Have you ever had an experience where someone whom you held in high esteem did or said something which resulted in the destruction of your esteem for them? It could have been a leader, an elite athlete, or a close family member. Maybe one minute you would have heartily endorsed them, but because of their actions or words, you would now be embarrassed to be associated with them.
(Reading time – 11 min.)
Read more
Have you ever been on a trip with someone you didn’t know very well at the beginning but became very familiar with by the end? Maybe you carpooled on a long drive with a fellow staff member to a seminar or training. Perhaps you embarked on a weeklong canoe camping trip with other camping enthusiasts. By being with someone virtually all the time, you end up getting to know them well. Some of your insights about them are pleasant surprises while others might be shocking revelations. At the end of the experience, you come away with a more complete picture of the person.
(Reading time – 12 min.)
Read more
Do you have a box to keep special things? When our daughters were growing up, we kept a clear bin or two for each of them and inserted little treasures for them to take with them when they left home. These were things like their favourite stuffies, first pair of shoes, first tooth, first piece of art, special cards, certificates of achievement or souvenirs.
(Reading Time 11 mins.)
Read more
What is the most memorable parade you have attended? Was it a large celebratory procession? Or maybe a community festival? What was being celebrated? What were you waiting to catch a glimpse of during or at the end of the procession? Was it a celebrated dignitary? Maybe your favourite sports team with their championship trophy or Santa Claus and his reindeer?
(Reading time 11 min.)
Read moreImagine having to leave a concert at the intermission, or a sporting event at the midway point while your team is losing. Imagine watching Part 1 of a movie trilogy but not seeing Parts 2 and 3. What if Tolkien would have ended Lord of the Rings after the first book, The Fellowship of the Ring. The Fellowship is dispersed. Gandalf, their leader, has fallen. Things appear hopeless. How will Frodo and Sam carry on the quest to destroy the ring without the rest of the fellowship?
Similarly at the end of the Psalms Book III, we found the exiled Israelite nation in a state of hopelessness. Where will they turn now? How will they respond to their current situation?
(Reading time 11 mins.)
Read more
Do you remember the feeling of anticipation when you were waiting at the threshold of a new experience? Something brought you to the point of a new beginning. In your preparation and anticipation, you wondered what might be ahead. Maybe you were at the trailhead of an unfamiliar recreation area with numerous hiking paths to choose from, or at the entrance to a vacation resort you had never visited before. Maybe it was the entrance to an outlet mall, the doorstep of a new school, or the threshold of a university campus. The experience had multiple components that were all connected by a common theme. Maybe you had talked with someone who had already been there, maybe you had read a review. You were excited but still not entirely sure what awaited you.
(11 mins. reading time)
Read more
Head and Heart Collide 