Category Archives: Spiritual Formation

Holy Week begins this Sunday, April 9th as Christ followers all over the world observe and celebrate Palm Sunday and cross the threshold into the week of Jesus’ Passion.

To much of the world it will be just another week.  Cable news networks will squawk about government investigations and stream “breaking news” banners across screens. World governments will flex muscle and attempt to wield influence over war torn and troubled lands.  Everyday folk will get up, go to work and try to make a better life for themselves and their families.  Children will go to school.  Spring will make another run at grabbing a toehold and offering weather to match the calendar.   And, in the midst of all that and more, we will remember and revisit the path our Savior walked during his last days and hours in Jerusalem.

It’s a pilgrimage journey we are invited to make during this week. Continue reading →

In Ecclesiastes 3:1 the Preacher/Teacher/Assembler of Wisdom sayings states: For everything there is a season, and a time for everything under heaven.

 New Year’s, for me, has always been a time for reflection, goal setting, and re-engagement in the routines of life and ministry.  I look forward to the quiet days, or moments, after the hub-bub of Christmas services, events and gatherings to sit with the Lord and ask, “What’s next?  What time is it? What is it time for?”

Do you do this? Continue reading →

I grew up in a singing family.  My siblings and I were encouraged to sing by our parents.  This probably began as we were taken to church at a very young age.  Bible songs were taught and caught and shared through VBS programs and other children’s ministry events.  Church hymns became a staple of our Sunday morning and evenings.  In time, we joined the church choir, which is where I learned to read music and sing the bass line, standing between my dad and big brother.

But singing was not just confined to our church experience.  Family gatherings included singing, especially when we went camping and spent evening’s singing around the camp fire circle.  Songs from folklore and legend, and all parts of the country came to be part of our repertoire as we learned new ballad’s and tributes at National Park ranger talks and State Park visitor center programs.  We even made up our own take-off versions of some of these.  For example: The Bear Went Over the Mountain in Cash-land included a parody verse which lyrics stated: He stuck his head in a dark hole, He stuck his head in a dark hole; and all he saw were sparkles.  Don’t ask me to explain the logic of that one, but I will tell you it was hilarious when I was about ten years old – and it still makes me smile today. Continue reading →