It was fall, and my wife and I headed to see the leaves in northwest New Jersey. We had cider and donuts, and our eyes were filled with God's great autumn art show. We were headed home, when I crested a hill and saw a long traffic jam. What was this bumper-to-bumper doing in my country paradise?
Words fail. Even words like "apocalyptic"... "war zone"... "total devastation."
The racing flames in the iconic Lahaina community of Maui simply consumed everything in its path - often leaving only ash where minutes before a building had stood. In a community where people have lived for a thousand years.
The pools are empty. The cafeteria's full. And stores are selling pencils by the ton. Yep, it's already the start of a new school year.
It's important for fathers and sons to do things together - like when my son helped me with the yard work so we could bond. I remember one day when my oldest son was about five. It was a hot day. I was mowing and my son was following around after me clipping. I looked over to him and I smiled. About five minutes later he came over and yelled over the mower, "Daddy, could you please do that again?" I said, "Could I do what again, son?" He said, "Daddy, could you smile at me again? Your smile keeps me going."
Unbelievable. It's another graduation season! And, wow, has the world changed since I was the one "commencing."
But the commencement ceremony itself? Not so much. Same sweat-a-lot robes. Same funny, flat hats with that flapping tassel. And the same lofty "we will change the world...follow your dream" speeches. Inspired by the view from the top of Mount High School.
Hallie, Evelyn and William spent the first part of the morning in their Christian school chapel. They were learning "Amazing Grace" to sing next week for Grandparents' Day.
An hour later they were with the One whose grace they had been singing about.
As the nation knows now, they were three of the six victims in a mass shooting tragedy at Covenant School in Nashville.
Poor Uncle Billy. It's a wonderful life in the Christmas classic movie - until Uncle Billy can't explain to the bank examiners what happened to $100,000 in cash. That he misplaced.
The unending chapel at Asbury University has ended.
Has the "revival"?
Spontaneous combustion. It's rare - but it can start a raging fire.
It's defined as "ignition without apparent cause."
Talk about a weird winter. Oh, not where I grew up. We didn't just have a white Christmas. We sometimes had a white Thanksgiving, a white Valentine's Day - maybe even a white Easter.
