Sometimes I blow it when I try to lead -- whether it's with my own children or grand-children, the kids in my Awana group, or the staff of volunteers for our VBS program. But one day I learned some valuable leadership lessons from an unusual source -- a hen turkey. "Come on, you lazy chicks! Get out of bed! We have a lot to do today." Mrs. Turkey scolded, prodded, and threatened her chicks, but they remained obdurate, squeaking in the most annoying fashion as they huddled close together in ... View the Post
Six Awesome Medieval Fiction Series That Will Blow Your Mind
We all love a good story, and medieval fiction delivers a punch in suspense, mystery and romance. Like this one: A scream echoed through the night. Kendra covered her ears and crouched on the damp ground, scanning shadows under the big pine trees. The moon flitted moodily in and out behind clouds, giving an eerie atmosphere to the familiar woods. She could just see the light in the top tower of the castle through the trees. It was a welcome reminder that her home was not far away, maybe ... View the Post
6 Powerful Secrets to Reclaim Peace of Mind and Joy
Contentment is the lost ingredient of joy. Have you noticed how little joy there is in our world today? Where has it gone? Why did it leave? How can we get it back? Discontentment is stealing your joy. Have you ever noticed that no matter how much people have, they still want more? The advertising industry is built on this concept: create a need and then fill that need. Make people discontent with what they have and then show them how your product will fulfill their desires. Nearly ... View the Post
Seven Stupendous Ways to Improve Your Life Right Now
How can you improve the quality of your life? You can do it. Here's how: 1. Make wise choices. It begins with choices. We make them all the time, yet we often don't connect the choices we make with the quality of the life we lead. Sometimes we make really bad, foolish choices. Sometimes our choices are good and wise. How can we make consistently wise choices that will improve our lives? We met a man once who personified wise choices. Joe Waterman lived in Grangeville, Idaho. We met him when ... View the Post
Nancy and the Gun — A Peek Behind the Pulpit
Ah, the life of a pastor's family! Would you like a little peek behind the pulpit of what goes on in the pastor's family? Well, here's your chance. I am going to relate some stories of the life in the pastor's home, things that have happened to us that are funny, interesting, or downright scary. Whether we handled them well or not I will leave you to decide. Come along with me as I take you on quite a ride. There have been many times in our almost fifty years of full-time ministry that we ... View the Post
Fifteen Minutes to Live — From Paradise Here to Paradise There
Kauai, Hawaii. Say it out-loud. The name sounds like the lyrics of a song – poetic, beautiful. It seemed like a dream to be boarding a flight for Hawaii. For months, Dan and I had planned, saved, and anticipated the day when we would wing our way across the Pacific Ocean to celebrate one another and 48 years of married life. We left early January 9th from a snowy Spokane, shivering our way from the motel to the airport, pulling our luggage. We had over a foot of snow and freezing ... View the Post
