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Evangelical

2021-02-15T01:17:57-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Weirdly Cold

Last updated on: February 15, 2021 at 1:17 am By John Mark N. Reynolds

As I write the temperature is roughly 30 and heading for 24 Fahrenheit. Many places I have lived would view this as warm for this time of year, but not here in America’s City: Houston, Texas. We are not ready for ice. Once I saw a newscaster marvel when breaking a piece off a car: “this is frozen water.” True. If that makes you laugh, you who live in colder climes, then remember that there are millions of drivers here... Read more

Apologetics

Culture

Spiritual Reflections

2021-02-13T20:25:30-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Yardstick for God?

Last updated on: February 13, 2021 at 8:25 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

The yardstick always was around, a long whip like piece of wood. In some houses, I am told, this served as a means for corporeal punishment, those were the bad old days. Thankfully in my house, the yardstick just measured things that were around a yard long, bigger than a ruler, smaller than “too big for us to measure.” When I was a boy, the yardstick was mostly a sword, just the right length, and when a yardstick became small,... Read more

Apologetics

Spiritual Reflections

2021-02-11T23:19:51-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Getting There, Coming Back: On the Energy of Nessie

Last updated on: February 11, 2021 at 11:19 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

We get there quickly, we come back slowly. Nessie, the wonder dog, becomes so excited when she hears “going out” that she scarcely can be walked to the park. She strains, surges, trots to the place where other dogs may be, poops can be made, and balls caught. If there is another dog there, and I have a tennis ball, and she must go poop, she will sometimes leap about in confusion trying to do all three things at once.... Read more

Spiritual Reflections

2021-02-11T00:06:47-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Last Few Miles

Last updated on: February 11, 2021 at 12:06 am By John Mark N. Reynolds

We named our car “Israel” with the hope that an early lemon, an obvious Jacob, would be transformed. Thanks to a warranty where Ford paid and paid, new transmission, new steering, the car kept going. He was never a pleasure to drive, almost always failing somewhere, but drive we did. In fact, we got a lot of good out this automobile. He took us to Texas, enough to earn gratitude, and helped us flee burning California. We had hoped he... Read more

Spiritual Reflections

2021-02-09T23:08:10-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Gift Boxed Athena: We keep her for the good she has done.

Last updated on: February 9, 2021 at 11:08 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

Athena is so old that Brett Favre was a young gunslinger when she first killed a rat. As we clean up from the great feast, boxing up the decorations for a next year she may not see, Athena chose a place to rest. We let her stay for a goodly time. She has earned the peace. Long may she live! My Dad met an older relative with a picture of Dwight David Eisenhower over the mantel. Dad pointed out that... Read more

Spiritual Reflections

2021-02-08T23:20:58-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Do Not Touch the Trumpet

Last updated on: February 8, 2021 at 11:20 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

I like buying presents, especially for the Fairest Flower in all Christendom Hope. If you are married long enough (35 years this year!), then all the obvious gifts are gone. You consider what she does not know she needs, save, plan, and hope for a good surprise. Also helpful? Knowing what gift you should never, ever get, even if that gift seems sensible to you. My father-in-law is a hard working man and loving his daughter bought her a very... Read more

Spiritual Reflections

2021-02-08T22:51:18-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Bigger Man is not in Bronze

Last updated on: February 8, 2021 at 10:51 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

Small loves, in the right place, help us have great loves at the right time. The little boy looks up and sees the great man towering over him in bronze. He is impressed for a second, though he quickly moves on to something else, not being here to “learn a lesson.” And yet if one keeps putting before the boy the best in men, then he might wish to be like them. He might not and that is a condition of... Read more

Culture

Education

On Education

2021-02-05T22:38:52-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Divine Love and the Gift of Human Consent

Last updated on: February 5, 2021 at 10:38 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

What went wrong? Jesus came to give the possibility of figs in season, holidays when we need them, and work when we crave labor. What is wrong? Beauty creates desire, love, and love longs for the beloved. God, sovereign omnipotent God, could do whatever He wanted to do. God also loves us. That is frightening if you think about it, but thank God, He is good. Beauty calls to beauty and waits. Why? God has given beauty to us and... Read more

Culture

Spiritual Reflections

2021-02-04T23:00:47-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Windows through Windows through Windows to God Jesus

Last updated on: February 4, 2021 at 11:00 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

Look through a window, through another window, maybe a final window, and see God. This is how my life has been. Sometimes I have been sure of something, thought it utterly vital, only to find that there was a deeper truth, something better, that replaced what seemed so important. As a weird little kid, I remember thrilling to the legend of Arthur, King of the Britons. I pretended, pondered, and once played what I thought Arthurian music on my recorder. In Camelot,... Read more

Apologetics

Spiritual Reflections

2021-02-02T23:57:30-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A Utopia that is Someplace for Us (Epiphany)

Last updated on: February 2, 2021 at 11:57 pm By John Mark N. Reynolds

On the road, you come to places that are marvels, known to those who live there, but unknown to you. So it was when our friends took us to Utopia, Texas a very real place and we ate breakfast, and ate some more breakfast, at The Lost Maples Cafe. The food was great, the service better, and the conversation grounded in the place. The original “Utopia” was an ideal place that whose name meant “no place” in an important political book. The... Read more

Culture

Spiritual Reflections

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