I Just Need Friends

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By Kurt Johnson

I call Ray regularly when I am traveling and stop by to visit when I can. A couple of weeks ago, I was sitting in Ray’s living room, catching up on life. We talked about baseball, the NBA playoffs and the upcoming Stanley Cup. He is an avid sports fan and can tell you names of players and the year and month they made a spectacular play. He is also a walking GPS regarding routes to take through some of the most beautiful wilderness country in the western United States.

Taking Back Your Dreams

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By Shawn Boonstra

It probably didn't help that spring had not yet arrived; I tried to picture the tree with a full head of green leaves, but it didn't help. I was about to continue my walk when I noticed that the side of the trunk had split open, exposing evidence of a much younger tree that had been encased deep inside the coarse exterior over time. Was it an absorbed twin, or the younger heart of the same tree?

Listening In

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By Jean Boonstra

John chapter 17 records Jesus' prayer to the Father, and reading it gives us a taste of what their conversations must have always been like. Jesus begins His prayer by praying for Himself—for the success of His mission on Earth. He then prays for His disciples, those who have worked, traveled, sorrowed and rejoiced with Him and become His friends. Jesus doesn't stop there. Next He prays for all those who would come after His disciples. He prays for you specifically and for me.

 

The Unknown Ghost

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By Shawn Boonstra

In the weeks since that story broke, I happened to hear a tour guide from the same hotel featured on a radio show from Toronto. It was an episode dedicated to ghosts and hauntings. 

I waited for the inevitable—the moment when the host of the program would ask him about the ghost picture—and I was not disappointed.

Too Much Information

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By Jean Boonstra

When our daughter turned six, we bought her a butterfly garden for her birthday. The kit came with a pop-up habitat, a poster showing the life cycle of the butterfly, and a coupon to send away to receive five real, live caterpillars. Naomi loved the present! She hung up the poster next to her bed and we sent away for her caterpillars.

Thoughts on the Megachurch

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By Shawn Boonstra

For the introvert, introspection is a huge part of worship and spiritual growth—we can't survive without it. We find a lot of social interaction draining, and disruptive to the world of thought.  

According to some studies, roughly one-third of the public is wired this way, and western culture, since the early 20th century, has been decidedly extroverted. It's an uncomfortable culture for your introverted friends. Understand: when an introvert suddenly disappears from a social gathering, it's not because they don't like you, it's because they need to.  

The Taste of Summer

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By Jean Boonstra

Rocks Are Hard!

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By Alex Rodriguez

There were better locations on our property as far as soil goes, but this one was so convenient that I was determined to make it work. A quick survey of the landscape revealed that it was a bit rocky. Initially, I planned to fire up my tiller, but then came up with what I thought was a better plan. If I turned the soil with a plow, then I could see the rocks better, toss them out of the way, then run the tiller. Sounds like a brilliant idea, right? Well, obviously, I've never had to work with rocky soil. 

Bait and Switch Religion

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By Shawn Boonstra

Time for a confession: I'm a bit of a domain squatter. In the rare down moment, I like to cruise domain registries looking for unused web addresses. When I find a good one, I snap it up and sit on it. One day, I'll either use it or sell it.

Fitful

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By Jean Boonstra

My purple-banded Fitbit is now my constant companion. It tracks my steps and my active minutes, and would even track my calories and water intake levels if I bothered to input them. I love the fact that my new friend buzzes my wrist when it is time to get up from my desk and walk around, and cheers for me when I reach my step goals. The silent alarm is probably a marriage-saver for this morning person married to a night owl.

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