Tag Archive for: grief
ODJ: tissue boxes
As I sat in the surgical waiting room, I had plenty oftime to think. I’d been here before. The last time, the outcome was bad—very bad. On that day we received the news that my only brother was “brain dead”—two devastating words.
Today was different. Alone, I listened to the room’s nervous laughter, intense phone conversations, oblivious children and the quiet voic
Today was different. Alone, I listened to the room’s nervous laughter, intense phone conversations, oblivious children and the quiet voic
ODJ: relative peace
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A 60 year old man, atop a tractor, charged at his 69 year old brother in law who was harvesting hay astride his own tractor. The collision resulted in a damaged tyre and the tractor-crasher’s arrest. One law enforcement official commented, “We’ve responded on prior occasions to calls because of differences between the families.” While it’s a bit unclear what the man hoped to accomplish b
ODJ: unexpected blessings
It’s likely we’ve read Jesus’ Beatitudes as a list of virtues—attitudes and actions that He wants us to pursue. So, we think, He wants us to be humble (Matthew 5:5), merciful (v.7), pure in heart (v.8) and peaceful (v.9).
ODJ: a new genesis
A couple of years ago as I was driving our son to kindergarten, our conversation turned to resurrection. Understandably he was perplexed about what it meant and how it worked.
ODJ: a Psalm for the Struggle
It was the kind of take-away restaurant where you stand in line, place your order and then step aside to wait for your food to appear. After I did just that, a young man took my place at the front of the queue. He ordered his food by using gestures and broken words. Paying was difficult for him because one of his wrists was turned so that his fingers pointed back to his body. And walking to a tabl
ODB: No Simple Recipe
For our grandson’s birthday, my wife baked and decorated a gigantic chocolate chip cookie to serve at his party. She got out her cookbook, gathered the ingredients, and began to follow the simple steps involved in making cookies. She followed a simple recipe and everything turned out well.Wouldn’t it be nice if life was like that? Just follow a few easy steps and then enjoy a happy life.But li
ODJ: faith and death
One of the most powerful scenes of the Lord of the Rings trilogy is the time when the fellowship must go through the mines of Moria, into the dark caverns underneath the mountain. They descend into this subterranean world where many had died from the evil powers lurking beneath the earth. Fearful, Frodo wondered if they must travel into this harrowing place. Gandalf told him and his companions th