I am joyful today because Matthieu and I are fasting. The details are between us and God, and really I shouldn’t be telling you this at all because Matthieu 6:16-18 says: ‘But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to… Read More
Samaritans were looked down upon in the time of Jesus, thus giving Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan much more impact with his listeners. That a Samaritan could be considered more righteous, more neighbourly, than a teacher of the law was just unthinkable. The history between Samaria and Israel dates to about 1000 years before Christ. And let me preface… Read More
My dog is sick. He caught a tic-related illness called la piroplasmose in French, and it attacks the red and white blood cells, the liver, and the kidneys. It’s pretty serious, but we brought him in as soon as he started showing symptoms. He had been vaccinated against it, and I put the tic repellant faithfully every month. And yet… Read More
As Christians we can sometimes swing too far into works, or too far into grace, depending on what our religious persuasion is. Some churches permit – and even encourage – carrying around a load of guilt as a perverse way of showing our gratitude for being given the gift of holiness and eternal life. Conversely, other churches are so focused… Read More
I took my daughter to see Sleeping Beauty at the Opéra Bastille on Saturday night. I had reserved the tickets weeks ago, knowing that it’s a good thing to take your daughter to see the ballet and spend quality time together. It’s a good thing to take advantage of all that Paris has to offer. Plus I have this (very… Read More
How was 2013, friends? I know for some it was a good year, and you hope (as I also hope for you) that 2014 will be the same. For others it held sorrows, struggles, and challenges that seemed insurmountable at times. I hope this coming year will be different. Better. For me, 2013 was a pretty good year. I started… Read More
