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A curious event in Genesis 48 demonstrates how God’s work in us is never really over. Joseph was about 56 years old, and his father, Jacob, was dying. As was the custom, Jacob called for Joseph’s two sons so he could bestow the patriarchal blessing upon them. Joseph carefully placed the young men in front of [...] “I’d like to live my life over again,” some assert, “if I could just know what I know now.” Not me! Nevertheless, I’ve purposely relived a few brief hours this past week through a number of old video tapes I’m trying to convert to more durable DVD. We loved our Jenny intensely in life, but the films [...] War’s gruesome visage snarls from flickering screens with bone-chilling horror. And with each explosion, every flash, the cost of freedom visibly manifests itself through death and destruction–right before our eyes. Not many years ago I stood in poignant reflection as a mother decorated the grave of her son killed in battle at age 18. The ever-youthful [...] Time is the currency of our physical lives, Copyright 2003 [...] The photograph before me–a study in shadows–arrests my attention. In it, morning sun floods a row of square posts obliquely, brightly illuminating only their leading edges. Darkness shrouds their opposing sides. But for the intense shadows, the picture's bold and striking personality would be neutralized. Properly married, sunshine and shadow stamp realism and texture into otherwise [...] Unlike John Adams, our second President, poets never struck me as "elegant, entertaining, and constructive companions" in my youth. But lingering phrases in my mind are stakes in the ground, reminders that I had surely passed that way before. Mary and I spent pleasant moments on Saturday morning reacquainting ourselves with a few forgotten poems. "The [...] The age in which we live is probably more intrusive into family life than any other time. Distractions abound, and the call of worldly success is hard to ignore. But there’s always a cost. Time invested in the pursuit of worldly fame and fortune must be withdrawn from the account of home and family. We [...] With ever-loving tender care A few, it seems, do poorly fare And laying them upon His breast I'm trying to finalize some remarks that I've been asked to make at the funeral of a friend's father, and a question keeps coming to mind. What will cause a father's teaching to stick with his children even after his death? The answer is important. Several years ago our son Barrett had bought a new grass [...] I've wondered what single thought might be appropriate to share as we step into the year 2000. As we seek to better our relationships with God and with each other, there is one that should burn within: God does not see as man sees. Is there a better reminder than our recent visit to the Conway [...] |
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Copyright 2012 James McAlister - All Rights Reserved |
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