life lessons

Entitlement That Leads to Bitterness

"I deserve better" will make me bitter.
He that doeth these things shall never be moved.

Tuesday after supper, Ruby and I were chatting about feeling entitled and deserving — an at-home follow-up to the pastor’s theme Sunday morning. She had raised the subject, wondering what I would say on the subject of entitlement.

Then later in the evening as I did the second of my twice daily ear-diaper changes, I got to thinking about the subject of bitterness since it comes up in today’s printed text (for our adult Sunday School lesson).

I thought about things that provoke in me a rising of bitterness. It easily happens when… Read it all

When Old Visions Lose Value, They Get Vulturized

Lessons from a hazelnut grove
young hazelnut trees

I saw the excavator in an unexpected place, evidently done doing shocking things.

That evening several weeks ago, I was on my way to church to deliver my wife’s contributions to the next day’s noon meal. Due to my illness, I had not been out that way in a while. I stared in disbelief at the scenery in that orchard.

Several years earlier, someone had done extensive work propelled by a vision. The vision entailed making a profit worth waiting for, a profit selling filberts (aka, hazelnuts). The previous time I had been past the young orchard, I had marveled at the height of the well-established trees and admired the pretty green of their fresh leaves. When would they begin to bear fruit?

young hazelnut trees

Now all the trees lay in piles. Read it all

How to Get Past the Baby Stuff at Christmas

Begin by imagining a different way of celebrating your own birthday...
Noreen Roth with first-born Mark

You probably already had your birthday this year. I did, but one of my life-long, faithful friends still hasn’t had his birthday. Imagine yours is yet to come.

To celebrate your birthday, we will hang up pictures of you in your crib — to show we know who this is all about, you know. Generally, though, we will disregard you in favor of other festive and seasonal activities. If anyone gets around to remembering you, it will be to reminisce about your birth and baby days. And gifts? We will give each other gifts we think we would enjoy. Maybe we will think to give you a baby rattle or a teddy bear. You would probably say “bah humbug” on birthdays, at least yours. Read it all

We Now Have Ten Children!

How a brand-new father-in-law walked out on thin ice to interrupt a wedding reception
four hours or so after Drew and Anne's wedding

Our son Drew gave us the opportunity to be among the invited speakers at their wedding reception. He acknowledged knowing that I’m not a fan of open mic, but wanted me to say something anyway. Well, what’s a Dad to say but, “OK”? 😀

I drew up a fine list of potential things to say weeks ago. And put the matter out of my mind pending further review on the way to the wedding in Pennsylvania. Due to a series of factors, the review never happened. But I knew I could take my computer with me to the reception and do my memory refreshing before the wedding (or whatever I thought).

The wedding day came and I, forgetting that important detail, decided not to take my computer to the wedding site. When that unfortunate detail dawned on me, I found myself 30-40 minutes distant from my computer! And I could remember nothing of my notes except the two things most important to me. Good enough.

And from there sprouted what I will call the keenest disappointment for me of the whole trip. Read it all

“A Father, Huh?”

How to gain a right concept of God when fathers fail
how to get an accurate picture of God as Father

“Do you know my Dad?”

  • “He abandoned us!”
  • “He is ill-tempered and abusive!”
  • “I was conceived out of wedlock; I am a child of sin.”
  • “He is too busy for us.”
  • “He is so immature it’s mortifying.”
  • “He is a loser.”

“I get no warm fuzzies at the thought of fathers. Why should I about God? In fact, how is my Dad not a message from God to me . . . about me?”Read it all

Above all, love God!