Archive — May, 2008
14 May
Carried on to Completion
If you were asked to describe yourself to someone who knows nothing about you, where would you begin? You may decide to use words that detail your relationships with others such as daughter, brother, husband, friend, or Christian, or you may choose words that tell what you do: artist, engineer, student, writer, or athlete. Both are good choices as they provide your new acquaintance with two aspects of what makes you you. But, how would you choose which titles to use?
12 May
The Perfect Gift
Mother’s Day comes every year, and yet I still seem to forget it every time. This, however, has not always been the case. When I was five years old, I was determined that my mom would have the best Mother’s Day ever, and what could be a more perfect gift than breakfast in bed?
Balancing Act
What happens when you neglect one thing and focus on another? You get really good at what you focused on and worse at what you neglected. If you knew me, you’d know that I always say “repetition is a great thing.” I don’t always “get” a lesson the first time, but I’ve got this one finally!
11 May
They Call Me…Batman
My phone rang, interrupting my sleep. Answering it, I was greeted by the barely recognizable sobs of my friend Tracy. She was house-sitting a large country house and something must have spooked her I thought. “Just wait Tracy, I’ll come by.”
Opening the front door I called out, “Tracy, I’m H…” I was cut off by a blood-curling scream, “SHUT THE DOOR! Don’t let any more in!” Quickly slamming the door I spun around, there stood Tracy looking awful. She informed me that while on the computer, “Something had flown past her head.” Assuring her that she was merely letting the fright of being home alone get to her, I offered to inspect the house to comfort her.
10 May
Jody Johnston
If you were to randomly meet Jody Johnston on the street, you would immediately notice a few things about him: he’s a bold, unashamed 17-year-old and he’s not the least bit afraid of sharing Jesus with complete strangers. This Josiah Road blogger was gifted at a very young age with a passion and insatiable drive for telling others about Jesus.
9 May
A Hero is Born
I love superheroes. Last Halloween I dressed up as Batman (unfortunately they never make superhero costumes in adult sizes, so my friends encouraged me never to don my juvenile caped crusader outfit again!). I grew up watching the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and they even appeared as the theme of my birthday party once or twice. I have often wished I had powers like the X-men or a secret identity like Superman (people still seem to recognize me with my glasses on!). The thought of fighting the forces of evil makes my heart race with excitement, and a couple of years ago, I had a chance to live my dream…
7 May
Savior and Lord?
If you have ever seen someone perform the old vaudeville act of plate spinning, you will have a good picture of what life has felt like lately. You know, furiously running from plate to plate to keep each one upright on its tall, wobbly stick as though the world depends upon my personal involvement and oversight to keep it spinning on its axis. Yes, I admit it. I have a control problem. It’s not really that I want control. It’s just that I am afraid that if I do not do everything myself that it won’t get done… .Sure, Jesus can be my Savior, but will I let Him be my Lord?
3 May
Spring Cleaning (Yuck!)
Spring has sprung, and although I really do love this time of year, I don’t enjoy all of the work that comes along with it. Time to clean the winter gunk out of the windows, weed the flower beds, put away the coats and sweaters we won’t need for several months, and get in some extra time exercising in order to wear our summer clothes. It’s a lot of work! Frankly, just the thought of it makes me want to throw in the towel, hunker down on the sofa, and get lost in a good book … but duty calls. I know if I will just get started that one step will lead to another, and before I know it, my work will be done. All it takes is some perseverance and a whole lot of discipline.
2 May
William Borden
William Borden
William Borden was born on November 1, 1887. He lived a privileged life as a child and teenager as the heir to Borden Dairy, Inc. When he was seven years old, he surrendered his life to Christ and dedicated himself to do whatever God wanted with his life.
A 1904 graduate of a private boarding prep school in Chicago, William’s parents gave their 16-year-old son a trip around the world as a graduation present. He traveled through Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. During his journey, he felt a growing burden for the hurting people of the world.
William wrote home about his desire to be a missionary. One friend expressed his disappointment that William was throwing his life away to be a missionary. But William wrote in the back of his Bible: “No reserves.”
1 May
Translating God
I really respect and admire anyone who is multi-lingual. What an amazing talent! Unfortunately I have also come to realize I will never be that person. Early in the semester, my seventh grade French teacher kindly “suggested” that I drop his French class and take another option instead. Expressing that maybe the French language “isn’t for everybody,” he quickly added that I had “a long list of talents…but French is not on that list.” All aspirations of becoming the next ambassador to France came to an abrupt halt in that moment.
