>Today is Ground Hog Day. If the ground hog sees his shadow, he’s supposed to be frightened back into his hole and there will be six more weeks of winter. For the record, I do not believe in superstitious stuff like the actions of a ground hog being an accurate weather predictor. I believe in … Continue reading >Ground Hog Day

>Yesterday our pastor had some words of wisdom about the importance of devotions. He was talking about how people think they need another cup of coffee on a bad morning, but he said, "Don't have another cup; have another psalm; have another devotion."I highly recommend the Tabletalk devotional from Ligonier Ministries, which I've used for … Continue reading >Devotion

>William Eric MathesNovember 15, 1973 – January 23, 2006 Dave's nephew, Will, was 32 years old when he passed away last night from leukodystrophy that had robbed him of his sight, his mind, and all normal functioning. It is a blessing to see him released from his very literal body of death. He leaves behind … Continue reading >In Memoriam

>That is a quote from our minister's excellent sermon yesterday on "Marks of a Growing Faith" based on Philippians 1:8-11. I was delighted to hear that the sermon was the first in a series on Philippians and I was even more delighted since the text contains verses that comprise part of my daily prayers for … Continue reading >"Love is the color of faith"

>We had another two great sermons yesterday; the evening sermon with a text from the final verses of Romans 8 was especially good. That beautiful doxology is one of the primary reasons why I chose Romans for my current Latin translation project.Last night's sermon made me even more eager to reach chapter 8, but I've … Continue reading >Translating Romans

>It's been over two weeks since I posted and I haven't posted at all in 2006! Since I included my URL in our Christmas letter this year, I'm sure lots of friends and relatives are eagerly awaiting my next post. Well, maybe one or two have wondered if it was worth their time to visit.The … Continue reading >Catching Up

>While I was driving to Cedar Rapids yesterday, I was praying and thinking about prayer. After I had prayed for some time about chronic concerns, I suddenly realized that I was getting depressed. Then I simply prayed, "Lord, You know my concerns" and tried instead to recall scriptures and hymns that express praise. I think … Continue reading >Praying Doxologies

>After being polite and well-behaved through a day of three extended family celebrations, my grandson Gabe fell asleep in a chair on Christmas Eve. We were blessed with some wonderful times of family fellowship celebrating the miracle of God with us. Reflecting on Christmas, the two terms that stick with me are "Incarnation" and "Immanuel." … Continue reading >Christmas Reflections

>Today is the winter solstice. The sun rises at 7:45 and sets at 4:45. Tomorrow it will again rise at 7:45, but it will set at 4:46! After today, every day will be longer until June 22.I would like to celebrate by taking my daughters out to lunch, but one may not be able to … Continue reading >Winter Solstice

>There are some very small things that give me very great pleasure. I love noticing how the colors of my robe match the colors on my pajamas in the morning. I love the pungent smell of Earl Gray tea when I tear open the packet containing my morning teabag. I love drinking water from my … Continue reading >Taking Pleasure