Jesus once said: “where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20, NIV) Cue the strumming of harps. Jesus’ words are a beautiful reality, but here is another reality. Where two or three gather in Jesus’ name, they are still partly wrong. When partly wrong people gather together …
“At least I’m not an axe-murderer.” This is a colorful way of saying, “I’ve got issues, but not like others do,” or “Sure, I’m wrong on some things–small things–but I’m not wrong on the big things. I struggle with sin, but not with the serious stuff.” This thinking is founded on one critical assumption: …
I love to read. I can’t remember when I didn’t. Mom and Dad would tuck me into bed as a kid, but after they left, I would sneak out a flashlight so I could finish reading a book. A granddaughter of mine does the same (don’t tell her parents), and I could not be …
When I was in high school, I loved to debate. I had been honing my craft for years, but my parents failed to fully appreciate my skills. They called it arguing. I disagreed, citing five obvious reasons they were wrong. Years later, Mom and Dad are still in denial…and therapy. High school allowed me …
Trolling my van’s radio dial for classic rock on a recent drive, I happened across two voices. It was talk radio. I immediately picked up the voice of a caller who spoke fluent Christianese. What was wrong with the world, at least for that hour’s discussion purposes, was single moms whose families were supported …
God was certainly not going to be doing anything good through my life. That was for certain. Most kids discover their sexuality in adolescence. Not me. I was barely 5 years old. I can’t tell you how it happened or when, only that it did. It brought the most amazing sensations. With the good …
There is something magical about sailing. I love the classic Christopher Cross song by that name, and I have always harbored a sailing fantasy. Imagine, then, the moment years ago, when I discovered someone on Craigslist was giving away a Sunfish sailboat. I snatched it up both for the thrill of sailing and the …
I have moved from one house to another…a lot. By my count, I have lived in 19 different houses, meaning I’ve moved 18 times in 56 years. I consider myself a bit of an expert. Let me tell you a fun story about move number 16, a move that took my family from Alabama …
It’s fun to be right. It’s even more fun when people know that you are right. I spent about 19 years in school, and it’s impossible to know how many times I sat in a classroom when the teacher asked the class a question, expecting one of us to raise our hand and give an …
[This is chapter one of my book, Partly Wrong.] “Huge Lot of Comics and Baseball Memorabilia.” The Craigslist ad title screamed at me. I think it was 2004. Only 3 years earlier, I had discovered–and joined–this intriguing 6 year old website with a weird name, eBay. It was fascinating, and I tried my hand at …