The Art of Racing in the Rain – Garth Stein

Earlier this week, I decided that I wanted to read a book for pure enjoyment. My brain was stretched and I just wanted to relax and enjoy myself for a while. I called my pastor, Greg DePriest, to get a recommendation. He suggested The Art of Racing in the Rain. I purchased the book and began reading that night.

I must say, my pastor’s interpretation of “enjoyment” is different from mine because this is probably the most depressing book I have ever read. Yet, it is one of the best modern fiction novels that I have read. The entire book is written from the perspective of a dog.

Read More

Beginnings (a tribute to the new year)

The turn of a new year brings to mind new opportunities, a chance to start fresh. I have thought, “I wish I could just start over” many times this past year. As we enter the final hour of 2011, I am wondering what keeps me from starting again? As soon as one thing ends something fills the void left behind. The consistent predecessor to a new beginning is finality. In essence, the only thing keeping anyone from a fresh start is the end of whatever we see as our current location, situation or state-of-mind. Often times, I believe the ability to bring about this ending lies within our power.

2011 marks a year of ending, an age of finality for me. 2012 is fresh and new. I will seize the opportunity to begin.

Has all of Heaven Passed through Hell?

Perhaps I should reconsider the idea of purgatory or at least attribute the title of purgatory to this, and a few other, stages of my life…

Hell = Everlasting Fire : : : : Heaven = Streets of Pure Gold

I have long held that the descriptions are symbolic of the greatest horrors and desires man could then conceive in his efforts to comprehend

Read More

The Beauty of Death

Fall is my favorite season of the year. NCAA football and basketball, bonfires with the youth group and hot coffee on cool morning are all among the things I love about fall, by my very favorite thing about my very favorite season is the changing of leaves. This year, I was blessed with good timing.

Read More

Reconsidering Scars

Today, as I sit and watch my beautiful Savana’s comeback to volleyball, I am reminded of the painful journey the last few years have been for her. She has made it through and today marks one of the great personal milestones she had set for herself on the road to full recovery. My daughter understands pain and she has the scars to prove it. She has always tried to hide her scars feeling an insecure sense of privacy over her surgeries along with a clear disdain for their ever-remaining evidence. Just last night, however, she shared a story about swimming class and an inability to hide her scars. Instead of being upset, she was smiling. You see, the scars had invoked a great deal of attention and interest on the part of her peers allowing her to share the amazing story she has to tell.

Though Savana’s scars will fade with time, she has found new purpose in their presence and will here forward embrace them as part of her life story, an inspiring story of courage, endurance, strength and faith that is definitely worth telling.

Perhaps we should all reconsider our scars.