Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
Putting cows on the front page since 1885.
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Let’s meet David today, the great grandson of Ruth. In 2 Samuel we meet him as a young king as he rises from shepherd boy to shepherding king. The reign of Saul had been oppressive. The elders and David came together. The tribes recognized that they were the same bone and flesh. Their collective memory sees Hebron as a place of encounter with God. We probably all know David better as a shepherd boy. He loved being outside with his sheep. His heart was good; he showed obedience; he had a way w...
Do you ever think how much courage it takes to be a human being? I have been thinking about babies lately as my great-grandson and his parents moved to Texas, and several friends have had their first great-granddaughters. I was visiting a church at the shore one Sunday when a precious baby was baptized. I remember the pastor saying that we all needed to be more like babies. A baby’s world is inside the arms that hold her. There is a wonderful sense of safety and security. But then she will learn that roses have thorns and that bees sting. T...
Biblical text: Mark 4:26-32 I am sure that many of you can relate to the image of a special door frame in your house where your parents or grandparents would periodically stand you very carefully, heels pressed tightly against the wall so they could record your height. I can remember the notches in the wood marking off a little more stature gained. But what about our growth now that we seem all grown up in a physical sense? Nobody is keeping track anymore on those door frames, but hopefully we have not stopped growing. Jesus is talking about...
Summer is in full swing now that Memorial Day has come and gone. For most people, summer is their favorite season. For me, it is definitely in my top 3 list. I have fond childhood memories of the warm season. I loved playing Little League baseball, being outside with pals, riding my bike, creek adventures, family vacations and trips to amusement parks. Of course, the fact that school was not in session was very appealing as well. As an adult, the enjoyment of summer has not diminished. Going to...
Why is life so hard at times? Is there anything for us to learn when turmoil is all around us? It is heart breaking for me when people tell me bad test results they receive from their doctor or when another friend or former classmate passes from this life. Life is messy and difficult, and we are often left feeling uncertain and powerless. Psalm 38 is an ancient prayer for help amid anguished waiting. It is a plea of one who is both sick and penitent, abandoned by friends and taunted by enemies....
I think I have written before about how much I enjoy nature. There is a sense of order, of majesty, of serenity, that greets me whenever I spend time outside. A few years ago, my close friend got a side-by-side ATV, and we spent many evenings riding through the woods around her property looking for deer, turkey, the seasonal flora that is fun to watch unfold. My daily walks also point me to the glory God has created for us in this section of Pennsylvania. But as much as I love the serenity that...
A story that is probably familiar to most of you is the story of the widow’s mite. It is a familiar story of a poor woman who gave everything she had to the church. All she did was uncurl her fingers from around two copper coins and let them fall into the temple treasury. They probably made such a small sound that only she could hear it. As far as she knew, nobody saw her. But then again, nobody ever saw her. She was one of life’s minor characters, an invisible person who could come and go wit...
Do you remember singing a song when you were younger, maybe in Sunday School, that went “Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your blessings, see what God has done”? Sometimes as I said my prayers with my mother at night when I was little, we would talk about the blessings and things for that I should feel thankful. But I walked quite a while along my faith journey until I realized that EVERY good thing is a gift from God. I know now that I have been truly blessed with blessings far...
No matter what our age, is there anyone who does not like a good story? We are captivated by family stories of how our parents or grandparents met and fell in love. We are excited by stories filled with adventure and mystery, humor and suspense. We love stories because they introduce us to new worlds and people beyond our daily routine. They ignite our imaginations of what the world once was and what it might yet be. Every one of us has a story to tell. Our stories connect with and are woven...
Do you ever open your Bible or read your morning devotional and see the exact words that you need to see for the day? Has a friend ever called you at just the right moment? Have you ever seen some small sign that seems meant for you alone? At our church we call these God Sightings, ways that God breaks through into our lives, and we love sharing the details of them with each other when they happen. There are some books I have read called Godwink Stories by Squire Rushnell, a popular speaker and...
We live busy lives. Our culture practically demands that our daily hours get filled to the brim with activities and events. It has become almost a badge of honor to brag about how much is on you day planner or on your monthly calendar. But maybe we delude ourselves with these schedules. Jesus spent the days of His life showing us how to live and also dying for each one of us. So, should we spend our lives giving Him just our left overs of time and of ourselves? The Bible is God’s Living Word. I...
Are you ready to embrace this new year? Admittedly, these past two years have not given us much to cheer about, but there is something about hanging a new calendar on the wall and seeing those squares ready to be filled with activities and events that give us hope of something better to come. One of my favorite things to do is to walk along a beach after a wave has washed away all the imperfections in the sand. That is how the beginning of a new year seems to me. Now, about those resolutions: Are you like the fellow whose annual list of resolut...
