Of Time and Earlobes

Of Time and Earlobes

Do your ears hang low? Do they wobble to and fro? Can you tie them in a knot? Can you tie them in a bow?” When I was young, I thought this silly children’s song was about the Venables, my mom’s side of our family tree. You see, the Venables have a peculiar, if endearing, trait. As we age, our earlobes continue growing until they dangle to sometimes impressive lengths. And I say “we” because I genuinely hope to be counted among the long-eared Venables someday. The legacy I have is rich and thick, like dark molasses. My great-grandparents, Matt and Verlie, raised six kids and buried one on a Kentucky hillside, somehow making ends meet and love multiply. I never met my great-grandfather, but I hear stories of his prayers. While he walked behind his mule, dragging...

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Wide Receiver

Wide Receiver

My dream is to be a wide receiver. Now, before you start trying to picture giant men in shoulder pads and helmets tackling my five-foot tall frame, let me explain. This is the season of turkey and trimmings, loosened belts and football games. It’s also a time to slow down and do some thinking, so that’s just what I’m doing. (The thinking part, not the football part!) This week in American homes all over, families will peek at each other around mounds of food and rehearse the “I am thankful for…” list: “I am thankful for my good health.” “I am thankful for my new bike.” “I am thankful we can all be together.” This is good. This is right. But is it enough? You see, there is this undeniable reality that so much about life is completely beyond our control, and things...

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The Rabbi’s Math

The Rabbi’s Math

   We’re really very normal people. There’s nothing too extraordinary about us. (Well, Mike can play the recorder with his nose, which I guess is a useful talent since we do work with middle school students.) We argue. I get frustrated with my kids. And one look at my house tells me just how disorganized I am. I once heard someone say, “My whole life is duct taped together.” I love that image. Only I think mine has some clothes pins and chewing gum in there somewhere, too. So what do you get when you drop two ordinary people into an extraordinary story, a God-sized story? To be honest, at times you get two people who are completely overwhelmed, wondering if what they have to give is enough. After all, we’re just a guy with a youth ministry degree, a quirky sense...

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