I loved my Dad (Ernest II) very, very much. When we were together, we barely talked. How do these two statements fit together? Can't tell you, but I know they're both true. Dad served in the Navy in WWII on a Destroyer called the U.S.S. Walke. He started in the Pacific, fighting Imperialist Japan, and ended in the Atlantic, opposing Nazi Germany. In one deadly battle, the Walke was attacked by three kamikaze (Japanese suicide) planes. Gunners shot the first out of the sk

"Christianity is the life of Christ communicated to the believer—dwelling in him—and flowing out from him, in the ten thousand little details which go to make up our daily practical life. It has nothing ascetic, or sanctimonious about it. It is genial, pure, elevated, holy, divine. Such is Christianity. It is nothing less than CHRIST dwelling in the believer, and reproduced, by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the believer’s daily practical career." --THE MACKINTOSH TREASURY–M

A much needed reminder from Melanie. We ought to keep this at the forefront of our minds. However, with sincerest affection and respect, I must beg to differ on one point. I honestly can't say "I'm a kinder, gentler person" since Levi died two years and two months ago. Then, I was coping with Lyme disease. Now, I've been told I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I actually have a shorter fuse and am less tolerant and quicker to bristle. Would it surprise you if I tol

The following was written in 1912 by a former distinguished judge of the U.S. Supreme Court, while he was a passenger on the Steamship Carpathia. That famous voyage was interrupted by the distress call of the Titanic and the need to turn off course to take on survivors from the ship they said God, Himself, could not sink. “Nourished up in the words of faith, and of good doctrine" (I Timothy 4:6) "May we learn it is a very serious matter to slight the Word of God. To do so is

My message yesterday morning to the beloved saints of Caswell Bible Chapel in North Carolina. Unfortunately, you won't be able to enjoy on FB the amazing hi-tech graphics I employed (a la my crude artwork on white markerboard) to visually enhance this message. I should also alert you I misspoke later in the message, when I claimed it is Agape love the writer encourages in Hebrews 13:1. Very obviously, it is philadelphia (phileo + adelphos); "brotherly love" (ASL sign for "

We got fruit flies! Reminds me of the time . . . The kids were little. Levi was just a wee toddler. We were staying for a couple weeks in a guest room at a certain Bible Institute (which shall not be named) while doing "partnership development." Our room had not been cleaned well, to say the least. EVERYTHING was sickeningly sticky; the walls, the cupboards, but especially the floors (yecchh!). And when we opened the cupboard under the sink, where lurked the garbage rec

Besides the still-devastating loss of our own beloved Levi, we keep hearing of SO much heartcrushing loss through suicide experienced by others around us over the past two years it just makes us sick at heart again and again. It seems we, the bereaved parents, can never find as much human compassion and understanding as would ever satisfy the gnawing, aching hunger of our weary, shattered hearts. Though we may speak it on a surface level, it takes a while to fully realize to

A word of CONTEXT (still "KING!" 😉) and a loving request to dear friends. At this juncture, more than two years after the fact, I still share on the ramifications of Levi's exodus because THEY ARE STILL THERE, and even now unfolding in new, unforeseen ways. I am not at all surprised if some FB friends feel it's overdone; rather, it continually amazes me how many still faithfully read them and add such loving support as you do (Thank you! I think you must know who you are 💜

A disclaimer, of sorts, regarding my earlier post of C. H. Mackintosh: I've come to realize in a very personal way these last couple years that there are physiological effects from severe grief and trauma, as well as from chronic pain and disease, that cannot be dismissed or belittled. There can be real brain damage; neuro-pathways shut down or rerouted, new "fight or flight" thresholds established, etc. This is no mere excuse, but is proven scientific fact. I know now th

A timely challenge to my own heart. "And He said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, and are sad?" (Luke 24:17) Does it not often happen that when we come together or when we walk by the way our "communications" are anything but what they ought to be? It may be gloomily moping together over the depressing circumstances that surround us -- the weather -- the prospects of the country -- the state of trade -- our poor health -- the dif