A GIft for Jesus When my grandchildren go to church with me, I like to give them each a quarter to put in the collection plate, which they both get very excited about doing. Well, on Easter this year, after dinner, my sisters hid some plastic eggs around my parents’ yard for the grandchildren to

Situation Ethics? There’s a certain inconsistency in the way we insist our butcher’s scale be absolutely, positively correct; yet we don’t object too much if our bathroom scale fools around a bit with the numbers. George Kottzwitz Trinity Lutheran Church Edwardsville, Ill.   More Pastoral Puns The old pastor had preached thousands of sermons, but

Anticipation At the Kansas District LWML convention in Salina one spring, we celebrated Easter all weekend. He is risen! and He is risen indeed! rang out with regularity. During one of the weekend’s sermons, a pastor was talking about Paul’s letters to various congregations, encouraging them, chiding them, and giving thanks for them. I was

Not Really a Secret It was that time of the year, late April, and my Sunday school class of 15, including my own girls, Jeannie, 14, and Cindy, 8, were with me, walking along the side of a road and picking up a winter’s worth of litter. Our trash bags were almost full when Cindy

A Terrific Insight Amber, age 6, was sitting at the kitchen table, watching her mother rinse the dinner dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Noticing that Mom was sporting a few strands of white hair in addition to her familiar auburn color, she asked inquisitively, “Momma, why are those hairs white?” “Well, every time

Say What? On a Sunday evening, Jason, age 5, was stalling going to bed. As usual, first it was one thing, then another. Just as Dad’s patience began to fade, Jason asked for a glass of juice. After a pause, the request was granted by a tired Dad, who then successfully guided Jason in the

Say What? Leaving church one Sunday morning not long ago, my niece and her husband asked Kiera, their 3-year-old daughter, what she had learned in Sunday School. “Jesus was boring,” she responded proudly. Relieved she wasn’t overheard by someone, they proceeded straight to their van. Once again, Mom and Dad asked the question: “What did

Practical Advice On starting out on a gloomy day: First, realize that it is the day that is gloomy, not you. If you want to be gloomy, too, that’s your business, but it’s not mandatory. George Kottwitz Trinity Lutheran Church Edwardsville, Ill.   Poor Pastor? In 1969, I was serving Trinity Lutheran Church in Alice,

Post No Bills As part of a Visiting Committee (VC) in a school accreditation process, I recently visited a Catholic high school in a neighboring community. The first night of such a visit is usually an informal meet-and-greet for the VC and the stakeholders of the institution. After the president of the school, Father Nick,

An Errant Quest A badly bruised knight returned to the castle of his lord after a long and arduous quest. He was a mess. His armor was dented, his helmet askew, his face scarred, and his lance broken. His horse limped, and the knight himself listed slightly in the saddle. His lord saw him coming

‘O Sleeper, Awake!’ My husband’s beloved grandmother was called to her eternal home at the age of 101 (while holding her pastor’s hand). During her funeral service, our 5-year-old son, Jack, became restless. First, he asked to take off his shirt because he was hot. Then he was hungry. When he said he was sleepy,

One Time Too Many Inscription on the monument of an Army mule: “In memory of Kate, who in her time kicked a colonel, three majors, eight captains, 12 lieutenants, 21 sergeants, and 230 others, and one bomb.” Tal. D. Bonham Treasury of Clean Church Jokes   Be Prepared Just before a long holiday weekend, a