An Old Man’s Prayer? In the Bible?

Sheltering at home because of Corona Virus – Do you feel alone? Are you afraid? How should we feel? How should we respond? Will we ever see normal again? And will it be a normal we want or like? Psalm 71 (subtitled: “Prayer of an Old Man for Deliverance) is…

Work and Rest

Is this time of staying at home because of a global pandemic a time to rest? Is it a Sabbath? No more than any other time. Most of us haven’t really traded a time of activity for inactivity. We’ve traded it for different activities. Some are able to work from…

Why Thankfulness?

If you’re not familiar with west Louisiana, it is beautiful country of rolling hills, streams, rivers, and forests.  In earlier times it was part of the vast pine forests that covered the deep south region of North America from the Atlantic into what is now East Texas.  Much of that…

Legacy

In an earlier post I mentioned my great-grandfather, Papa Sibley, and the influence he had on my Aunt Jean. She wrote of him: “My grandfather, John Coleman Sibley, whom we lovingly called Papa, died when I was only 11 years of age, but he has had the greatest spiritual impact…

Real Slavery – Real Freedom

Our nation is bleeding out. An old wound, which was yet in the process of healing, has been torn open over the past eight years. We need healing, and it doesn’t seem to be forthcoming. It could come sooner if we, as Christians, would focus on the Gospel and not…

Religion or relationship?

According to the dictionary, the word “religion” comes from religare (Latin) to restrain, hold back, tie up. Where we get the word relegate. It has to do with devotion, in the sense of commitment, fervency, adherence. In that sense, some of the most religious people I have ever met are atheists….

One for the Worm, One for the Crow

We found some baby oak trees in our yard. Apparently the squirrels and birds have been moving the acorns around because these little trees are nowhere near the young oak trees we already have growing. We left three where they are and put tomato cages around them so we don’t…

My God and I

Jean Ellzey was born in October 1924. She was born blind. It was later discovered she also had a debilitating bone disease, severe curvature of the spine, and dwarfism. The doctors didn’t expect her to survive even a year. She passed away in 1993 at the age of 69. My…

An Invitation

How to be joyful, without faking it. Come join me on a journey into joy. We are supposed to have joy as Christians, right? How do you find joy in a world like we have seen this month? The death of two black men at the hands of police officers…