Devotions

Enjoy Rev. Mettey’s Writings from Throughout the Years

Reverend Wendell Mettey wrote these Katamanthano devotions over a number of years. Katamanthano is a Greek word, which appears in the Greek New Testament just one time. Jesus used it when pointing to a nearby field, saying, “KATAMANTHANO the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin: and yet I tell you Solomon in all of his glory was not arrayed like one of these” (Matt. 6:28-29).

Katamanthano is usually given the English translation of consider. However its literal translation is “to observe well, notice carefully, learn thoroughly, CONSIDER.”

To Jesus, God spoke to people not through a distant star or through some esoteric religion, nor were his words the exclusive property of the learned or the holy. The God of Jesus spoke through the simple things, the ordinary daily happenings of life

Rev. Wendell Mettey

Stories are copyright protected. All rights reserved.

Turning Our Sorrow into Joy

One day, our little boy found his mother in a somewhat pensive mood. Sensing this he asked, “Mommy, what’s the matter?”“Oh nothing,” she replied, forcing a smile, “Just a little blue!”“Oh,” he said as he patted her on the cheek and began dancing silly on the floor “Me make you purple”. It is the beginning […]

Read More

He's Still Calling Us

I first arrived in Nicaragua during the 1990 elections. While the politicians were out making campaign promises, there was still fierce fighting taking place up north. Soldiers were everywhere; mostly boys in oversized uniforms, all with big guns. The Sandinista and Contra war had reached a stalemate. Giving in to international pressure, they agreed to […]

Read More

Shoes for John

He lives in South Dakota where the summers are short and hot, and the winters are long and cold. Snow piles up to many feet, making travel difficult and dangerous. It is winter, and it is cold. John lives on an American Indian reservation. He is walking to school. In the middle of this bitter […]

Read More

When Life is Churning Away

One of the joys I used to find in running around Sharon Woods Lake was seeing the many ducks and geese swimming about. A favorite pastime of many folks is feeding these beautiful animals. Scattered throughout the lake, the mere appearance of someone holding a sack full of bread and crackers will summon these birds. […]

Read More

The Least of These

A dirt courtyard floor and a worn thin mat was his resting place. The skin on his feet was cracked and calloused, no doubt from years of wandering shoeless. He wore what they all wore: a faded, patched gown. Why he pulled his mat to that place to sleep, I do not know. Perhaps he […]

Read More

A Sandbox

We stopped at a roadside park. We got out of our car so we could get a better look at the lake. On our way, I noticed some children playing in what looked like the world’s largest sandbox. It was enormous! Fifty children, toys and all, could have fit in it and still have had […]

Read More

The Wisdom of Knowing the Difference

There is a train trestle which crosses over a road I frequently travel. The clearance of the train trestle is clearly marked: 12 feet 3 inches. In a three year period, five truckers attempted to drive under that train trestle, only to discover that it was not 12 feet 4 inches, nor 12 feet 3 […]

Read More

Our Own Private Rainbows

A round bit of crystal with a small stand to hold it erect. A gift from a friend. It sits upon my desk for all to see. Upon it is etched a bird in full flight, the radiant sun above, the sea below and these few words, “Everyday is a new discovery.” One day, as […]

Read More

Moisture-Rich Eyes

“Are your eyes tired and irritated…do they feel strained …?” The commercial coming over the car radio continued, “…then perhaps you have moisture poor eyes.” CONSIDER “moisture poor” eyes and think of the shortest verse in the Bible, “Jesus wept.” I thought of the woman washing Jesus’ feet with her tears. I thought of Paul […]

Read More

Drown Proof

It was the final day of swim class. Parents, grandparents, brothers, and sisters stood around the pool and watched with great pride as the children demonstrated what they had learned. They treaded water, floated, did an assortment of strokes – the butterfly, the breast, and the crawl – and, as the daring finale, they jumped […]

Read More

No, Instead Call the Love Squad

“Call the Bomb Squad!” screamed the woman after coming across a strange looking package. Ever so carefully the package was carried away to be blown up. Then it made a noise, but not the “ticking” noise you might expect. When the package was opened, there inside was a newborn baby. If the baby had not […]

Read More

Step Right Up

We have had it for a long time. We have gotten on and off of it more times than I can remember. The condition it is in, I do believe, we could market it and make a million. What is it? It is an ordinary bathroom scale! What is so special and potentially valuable about […]

Read More

Oh God, So Great is Thy Power

A house, once a home where people lived. A front porch, where people sat and visited with neighbors. A yard, where children played and trees and bushes were planted. Empty and abandoned, set afire by the city to make room for a new post office, it was now a raging inferno. The smoke, black and […]

Read More

Blind Crayfish

Our guide stopped and shined his light onto one of the ponds in the cave. There, jetting through the water were some strange creatures. We all huddled around the pond to get a better look. “Yes, those are crayfish,” said our guide. “White crayfish!” The crayfish is one of the many inhabitants which has adapted […]

Read More

A Still, Small Voice

While making my way though the narrow downtown streets of Pittsburgh, I saw on a nearby street corner a crowd of people waiting to cross. Approaching the corner was a man being led by his seeing-eye dog. The dog was ever so skillful in weaving his master in and out of the busy sidewalk traffic. […]

Read More

A Sandbox or Weedbox?

It was once the center of much activity, a meeting place for the neighborhood children. Sometimes they would gather to play in it, building houses, forts and roads for their cars and trucks. Other times they would just sit around it, sifting its contents through their hands or tossing a handful of it into someone’s […]

Read More

A Fish Story

“There it is,” yelled a boy perched high upon the pier. An exhausting struggle by the fisherman and his fish was coming to an end. The fish surfaced and for the first time we all got a glimpse of it. It was not a prize winning marlin, but a giant manta ray – a huge […]

Read More

A Faded Message

The man pulled up to the stop sign. With the engine still running, he opened the door, hurried over to a telephone pole, stapled something on it, rushed back to his car, slammed the door and sped away. His behavior aroused my curiosity. What did he post? Surely it must be something of great importance! […]

Read More

A Dandelion Growing in Good Soil

I reached down and pulled from my garden something which grows abundantly in Cincinnati: a dandelion. This pesky little plant – flower to some, weed to most – is difficult to control. It has a long and slender root which grows down into the ground as deep as two feet. If just a fragment of […]

Read More

Chance or Providence

I suppose the events in our lives can be explained as happening by chance or by providence. As a people of faith we believe that life is not just the roll of the dice but guided by the invisible hand of God. This is certainly evident by what has transpired during a few months in […]

Read More

Blossoms of Nicaragua

“I can take it down now,” he said with the chainsaw in his hand, “or you can let the wind do it, in which case, it’ll probably end up on your house!” The tree in question was a beautiful maple which was packed full of eighteen years of fond memories of my children playing in […]

Read More

A Daily Reminder

I unfolded the morning newspaper and placed it next to my bowl of cereal, teaming with fresh fruit. It was supposed to be a quiet breakfast and a few moments with the morning news: a check of the weather, a few headline stories, a comic or two and then off to work. Instead, I found […]

Read More

With God

One day I heard someone say, “Yes, it is true. With God all things are possible. But, we need to realize, God does not choose to do all things!” So often we find ourselves wanting things or perhaps setting out on a “mission impossible” without consulting with God or feeling that it is necessary because […]

Read More

Panyagua

“Pan-y-agua,” he said, slowly enunciating each syllable. “Me llamo es Panyagua (my name is Panyagua),” he repeated, tapping his chest with the handle of his paint brush. Painter by trade and father of one of the students at the school, he took it upon himself to repair the school’s roof. Each day, all day, he […]

Read More

One Lone Life

Slowly I entered the cholera ward. The stories I had read of the disease wiping out entire populations did not comfort me. Knowing that cholera, if caught in time, was quite treatable did not alleviate my fears. However, to adequately assess the hospital’s needs, the visit was necessary. The most memorable experience from this particular […]

Read More

Nothing I Have Made is Unclean

One morning, while in Nicaragua, our cars stopped in front of a freshly painted building. We had been told this was a home for mentally disabled and severely crippled children. A few moments later we were standing in the solarium waiting for the director. Through an open door we could see the courtyard. What we […]

Read More

I Was Sick

I raised my camera only to lower it. “I cannot,” I sighed and shook my head. “I cannot intrude on this poor man’s grief or his child’s pain.” “But you must,” insisted the doctor accompanying me through the hospital. “It is the only way people will know of our situation.” I looked at the young, […]

Read More

Barbed-Wire Memories

The laughter of children at play filled the air. We were visiting Padre Fabreto’s Home for Abandoned Children and our mission team members were enjoying every moment of their visit. As our time with the children came to an end, I found myself walking to a favorite spot in Nicaragua. At the edge of the […]

Read More

United or Untied

One of the nuisances of the language disorder call dyslexia is, first of all, trying to spell dyslexia. Another is letter reversals. It can make for some most interesting words at times. Usually they are unintelligible and impossible to pronounce. Secretaries delight in trying to decipher them. Well, one day, to my great delight, my […]

Read More

The Incredible Weed

We spray it. We pull it. We curse it. We do all we can to get rid of it but it is always there. Despite all our efforts, it keeps coming back. What is this pest we spend so much energy and money on? THE WEED! The awful, bothersome, despicable, incredible…WEED! How so? It is […]

Read More

The Honey Bee and the Gadfly

The honey bee and the gadfly – both are just as active, but not nearly as productive. First, there is the honeybee. It carries a honey sac. In order to fill that sac it has to make between 1,000 and 1,500 trips to different clover flowers. About 60 bees, with their sacs full, make about […]

Read More

The End of the Movie

“…get understanding…” (Proverbs 4:5) I walked in on the end of a movie once and was amazed at the audience’s reaction to what was taking place on the screen. The hero or good guy was acting as if he were the bad guy and the audience was cheering him on as if they were a […]

Read More

Handwriting on the Wall

A young friend came up to me one Sunday after morning worship and began telling me about a problem she was having at school. I listened rather impatiently and gave her some easy answers to her problem. She sensed that I was too busy greeting others to talk so she moved on. I didn’t give […]

Read More

Go On, Make My Day

The elevator doors opened. Her head down, arms loaded down and hanging down around her neck was one of those electronic gismos hospital people carry around with them. Apparently she wasn’t able to get her hair under control before she left for work and there was a strand which kept falling down and she kept […]

Read More

Even Our Hurt Hands

Each night at dinner we join hands around the table for prayer. Several days ago, Clare, my youngest, said, “Oh Timmy,” as she pulled her hand away from her brother with a grimace, “I don’t want to pray with that hand!” Clare had a splinter in her finger and she was afraid Timmy holding her […]

Read More

Do Your Own Sweeping

Timmy was attempting to get the cereal down from the top shelf. His foot slipped and down came the box and its contents, hundreds of Cheerios went dancing across the shiny kitchen floor. “Get a broom and clean it up,” said his mother, “I just cleaned that floor. Make sure you get every one off […]

Read More

Digital Time

My mornings are greeted with a number of sights and sounds: the gentle rays of the rising sun filtering through our bedroom curtains; the search by one of our children for that exclusive “other” sock; kitchen noises made by mother preparing breakfast and fixing school lunches; and two clocks! One clock tells me that it […]

Read More

A Dumpster

One day while driving home I came upon a most unusual and peculiar sight, to say the least. There in the driveway of a beautiful and expensive house was a large trash container, I believe they are called dumpsters. Whatever they are called, they are a common sight to city dwellers. Wherever an old building […]

Read More

Consider the Daffodils

They swayed to and from in the gentle spring breeze, their yellow beauty a delight to each passing motorist. They had pushed up through the thawing sod unnoticed, and blossomed into a blanket of spring flowers, adding color and charm to the front of our church for Easter. Suddenly the weather changed. Freezing rain and […]

Read More

Who Has Moved?

People covered their eyes and ran for shelter. Cars came to a screeching halt. An eerie silence fell upon the city. Slowly the people emerged from their places of hiding. Squinting they looked skyward. Finally someone shouted “There’s no need to be afraid, it is only the sun!” While I’m sure that scene never took […]

Read More

The Value Within

There they stood. Each tightly clutched their boxes, bags, containers of all kinds filled with silver coins, soon to be redeemed for 2000% over their face value. Their three hour wait in line was a small price to pay for such a large return on their investment. Watching through the window of the coin shop, […]

Read More

Something You Can Keep Around Here

Red faced and covered with snow, Timmy opened his small hand and revealed a snowball he had brought into the house with him. “I’m going to keep this!” he announced with a mixture of confidence and uncertainty. A few minutes later he emerged from his room. His outstretched hand was drenched. Water was running through […]

Read More

Growing in the Shade

“Lazarus, Come out.” (John 11:43) I was watching a gardening show on television. A viewer sent in the following question: “I have a little plot of ground, but it is in the shade all day. It receives no direct sunlight at all. What vegetables can I grow there?” The garden expert answered the question this […]

Read More

Crowds or Persons

I mentioned one Sunday in the morning message that the one thing Jesus could not do was see a crowd. After the service, someone asked me to explain that a little further. The point I was trying to make was that Jesus always dealt with people as individuals.CONSIDER how when he’d move through a “crowd,” […]

Read More

Company Policy

One Sunday afternoon I was standing in the checkout lane of a department store. The man ahead of me pointed out to the cashier that she had overcharged him. Reviewing the transaction, she agreed. She informed him he would have to go to the customer service for a refund. The man said that was unfair. […]

Read More

Cheerleading Before Empty Stands

All the commotion surrounding each year’s Super Bowl game reminds me of a Pee-wee football game I watched one time. Both teams were colorfully dressed and ran their plays with split second precision. The coaches yelled in their instructions from the sidelines. The referees waved their arms, blew their whistles and marched off penalties. About […]

Read More

Changing the Channel

One day while I was watching television I accidentally brought in an out-of-town station. After considerable effort I managed to bring in a reasonably good picture. The picture kept fading in and out, so I had to sit with one hand on the aerial and the other on the knobs. Well, the more I struggled […]

Read More

Buzz, Buzz

In my car, as in most cars, it doesn’t make any difference whether you believe in seatbelts or not. You have to wear them or a loud and annoying buzzer will buzz at you until you “buckle up.” No problem for me, I believe in seatbelts, or so I thought. Awhile back, a short circuit […]

Read More

An Unbroken Melody of Faith

One of the musical highlights of the Ohio Baptist Convention was the playing of a marimba. Much like the xylophone, the marimba is a “percussion instrument consisting of a series of bars, graduated in length to sound the musical scale, and sounded by striking with wooden hammers”. The woman playing it was truly a master […]

Read More

An Optical Illusion

And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, gave thanks, and broke and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds… And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:19, 21) As a minister, I saw something […]

Read More

A Theological Dilemma

When my son, Aaron, was seven years old, he was confronted with his first real theological dilemma. He had lost another tooth and was frantically searching the linen closet for the tooth fairy pillow. Once found, he promptly deposited the tooth in the little pocket and placed it under his pillow. In the morning the […]

Read More

A Perfect Fit

So that we may no longer be children,tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. The salesman said, “That’s a perfect fit!” My wife replied, “Then it’s too small!” […]

Read More

Dealing with Failure

Jesus had a lot to say about failure and how to deal with it. CONSIDER how Jesus told His disciples that “whenever you enter a town, and they do not receive you, go to the street and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off…’” When failure comes, […]

Read More

A Beautiful Sight

One day I received a note from an older friend. It came at a time in my life when everything seemed to have fallen apart. It was a time of wrestling with self-worth and claiming a faith that worked. The note spoke of a God who follows His children even into the wilderness. It spoke […]

Read More

30 Seconds to Show Time

In 1982, soul singer Teddy Pendergrass was in an automobile accident which left him paralyzed. One of the good things to come from the accident said the entertainer is, “It has given me a chance to catch up with a lot of praying time. For years I was running”, he continued. “I might have wanted […]

Read More

The Flea

Two fleas hopped out to the curb on their way to the “flea market” to do some shopping. One flea looked at the other and said, “Shall we walk or take a dog?” We pay little attention to those little fellows unless they come into our homes by way of “ole Rover”. And yet the […]

Read More

Staying Plugged In

One year, the unseasonable warm weather gave me the opportunity to finally wash my car. One of the items needed was a long extension cord for the vacuum cleaner and a place to plug it in. The nearest socket already had the freezer plugged into it. As I unplugged the freezer I said to myself, […]

Read More

Spiritual Food

A young woman said during a group discussion, “The reason I stopped going to my church is because I was not getting spiritually fed.” Being spiritually fed is vital to spiritual growth. Seeking and finding a place where we can receive spiritual food is important. However, just as vital is a proper spiritual diet. Sometimes […]

Read More

Sorry, Non-Refundable

Standing in line before us were two little boys. Their arms were loaded down with empty soft drink bottles, and their hands were skillfully clutching onto what must have been a sample of every kind of candy in the store. They stepped up to the counter and unloaded their hopeful transaction before the cashier, a […]

Read More

Propped Up

I have been watching these past several weeks, as I drive to the church, the construction of a building of Montgomery Road. From the first day that the heavy equipment began clearing the land, to the digging of a foundation, to the present with the erection of two massive adjacent walls made of large concrete […]

Read More

No Time to Pray

It was one of those days filled to overflowing with meetings, appointments, and a sundry of other things making the twenty-four hour day about twenty hours too short. Coming home in a cloud of dust from one meeting, sitting down to a hurried dinner on my way to another meeting, I began to gobble down […]

Read More

Move Over

It was one of those snowy, sub-zero, January days. We were out driving when all of a sudden we found ourselves bumper to bumper with another car. There was snow and ice piled up three feet on either side of us and just two narrow tracks going down the middle of the street. We were […]

Read More

Lower Your Wrecking Cost

There are many reasons why driving behind a truck is not a real treat. Two which come to mind: on city streets they are slow, and secondly, you can’t see much of anything else. The truck I found myself behind for about twenty minutes the other day was monstrous in size and “monstrously” slow. When […]

Read More

Lost and Found

Something that always amazes me and brings to my overly orderly mind a measure of pleasure is seeing those white and green plastic bags, bulging with trash, lining the interstates for miles and miles. Where does all of this trash come from? Oh, I’ve seen a few litterbugs in my day caught in the act, […]

Read More

Just a Chirp Away

Mom and Dad penguin do have their hands full when old Mr. Stork decides to pay them a visit. First, their young come by way of egg, which has to be sat upon for weeks. After the “big day” mom and dad have to stay on land with their baby until it can swim in […]

Read More

It Does Make a Difference

The country band was playing, the music blaring and these words came over the speakers, “…there’s a little bit of bad in every good….there’s a little bit of wrong in every right…there’s a little bit of me in you.” I forget exactly where I heard these lines, some television program I imagine. They went something […]

Read More

A Precious Treasure

I attended a meeting and the subject of wills came up. A lawyer at the meeting said that it’s usually the one who does the most for someone who gets taken out of wills. A minister there said he had just that day counseled with a parishioner about taking someone out of her will. “But […]

Read More

The End of the Driveway

CONSIDER how I saw three men the other day, Standing at the end of a driveway.Supervising the road work being done- Trucks, equipment, asphalt by the ton. No hard hats did these three wear –No colorful vest or badges bear.Only bystanders, ordinary citizens they; Giving free advice and having their say. One pointed and motioned […]

Read More

Timing is So Important

When I was a boy, we called them seventeen year locusts. I believe their scientific name is cicada. Regardless, every seventeen years they tunnel up through the ground, crawl upon anything which will support their “armor-like” shell, shed their shells, and take to the air with their newly acquired wings. High up in the trees […]

Read More

The Abundant Life

It was a beautiful and quite unusual red and yellow tulip which blossomed anew each spring in my front yard. I not only admired its beauty but also appreciated its determination. Growing in a small, shady space it had to push its way up through a heavy, thick layer of mulch, where it was sandwiched […]

Read More

Where the Water Goes

It lasted but a few seconds, this brief encounter I had, and yet it lingers still in my mind. I suspect it will continue to visit me in the years to come. The night was stormy, the morning was dreary and damp, but the afternoon was beautiful, radiant sunshine, and the air was pristine clear. […]

Read More

Standing Together

“If you are traveling West in the morning, you may run into some snow,” said the TV weatherman. “Gee, I’m glad I’m going North,” I thought as I climbed into bed that evening. In the morning, Mickey and I would be off to an important conference where I was scheduled to speak the next morning. […]

Read More

Spiritual Nourishment

“Well, another one bites the dust,” said a nearby parent. “Gee, that’s two in two weeks.” What she was referring to were members of the Cincinnati Boy Choir becoming faint and passing out during a performance. The “flu bug” coupled with the stress and strain of performing make for ideal conditions for this to happen. […]

Read More

Settling on the Steps of the Courthouse

“When can we get together?” I asked my friend who is an attorney. “Well,” he replied, looking at his appointment book, “we can meet on Tuesday.” “Tuesday?” I questioned, “I thought you were going to be in court?” “Oh no,” he responded, “The case was settled.” “Really?” I said, “What happened?” “We settled the case […]

Read More

Please Remove Your Cleats

Taking an early morning walk, I came upon a restaurant near a golf course. Anticipating patrons taking a break between nines, the owner had put this sign above the entrance: “Please remove your cleats before coming in.” CONSIDER how one day I forgot my golf shoes, so instead of driving home to get them, I […]

Read More

People Also Get Stained

It was billed as the great “stain mystery” of the Bronx. Residents of the co-op City housing complex complained to the manager of this 35 high rise building complex that yellow ugly stains were ruining their clothes after washing them. New washers were installed; the Fabric Care Institute was consulted; even the New York school […]

Read More

A Lost Person's Best Friend

I haven’t been in a toy store for some time. So it was rather nice and a bit nostalgic to be in one the other day. It was fascinating to see all the new toys and interesting to see that some old favorites are still around. There was one section; I suppose it could be […]

Read More

One Small Cedar

The morning sun sparkled on the calm water like a thousand diamonds. Surrounded by towering mountains, each blanketed with countless trees, all adorned with their spring foliage, we sat quietly in the boat waiting for the fish to bite. Enjoying the moment and consumed by the beauty of it all, I looked to the shoreline […]

Read More

Loved Into the Hearts of Others

He was a person who always kept his distance from me. Oh, he was polite and we got along all right, but my attempts to become closer were always rebuffed. Maybe it was just me or perhaps he was someone who simply maintained his distance from people. No, he went out of his way to […]

Read More

Be an All-Weather Pilot

A friend was recently relating his exploits as a pilot. His most memorable flight was an encounter with a thunderstorm over Lake Erie. Another was an attempt to fly over a cloud covered mountain range. “On that one,” he said, “I was forced to find a nearby landing strip until the clouds lifted.” “Why didn’t […]

Read More

A Walk in the Sunlight

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you by night; and your God will be your glory. (Isaiah 60: 1,19) I was walking in the bright […]

Read More

A Conversation

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) One day I heard someone say, “Yes, it is true. With God all things are possible. But we need to realize, God does not choose to do all things!” CONSIDER how we […]

Read More

A Better Way

“…and let me show you a more excellent way.” (1 Corinthians 12:31) The bridge was out. We needed to find another way home. A friend gave us directions. He said his directions would take us a new way and guaranteed better than the old way across the bridge. We followed his directions around the washed […]

Read More

Jesus, the Great Power

The day finally came. My teenage daughter Clare would have her braces removed. She had been looking forward to this day since the first day her braces were put on. She had been the conscientious patient so her reward would be a few months reduction in her sentence. As I sat in the waiting room, […]

Read More

It's in the Heart

he pastor said to the congregation, “We are going to take a silent offering right now. If you are going to put any change in the offering plate – so it won’t make any noise – wrap it up in some paper money.” He went on to tell a story about the time that Billy […]

Read More

He Knows, He Knows

“I cried myself to sleep again last night,” she told me. Her problem would not go away despite all her efforts to resolve it. It was out of her control and yet her attempts to turn it over to God brought no resolution or peace. Each day she prayed, each night she asked, why?, and […]

Read More

From Annuals to Perennials

“These right here,” I said, pointing to a tray of brightly colored flowers. “Dianthus,” replied the man working at the nursery. “What about them?” he asked. “Are they annuals or perennials?” I responded.“Annuals,” he said confidently. “That is if you bought them here!” he added. “Yes, I did, but they came back again this year,” […]

Read More

Construction Areas

I usually have several thoughts buzzing in my head that I share with you in this space. I see, hear, or observe something that gets me thinking; thus “just thinking.” As you know, I believe God speaks to us daily through the ordinary occurrence of life and so I’m always on the look-out for some […]

Read More

An Inedible Prize

It is called the Tarpon Capital of the World. A relatively small strait of water running from the Gulf of Mexico where tarpon migrate each year to spawn. Tarpon season is from mid-April to mid-July and thousands of fishermen descend upon this tiny island during that period of time. The marina on the island stays […]

Read More

Which God Do You Follow

Three young men were arguing the existence of God. One young man was an avowed atheist, another a believer and the other didn’t really care, some would call him an agnostic. For every argument the believer would pose trying to prove the existence of God, the avowed atheist would rattle off another argument denying His […]

Read More

Blooming Together

When I was a boy, we called them “helicopters”. They are the seeds from maple trees. Released in the spring, they whirl their way to the ground or find their way into gutters and downspouts. One day when I was doing some repairs on my roof I noticed something green sticking out of one of […]

Read More

Preach Me Something

“Do you think you can go on the field trip with Aaron’s class?” My wife asked me one afternoon. “They are going to the planetarium. I think it would be a good experience for them to have a father go along.” I answered, “Well, I can’t pass up the opportunity to go to the planetarium […]

Read More

Pass the Tissue

The heart pumps enough blood in an average lifetime to fill 13 super tankers, each holding one million barrels. Our stomachs produce the equivalent of a new stomach lining every three days because of the strong digestive acids. Goose bumps are a temperature triggered device used by our bodies to produce protective body hair. And […]

Read More

Keeping Your Valuables Safe

Mighty trees were pushed over like matchsticks. Homes had planks placed beneath their foundations and hauled away. Mountains of earth and massive chunks of concrete were moved like children’s building blocks. All was being done to make way for a major road widening. One day while caught in traffic near the construction, I noticed something […]

Read More

A New Song

“Mom,” complained Tim, “Aaron is bothering us.” “Yeah,” added Clare, “I can’t read with him making that noise.” “Aaron,” said mother, “the car is just too small. Please sing to yourself.” Many miles and minutes later, with the incident long forgotten, Aaron leaned forward and tapped his mother on the arm. “Mom,” said Aaron, with […]

Read More

A Row of Begonias

We planted a row of begonias in a flower box on our front porch. We had enough room for eight plants if we spaced them properly. A few weeks later I was looking at the flower box and it seemed that we did not do a very good job of spacing the flowers. Some seemed […]

Read More

Look Beyond This Point

The other day while eating at a restaurant, I happened to notice a sign on the door leading into the kitchen that read: LOOK BEYOND THIS POINT. Beneath this sign was a window where you could see the kitchen with its grills, refrigerators and serving counters. But more importantly, a waitress carrying a tray full […]

Read More

It's Coming Your Way

I was talking on the phone with a friend from Indiana. “Why are you so cheerful this morning?” I asked him. “You can’t be anything else on a bright, beautiful and sunny day,” he responded with a smile in his voice. I turned and looked out my window. The sky was grey and overcast, just […]

Read More

Postage Guaranteed

I found something the other day. Actually, I found three things: a set of keys, a little metal tag and a message from God. Reaching into my coat pocket I found an extra set of keys. Oops! Someone had put them in there by mistake (a long story I won’t go into). While examining the […]

Read More

No One Showed Me

When St Francis of Assisi died, they made him a saint; while he lived they severely criticized him. Crude, idiotic and ridiculous were some the words they used to describe his ministry. One evening while writing in his diary he responded to his critics with these words… “No one showed me.” Francis would have been […]

Read More

The Promise of Life

As we were waiting in line for the elevator in a retirement home where we were visiting with a friend, my 3 month old son was asleep in his mother’s arms. Before we knew it, we were surrounded by some of the residents of the building. “Oh look at the little darling!” “Girl or boy?” […]

Read More

Knowing the Sender

The other day I accidentally threw away a letter before I read it, but I fortunately had saved the envelope. On the envelope was the sender’s return address, so I knew who sent the letter, but I did not know the message it contained. CONSIDER how we sometimes find ourselves struggling to find God’s message […]

Read More

Is Today Tomorrow?

“Daddy, when are we leaving on vacation?” my daughter asked. “Tomorrow,” I replied. Very early the next morning she came into my bedroom and softly rubbed my cheek until I opened my eyes. “Daddy,” she whispered, “is today tomorrow?” CONSIDER how to children it must seem that life is a never-ending series of tomorrows. Everything […]

Read More

The Lord is With Us

“Last summer, we were traveling out West,” a friend told me. “We had just crossed the desert when the fan belt of our car broke. What would we have done if we had broken down while we were in the middle of that desert! Boy, the Lord was really with us on that trip.” As […]

Read More

The Right Way, but the Wrong Stop

The light flashed and the bell sounded. The elevator doors opened and I got on. Two cheerful passengers greeted me, and we quickly engaged in conversation about subjects of mutual interest. It was a brief but pleasant elevator ride. Soon the elevator stopped and the doors opened. I walked off, only to discover that I […]

Read More

Listening With Our Knees

I read a bit of trivia the other day: “The grasshopper’s ears are located on its knees.” After reading that, I began to CONSIDER what a mix-up this world would be if our ears were located on our knees. A speaker might say “Lend me your knees!” A choir director might complain about the “tin […]

Read More

Watching Eyes

Approaching my grandmother’s house I could see her sitting in her favorite chair. Now this was one of those overstuffed chairs that seem to swallow you up when you sit in it. She had it arranged in such a way that it enabled her to keep an eye on all the “goings on” in front […]

Read More

Consider a Simple Answer

Over my car radio came this question, “How many grooves does a record have?” Caller after caller flooded the radio station with answers. One caller said that a record had 212 grooves. To get that answer, she took the number of revolutions a record makes per minute and multiplied that by the width of the […]

Read More

Germinating the Seed Within Us

One early spring, as I tilled my garden, I added several bags of nutrients to the soil. A busy schedule and a lot of rain kept me from doing any planting for a few weeks. In that time, the garden was once again taken over by weeds. After weeding, I decided to use a product […]

Read More

Beautiful Music

When I was in high school I used to play bassoon in the school orchestra. Now the bassoon, for those of you that don’t know, looks as funny as its name sounds. What does it look like? Well, it is a long tube that looks like a bamboo periscope coming up from the orchestra pit. […]

Read More

Be Good

While walking the mall after Christmas, I came upon the place where the children had been going to have their pictures taken with Santa Claus. It was all closed up and these words were printed on a sign, hanging on Santa’s chair: “Santa has gone back home to the North Pole. He will see you […]

Read More

A Worser Day

Alex is four years old. A routine physical exam showed a kidney stone. Further testing showed that he would have to have kidney surgery. A few days before the surgery, he came dragging into the house. Standing before his father, head bowed, Alex said “Dad, this is a worser day!” Holding back his laughter, his […]

Read More

"Gosh, We Were Just Being Brothers."

A mother came upon what looked to her like a “knock down, drag out brawl” between her two sons. “What are you two doing? Get up from there before someone gets hurt!” she commanded. Slowly they unlocked arms, untangled legs and slowly made it to their feet. “Gosh,” said a rather bewildered son, trying to […]

Read More

Every Litter Bit Helps

Turning into the church parking lot, I saw him running along with bag in hand. He would run a few steps, stop, bend over, pick something up, stuff it into his bag and off he’d go. “What is he doing?” I CONSIDERED as I parked my car. “Maybe he is picking up aluminum cans. No, […]

Read More

The Home Run

After a season of riding the bench, it was finally little Bobby’s chance to get into the game. It was the last inning and his team was leading 23-2. “If the catcher drops your third strike,” optimistically instructed the coach, “You can run to first base.” “Sure coach,” said little Bobby as he stepped up […]

Read More

The Greater Power

Oh, the great power this man possessed,Raised hands he calmed the tempest. At Mom’s request, water into wineIn Galilee, demons to swine. A touch from His hand, sight to the blind,A mere word, peace to a troubled mind. One night on the water He did walk,They can tell you, it is not just talk. At […]

Read More

Praying for Those Who Kick You in the Shins

One day while feeling rather virtuous I CONSIDERED praying for “mine enemies” as Jesus told His disciples to do. There was one enemy in particular that I began to pray for. Oh, she was not an enemy in the sense that she was villainous or anything like that. She just kept saying and doing things […]

Read More

The Red Delicious Within Us

In 1872 Joseph Hiatt was walking in his apple orchard. There at his feet next to his “Yellow Bellflower” apple tree was a little sprout coming up from the ground. One sweep of his axe and it was gone. The very next year he found it growing, and again he cut it down. Finally it […]

Read More

The Groans of Others

On a popular television quiz show the contestants are asked to complete a sentence the way they believe a panel of celebrities would. After one contestant completed the sentence given to her, a loud groan of disapproval came from the audience. The emcee turned to the audience and said, “Well, what would you have said?” […]

Read More

Just Whistle While You Live

One day, I was listening to a friend talk about how busy he was. There was simply not enough hours in the day to do all that needed to be done, let alone having any time left over to do anything fun. He then went through the litany of resolutions usually given about cutting back. […]

Read More

A Spider's Web

My heart was heavy laden. I went out to be alone with God and to seek His council. It was dusk. Tilting the Bible to catch the fading light, I fanned the pages of the New Testament. The pages came to rest and my eyes fell upon these words from Paul: “Finally, be strong in […]

Read More

An Oasis or a Desert

I read an article that was most thought provoking. It was about the desert in Sudan. The article stated that “the people of the Sudan lived in fear of a massive sand dune threatening to engulf their homes and gardens.” The article went on to say that the desert is moving southward across the Sudan, […]

Read More

They or We

During a church dinner we discovered that our table did not have any ketchup. Someone familiar with the church said that there was some in the kitchen and he would go and get it. When he returned, he opened the bottle and looked down at it. He smelled it, wrinkled his nose and remarked that […]

Read More

Making Ends Meet with God

The city of Chicago started on their side, the state of Illinois from theirs. Across the street from each other, the idea was to connect City Hall with the State Offices by an underground walkway. Four years behind schedule, it was finally completed; well it was close- they were within inches of linking up when… […]

Read More

The Littlest Measuring Spoon

One day I watched as my youngest son, Aaron, climbed upon a kitchen chair, pulled open a drawer and proceeded to get out his mother’s measuring spoons to play with them. As he was playing, unnoticed by him, the littlest measuring spoon fell into the trash below. When he finished playing, he climbed down and […]

Read More

A 50-lb. Bag

It was a combination of several factors: the weather, being away, but primarily, it was the condition of the soil. Last year’s garden was the worst of my “gardening days.” In talking over my problem with a real life “gardener,” he suggested some things I might try to rejuvenate my soil. To begin things, a […]

Read More

The Richest Little Girl in Town

A minister friend of mine tells about a trip to the bank he made with his daughter when she was just barely able to see over the counter. There on the counter was a stack of dollar bills. “Wow!” she sighed, “I’ve never seen so much money before.” “Do you know how much there is?” […]

Read More

Neither "Too Bad" Nor "Too Good"

Folks in retirement facilities are most creative in decorating their front doors. From handmade wreathes to colorful framed messages, you can get a good look at a person by what is put on the front door. The other day I can across this message: “You are not too bad to come in; Or too good […]

Read More

Turning a Phrase

They call it “turning a phrase.” Two of the most popular are: “Plan your work and work your plan.” And “When the going gets tough, the . . . .” (What?) That’s right, “the tough gets going!” Not too long ago I heard a phrase which I have heard many times; I’ve said it myself […]

Read More

The Easter Story

Ten. . . Nine. . . Eight. . . The U.S. is going to win. . . The U.S. is going to win. . . Five. . . Four. . . The crowd is on its feet. . . Three. . . It’s unbelievable. . . Two. . . The U.S. Hockey team. . . […]

Read More

The First Customer of the Day

“Oh no” I moaned, standing in front of the open refrigerator. “No milk!” Next the cabinet, “no cereal!” A look at the fruit basket on the table. . . “No bananas!” You got it. “No breakfast!” Already running behind, I was off to the store, not in the most amiable moods. A few hurried moments […]

Read More

Cuddlers

They are called “Cuddlers.” Their job: “to hold closely and lovingly in ones arms or lap.” Whom do they cuddle? The newborn babies, especially the premature babies, in hospital nurseries. They do for the babies what the nurses do not have time to do. They volunteer to come into the nurseries and simply hold or […]

Read More

A Matter of Looking

He had the reputation of being the best four leaf clover hunter in the neighborhood. It was incredible the way he could find those things! One day we were walking in the park. Suddenly he stopped, stooped down and picked a four leaf clover. “Gee, I can never find those things” said an amazed friend […]

Read More

Upon His Shoulders

She tip-toed. She stretched. She sighed as she dropped her arms to her sides. She just could not reach the heavy box of baby formula on the top shelf. “Well Chris,” she said to the little three year old sitting in her shopping cart, “I just can’t reach it. We will have to get someone […]

Read More

The Bigger it is, the Harder to Turn Around

As I turned the bend in the road, I thought at first, there was an accident up ahead. A number of cars were stopped and a large, a very large tractor-trailer truck was in the middle of the intersection. That truck was indeed a strange sight. Once I arrived at the intersection I could see […]

Read More

No More People Food

She still wags her tail and sits attentively while we eat, but she doesn’t get any “people food” anymore. She never did get very much, but what she did get, she enjoyed immensely. “No more”, doctor’s orders! Our five-year-old dog, Coco, has seizures. Until recently they were months apart, now they were becoming more frequent […]

Read More

No Check-List Love

After visiting a dear bedridden friend, the ailing friend said, “I thank you so much for coming by to see me. Your visit has meant so much to me. I know I’m not getting around much anymore. It’s nice to be remembered.” He paused and said, “Thanks for keeping me on your list!” His friend […]

Read More

Prayer... Being Imprinted by God

There are billions of them. They differ in thousands of ways: big ones, tiny ones; some which prefer water, others air. Almost all can fly, yet many cannot. Most are brightly colored, some very drab. Many migrate, others stay at home. What are these creatures which can be found everywhere in the world? You guessed […]

Read More

We are Not Keeping Track of You

Mildred leaned forward in her pew and touched the shoulder of Frances sitting ahead of her. “Oh hi, Mildred. It’s good to see you,” said Frances. “It’s been a long time,” Mildred responded. “We’ve especially missed you in Bible class.” “I know,” replied Frances. “My daughter’s son had a huge graduation party, and then he’s […]

Read More

Dark is Never Cheap

In Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Ebenezer Scrooge declares that he loves the dark because “dark is cheap.” While I hate to admit it, Scrooge is right. Think of it. It costs nothing to light or heat and requires no maintenance. To the stingy, the beauty of “dark” is that it completely conceals that which […]

Read More

First Year They Sleep

Years ago, I visited an older parishioner of mine. While sitting and talking at her kitchen table, I looked out the window and noticed row after row of peonies with their large, drooping blossoms covering her backyard. Commenting on their beauty, she insisted that I take some for my yard. A few days later I […]

Read More

The Message and the Messenger

A pastor friend of mine was going over his message, preparing for Sunday worship. His daughter was busy at a computer just outside of his home office. Slowly the door opened and in walked his daughter. “Here, Daddy,” she said as she handed him her memory verse. “Oh, honey,” he said, “a nice typing job, […]

Read More

The Measure of a Great Man

“Here he is folks,” said the emcee, “a truly great man. A man who does not remind you of someone else.” That was a clever introduction, but hardly a good measurement of greatness. CONSIDER the greatest man who ever lived and his introduction, “Here he is folks, a truly great man, a man who always […]

Read More

Gingerbread

I recently overheard one of our young volunteers praying before lunch. “God is great. God is good. And we thank Him for our food. By His hands we are fed. Thank you, God, for gingerbread. Amen.” “Oh no,” protested her brother. “It’s daily bread.” “No,” she replied as she dug into her plate of food. […]

Read More

Coming Home

A friend recently took his family on a three-week long vacation. They had no sooner begun when his five year old daughter said, “When are we going home?” Throughout the next three weeks, the little girl would often pause at whatever she was doing, seek out her mother or father, put her head on their […]

Read More

Sparrows in the Garden

A friend was talking to me from his sickbed. He was depressed. His problems seemed insurmountable. His health, his finances, he could not find one bright nor even the faintest star shining in his life. The only thing he had was his worries and he had plenty of them. “What am I going to do!” […]

Read More

Two Bird Locked in Combat

I watched one day as two birds, locked in mortal combat, came crashing to the ground. They hit with a thud! One managed to fly away, noticeably wounded. The other flopped around for a few seconds, and then became still and died! I considered how they began fighting high up in the air, many feet […]

Read More

A Time of Need

During a severe winter I saw a sign posted at the entrance of a store: WE HAVE NO SALT, SNOW SHOVELS, OR SLEDS. While I was trying rather unsuccessfully to find a pair of boots, I heard a disgruntled shopper complain to a salesman, “I can’t find where you keep the gloves!” The salesman smirked […]

Read More

The Rosebush

She had something she wanted to show me. She took me by the arm and led me away. After a brief walk she tugged at my arm and we stopped. “There,” she said. “Isn’t that something!” She pointed toward a rather humble looking rosebush, a Baby Ramble Rosebush to be specific. “Oh!” I said, forcing […]

Read More

Dirty Tears

Her face bore the evidence of her crime. She was covered from hairline to neck with the rich, dark soil from the flower bed. She and her brother had squared off and exchanged tosses of dirt into one another’s face. When confronted, she hid her dirty hands behind her and tried to “poor-little-innocent-me” her way […]

Read More

A Hug

It is something special to see the many volunteers who come to help out at Matthew 25: Ministries. One day I saw a group of children and their chaperones working hard in the Processing Center. One of the children jumped up from their work station and started heading towards the door. “Come back!” the child’s […]

Read More

A Note from God

My four year old granddaughter called me early one morning. “Boy, did I ever have a wonderful dream last night, Grandpa,” she said excitedly. “Oh, that’s nice!” I responded. “What did you dream?” “I dreamed that God came into my room. Oh, He was so beautiful. His clothes, His face, His hair … and you […]

Read More

A Sign

I have noticed on several occasions this sign which appears on the many levels of the city’s downtown underground garage: GARAGE IS MONITORED. IN EMERGENCY, STATE LOUDLY AND CLEARLY LOCATION AND CIRCUMSTANCE. It is always comforting to know that deep within that dimly lit, carbon monoxide-filled underground garage, I am in voice contact with someone […]

Read More

Take This Message With You

I read in the morning news an interesting, yet rather pathetic story. It was about a man named Ken McAvoy who was dying of cancer. During the last months of his life, he placed an ad in the newspaper that said for $20 he would deliver any messages people might want delivered “on the other […]

Read More

A Time for Goodbye and Hello

They were bosom buddies – one a Baptist minister, the other a furry grey squirrel. A daily supply of nuts had won the minister his companionship and friendship. When the minister called upon his parishioners, the little squirrel could actually be seen following him, scampering through the large trees. The time finally came, as such […]

Read More

God Remembering Us

An old man shuffled in and took a seat next to me in an out-of-the-way booth. A waitress came over and said with a smile and a pat on the shoulder, “Hi, Honey! Haven’t seen you for a while. I’m glad you came in today!” The old man looked up, but she was gone before […]

Read More

Hide and Go Seek

Our little granddaughter emerged from her bedroom after a five minute stay and said rather disappointedly, “Hey, how come you guys didn’t come and find me?” She had decided to play hide-and-go-seek, but didn’t tell anyone. She was hiding, but we did not seek because we did not know we were supposed to. I took […]

Read More

Finding Strawberries

“Grandma! Grandpa! You won’t believe it! You won’t believe it!” yelled our six year old granddaughter as she ran into the house from the backyard. “You’ll never believe what happened!” she continued while trying to catch her breath. “I planted green beans and guess what I got, strawberries!!!” There in her outstretched hand were three […]

Read More

A Throwaway Flashlight

We purchased one of those “throwaway” flashlights. It cost just a little more than a couple of new batteries. So when the light goes out, no fuss, no muss, no bulbs to buy or batteries to replace, just throw the whole thing away and buy another all ready to go. Well, the light on our […]

Read More

Standing in Our Own Shadow

The master craftsman was being assisted by his young, enthusiastic but inexperienced apprentice. The young apprentice was having considerable difficulty doing the task set before him. In frustration, he began to complain about the working conditions, especially the lighting. How could he do his work if he couldn’t see? The master watched and listened for […]

Read More

The Price of Arguing

I read a news article about a man who parked his car in a marina parking lot. While he was gone, the river rose and completely engulfed his car. That was terrible, but what happened while this occurred was even worse. The people who could have pulled the car to safety did nothing but argue. […]

Read More

Singing in the Darkness

I woke up and looked at the clock on my bedside table. Its red numbers shone 5:00 A.M. I lay in the stillness and listened to the quiet, but not for long. From outside our bedroom window a sound filled the air. A small sparrow had taken up residence on our window ledge. It began […]

Read More

Plugged In and Turned On

It happens to all public speakers from time to time. It happened to me one Sunday. My microphone was not turned on. Trying to explain the situation, I found myself saying, “Gee, I’m plugged in, but not turned on!” Later that day, as I reflected on the service, I considered how that can also happen […]

Read More

Too Heavy To Bear

The mission: to climb to the top of the Amazon Mountains. The purpose: to find the beginning of the Great Amazon River. The explorer: Jean Michel Cousteau, eldest son of the famed Jacques Cousteau. Narrating the film of the climb, Jean Michel told how the climb was strenuous. Especially near the top of the mountain […]

Read More

The Good News Procession

As a pastor, I rode in many funeral processions. On one such occasion, we had to travel the interstate. We were proceeding along when all of a sudden a car came speeding onto the interstate. It ended up in front of my car and behind the hearse, which was leading the procession. We traveled a […]

Read More

The Call to the Thirsty

It was the first warm day of a rainy, chilly spring. Taking advantage of the break in the weather, I went to work on a long list of rain delayed yard projects. At day’s end I was hot, tired, and my clothing wet with perspiration. The one thing I wanted most was a large glass […]

Read More

Oh How He Loves Us

I watched and listened unnoticed as a mother told her little girl not to get around the grill. As soon as the mother was out of sight, the little girl began poking a stick in the charcoal. She managed to pick up one of the pieces of charcoal and dropped it on the patio floor. […]

Read More

God's Night Light

Early one morning I quietly got out of bed. Trying not to disturb the others still fast asleep, I turned on a small night light. To my surprise the light filled the room. Its light ran down the hallway into the other bedrooms. I quickly turned it off. “Someone must have replaced the bulb,” I […]

Read More

Clapping: An Expression of Thanks

It was called a “moment of joyous participation.” It was the long awaited day little Katie received her artificial arm. Born without her left arm, Katie was unable to do all the things a little girl would like to do. Now she could, most of them at least, thanks to this new electronic device. After […]

Read More

A Chorus of Patriots

Soon the gun would sound and the Fighting Hunger race would begin. We were asked to join in and sing the National Anthem. Situated close to the starting line, I could see things were not going as planned. The sound technicians were frantically trying to resolve the problem with the public address system. Simply put, […]

Read More

A Calm and Deep River

Our boat left the choppy, troubled waters of the lake and entered the smooth, calm waters of the river. As we rode along, the quiet water parted before us, our wake rolled towards the peaceful shore behind us. I considered these two bodies of water. The lake was, indeed, vast but shallow. The river was […]

Read More