Here is a short story I wrote some time ago, giving an account of a trip I made to Morocco. I hope you enjoy reading it. -Troy
Moroccan Snapshots
An Amazing Compliment
12 hours ago
Sunday, November 15, 2009
moroccan snapshots
Saturday, November 14, 2009
20. simplicity saturday: bucket
This is part of a series of pictures that were taken in late July 2008 when our family took a holiday in Salzburg. Each photo, in its own way, reminds me of the beauty of simplicity. I post one here every Saturday. To view in a larger format, click on the image. --Troy
Follow these links to...
Start the series at the beginning.
Friday, November 13, 2009
faith
Lay aside the temptation to cynicism. There is good cause to believe still—yes, even today.
Stop where you are right now and wonder: there is a real candle called faith burning in the adjacent room. There is light there in that room and the light is real and warm.
Mockery may be fashionable, but it is fruitless. It yields nothing, inherits naught but the cold wind.
Remain open and pliable. Say to God, for there is a God, “Soften my heart, Lord.” It is the one prayer he will always answer in the affirmative, if uttered in sincerity.
And don’t give up. There are reasons to hope, good cause to carry on.
Faith and resilience go hand-in-hand. Don’t give up and don’t twist your soul, doubting that there is goodness in this world. Grace is all around, if we will but stop and look and notice.
Yes, all around you the crucified God keeps giving of himself for you, for you, for you. Always giving.
Notice it, believe it and be of good cheer. Lay aside the despair.
Monday, November 9, 2009
4. mug shots: john deere
This is part four of a series called "Mug Shots". The series was inspired this summer as I rummaged through the cupboards of different people we visited in search of interesting mugs.
This week's Mug Shot comes from Colorado; specifically, my sister's. Here it is:
Looks normal enough, no? But what makes this mug so unique is the punny play-on-words on the other side. It says, "Nothing runs like a Deere". 
Get it? Deer (sans e) run and so do machine Deere! I thought it was clever--and funny. In fact, it made me giggle for quite some time.
But then I remembered that the mug's intent was to inspire confidence and awe in a piece of heavy equipment so I shouldn't be giggling like that (all girlish and whatnot). So, I decided to act vigorous and virile with it, like the cup belonged in my hands, deserved to be used by someone vigorous and virile such as someone like myself. 
I kept at it for a while, and you'll be happy to know that the mug actually helped train me in vigorousness and virilentness and other things that make men what they are--that is, other than their you-know-whats. Here I am getting more vigorous. 
If only everyone could have a mug like this the world would be a stronger place.
Click here...
to start the series from the beginning.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
19. simplicity saturday: this world and the next
This is part of a series of pictures that were taken in late July 2008 when our family took a holiday in Salzburg. Each photo, in its own way, reminds me of the beauty of simplicity. I post one here every Saturday. To view in a larger format, click on the image. --Troy
Follow these links to...
Start the series at the beginning.
View the next image in the series.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
God is love
We tend to think of God’s love in the same manner as we think of his other attributes. Scripturally-speaking, we may not do so for the Bible is clear: we cannot receive God’s love without receiving God himself. The love of God and the God of love are inextricably linked. To have God's love is to have God.
When the Bible tells us God is love, it states in no uncertain terms that, though we may be able to distinguish between God’s other attributes, we cannot separate out God's love from the rest of his personhood. Looking closely at it, we discover that love is the one aspect of God that colors all his other attributes. I hesitate even using the word “aspect” in reference to God’s love, for that connotes that somehow God himself can be talked about independently of his love. God’s very essence is love. How else may we speak of the Trinity other than as the essential expression of love, the only way we can conceive of love and, therefore, the only way in which we may understand the nature of God?
When we speak of God’s holiness we must, therefore, speak of it in terms of his love, and when we speak of his joy we can only speak of it as an element of his love. God’s love even colors his infinite nature: his love knows no bounds, no limits—it is (again, Scripturally-speaking, I must emphasize) never-ending.
To receive the love of God is to receive the God of love. You cannot have one without the other.
Now: just trust and rest in that, my friends. There is no reason to be afraid.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
w is for whiskey
To reinforce his spelling skills, my son has been completing a chart to help him identify certain sounds. For example: you use the sound “sh” to spell the word “shoe”. In his workbook, he’s provided a sample word and then he’s given three blanks to fill in so he has the chance to think of three other words that follow that sound-scheme. In this instance, Nic wrote down “shin”, “shock”, and “shine”.
Tonight, he was working on the “wh” sound. He had one space left to fill in. Usually, it takes him a little while to think of a third word, but tonight he thought of one almost instantly: “whiskey.”
Keep in mind that, uh, he’s 9 and…uh, he goes to a Christian school and…uh, I’m a pastor and it won’t take long for a smile to come to your face. That’s my boy.
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