I was recently talking to someone about the Grand Canyon. Our conversation steered to a book about “Deaths in the Grand Canyon.” It is filled with stories of those who lost their lives in the Canyon, mostly because of poor choices. The one that touched my heart was of a father playing hide-and-seek with… Continue Reading
Author Archives: joe
A Whatchamacallit for the Thingamajig!
One of the joys in my life is fixing stuff even if it is not always an enjoyable process. I’m reminded of the times when the parts clerk has looked at me with a blank stare when I asked for a whatchamacallit that spins around the thingamajig. It is during these times that I… Continue Reading
Hypocrites!
It has been said that the best response to a person who justifies not attending church due to the hypocrisy is, “Yes, and there is always room for one more!” Truth be told hypocrisy is a systemic condition of the human race. One of the best definitions for hypocrisy can be found in the… Continue Reading
Shut Up!
This offensive statement is not meant to be directed toward others but to myself. One of the greatest gifts we can give to ourselves is to shut up. I am speaking of taking control of our speech. If you have not considered that you need to control your tongue, I would encourage you to… Continue Reading
So I Hated My Life!
It would be beneficial to hear ourselves talk. We may realize things about ourselves if we could hear our clone speaking and acting the way we do. If you have ever tried to evaluate yourself honestly, you know how hard it is to accomplish. What I think we might see are areas that we… Continue Reading
Prepared for the Harvest
These past couple weeks in Eastern Washington I noticed an increase in the number of trucks transporting apple bins. There were several occasions where we would be following behind these trucks delivering empty bins to the apple orchards. Having lived in the area for 7 years I was reminded of all the work that… Continue Reading
The Problem with Saying “I think…”
We are all faced with questions in every aspect of life. Like: “Where is the best place for Mexican food in town?” or “Who do you think is going to win the game?”. It seems like we are quick to give a response, even if we do not exactly know the answer. However, when… Continue Reading
Fixing the Wrong Problem
I have been spending a decent amount of my free time working on getting our 1997 boat back on the water. The project has reminded me of a temptation that is common with every “project in my life.” I throw solutions at the problem without knowing what is broken. It’s like trying to hit… Continue Reading
Does My Faith Have a Heartbeat?
The human heart is one of the most essential organs required for life. This fist-sized organ is responsible for circulating the 1.5 gallons of blood required to keep our bodies functioning. A resting adult heart rate often determines an individual’s level of cardiovascular fitness. Like our physical heart, there is a spiritual heart beat… Continue Reading
Creating Space for Jesus to Work
It is safe to say that most of our lives are over-programed. I thought once the kids were out of the house, our pace would slow down some. The reality is that our lives are even more jam packed than when we had 5 kids in the home! I am not writing to attack… Continue Reading