Fulfill
Jack Hardaway ] A forgotten old bucket sits outside, dry and full of dust. The rain starts to fall and the bucket slowly fills up until it overflows. Filled full. Fulfilled. The bucket fulfills its obligation, its purpose when it holds water. The Holy Spirit broods over creation at the beginning, creation is fulfilled when […]
Waiting
Jack Hardaway ] Prison is a dark place. Crowded and lonely. Heavy with waiting. John the Baptist, was in prison, he upset the wrong people. Matthew’s Gospel has the story John woven through out. John’s story starts off with the exhilaration of announcing the arrival of the Messiah, baptizing him, the sky opens, John is […]
Surprise!
Jack Hardaway ] All the desserts for Thanksgiving are on the side table, apple pie, cherry pie, lemon meringue, pecan pie, chocolate cake. Glory, glory! One of the children in his excitement leans against the table, and the table leaf gives way and suddenly folds down, and all the pies and the cake plop upside […]
Now Where Were We
Jack Hardaway ] Bed time stories. They were a big deal in our home. We read stories every night. Stories as night settled, awake watching with Christ and sleeping resting in peace. Stories as we face the darkness. Bed time stories are more than a comfortable way to end the day, the winding down into […]
Deep Water
Jack Hardaway ] Call stories. This is one of the great Sundays of the year. We hear the call stories of Isaiah, and Paul, and Simon Peter, and James, and John. The psalm is a call story as well, turned back around, the psalmist calls for God. Isaiah lost in grief for his King, Paul […]
Like Nothing Else
Jack Hardaway ] The problem with the Trinity is also it’s great beauty, it isn’t like anything else. Words fail. Analogies crash and burn. Comparisons collapse. The doctrine of the Trinity is really a teaching about not being able to teach. Staring into the infinite distance and slowly growing silent and still. So many people […]
Fishing Fools
Losing a friend is hard. It brings a certain kind of loneliness. We become castaways in our own lives. Jesus lost John the Baptist. The four gospels say various things about how they knew or didn’t know each other. It’s pretty clear though that they shared a deep connection, an affinity, a certain perspective on […]
Rain
“Well I love a rainy night; I love a rainy night. I love to hear the thunder; watch the lightning when it lights up the sky. You know it makes me feel good. Well, I love a rainy night; it’s such a beautiful sight. I love to feel the rain on my face; taste the […]
The Day is Near
“As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.” October 30th, 1978 WKRP in Cincinnati, the old TV sitcom. The infamous “Turkey Drop Episode.” I was ten years old. The whole world laughed. It was a great day. If you haven’t seen it or don’t remember, look it up. A radio station decides to […]