Posts
ODJ: saving little ones
Jenny grew up in a home where both parents engaged in extramarital affairs and were prone to violence. In this setting Jenny soon became emotionally and physically neglected—and vulnerable to others.
ODJ: paul's prayer
What personal prayers for yourself have you lifted up lately? Did you ask God for provision of needs, delivery from temptation or forgiveness of sin?
ODJ: a song of hope
Fearful of its subversive text and implications, the Guatemalan government of the 1980s banned the public reading or singing from Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:47-55). It’s the poetic hymn Mary sang after the angel had announced that she would give birth to a baby from God. One might wonder how a tender song from sweet Mary about a little baby could possibly be a threat to powers of any political
ODJ: disney's gospel
As my family was leaving the park after a fun day at Disney, the loudspeakers were playing a happy song with the chorus, “In everything you do, celebrate you!” The song reminded me of the earlier parade that encouraged us to celebrate our dreams, “whatever they are”. My 12 year old son, the apparent cynic in the family, proclaimed that his dream was to take over the world. Should that be c
ODJ: guilt and grace
One of the exciting milestones I witnessed in my
daughter’s development was when she first
learned to walk at 9 months. She pulled herself up to a standing position while holding onto a coffee table and took her very first step! Learning to bend her knees to sit after standing, and then mastering the standing position, she was soon cruising around the house. She was walking independently
ODJ: worn out by money
The Internet is crawling with ‘get rich quick’ schemes—adverts that promise loads of cash with little effort and/or skills required.
ODJ: toxic environment
Two dolphins—Shadow and Chelmers—died of a drug overdose at a marine park in Switzerland. Forensic experts suppose that partygoers at a nearby club placed a heroinlike substance into the dolphins’ tank water. The dolphin trainers who found Chelmers described him as “shaking all over and foaming at the mouth.” Based on these symptoms and the presence of buprenorphine in the dolphins’ bo
ODJ: seller beware
Every buyer is also a seller. If I buy apples from you,
then you’re selling your apples and ‘buying’ my
money, while I am ‘selling’ my money to buy your apples. For every time you make a purchase, you must give up something to make the transaction. If you have nothing to sell, there’s nothing you can buy.
Ahab mistakenly thought he was only a buyer. He wanted to tur
Ahab mistakenly thought he was only a buyer. He wanted to tur
ODJ: wounded
My daughter consistently teaches me that perspective is everything when it comes to relationships. Watching her navigate the ins and outs of adolescence, I see a mirror for my own misunderstandings —what I hear is not always what was intended. She finds it easy to understand the heart behind the words coming from friends she trusts. Even the most benign of statements from someone who has wounded