Ozymandias

“Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!” That’s the only phrase I remember from that poem. We read it in high school and were taught that it had a double meaning. On the one hand, Ozymandias wrote it to terrify other kings into submission. On the other hand, it...

Their Hope of Gain was Gone

Money makes the world go ‘round. Might makes right. The ends justify the means. These statements have a semblance of wisdom and are confirmed by our historical bias. But are such sentiments really true? Is there something more important than money, power, or...

It’s All Your Fault!

The ground falls from underneath us. We tumble down in despair. We think, “What did I do to deserve this?” Maybe it is a medical diagnosis, death of a loved one, loss of a job, or a relationship breaking, but we feel a need to blame someone, anyone, for our problems....

Really, Look for the Right Things!

Teaching chemistry can be difficult. You hate to ask the question, “What part did you not understand?” Mostly because you’ll get the answer, “That part starting after, ‘Good morning, class!’” To teach a single concept, you need to teach it several different ways. To...

I Am an American…

The first article of the Code of Conduct is, “I am an American fighting in the forces that guard my country and our way of life, I am prepared to give my life in their defense.” The heart of the Code is love. Dying for the country is love. In John 15:13, Jesus says,...

Bless Your Heart

I detest running. When I think of people who say they enjoy it, I say to myself, “Bless their heart.” I thought that same thing about the drill instructor long ago who told us we were in a hurry, so we would only run for 45 minutes. Why did the military compel us to...

Parsimony is a Virtue

The colonel told me to keep it short. His exact words were, “Parsimony of word is a virtue.” I don’t know if he quoted someone famous, but it did reflect an ancient American proverb, “Waste not, want not.” In John 12:3-5, Mary opened very costly perfume, poured it on...

He Goes to Church?!

You don’t expect to see some people in the church building. Maybe they are notorious in town, perhaps they were the school bully, or maybe they stole your date for prom. Think about that person. Now imagine them going to church. What does it tell you if that person is...

You Didn’t Say, “Simon Says!”

Do you remember playing that game with neighbors and friends as a kid? The idea was to get someone confused and not really listening, then you would gleefully say, “Jump like a frog!” Then  one of the other kids would – but you didn’t say, “Simon says” so he...

If You Can’t Be Honest With Yourself…

“If you can’t be honest with yourself, who can you be honest with?” The lab’s technical director had great one-liners. Maybe he got this one from somewhere, but I had not heard it before. The obvious answer is “no one,” but another valid answer is “God.” In Acts...

New Testament

God Has a Better Plan

God Has a Better Plan

Two thousand years ago, Elizabeth wanted children. In her culture, children were her priority. She didn’t have any, therefore others looked down on her. Her society wrote her off as too old to be a successful Jewish woman. She was too old to have children. She was...

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Greek Yogurt Is Terrible

Greek Yogurt Is Terrible

Johnny stood, mouth open in disgust. “It gets stuck between your teeth, is too tough to chew, and tastes like day-old Dr. Pepper. Greek yogurt is yucky!” He wrinkled his nose even thinking about it. Jen paused her spoon an inch from her open mouth. “Have you ever...

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Come and See!

Come and See!

Nurses just know. They’ve been there, done that. They say, “Just slap a bandaid on it and stop complainin’!” But that same gruff nurse who blows off our ouches and owies as an annoyance will soften like butter in the warm, Texas sun when confronted with a patient who...

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Old Testament

Change Is Tough

Change Is Tough

The Air Force provides a lot of training, very little of it on a volunteer basis. One of the trainings I took was in “Change Management.” It may have had a different, more military sounding name, something like “Non-linear Progression of Leadership Requirements” but I...

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The A-Team

The A-Team

When the Air Force stationed my dad overseas, the only real disadvantage of living “on the economy” was a lack of US TV programs. If you lived close enough to base, you could watch the Armed Forces Network, but we lived too far away. Somehow, one of the American...

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