Category Archives: Life

Eating Eternity

Posted on November 13, 2025 by Mark

I was surprised by how much I liked rock-climbing. In graduate school, a classmate took me to a 30-foot boulder at the edge of Pullman. With practice I got better and better. I learned the grace of holding on to … Continue reading →

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For a Long Time

Posted on November 1, 2025 by Mark

This is our second autumn in Kansas. We have a wonderful assortment of oak, ash, and maple trees whose leaves flash every color from purple to scarlet. Yesterday we saw a bright red oak catching the setting sun in its … Continue reading →

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Mysteries So Bright

Posted on September 16, 2025 by Mark

I dislike mysteries, at least theological ones. Saying something is a mystery has always seemed like an escape from logical consistency. Like most evangelicals of my generation, I see my faith mostly as a set of beliefs that can be … Continue reading →

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Walking Home

Posted on August 15, 2025 by Mark

The sun was setting behind the warehouses as Teckla and I walked home after getting hugs and saying goodnight to the grandchildren. We live only a few blocks away, but sometimes I like to ask Teckla to lead us home. … Continue reading →

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Holy Ruts

Posted on August 13, 2025 by Mark

In my love of spontaneity, and abhorrence of routines, I am probably a child of the Sixties and Seventies. I have, until recently, viewed routines as recipes for boredom. “Getting in a rut” meant the same old thing, worn out … Continue reading →

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Teckla’s Double Portion

Posted on July 20, 2025 by Mark

For a second Sunday in a roll, Teckla has given me a double portion of the Lord. Where I go to church, Vineyard Community Church, communion is done by people walking to the front and taking the bread and juice … Continue reading →

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The God of Now

Posted on July 17, 2025 by Mark

Both the young and the old are tempted to live in the future. As a college writing instructor, I have spent much of my life helping young people prepare for the future. Especially in recent years, college freshmen entered my … Continue reading →

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The Many Masks of Sloth

Posted on June 27, 2025 by Mark

There are three reasons that the deadly sin of sloth is ignored in most churches and by most pastors. First, pastors tend to teach about sins and weaknesses that they have overcome, but most pastors are highly motivated Type-A people … Continue reading →

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Listening to God (and Teckla)

Posted on May 20, 2025 by Mark

I have, at my pastor’s suggestion, been keeping an Immanuel Journal that emphasizes abiding in God’s presence and listening for his voice. Each day I pour out thanksgiving for who God is and all he has done. I write down … Continue reading →

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Sidewalks

Posted on May 13, 2025 by Mark

Teckla and I walk a lot. We walk on the sidewalks and on the hiking trails in the local parks. Although falling is a risk for people with dementia, Teckla has almost never fallen when hiking off the paved trails. … Continue reading →

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