Ordinary Grace Blog
The Latest Posts
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The Way It Should Be
“Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.” –Luke 10:40b More than thirty years ago, our family moved from Kentucky to North Carolina. The change occurred as part of my accepting a call to serve a church just outside
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An Empathetic Heart
“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” –Romans 12:15 A number of years ago, a woman was being ordained as an elder in the Presbyterian Church. As part of the approval process, she was asked by her Session (local governing body) to tell of one person who had had a great impact
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Brave as a Child
“Who is this…Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” –1 Samuel 17:26b The question above precedes a Biblical showdown. The army of Israel was preparing for battle with the Philistines when the enemy unveiled its secret weapon, a man named Goliath. We are told that he stood more than 10 feet
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A Dual Citizenship
“But our citizenship is in heaven” –Philippians 3:20 As part of a recent vacation Lori and I were in Norway on its National Day. Each year on May 17, the people of that land commemorate the signing of the Norwegian Constitution in 1814, marking its independence from Denmark and Sweden. Think of it as the
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Caring Without Knowing
“Go and do likewise.” –Luke 10: 37b During the summer, I’m reflecting in this blog on a list of desired character traits identified by a North Carolina school district years ago. This week we focus on compassion. While many Biblical passages speak to the importance of that attribute, none is more beloved than the story
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A Prayer for June 22, 2025
LIke you, I awoke to news this morning that the United States had bombed sites in Iran. Like you, I do not understand all of the facts President Trump considered before ordering that strike, And, as I suspect may also be true for you, I am feeling unsettled. Thus, I deviate from the normal pattern
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Where Appreciation Begins
“So God created humankind in his image.” –Genesis 1:27 A number of years ago, I was part of an Interfaith Advisory Council for our local school district. During one meeting, we learned of character traits that the schools would strive to model and instill in all students. After hearing the plan, another clergyperson on the
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The Simple Thing
“‘If he had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it?’” –2 Kings 5:13b One day during my seminary years, I went to see a movie called “Fanny and Alexander.” Usually, I would check out a review or act on the recommendation of someone who had seen a film before going
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Reminders from a Marathon
“Each one helps the other, saying to one another, ‘Take courage!’” –Isaiah 41:6 As part of a recent trip, Lori and I arrived one Sunday morning in Copenhagen. We took a train from the airport and upon arriving at the city’s Central Station, began to walk the few blocks to our hotel. It soon became
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When the Moment Comes
“When your children ask you in time to come, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them..” –Joshua 4:6b-7a As a high school student, I studied French all four years. There was more than one teacher of that foreign language at Hardaway High, but Mr. Robinson was always my instructor. Thus,