (John 20:21, Luke 24:46-48, Mark 16:15-16), but the most detailed is in Matthew 28:18-20. “Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of…
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Go Ahead
Jesus and His closest friends had just finished their Passover meal together. He challenged the disciples with some cryptic predictions about betrayal and remembrance. Then they left for a walk to the Mount of Olives. On the way there, Jesus told His friends that each one of them would betray Him (Matthew 26:31). This was a shocking prediction to those who had stood with Him day and night throughout the past three years. But then, without skipping a beat, Jesus continued saying, “But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee (v 32).” This last part should have produced some questions: What do you mean by…
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Trust the Process
This past weekend I attended an awards assembly for one of my kids. During the program, the organizer shared a message with the group. He spoke to the kids and explained that this is a time in their lives when they seem to be under a microscope, especially as athletes. It is a time in which, they may be corrected or criticized at every turn. Although the end goal is good, they might not be able to see what their parents and coaches have in mind with all the drills and decisions, chores and check-ups, practice and planning. These kids are in the midst of the process of growing up,…
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Neutrality
March Madness...Can I admit that I don't care one bit which team wins the NCAA men’s basketball championship? I can mindlessly fill out a bracket without any attachment to it whatsoever. The games can be on television, and I’ll even watch a little. But I really don’t care about the outcome. This year, my daughter was keeping track of the tournament for the first time. She had me fill out her bracket while she was away for the weekend, so I paid a bit more attention than usual. I like basketball and find it interesting, especially when it’s a good game. But it still doesn’t matter one bit which way…
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We Don’t Do Perfect Here
When the picture wasn’t quite right…when the school lesson was harder than it should have been…when the snack didn’t get cleaned up…and especially when someone was harder on themselves or others than they should have been. I would reply, “It’s okay. We don’t do perfect here.”
