One afternoon a couple of years ago I was working in the front yard on a bright spring afternoon–the sun was shining, the flowers were blooming, and the birds were singing. Except one. To my dismay, a tiny sparrow literally fell at my feet on the driveway, fluttered twice, and laid completely still. Yes, the…
Church Blog (Page 35)
Vacation. Vacation cross country. Vacation cross country in a car… with children…in August. Did your emotions change as this sentence grew? Everyone likes the idea of vacation, but driving cross country in a car with children in the heat of summer is almost comedic material for a description of suffering rather than something enjoyable. Why?…
Dear loved ones, This week one of our own Valley Church “locals” will bring us a message from God’s Word. He writes, “During a visit to Nepal a couple years ago, my eyes were opened to the tangible reality of God’s salvation among Hindus and Buddhists in that region. Time and time again, we heard testimony…
Dear friends, I have done a lot of travel over the last 44 years! My eyes have gazed upon some beautiful and spectacular scenery. The Pyramids are something to behold but I would have to say for just one look, “Victoria Falls” is in a class by itself! I have been there countless times but…
I have never been a fan of scary movies. Part of the reason is that I still vividly remember images from one I saw in my younger and more foolish days. The premise was that a terrible virus was ravaging humanity – one bite from another infected human being and you turned into a walking…
Bread, in one form or another, has been one of mankind’s principal forms of food since the earliest times. The trade of the baker is one of the oldest crafts in the world. Loaves and rolls have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs. Before that, people made solid cakes from stone-crushed barley and wheat. A…
As a senior in college I had the opportunity to live with a retired gentleman and his wife named Vaugh and Helen Terrell. Mr. Terrell had grown up in Alabama, been educated as a lawyer, passed the state bar exam, practiced law for many years, and then served as a distinguished judge in his home…
Dear friends, How important is touch? We all know that it is one of our most important senses! I am not a developmental psychologist but I vividly remember the countless touches I received from dad and mom growing up! Perhaps I doubted at times my parents love but as I look back nothing stands out…
Dear brothers and sisters, As I am sitting next to my window, I can’t believe how warm and nice today is. What a blessing it is to enjoy this kind of weather we have. But for the Samaritan woman that Jesus met at the well probably wasn’t too fond of the Mediterranean heat at high…
As a child growing up in the ‘60s I watched my fair share of afternoon shows on our four channel black and white TV. One of them was “Dragnet” featuring Sergeant Joe Friday who would solve complex crimes every week in just 30 minutes (minus commercial breaks). His now famous line, “Just the facts, Ma’am” embodied his no-nonsense approach…