I was already seated at DFW Airport when I noticed the chair across the aisle. Whoever had occupied it was gone. The black upholstery retained a darkened outline where someone’s back had rested. It looked as though the chair had taken its own photograph, using pressure instead of light. So I took one too. I…

I was buying two bottles of water inside a CVS pharmacy in the French Quarter when a woman behind me scheduled an appointment with God. I had not heard what her companion said, but the response sounded like a rebuttal. “Okay. Okay. OKAY.” Each successive okay carried more resistance than agreement and pulled my attention…

I was searching online for collectible wines when I arrived at wineloversonline.com. With a name like that, I expected the site to contain something. Wine lovers, after all, are not generally known for having no opinion. Instead, I received a blunt response: 404 Not Found There was no explanation, no helpful link and no polite…

My music studio is twenty-six steps above ground level. Yesterday, before leading worship for two services at church, I had to pack my equipment and haul it down those steps. My keyboard alone weighs over a hundred pounds, which makes twenty-six a number you develop a personal relationship with. After the services, everything had to…

A rock-cut burial cave at Horvat Midras in Israel. Although not the tomb of Lazarus, it illustrates the kind of burial setting described in John 11. Photo by Bukvoed, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 4.0. The community center was packed. My neighbors, Jim and Debbie, had asked me to share a few thoughts…