The Dirt Road to Mercy: How an Ancient Biblical Outsider Taught Me to Care for My Dying Stepfather
Ebed-Melech shows us that even those who stand outside of “preferred teachings” will be noticed by God. This can be missed or even ignored by those of us who consider others outside our faith to be “less than.” As we grow older, a few things become true.…
“You Are No Angel Yourself”: Why Jonah’s Bitterness Reveals the Uncomfortable Truth About Our Own Hearts
Oh, Jonah. What a hard man you seem to be, so determined to draw the heat away from yourself and aim it toward another. Yet I am not inside Jonah’s mind. I cannot know every thought that moved through him. From where I stand, however, it looks very much…
Jezebel Isn’t Just an Ancient Queen—She’s a Mirror: The Dangerous Path of Unchecked Appetite
Jezebel’s story is found primarily in 1 Kings 16–21, with her death recorded in 2 Kings 9. She enters the biblical account as the wife of King Ahab, one of Israel’s most corrupt kings. First Kings 16:30 says Ahab “did evil in the sight of the Lord, more…
“Big Salad” Scares and Glowing Rectangles: Why Our Convenient World Is Making Us Anxious
The recent scare from “Big Salad” had, or still has, depending on when you read this piece, the world clutching its pearls. If the scare is still current, exhale. We will make it through this. It is going to be all right. Perhaps this is less a warning…
The Financial Toll of Cancer: What Nobody Tells You About Medical Debt, Fear, and Serious Illness
There is a part of the cancer journey that people do not talk about very much. It does not even have to be cancer. Any serious health crisis will do. There are the bills. In the beginning, there is fear and chaos. You wonder what will happen. You wonder…
Defeating the Dairy Demon: A Grocery Trip Lesson in Moderation
This afternoon, during a trip to the local grocery store, I discovered that sometimes your list may fail. Guys, it is okay to go off script from time to time. I pulled into the parking lot, and what did I see? Eight spaces near the door, open and…
Life in the Cardiac Cath Lab: A Healthcare Worker’s Journey to Cardiac Survival
Forged In The Flames of Oz Here it is Monday, 5:25 in the morning, and I work night shift tonight. There was a time when night shift felt almost sacred to me. The hospital halls would settle down, the noise would thin out, and the place would take on a…
Living in the Shadow of Cancer: An Honest Look at Survival and Loss
“This is the forest primeval, the murmuring pines and the hemlocks…” Wait. Are we sure this is how all great pieces of writing are supposed to begin? Over the past few months, I have tried my hand at prose. Well, writing. Let’s not get carried away and…
Mares Eat Oats
“Mares eat oats and does eat oats and little lambs eat ivy. A kid’ll eat ivy too, wouldn’t you?” Hi. My name is Wayne. I am sixty-four years old. And in this moment, I realized the kid is a baby goat. Not a child. Not some strange little ankle biter…
Snail Farts, Silver Cups, and Openus Wallettus
Somewhere between my coffee and my better judgment, my phone coughed up another miracle cure. This one was dressed real nice. It had ancient Egypt in one pocket, medieval Europe in the other, and enough confidence to make a used-car salesman blush. The…