Tickets on the Windshield

Bob came out of a local store, only to be greeted by a motorcycle cop writing a ticket. Bob asked, “Why the ticket?”  The officer replied, “Your tags are expired.” Bob responded, “You are a pencil-necked idiot!” The cop proceeded to add three more tickets to the car’s windshield. “What do you have to say…

Devils and Angels

Saint Augustine said, “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.” Clinicians cite several benefits of humility. Let’s name two of them. Dr. Anna Schaffner concludes, “A humble mindset has significant positive effects on our cognitive, interpersonal, and decision-making skills.” And David Robson writes, “Humility fosters trust,…

Standing Tall

Men usually quit growing by age 18, women a little earlier. And we know that people tend to shrink with age. But did you know we shrink throughout each day? You are your tallest first thing each morning. According to Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, this may be due to gravity compressing cartilage in our spines…

The Three C’s of Recovery

There are three C’s to recovery. “I didn’t cause it.” “I can’t cure it.” “I can’t control it.” So what can you do?  You can work the Steps, do daily recovery work, and go to meetings. Next week, do it again. As you do your part, God will do his part. And recovery will be…

Hole in the Fence

A young boy loved to go next door to play, even though his mother had told him not to. She asked him why he was so disobedient.  He replied that Satan had tempted him so badly that he did not know what to do. His mom then advised him to say, “Get behind me, Satan,”…

Milestones

Okay, sports fans. Here are just a few things that happened on this date in history. How many do you remember? In 1961, George Blanda of the Houston Oilers passed for 505 yards and seven touchdowns in a 49-13 rout of the New York Titans. That same day, Cleveland’s Jim Brown rushed for 237 yards…

Never Too Late

On November 14, 2009, Tom Thompson stepped onto the football field to attempt his first extra point as a place-kicker for NCAA Division III Austin College, of Sherman, Texas. His kick was good. That would be the last point Austin College would score against Trinity University that mild Saturday afternoon.  This may not sound newsworthy…

A Three-Letter Word

There’s this little word we don’t hear much about these days. Sin. What, exactly, is sin? I will leave the biblical word for “sin,” all Greek lessons, as well as theological ramblings for another day. I love the way Oswald Chambers says it: “Sin is a fundamental relationship. It is not wrong doing, but wrong…

The Sun Will Rise Again

When the sun sets on Barrow, Alaska, in mid-November, it won’t be seen again until late January. But no one doubts the sun’s existence just because they don’t see it for a while. Why? They know the sun is still there because they’ve seen it before. You can be certain of God’s presence because you’ve…

Passion

Recovery without passion is just talk. So what is passion? The word “passion” comes from the root pati, meaning to suffer. Anything about which we are passionate is something for which we are willing to suffer.  Sure it is hard to stay sober. Yes, your commitment to recovery will invite attack and temptation. But if…