ODB: The Growth Chart

If my family ever moves from the house where we live now, I want to unhinge the pantry door and take it with me! That door is special because it shows how my children have grown over the years. Every few months, my husband and I place our children against the door and pencil a mark just above their heads. According to our growth chart, my daughter shot up 4 inches in just 1 year!While my children

ODJ: clean start

For many years my wife and I put off doing some major remodelling to our home. Finally, the carpeting that was more than 35 years old and the kitchen cabinet doors that were falling apart caught up with us. So this year we employed operation clean start! It was out with the old and in with the new as the main floor of our home received an extreme makeover. Now that the process of restorat

ODB: Dependence Day

In the US, the Fourth of July is a national holiday when outdoor grills are heated up; beaches are packed; and cities and towns have parades and fireworks displays, picnics, and patriotic celebrations. All of this is in remembrance of July 4, 1776, when the 13 American colonies declared their independence.Independence appeals to all ages. It means “freedom from the control, influence, s

ODJ: love as you love yourself

Following a mass shooting in which a dozen victims were murdered, a writer lamented that the horrific event received a lack of media coverage and national attention. “What number of dead here would it have taken to give the nation pause?” Cynthia McCabe wrote in a blog post. While some people moved on quickly from reflecting on the senseless crime and those affected by it, many individuals, or

ODB: Tender Loving Care

Max runs a small farm as a hobby. Recently when he checked on the cows he is raising, he was surprised to see a newborn calf! When he bought the cattle, he had no idea one was pregnant. Sadly, the mother cow had complications and died shortly after her calf was born. Immediately, Max purchased some powdered milk so he could feed the calf from a bottle. “The calf thinks I’m its mother!” Max s

ODJ: dead coming back to life

The Dead Sea in Israel is a ‘one of a kind’ place to take a dip. Tourists who enter its waters immediately realise that swimming aids aren’t necessary. Yep, there’s no need to tread water in the Dead Sea. Due to its exceptionally high concentration of salt, people simply float on its surface like apples bobbing in a barrel of water.
The Dead Sea is also the lowest land-based point on

ODB: A Lesson In Worry

My friend handed me a tall glass of water and told me to hold it. The longer I held it, the heavier it felt. Finally my hand grew tired, and I had to put the glass down. “I’ve learned that worry can be like holding that glass,” she said. “The longer I worry about something, the more my fears weigh me down.”King David knew about fear. His whole life had been turned upside down. His son Ab

ODJ: diluted faith

I usually think about salt in the context of what I consume, like when my doctor repeatedly ‘nudges’ me to stop using so much of the stuff. But salt isn’t just something we sprinkle on chips. In the ancient context, it also preserved food, was used in offerings and was rubbed on newborn babies as an act of purification (Leviticus 2:13; Ezekiel 16:4). With that in mind, salt is a symbol of ou

ODB: Who Is This Man?

When Kelly Steinhaus visited Harvard Square to ask college students what they thought of Jesus, the answers were respectful of Him. One said He was “a person who took care of people.” Another said, “He sounds like a cool guy.” Others rejected Him outright: “He was just a guy. I don’t think He was the Savior.” And “I do not accept any faith system that says, ‘I am the only way to