We’re nearing the elections here in the United States, and man oh man is this a very polarized election. It seems no matter where one turns, they are hearing how if they aren’t FOR a certain candidate, then they are against everything that candidate stumps for. The nation feels divided and it seems that disagreement […]
Tag: kindness
Put on the Full Armor of God
Too much has been done hatefully “in the name of Christ.” Wars have been fought, people have been persecuted, laws have been passed that oppress and marginalize… all in the name of Christ. And as a result, the idea of Christianity has become maligned with the idea of persecution, of judgementalism, of fundamentalism. It’s a […]
Iowa Nice
As a Southern California transplant to the Midwest almost seventeen years ago, I had to become accustomed to the idea that perfect strangers here in Iowa seem to go out of their way to help others. My first year here, my car had broken down on the side of the road and a man whose name […]
New year, same story
It’s been a crazy start to the new year, but it’s been a welcoming start. For those who don’t know, last week the other half and I closed on our very first home. The past week has been a whirlwind of cleaning the new to us house, painting the interior walls, doing some minor repairs that […]
Willpower, temperance, self-control… and gratitude?
There was a buzz in the air at the little church in my tiny swath of the Midwest this past Sunday. Between the poor squirrel who had given its life to knock out the power earlier in the morning, the forgetfulness of the worship leader to have what was prepared for speaking brought to church, […]
Finding God in the Strangest of Places
I seem to find God in the strangest of places. In the lyrics to a heavy metal song, poignancy touches my soul. In the sunrise after a week of bad weather, celestial splendor abounds. In the comments on a Facebook post, kindness drowns out the evil. In the quiet moments of a walk, clarity overcomes […]
Glimmers of kindness
“Because it’s not enough to be kind. One should be kinder than needed.” ~ August Pullman, character in Wonder by R. J. Palacio If one looks at any viral social media post, one is given an example of the worst of humanity. There are the armchair experts who deem everything is wrong, the ones who […]
Be Fruity
“By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.” ~ Galatians 5:22-23 (New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition) Every time I hear the above passage, I think of a song the little kids used to sing at the church I […]
Repent
Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the start of the Lenten season in the Christian calendar. For many, it is a time of reflection and fasting, to give up something. It’s a time to test one’s self-discipline or take up a way to better one’s self. It’s a time to remember and to repent. Repent. Like fellowship […]
K. S. Wood Writes 