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The Bridge

I have family members who enjoy the New York Times daily word game “Connections.” The game consists of sixteen random words that need to be organized into four groups of four, each group with its own distinct theme. Some of the groups are easy to figure out, like the words interval, period, span and stretch are examples of duration. Others are not as straightforward, such as fair, marple, popular and psalm. The connecting theme for these words is revealed at the end of the blog. Speaking of connections, verses 5 and 6 in Psalm 24 provide the following four words which got my attention – seek, righteousness, worship and blessing.

(Reading time – 11 mins.)

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Peak to Peak

What comes to mind when you think of mountains? Do you think of grandiosity, adventure, beauty, wonder, danger, or sanctuary? What does a mountain represent to you? Perhaps it represents resilience, stability and immovability, or a mammoth obstacle, a journey or challenge to overcome, or a dream to achieve?

(Reading time 10 min.)

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Brokenness to Belief

Imagine 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.)

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Psalm 1½

What is something you would not recommend attempting before reading the accompanying instructions or directions? Assembling IKEA furniture? Learning a board game? Taking a new prescription? Operating heavy equipment? Knitting a sweater? Our cats are especially guilty of that last one.

Without following the directions, the process can be very frustrating and can lead to some interesting and unintended results.

(10 mins. reading time)

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Identity Issues

Today, the pursuit of identity is a popular topic. People tend to identify with others who have shared interests, political ideologies, ethnicity, religion, age, location, etc. There is also a tendency to identify oneself and others based on individual appearance, self-expression, life experience, gender, etc.  People have a deep need to be part of a group while at the same time expressing their own individuality.

(11 mins. reading time)

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