Sometimes God surprises us. Not just with big things but with random blessings that sprinkle our day with evidence of His constant love and incredible kindness towards us. Here are a few random blessings that immediately come to mind.   1. The sweet smell of newly mowed grass floating into your car as you drive by on a cloudless summer day. 2. An unexpected apology from an estranged friend. 3. A magnificent rainbow after an afternoon rain. 4. Fresh lin... read all »

One thing the quiet of night affords you is the time and silence to hear yourself think of all the things that might go wrong with your life. It must have been such a moment that drove my youngest daughter, Emilie, to seek some reassurance one stormy night long ago. Her falling asleep was interrupted by thoughts of the possibility of losing one’s salvation. "What if", she asked, "a person does something wrong and doesn’t confess it right away and then d... read all »

Somewhere around 1995, the Choctaw congregation tried something new. Blue prayer cards were printed up and members were encouraged to write down a prayer request which would be honored at the end of each service. The original intent was to make it easier for members to ―come forward or respond to the invitation. The cards would be filled out and the members would bring them forward to the front where they were received by the elders and ministers. At first the r... read all »

TWISTER RELIGION         The recent storms that spawned at least a dozen tornadoes across the state also sparked a spike in some people‟s faith. I don‟t doubt the sincerity of folks who were “thankful to God” for being safe through the killer winds but I sometimes wonder where that faith lies when skies are blue and the weather is calm.        I suppose that it‟s human nature to l... read all »