**written by Pam Benedict An unplanned science experiment is unfolding in our vegetable garden this year. In the spring when we had a few early days of warmth, Steve and I started to plant. Usually, he’s in charge of the vegetables and I choose the flowers. While we were at Lowes, a bright seed packet of giant sunflowers caught my eye and there in the store I imagined all the cheerful blooms I could arrange in vases and all the…
Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains? You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. … Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what…
Last Thursday afternoon our family left for a long weekend away at my dad’s cabin in Tioga county. It’s so far north, it’s about a stone’s throw from the New York State line. If you want to unplug, that’s the place to go, where there’s no internet and only sporadic one-bar cell phone reception. So, imagine my dismay as we regained cell phone coverage and my phone began to explode with notifications from CNN, Fox, Facebook and the like, as…
I’ve been contemplating what our “new normal” might look like as we move through the summer and into the fall. I remember how things changed after the bombing of the World Trade Center in New York City on 9/11. Overnight, it seemed, we woke up to a new and hostile world. In response to the terrorism, a whole raft of new precautions at airports and federal buildings appeared. Things which now seem normal- concrete barriers, long lines at security screening,…
Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Romans 12:16 “Well, that was awful.” I can’t begin to describe to you how uncomfortable I felt Sunday morning at 10:47 AM. For about 5 minutes I wanted to die, crawl in a hole, or just run away. And then, after that Pam and I laughed and laughed and laughed. What else can you do when you embarrass…
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. Matthew 14:44-46 The idea of “value” has always intrigued me. What makes something valuable? In 2006 a…
…Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. Mark 4:15 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. John 10:10 “You are being robbed.” I could hear the voice in my head as clearly as if it were audible. Yesterday I was having my morning “quiet time” with God, my Bible and a cup of coffee. …
Last week, or maybe it was two weeks ago, or three… it all kind of runs together in this time of social isolation… we were sitting together as a family watching the free online presentation of Jesus by Sight and Sound Theaters. Over the years, Pam and I have occasionally splurged to see the lavish Biblical dramas that Sight and Sound stages at their Millennium Theater in Lancaster County, PA with its massive 300-foot wrap around stage. The tickets are…
The Lord had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. (Genesis 12:1) By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. (Hebrews 11:8) It feels like our world is ruled by uncertainty right now. Does anyone truly know what’s going on? Every morning when I look through my…
In the early 1970’s Stanford University professor and psychologist Walter Mischel developed what has come to be called “The Marshmallow Test.” Have you ever heard of it? It’s a classic study on delayed gratification and self control. In the study, a child is offered a choice between one marshmallow immediately or two marshmallows later, if they are willing to wait for it. After explaining the choice to the child, the researcher would set out the tasty treat and then leave…