A Blurred Reflection

Tag: pain

  • Character

    Character. That foundational piece of you. Yes, YOU. Untouchable by disease.  Unhindered by poverty. Unmistakable when times get hard. It’s the man battling cancer and the man battling heart disease who invest hope into each other instead of speaking of their own pain. It’s the mom with the uncooperative toddler in the grandchildren photoshoot–the mom…

  • Victors

    Tonight, the headlines irrevocably declare: “120 Dead in Paris Attacks, Worst Since WWII”. Terror is spreading across our planet, and the people of this planet, like ancient wooden ships adrift in a storm, scatter. Some cry, some shout “Revenge!”, some huddle in the paralysis of fear. Some hold up signs that say ‘NOT AFRAID’–a distinctive…

  • It’s Gonna Be OK

    Ever have those days when you just want to sock yourself in the face? You’ve tried so hard to do the right thing, to be that person you want yourself to be, but in the end you crashed miserably and burned a whole pile of people in the process. All the time and effort you’ve put…

  • He Gave Me a New Name

    I stood on top of Fort Fredrick two days ago, and while ants bit my legs and the sea breeze whipped my hair, Jesus and I had a conversation about love. You gotta understand, I’m not so good at loving. Really though. I know you don’t believe me, but it’s true. I’m just learning now…

  • That Bum On My Couch

    I was in the second-to-front pew at church the other week, and I was feeling the morning blues. Do you know what I mean? That sandy-eyed, groggy-voiced, brain-not-quite-awake feeling of sluggishness that isn’t really ready for 120 decibels of worship music being emanated directly in front of oneself. Don’t get me wrong, the band was great. I…

  • Jesus was homeless, too.

    I don’t live in the city anymore, but when I did, I never once gave money to sign-holders. I’ve never dropped even so much as a quarter in a Salvation Army bucket. That’s a shame. No, it’s more than that. It’s a complete disgrace. I met a homeless man named Richard LeMieux last week, and if I would have judged…

  • Pain is Holy

    “I was on tour, and a friend who was on tour with me went through a really rough valley. She experienced a miscarriage. I was with her the day after, and I asked her how she was…. what was going on for her inside. She said, “You know, the only words that keep rising up in…

  • Love Ambush

    I’ve been a crab for twenty-four hours. It all started when someone asked me a question, and I responded defensively and then the father of lies jumped in with all of his hogwash and made a mess of everything. “You’re not worth fighting for.” he said, “You are selfish at the core, and think of…

  • My Best Addiction

    Now that you all know I’m addicted to gummy bears….. (and oh happy day, I got a whole 1-lb bag of them for my birthday) I gotta tell ya’ll about my FAVORITE addiction. The one I plug into when I get upset at my boss. Or when I’m preparing to teach. Or when I’m bored by…

  • The Father’s Heart

    The Father’s heart roars like a lion. He paces like a caged lion when he sees his children being abused, and his anger boils like a furnace and his muscles bulge as he fights to control his rage. The Father’s heart is jealous and he does not control his anger forever. The Lord your God…