The Foundation

I have always dreamed of a little cabin in the woods. My friend Robert says, “Mike, you are so optimistic. You are the only person I know who calls a storage shed a cabin.” Nevertheless, I managed to get a little building and put it on a small piece of land we have in the… Continue Reading

Fridays @ 8: Cicadas and Courage

It is that creepy time of the year, or should I say of the 14th year. Every 14 years or so a swarm of cicadas crawl out of their burrows and up onto trees, lamp posts, porch swings and slow moving children. They deposit their empty shells and emerge as red eyed, big headed, weed… Continue Reading

Fridays @ 8: Remember To Live

I have discovered one of the great benefits of getting old. I can hide my own Easter eggs. Jon-Mical and I were hiding plastic eggs in the house on Thursday, eighteen of them. By the time we finished hiding them I’d forgotten where most of them were. It was a real ego booster to hear… Continue Reading

Chaos, Fridays, and Being Out Of Control

Chaos, Fridays, and Being Out Of Control It doesn’t seem like that hard a task. Write a short devotional thought about 1 verse in Romans 8 each week and post it on Friday morning. Writing comes pretty easily to me. Romans is certainly full of great material. And now I have both Jon-Mical and Jakson… Continue Reading

Fridays @ 8: Jacob Doesn’t Live Here

Jacob doesn’t live here anymore. Today is his birthday and he turns 25. He is as fine a young man as I know. He has an incredible heart for God, a deep compassion for people (especially the hurting), and a fire for life. He knows and loves music and is giving himself to that passion.… Continue Reading

Sexual Nuclear Fallout

At a quarter to 6:00 on March 11, 2011 an earthquake occurred in the pacific ocean, 45 miles from the Oshika peninsula in northern Japan. The earthquake reported 9.0 on the rector scale and sent shock waves that were felt as far away as the Pacific Coast of North America. The Tohoku Earthquake triggered a… Continue Reading

You However

Fridays @ 8(Yes, I know its Tuesday at 10) Romans 8:9 “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.” You however…these have got to be two… Continue Reading

Fridays @ 8: The Jon-Mical Pass

The Jon-Mical Pass We went to an open-house at Jon-Mical’s pre-school not long ago. His room is right by the front door. Tiny little tables, just the height for 2 and 3 year olds. Little bitty chairs of red, yellow, and blue. And walls lined with art work. Finger painting. Leaves pasted on paper to… Continue Reading

A Real Change Of Mind: Fridays @ 8

I was thinking about moving on to Romans 8:6 today but I changed my mind. We can do that you know. We always hear that it’s a woman’s right to change her mind but we all really have that option. I believe I’ll get up early and exercise today. Nope. Changed my mind. I think… Continue Reading

Frdays at 8 Spirit Sledding

Romans 8:5 “Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their mind set on what the Spirit desires.” Baby, it’s cold outside. The Artic Jet Stream has lost its way and has been flowing through Middle… Continue Reading