Russellings of the Spirit

love

  • Christmas Blessings to YOU!

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  • Christmas Difference

    Christmas 2019 is going to be very different for me from most Christmases in my recent memory. For one thing, Joan and I will celebrate this Christmas in a whole different part of the country. That is because on November… Continue reading

  • “Nope. Not you.”

    Rejection hurts. “Don’t take it personally,” they say. But sometimes personally is the only way you can take it. It’s like the time I was cut from the eighth-grade basketball team. The first three practices were the tryouts. The day after… Continue reading

  • GLOW

    My wife GLOWs. Every fourth Thursday of the month. From 5:30 to 7:00. And because she GLOWs, we glow (and grow) together as a family. You see, GLOW is the name of the women’s cancer support group Joan attends at… Continue reading

  • Go Do Love

    Yesterday at church I heard an inspiring sermon. The pastor challenged me (well, all of us actually) to make an intentional practice of acknowledging the many-layered, complex, rich, and vibrant nature of every person we meet. She told us that… Continue reading

  • Dueling Drives

    How often do you find yourself caught between a pair of strong, yet diametrically opposed desires? For example: Have cake? Eat cake? Exercise body? Veg out? Shave? Cultivate trendy stubble? Spend? Save? Blog? Think about blogging? Rock? Hard place? This… Continue reading

  • Celebrating Women in Ministry

    From watching the TODAY Show this morning, I learned that today – October 11 – is the International Day of the Girl. Seems like something I should have known already. I hope you won’t take offense at being called girls,… Continue reading

  • One Funeral Too Many

    Jesus began to weep. (John 11:35, NRSV) Here lately I have been going to entirely too many funerals. OK, I suppose you could say this is just par for the course for people in that “certain” age bracket to which… Continue reading

  • Sometimes it’s complicated

    It seemed like a good idea at the time. Our little Soft-Coated Wheaten Terrier puppy Rosie had grown to her full size and was becoming a handful for Joan and me. Yes, a fuzzy, lovable, cute handful. But a handful… Continue reading

  • The Love Loophole

    I love you. At least I know I am supposed to love you. It is one of the central commands of the Christian faith I profess. (See John 13:34, John 15:12, Romans 12:10, Romans 13:8, 1 Thessalonians 4:9, 1 Peter… Continue reading