“The gift of God is eternal life.” This short phrase, made of such simple words, ought to energize leaps for joy. However, it’s entirely possible we overlook their impact. In fact, during these times, we might fall into cynicism, and ask why we would want eternal life. Sometimes we get shortsighted. There’s a secular song
Receive God’s gift of the future. If we needed an idea to give us hope today, this is it. Though our human vision doesn’t penetrate what appears to be murky, our God promises us good things. Despite what common consensus claims, the world isn’t ending in the next five minutes. When that instant comes, God
Happiness is a gift for our sanctification. How could happiness have an effect on making us holy? Although I remember a Charles Schultz book, a Scottie, and a Schnauzer fondly, a warm puppy isn’t quite what’s meant in this context. In fact, warm puppies are more likely to test our sanctification while we’re housebreaking them,
Responsibility is a Gift for Sanctification Responsibility is a gift for sanctification. At first glance it might not look like something we’d ever think to want, much less ask for. Some of us would prefer to re-gift it. Why would God give responsibility? He does so because responsibility is an expression of his first gift,
The Schnauzer—Friday Fairings This Friday Fairing was a Christmas gift from my nephews and nieces in 1999. My squirrel-chasing, “Happy Birthday” singing Schnauzer, Schatzi, went for his last vet visit on September 9 of that year. When I opened the package, my second nephew Asa said, “We wanted to give you Schatzi back.” This Schatzi
From Grandpa Ribbens: a Friday Fairing This was one of the Around the World Treasures series of books reprinted by Franklin Watts Inc. It was illustrated in color and black and white by Charles Mozley, with an introduction by author Noel Streatfeild. I’ve had several editions of this story in my lifetime. Once, a Press