Something We All Can Do

One of my favorite Glen Campbell songs, “Try a Little Kindness”, is a message that we desperately need to hear and heed in our current societal climate. You got to try a little kindnessYes show a little kindnessJust shine your light for everyone to seeAnd if you try a little kindnessThen you’ll overlook the blindnessOf narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets Boy howdy do we have some narrow minded people loudly making their presence felt. People so narrow minded they could look through a peephole with both eyes. The lyrics of Try a Little Kindness seem like a simple and even naive sentiment. I would argue this little chorus is one of the most important and doable things that we as followers of Jesus can do to shine a little light. And we have been given that assignment by our Lord. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp
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Is Civility On Life Support?

This was a culturally depressing week for most of us. The events in Washington led to heart wrenching rounds of name calling and hate. My thoughts today are focused on how a follower of Jesus should represent His amazing grace in the often graceless medium of social media. We have a higher calling that should be taken seriously and prayerfully. Inflammatory rhetoric has debate in America on life support. I wish I could be more optimistic about its recovery. Guests on television news shows yell over one another. Hosts interrupt. Debaters mug with condescending smirks in the other TV box while a guest makes his or her case. Heaven forbid that we listen to those we disagree with to understand their point of view. Social media makes cowards courageous and the anonymity of cyberspace can make the mean spirited downright evil. I have watched with sadness as Twitter tyrants have destroyed or severely damaged people and institutions. Sometimes the venom is
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When Trying to be a “Good Christian” Feels Like Groundhog Day

Every year they rudely awaken Punxsutawney Phil long enough for the prognosticating rodent to let us know whether six more weeks of winter awaits. Phil always looks about as happy as I do when when I am disturbed in the morning. Nearly 30 years ago a funny and underappreciated movie came on the scene. Groundhog Day told the story of a self-absorbed news reporter (redundancy alert?) that finds himself stuck in an endless repeat of the same day. Bill Murray is perfect in the role of reporter Phil Connors. Reporter Phil is less than thrilled that he has been assigned to cover Punxsutawney Phil’s annual peek outside to predict winter’s duration. He feels he is “above” such an inane assignment. Connor’s looks into the camera and cynically reports: “This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.” The premise of the movie is that Phil Connors realizes he is doomed to live the
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Tired of Going Through the Motions?

Flying home this weekend I put the music list on shuffle and a song by the iconic Willie Nelson touched my soul. The lyrics of “Tired” caused a lot of reflection, sadness and prayer. The narrative tells about the life of a factory worker who is merely going through the motions of life. Married Rebecca back in seventy-seven I still love her and I guess she loves me too We go to church on Sundays `cause we want to go to heaven Me and my family, ain`t that how you`re supposed to do That describes so many people that I know. Tired of their job. Treading water in their relationship. Going to church because they don’t know what else to do. It is particularly sad that so many Christians settle for a faith that leaves them discouraged and prone to sing the chorus of this song. But I`m tired, Lord I`m tired Life is wearin` me smooth down to the
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The Redwood Forest Holds a Key to Community

My home church challenged me (and I suppose the rest of the congregation) with a thought provoking theme for 2020. Life On Purpose Pastor Jeff Denton and the staff at Waterbrook Bible Fellowship will be emphasizing being intentional about the important things in our lives. Real growth in relationships, faith, and maturity usually doesn’t just happen. My default is to go with the flow and the rationalizations for that are frighteningly easy. “Officer, I didn’t mean to speed and break the law. I was just going with the flow of traffic.” Think about that. My defense is that everybody else is breaking the law. Therefore, I am innocent. Since the Garden if Eden the automatic answer to sin and shortcomings is that it is someone else’s fault. That may be true at times. But that thinking will never result in becoming like Jesus. So I have to be intentional about confronting my own heart. Change is hard. Sharing my need
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Don’t Confuse Busyness with Godliness

Regular consumers of the Monday Musings know that I love to use song lyrics as a springboard to spiritual meditations. A song from the country group Alabama hit home during a hectic week. I’m in a hurry to get things doneOh I rush and rush until life’s no funAll I really gotta do is live and dieBut I’m in a hurry and don’t know why. It seems those lyrics describe the norm for many of us. Especially the life’s no fun part when we are crazy busy. Slowing down was a big part of my motivation in writing Waking Up Slowly. Here is an excerpt about the danger of busyness from the book. Letting our busyness get in the way of our relationship with God shows how out of balance we let our schedules become. Nowhere in Scripture will you find this command. Be busy and know that I am God. Our busyness does not please God. Our faith pleases Him. And we can’t
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After Christmas Offer!

For the rest of January you can get a personalized copy of any of my books for yourself, family, or a friend for the regular book price. Go to the online book store, order the book (or books) you are interested in and make sure you note how you want each book personalized in the text box. No need to check the box to have it personalized. Just pay regular book price and let me know how to sign the book. Personalized books make a great and thoughtful gift for others. Looking forward to hearing from you! Blessings and grace, Dave
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