A man named Bob Ebeling thought he was a loser. Mr. Ebeling was an engineer on the Challenger Space Shuttle and discovered that the O-ring seals in the rocket might not hold up in the cold temperatures of the 1986 launch. He and fellow engineers pleaded with NASA to stop the launch, but they decided…
Easter
You Will Be My Witnesses
I want us to take a few moments this morning to reflect on what God has done in our lives. In the back of each of the pews, there are little notepads and there are pencils and pens. Or you can take some of the space in your bulletin where it says “I praise God…
God Changes Minds
I change my mind all the time. I like variety. I learn. I grow. I experience new things. I’m in a different mood. And my understanding and beliefs change as a result. All. The. Time. Most recently, we have been doing some work on our backyard. Early this spring, we removed a few trees. And…
Listening to the Earth
Our entire world is greening up this time of year, isn’t it. The trees are leafing out. The grass is vibrant. Shoots of green spring out of mulched patches of wood and earth. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. And as we walk through the springtime here in Iowa, our hearts do…
Knowing the End of the Story
Welcome, friends, to Holy Humor Sunday. This day is part of a tradition (a very old tradition) of laughing on the Sunday after Easter as we celebrate the cosmic joke that God plays on sin and death when Jesus Christ is raised from the dead. It is a day to laugh, to lift up…
What's Your Story?
Living, Risen God, May the words of my mouth be your words, and may I be blessed with the courage to say them. May the thoughts of all of our hearts and our minds, be your thoughts, and may we be blessed with the courage to live them. Amen. This morning, I invite you to…
The praise of crickets
Today, I discovered this recording of crickets, overlayed with the same recording slowed down. Their song is a hymn… voices in harmony… like the sounds of a human chorus. It got me thinking about Luke 19: 37-40. Even if we don’t notice, the whole creation is lifting up a song of praise. Even if we…
Going Up?
Are you going up? Are you… climbing the ladder… increasing in stature… measuring success in leaps and bounds? Are you going up? I’m not asking if you are climbing the corporate ladder… or increasing your standing in the community… or raking in the dollars and cents. Are you going up? Are you climbing Jacob’s ladder? …