Explosive Moment
Is the power of a story found in its explosive moment, or might it be somewhere else? Fireworks are fun. Back when I was nine,
Is the power of a story found in its explosive moment, or might it be somewhere else? Fireworks are fun. Back when I was nine,
Stories excite people because of what went wrong, not what went right. If we’re willing to expose our faults and failures, our experiences will draw
On Christmas Eve, Johnny found the latest edition of the Montgomery Ward catalog, which was thick and heavy enough to use as a door stop.
Daredevils take risks that can be fatal, but playing safe all the time is a boring way to live. If we discover the best path
When searching, do I know what I’m looking for? If so, where do I look? Will I recognize it when I see it? I could
When Susie was a toddler, she didn’t understand relationships and kept calling her grandfather, “Unkly Chili.” Ever since, no matter what the relationship was, people always called him Uncle Charlie.
Few people have what they would call a “best” friend, someone who understands them completely and appreciates their value. Those who have such a friend
High-risk investments are made with the hope for a greater return. If we forgive an offense, what will we get in return? Maybe nothing. Or
People only tell lies when they think it’s to their advantage. We offer social courtesies because saying what we really think might get us unfriended.
Children naturally learn to play hide-and-seek. When they hide too well and can’t be found, the fun is lost. They want to be found. Why
Perfection sometimes masquerades as a noble goal when it is actually an unreachable fantasy. It strains our relationships. What should we do when we think
Our insatiable desire to be loved and appreciated can leave us dying of thirst in a desert of people who don’t really care. So how
What we don’t know can kill us, and that’s why we need help from God, who knows all things. Confident he could fix anything, an
As a kid, I thought the circus animals were interesting, but the clowns were delightful. They did funny, unexpected things, and they always wore a
Matt listened intently while Miss Julia waved her arms as if she had visited the world she described. “Adam saw the animals,” she said, “and
The forecast called for temperatures in the mid-twenties and freezing rain. Most people would be smart enough to stay home. “Drive carefully. The life you
Before I started kindergarten, I was taught how to use a knife. While my friends were using blunt-nose scissors, I had a sharp pocket knife
Graduating high school seniors remember very few events earlier than ten years ago. They can’t imagine what life would be like without cell phones and
As It Might Have Happened in the Old West By Frank Ball For many families, reading the nativity story at Christmas is a family tradition.
In the 1960s, we loved the Peanuts characters. Charlie Brown had a memorable Christmas, Lucy played on Charlie’s baseball team, and Linus always had his blanket. As a pilot, Snoopy had numerous airfield battles with the Red Baron. But other important people have been named Charlie Brown.
“Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet, eating her curds and whey. Along came a spider who sat down beside her and frightened Miss Muffet away.”
Fables are told so often, I’m sure you’ve heard this story. But in the process of retelling it countless times, the details aren’t always the
Sam sat straight up in bed. What could the old man want at this time of night? Strange, but it was not the role of a servant to question his master when called.
I dreaded going back to school after the holidays, because my friends would be talking about all the neat stuff they got.
I’ll never forget Christmas at Granny’s when I was twelve. At times, I want to forget, because that was the year the family was singing
When I left Germany to live with an American family for a year, I thought I would learn about the American culture. I looked for
As It Might Have Happened in the Old West By Frank Ball Luke 2 1And it came to pass back in those days that a
In 1949, fences were used to corral livestock, and we didn’t have any. We didn’t need a fence, because crossing the invisible line that marked
Cats don’t really have nine lives, do they? We had no pets at home when I was a kid, but my neighbor had a cat.
Daddy looked mystified. “Have you seen my fishing knife?” I shook my head. “Not me. I haven’t seen it.” “Are you sure?” “Yeah.” Evidently, he
Because Johnny was blind, exploring his world and making discoveries required skillful use of hearing, touch, and smell. Somehow, Daddy used his expensive pocket watch
Every day, Elsie the cow munched lush grasses across the meadow. Safe and content within the boundaries of barbed wire, she had no thought of
Search for the King While keeping the camels, Gaspar longs to be like the two wise men who study the stars. Can he ever be
Wedding Fiasco In the wedding festivities, Joseph wants everybody to know he and Mary are a blessed couple, but he must be careful not to
Pursuit of Proof Mary wants to bring evidence from the house of Zechariah that will prove the miraculous nature of Mary’s pregnancy, but what will
A Virgin’s Dream In Nazareth, betrothed to Joseph, Mary anticipates the blessing of getting married and having a family. While busy with her daily routine
The “Chicken and the Pig” fable is often used by businesses to illustrate the difference between involvement and commitment. The origin of the fable is
Many funny stories have been told about people who died and went Heaven. Some of the stories, told in various ways, end with the same
On a guided fishing trip with my oldest son last week, my grandson Hunter caught the biggest fish. Mine would have been bigger than his,
Greg thought he could outrun the storm and get to safety, but where? He drove south on 19th street but had to stop at the
Most Christians will not lead one person to the Lord in their lifetime. Why is that? Why are we so reluctant to share Christ with
Timmy Johnson slipped out of the house through the bedroom window, with his German Shepard, Shultzy, tagging along. “I know, Mom said I have to
Susan studied the charts, but they made about as much sense if she were trying to read them without her glasses. Psychological and physiological conditions
Ken had lost his glasses. He looked everywhere, in the living room, the bedroom, the bathroom, even on the tool bench in the garage. “They
In a story, the place where you visualize yourself determines how deeply you are affected. If you feel like you’re observing the action, your reading
When I was a kid, I had laryngitis for a few days, which made it impossible to talk. My mother said that was a blessing,
The physician Luke is the only Gospel writer to tell us about the miraculous birth of John, who was to prepare the way for the
Before creation, God in his infinite foreknowledge, wisdom, and power knew what the world would be. He made Adam and Eve in his own image,
On a mid-July late afternoon, I am driving my family to Dallas on I-30 when we hit an isolated shower. A mist steams up from
A friend agreed to sell me his custom van for what he could get on trade-in, which wasn’t much for a three-year-old vehicle, even though