Category Archives: Word of the Week

September 1, 2014 · 7:46 am

Word of the Week: Rest

IMG_2250

Norma Jean and I just returned from a week’s vacation in the Wasatch Mountains near Salt Lake City.

While not as high, compared to the Rockies, it was a breath-taking drive up the steep grade to Snowbird.  The beautiful views of the sculpted glaciers and the rugged granite cliffs provided a great place for some peaceful R & R for the week.   And the cooler temperatures in the 60’s provided a nice break from the summer heat in the 90’s!   We even saw some snow one morning a mile up the mountain at Alta!  Continue reading →

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August 18, 2014 · 6:36 am

Word of the Week: Depression

Depression

Shocked. Stunned. Saddened.

These emotions, among others, hit me when I first heard the news of Robin Williams’ death last week.  At first, I thought it was an internet hoax.  Quickly, it became apparent that it was not only true, but that he committed suicide.

Like so many others I have been entertained by the comedic genius of Robin Williams.  While I chose to avoid some of his films because of the language or sexual content, my three favorite were: Dead Poets Society, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Patch Adams.   Continue reading →

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August 11, 2014 · 7:55 am

Word of the Week: Tenderhearted

Teacher.Student

Tony Campolo tells a  touching story about a school teacher Miss Thompson and one of her fourth grade students, Teddy Stallard.

Teddy was a slow, unkempt student, a loner shunned by his classmates. The previous year his mother died, and what little motivation for school he may have once had was now gone. Miss Thompson didn’t particularly care for Teddy either, but at Christmas time he brought her a small present. Her desk was covered with well-wrapped presents from the other children, but Teddy’s came in a brown sack. When she opened it there was a gaudy rhinestone bracelet with half the stones missing and a bottle of cheap perfume.  Continue reading →

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August 4, 2014 · 6:51 am

Word of the Week: Submit

Boy.Sitting.ChairFive year old Lucas was mischievously aggravating his little brother, Aiden, chasing him all over the house. Running wildly. Screaming. And generally causing havoc. After repeated attempts to quiet the boys down and gentle warnings to “behave yourself,” the frustrated mother had enough.

She picked-up Lucas, put a chair in the corner of the room, and said, “Now sit there and be quiet! You’re in time-out!”

Stubbornly Lucas refused to sit down! After several warnings, she grabbed him up, and sat him down with some authority and demanded: “Now sit there! Or you’re going to get a spanking!” Continue reading →

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July 28, 2014 · 7:23 am

Word of the Week: Honorable

JoeyPrusakFor Dairy Queen employee, Joey Prusak, the past 18 months have been pretty amazing.  He’s made several national TV appearances, was called by Warren Buffet and invited to a shareholders meeting, and was a guest at the Daytona 500.  Pretty incredible stuff for the 19-year-old from Hopkins, MN.

It all began when one of his regular customers, a visually impaired man, accidentally dropped a $20 bill from his wallet.  What happened next, “shocked and sickened me,” said Joey. Continue reading →

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July 14, 2014 · 7:25 am

Word of the Week: Meditate

Meditation

Steven Bonner tells about taking a group of teenagers on a trip to Tuba City, Arizona.  Fondly he recalls the “spiritually transforming events” that  occurred on those trips.  Specifically, he relates the impressions of the devotional periods led by Paul Ghee.

As the teens met at the mouth of Coal Mine Canyon and sat down in the slightly black dirt, the sun is setting. There is a slight breeze.  Then Paul asks everyone to stop moving.  To be quiet.  So, “we could hear the silence?”

Steven rhetorically says, “Can you imagine what absolute silence sounds like?”  Then he describes it.  Continue reading →

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July 7, 2014 · 6:57 am

Word of the Week: Zeal

eugene ormandy

Eugene Ormandy may not be a name you recognize, but he was one of the most famous conductors in history. He served as musical director for the Philadelphia Orchestra from 1938 until 1980. He was also infamous for his verbal blunders. Here are a few: Continue reading →

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June 30, 2014 · 7:06 am

Word of the Week: Unity

Unity.Bible.Hands

“In matters of faith, unity; in matters of opinion liberty; in all things, charity.”

These words were drafted by Thomas Campbell in his Declaration and Address before the Christian Association of Washington in 1809. Campbell, a Presbyterian minister, migrated to America from Ireland in 1807. He came to this country believing the American frontier presented a new life and a new opportunity for Christianity. He sought to promote, as he put it, “simple evangelical Christianity, free from all mixture of human opinion and inventions of men.” Campbell was seen by many in his denomination as unorthodox.    Continue reading →

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June 23, 2014 · 6:25 am

Word of the Week: Equip

equipping

“There is no more noble occupation in the world than to assist another human being–to help someone succeed,” wrote author Alan Loy McGinnis.

Leadership guru, John Maxwell, was even more emphatic when he said, “There is no success without a successor!”

The ability to mobilize members of Christ’s Body for ministry is an important task.  It’s a necessary job if we are to achieve the potential for which we have been created.  Paul said “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Eph 2:10).  The only way for this goal to be realized is to equip Christians for ministry.  Continue reading →

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June 16, 2014 · 7:00 am

Word of the Week: Fellowship

WellandportChurch

This week Norma Jean and I are in Ontario Canada,  where I’m preaching in a meeting for the Wellandport church.  Being in Canada reminds me of a story told by Don Graham.

Linda, a young woman, was traveling alone up the rutted and rugged highway from Alberta to the Yukon. Linda didn’t know you don’t travel to Whitehorse alone in a rundown Honda Civic, so she set off where only four-wheel drives normally venture. Continue reading →

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