Author Archives: Rob

I love a good road trip. Actually, if it’s been a while since I’ve gone anywhere, it doesn’t really have to be a good road trip. I’m down with hitting the road, wandering to parts far away and discovering something new. Camping, staying with friends, or patronizing motels—as long as I can “get outta Dodge”Continue reading “On the Road Again”

“A mother’s love” is practically a cliché, but that’s because we know what that’s like. Whether you grew up with the mother who bore you, you likely experienced some woman (or women) in your life who was every bit a mother to you. You probably felt the sense of care and protection that a mother’sContinue reading “Home of the Brave … Mother”

From the surface of the water, a duck looks like it has its act together. It seems to calmly drift across the water. But underneath, the duck is paddling frantically trying to keep moving, especially if moving against the current. If a duck were to look around at the other ducks it might be surprisedContinue reading “Ducks”

There are some big words out there. Words like aids, leukemia, cerebral palsy, and cancer. Maybe you’ve heard them spoken by your doctor or pediatrician. Maybe they’ve been whispered among others in reference to people you love. These words frighten us. They challenge our priorities. For many, these words are synonyms for hopelessness. When I hear the Big Words othersContinue reading ““Cancer” is a Big Word”

We all have our favorites. You might have a favorite television show, a favorite music genre, or a favorite sports team. Perhaps you have a favorite color or a favorite tie. Your favorites reflect your personality. As that personality changes over the years, so may your preferences. That’s just the way we humans are. It’sContinue reading “My Favorite Things”

Green is one of my favorite colors. I think that is what I like most about Spring—green pops up everywhere! The world is overflowing in verdure, and it seems like life pours out of every nook and cranny of the planet. Spring holds promise. Every year we see the plants go dormant; birds migrate south;Continue reading “Here Comes the Son”

Sometimes we love to root for the underdog. That’s why we have sayings like, “It’s not over ‘til it’s over.” Too many times, we’ve witnessed amazing comebacks by sports teams, individuals, and politicians that took everybody by surprise. I can’t help but think of the iconic photo of a triumphant Harry Truman holding a copyContinue reading “What a Comeback!”

On Calv’ry’s tree Messiah hung, a world of grief to bear—No law transgressed nor wrong He’d done, yet God forsook Him there.For sin incarnate He became, the vilest evil, He—What burden laden sore with blame has He borne there for me. What myst’ry on the cross laid bare, despite my filth and shame,Could cause theContinue reading “On Calv’ry’s Tree”

To look about us, you might think that spring has finally come. After all the frustrating winter weather I, for one, will happily welcome the change. One passage of scripture that comes to my mind at this time of year reads, “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, andContinue reading “You Are My Sunshine”

I was talking with someone awhile back, and one of the things that he brought up was how we in the Church seem to treat confession like it’s an outdated, old-fashioned idea that has no place in the worship of the modern congregation. While it’s true that we intellectually acknowledge the need for confession in our personalContinue reading “Good For the Soul”