Love – Page 5 – Pathway Journey

December 28, 2021December 28, 2021

Ingredients for the Joy Cake

Well, it’s the week after Christmas and days before the calendar flips to a new year. We are into winter regardless of the temperature and for many folks it is a dreary time of year. Presents have been opened, decorations will soon be stowed away, the daylight is short, and a new year looms just days away. The hype that made many happy a few days ago has wilted in the wind.

Being happy does not necessarily make us joyful. Happiness depends on a happening and when the happening ceases many get the mulligrubs. Joy is a peaceful and deep contentment that does not sway like the happiness barometer. Joy and her twin sister Peace swing from the same tree.

November 24, 2021November 24, 2021

Above Ground and Limber (Be Thankful)

Some years back, I called to check on a longtime friend; he answered the phone and I asked him how he was doing. His answer, “Well brother, I’m above ground and limber!” [Thanks Bro. William Borden for that one-liner; I have often used it since that day.] After the two years we all have been through, if you are reading this—you got through it. Yep, you are “above ground and limber!” Be Thankful!

November 23, 2021November 23, 2021

Journey Update: November 2021

Journey Update: November 2021I flipped my office calendar to November and just like that, our slow dance of 2021 is soon coming to an end. The next two months will be filled with holiday celebrations of Thanksgiving and Christmas. We pray you have a great Thanksgiving with your loved ones this month and remember amidst all the turkey and dressing, thank God for your many blessings. This past year has been difficult for many families, yet we can see the good hand of God in our lives.

October 29, 2021

What Are They Thinking?

Do you ever wonder that some people gather in a room and begin their meeting with this phrase, “Let’s try to come up with the worst idea possible!” The meeting progresses and many ideas are put forth. Then they arrive at a consensus of the worst idea and they all with wholehearted glee exclaim, “Yes, let’s do that!”

October 21, 2021October 21, 2021

From Death to Life

Life is a strange phenomenon. Being raised on a small farm, I learned early about life and death. As a small boy, I could easily discern if a puppy or baby pig was sleeping or dead. Later, I learned to scratch the bark of a twig with my thumbnail to see if the cambium layer (inner bark) was alive (light green) or dead (brown).

October 13, 2021October 12, 2021

Radical

A true radical probably doesn’t think himself a radical. Radicalism in some respects may be a personal perspective. Those who have a position that is diametrically opposite than another may consider the other person a radical and vice versa.

October 8, 2021October 7, 2021

If I Could Ask God Three Questions

Going back to when I was a young man, there are three questions I would want to ask God. Perhaps they may be yours as well. God, why am I here? God, what do You want me to do? God, how can I make a difference in this world?

Today with six decades and counting, please humor this old man and give me a little latitude to answer as if God were answering the questions for you and me.

September 21, 2021September 21, 2021

The “Threes” of Living

Many of us have had the sensation of being underwater and needing air. In that situation, seconds are like eternity, and we will fight and claw to get a breath of air. There are very few people who can “hold their breath” for even a minute.

There is a common saying based on threes when it comes to survival or living. Most of these are not original with me and I am not sure who said any first. “Our life is in jeopardy if we have three minutes without oxygen, three hours of extreme exposure, three days without water, and three weeks without food.” The three common basics of living are food, water, and shelter (air being a given).

August 13, 2021August 12, 2021

Once Upon a Time…

Many children’s stories opened up with the phrase, “Once upon a time…”. When I was a child, the old timers started many of their stories with, “When I was a boy…”. It was the men in Liberty overalls form of “Once upon a time…” Now, I am probably labeled an old timer by most even though I don’t wear overalls.

July 1, 2021June 30, 2021

Root Causes

Philosophers, sociologists, theologians, and politicians have had their turn at explaining why we have problems and how to fix them. It is ironic that simultaneously some want to blame one problem on root causes while avoiding the root causes of others. Many problems have a beginning with some standard that was either twisted, ignored, or outright transgressed.