Then something Tookish woke up inside him, and he wished to go and see the great mountains, and hear the pine-trees and the waterfalls, and explore the caves, and wear a sword instead of a walking-stick. J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit I wonder what adventure lies just outside your door? The Hobbit […]
Spiritual Formation
Transformation is something we more easily see in the rear-view mirror than out the side window. David Benner What’s the view out of your side window like at the moment? Fast and furious? Blurred, as the year whizz’s by you? In this post I want to sow an idea in […]
The man with the knives, the pretty girl on the target, the drum roll and then the silence. A knife whistles through the air into the target, inches away from the young lady. Then another, and another and another. The crowd is hushed and shocked at the danger, the […]
It was a story that released an inner groan. It was the story of a North Korean soldier being executed for failing to grieve after the death of Kim Jong-il. He was caught drinking during the 100 day mourning period. Execution is bad enough, but the way he was […]
It can be frustrating when your ‘hands are tied’. ‘My hands are tied’ is an idiom that means that you are unable to act or behave in a certain way because something is constraining you. There is no freedom. ‘I would love to raise your salary but my hands are […]
We all make mistakes; we all stuff up. The feelings of regret, shame, maybe even guilt can plague and loom over us like a dark cloud. How do we learn to come out from that cloud? We need to eat more Swiss cheese! Ok, now I don’t want you to […]
I don’t want to come into contact with them, but I sure am glad they are there. Guardrails are needed to keep safe. As I drive to various places, I see them. Not really designed for attractiveness, they are made from concrete, steel, wood and the worst are those are made […]
What do you mutter in your self talk? It does matter, but you can change the stream of words that you keep saying. I like to listen to people. In particular, I try to listen to the words or phrases that are repeated. The little phrases or sentences they might […]
Do you take responsibility for your actions? Don’t we just love to pass the blame on to others, yet taking personal responsibility is crucial for our mental health. OK, I admit it, at times I have stuffed up big time. Not just once, but many times. I am sure that […]
We want to have a life of comfort, but this prayer asks that God bless you with discomfort at easy answers. A dangerous prayer to pray. May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you […]