Lord, teach me. . . .

  When the narrator says, “This is a story without surprises,” most of the time, this is not what happens. –Ethan Canin   Thousands of years ago, a young man named Jeremiah found himself in prison. He had been given a word from God Almighty, for the people of Israel, and when he spoke that word, King Zedekiah was displeased and threw him in a cell to silence his voice. You see, the rulers weren’t happy that Jeremiah said God was going to deliver the kingdom into the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar. (The irony was, they ended up destroying themselves in an effort to keep from being destroyed.) Into the midst of this unpleasant news and chaos, a new word was spoken, a word offering Hope and Restoration to Judah and Jerusalem. A word promising a new Branch springing up from the Tree of Jesse, the House of David: In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. (Jeremiah 33:15...

  The truth is, you don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, and nothing is guaranteed. –Eminem   A few years ago, we were returning from a trip Out West. We had flown Southwest, and everything was great—until we almost reached Cleveland. As we approached the airport, circled and began the descent, suddenly the plane pulled up and made another circle. The pilot came on the PA system: Ladies and gentlemen, we have some unexpected turbulence and a serious crosswind. Please remain in your seats. We looked at each other, and really weren’t too concerned—until we made another circle, tried again—and again pulled up. As the pilot updated us, the entire plane fell into utter silence. This was serious—especially when he said we’d try once more—and if we couldn’t land, we would have to fly-- to Wichita. No—not that! On the third pass, our talented crew landed the plane, and a cheer erupted! As we looked out the windows, we saw the flashing red ligh...

  Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going fast; you also miss the sense of where you are going and why. –Eddie Cantor   Remember those books? There was a whole series, new ones added almost every week. Chicken Soup for the Soul. For the Christian Soul. For the Cat Lover’s Soul . And on and on. They became something of a joke, but their initial intention was wonderful: slow down and find those things that nourish you and feed your soul when you are not at your peak. What feeds your soul? What sights or sounds or smells bring fresh hope to your spirit at the end of the day? A child’s beautiful waterfall giggle? The warm fragrance of lavender? Or cinnamon? Vanilla? The gentle rustling of the wind, stirring the leaves from the neighbors’ trees that have found their way to your yard? If we get too busy, dashing from one task straight to the next; if we turn the radio up and blast out catchy pop tunes to drown the day’s challenges; if ...

  In life, you have three choices: Give up; give in; or give it your all. –Charleston Parker   Do you remember James Holzauer? James was a Jeopardy champion who won 33 regular season games and amassed nearly two and a half million dollars in winnings. He was smart, and he was shrewd—but he also had one particular habit that helped him win big. When James would unearth a Daily Double , invariably he would put his hands next to one another and make a pushing motion, announcing that he was going all in . In other words, he was putting everything he had into what happened next. Sometimes, he lost big. But much of the time, he won big. While I don’t think much of Mr. Holzauer being a professional gambler for a living, I can admire the ferociousness with which he approached this game. He understood that life is for the living. We have much to give; why not give it? If we take no chances, we risk winding up at life’s end wondering if we really lived at all! Consider...