Refreshing Faith
Jesse sat cross-legged, mesmerized by the dancing campfire enjoying its crackle and smoky aroma. He remembered watching fire dancers. If he could twirl fire, he’d show the school hotshots. He didn’t realize how close he’d inched to the fire until he heard his dad’s sharp voice.
“Don’t get too close. Fire can pop and spread.” His father pointed to the circle he’d marked. “Never cross this line without supervision.”
“Here ya go.” I handed the package of hot food to the hotel receptionist where we were staying. The delicious fragrance gave the contents of hot buffalo Brussels sprouts away without her having to look.
An email from the address of a friend said she was stranded overseas. Someone had stolen her passport and wallet. She urgently needed to borrow some money. However, the tone of the email didn’t sound like my friend. Suspecting deception, I didn’t send money.
A week later, my friend emailed to say her account had been hacked. “Don’t send money. I’m not overseas,” she said.
The source of a message affects its interpretation. Knowing its validity determines our response and whether or not we become victims.
Fraud is a bigger issue than having our money scammed. People’s souls and quality of life are at stake. Below are some considerations to protect you from being duped.Continue Reading
I picked up a couple of splinters in the palm of my right hand last week. Because I was out of town, I didn’t have anything with which to remove them. Since they were small I hoped they’d work their way out. Instead they grew tender, red, and swollen.
By the time I returned home the swelling was gone. Maybe I could ignore them after all. Maybe they’d disintegrate, I reasoned. But after a couple more days, I knew I had to deal with them.
With needle and tweezers I fumbled to remove them. But since I had to use my left hand I quickly realized I needed help. My son has patience and good vision, so I went to him. In a few minutes they were out.
The same day I dealt with my hand, God dealt with my heart. I’d watched Shark Tank the previous night and found myself wishing I had the business skills of those billionaires. It sounded fun to dream up ideas that take off and make lots of money.
The next morning, my personal Bible study took me to James 4:1-10. As I read it, Shark Tank came to mind. I realized the primary reason I wanted those skills was I believed that if I could do what they do, Continue Reading