During an extensive home renovation project a few years ago, we completely rebuilt the roof on our house. I don’t mean that we simply removed and replaced the shingles or that we repaired a few sections of the decking material. Rather, we took the entire roof off of the wall plate and set new rafters at a steeper pitch in order to allow for the construction of an attic room complete with dormers.

      Offered in the introduction to Part 1 of “When Floodwaters Rise” was the reminder that “sometimes, however, the storms and floods of life are not of the H2O variety. Floods of doubt, despair, disease, divorce, depression and even death may gush forcefully into our experience and no amount of sandbagging seems to be of any value.”

      Hurricane Ida made landfall recently and caused extensive damage to property and displacement of people in much of Louisiana and parts of Mississippi. Even after Ida was no longer considered a hurricane, the storm continued in a northeasterly direction causing flooding due to heavy rain.

      Perhaps like you, I have experienced a host of storms and floods in my lifetime. I was really too young to remember Hurricane Betsy in 1965 but I do remember Hurricane Camille in 1969.

      In preparation for my daughter’s wedding celebration several months ago, I fashioned a cross from a fallen tree using my chainsaw. The cross was to serve as the focal point for the ceremony as the couple exchanged their vows at the foot of the cross. During the week leading up to the wedding, a local ministry supplied some much-needed manpower. Several of the men helped assemble and erect the cross in my front yard.   

      Aretha Franklin, pop music icon and highly acclaimed Queen of Soul, died three years ago today. Aretha was 76 years old. This past weekend, a biographical drama hit the theaters after being delayed for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

      I have enjoyed watching the Olympic Games in Tokyo over the past couple of weeks. I must admit, however, that my interest in the various races (swimming, running, rowing, etc.) probably surpassed my interest in fencing and rhythmic dance.

      Several members of a church where I once served as pastor were members of a local civic organization. At one of the group’s meetings each year, several “Honesty and Integrity” awards were presented to high school students from the community who had been nominated and selected for recognition based on their character and potential for service.

      Recalling that financial fitness is Founded on the Heavenly, Framed with Humility, and Focused on Humanity leads to a further truth presented in 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (and elsewhere), namely, that financial fitness is Forged with Hospitality.  I use the word “Hospitality” for two reasons.

      A prominent, well-to-do church member was called on by his pastor to lead in prayer. The man was eloquent in speech and he petitioned God with much verbosity while expressing concern for people and needs both locally and around the world.

      During an extensive home renovation project a few years ago, we completely rebuilt the roof on our house. I don’t mean that we simply removed and replaced the shingles or that we repaired a few sections of the decking material. Rather, we took the entire roof off of the wall plate and set new rafters at a steeper pitch in order to allow for the construction of an attic room complete with dormers.

      Offered in the introduction to Part 1 of “When Floodwaters Rise” was the reminder that “sometimes, however, the storms and floods of life are not of the H2O variety. Floods of doubt, despair, disease, divorce, depression and even death may gush forcefully into our experience and no amount of sandbagging seems to be of any value.”

      Hurricane Ida made landfall recently and caused extensive damage to property and displacement of people in much of Louisiana and parts of Mississippi. Even after Ida was no longer considered a hurricane, the storm continued in a northeasterly direction causing flooding due to heavy rain.

      Perhaps like you, I have experienced a host of storms and floods in my lifetime. I was really too young to remember Hurricane Betsy in 1965 but I do remember Hurricane Camille in 1969.

      In preparation for my daughter’s wedding celebration several months ago, I fashioned a cross from a fallen tree using my chainsaw. The cross was to serve as the focal point for the ceremony as the couple exchanged their vows at the foot of the cross. During the week leading up to the wedding, a local ministry supplied some much-needed manpower. Several of the men helped assemble and erect the cross in my front yard.   

      Aretha Franklin, pop music icon and highly acclaimed Queen of Soul, died three years ago today. Aretha was 76 years old. This past weekend, a biographical drama hit the theaters after being delayed for months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

      I have enjoyed watching the Olympic Games in Tokyo over the past couple of weeks. I must admit, however, that my interest in the various races (swimming, running, rowing, etc.) probably surpassed my interest in fencing and rhythmic dance.

      Several members of a church where I once served as pastor were members of a local civic organization. At one of the group’s meetings each year, several “Honesty and Integrity” awards were presented to high school students from the community who had been nominated and selected for recognition based on their character and potential for service.

      Recalling that financial fitness is Founded on the Heavenly, Framed with Humility, and Focused on Humanity leads to a further truth presented in 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (and elsewhere), namely, that financial fitness is Forged with Hospitality.  I use the word “Hospitality” for two reasons.

      A prominent, well-to-do church member was called on by his pastor to lead in prayer. The man was eloquent in speech and he petitioned God with much verbosity while expressing concern for people and needs both locally and around the world.