Stop me if you’ve heard this one: “I don’t want to pray for patience, because if I do, God will send all sorts of bad things my way to teach me!” It’s supposed to be a joke, a lighthearted look … Continue reading
Signs and wonders: they fascinate us. We marvel at the crossing of the Red Sea, Jesus’ feeding of 5,000 and 4,000, even Gideon with his soggy sheep fleece. One part of us asks, “Is this really true?” while another part … Continue reading
Years ago, I spoke with a new mom about being lonely, and mentioned that I had experienced my share of that painful condition. “Oh, I’m not LONELY!” she shot back, as if we were discussing leprosy or something. You get the same reaction … Continue reading
My mother taught me to knit when I was 15. In her day, she said, a woman knit in between romantic relationships. An especially heart wrenching breakup, followed by months of no dates at all, could result in a complete … Continue reading
The ultimate result of this particular plea is to make a sad person feel sadder. Like any ultimatum, its unfulfillment speaks volumes, but not necessarily the right words. It is equivalent to the prayer, “Dear God, if you love me, please get me this job (or this guy, or this car, or this exotic truffle).”
