Strangers in the Land

I find new foreign foods and unusual customs a fun adventure. Yet while traveling internationally, my thoughts are never far from home. Although people make me feel welcome in their countries, two of the many things that make me feel like a stranger are my tastes and...

A Conduit Not A Reservoir

Collecting has always been a part of my nature. As a boy, I used my paper route earnings to collect coins and antiques. Books and papers were cherished and accumulated in piles. Throwing things away has always been hard. This has been an annoyance for those who have...

Leading Like a Shepherd

Studying leadership over the years, I have read books by people like Stephen Covey, Peter Drucker, John Maxwell, and others. I learned such things as 7 habits, 5 principles and multiple guidelines which helped shape my thoughts about leadership. At a time of...

Joy in the Junk Yard

Recently, I went with an auto mechanic to a junk yard looking for a Volvo auto part. Entering his world was fascinating as I witnessed his joy. He saw in junk car parts potential for renovation and use. What I saw as junk he saw as having value. If I could have...

Minimizing Culture Shock

Much of the effort that Pamela and I invested in raising our children was to prepare them for "life". Guiding them from immaturity to maturity involved helping them move from dependence on us to dependence on God. A great deal of time was spent shaping their...