I’m currently looking at options for a couple of backpacking trips this summer. Not sure what I’ll do for one of them, but the other will take me back to the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin—particularly the Kettle Moraine South section. Actually, Chris is planning to join me for this…
…or in praise of routine? It may just be a matter of perspective. My wife and I recently returned from a brief vacation in Florida that concluded with a few days attending a conference. In the last Pastor’s Page post, I sang the praises of vacations, taking time away from…
Like most people, we look forward to a couple of weeks a year when we can get away from the everyday responsibilities of work and home—“vacation” as we call it. In a matter of hours, we will have left behind the drab, chilly upper Midwest for the warmer climes of…
How’s your IRA doing these days? One of the ways you can keep track of it—though as I understand it, it’s not a great idea—is to keep your eye on the daily stock market report with all of its ups & downs. Probably a better method is to pay attention…
In contrast to the bright hues of springtime, the variegated greens of summer, and the warm colors of autumn, winter can seem somewhat drab—bare trees, white (if there’s any snow) or brown ground, and short, often cloudy, days. And yet…. Driving across the Rock River bridge this morning, with the…
In 2014 in the Scottish region of Fife, 14-year-old David Hall was doing a bit of exploring with his metal detector when, suddenly, it started beeping like crazy! You ever been to the beach and seen the old guys out there with their metal detectors, hoping to find a quarter…
Refreshing! That word’s been used to describe everything from a soft drink, to a vacation destination in the Caribbean, to a couple hours at a day spa. And one could certainly enjoy a measure of refreshment from each of those. I’m looking for refreshment of a different sort this week…
I’ve never been a great fan of winter. Sure, as a kid I had fun sledding, building an occasional snowman or two, and battling a bit in snowball wars. But I’ve always preferred the warmer days of spring, summer, and fall. Part of the reason for my distaste for the…
One of the biggest mistakes parents of more than one child can make is showing favoritism towards one of their children. What’s the depth of emotional hurt when an adult child says to his sibling, “Yeah, well, mom always liked you better!” Don’t you have to wonder how much family…
In the course of reading the familiar story of Abraham’s encounter with three strangers (Genesis 18)—a story I’ve read dozens of times—I was reminded of some of the experiences of thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail (AT). Could you imagine yourself driving along a relatively quiet rural two-lane highway, approaching a…
