Pedaling my bike felt sluggish. I had trouble getting enough power from my legs to make it to the top of the bridge, and my average speed was several miles per hour less than last week. What was wrong with me? I squeezed my back tire and it felt squishy. That was it, the tires…

As I was riding my bike this morning, navigating a roundabout, a small, pug-nosed dog suddenly jumped out of the open back window of a passing SUV. She hit the pavement, rolled a few times, and then got up, seemingly uninjured. The dog did not bark, whine, or make any sound. The SUV driver stopped…

3 am.Arm itches.I scratch.Still itches.Won’t stop.My wife has a cream.Don’t want to wake her.Go to bathroom.It must be here.Don’t turn on light.That would wake me.Cream.It comes in a tube.Here’s a tube.Rub it on.Smells minty.Ugh, toothpaste.Another tube.Feels sticky.If it’s in a tube, I apply it.Not it.Not it.Not it.Oops, I may be allergic to that.Wash it off.Still…

Why should Jesus be your Lord? When I ask my students this question, I suggest a variety of answers: This morning a student latched on to that last suggestion. She remarked that Jesus was her Lord because he has so much power over us, but there is never abuse. I have been marveling over this…

I find that a good excuse can keep me out of trouble, and one of my favorites is, “I never saw it.” This one is useful in so many situations: “Why didn’t you clean up that mess?” “Why didn’t you pay that bill?” “Why did you blow through that stop sign?” To all of these,…

Breakfast on my patio is one of my favorite simple pleasures. I am often able to watch the sunrise and witness some of God’s creative genius. Today I observed a crowned bird in the oak that shades my backyard and also gives refuge to owls, woodpeckers, cardinals, and many other unique creatures. Listening to their…

Like a pebble in a shoe, little things can dominate and control our spirits. The lives of my wife, Cathy, and I have been so dominated for the past few weeks. It was a very small thing, only a six-millimeter something hidden in her breast. It couldn’t be felt or seen without instrumentation, but it…

“What’s your secret?” asked the desk clerk as we checked into a hotel to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. I quickly answered that there is no secret, and, after taking more time to think about it, I sincerely hope that “Golden Couples” is not considered an exclusive club or secret society. Therefore, in an effort…

Last night, I did something that Jesus never did. After thirty-one days on the road, I slept in a home that I own. I kind of like it. It’s not that I’m complaining about travel, which I do enjoy. Thirty-one days in hotels, friends’ basements, and relatives’ couches does have a certain appeal. My wife…

California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, and Nebraska. That’s a lot of territory to cover in a week, and I admit to being a bit road weary. However, I have not yet arrived, so I will continue to travel. Where is the final destination? I’m not sure. When will I get there? I…

Matthew John, the pastor of Lake Avenue Church, told a story about a tour he says completely changed his perspective. His story has now changed my perspective and perhaps it will also change yours. Pastor John said that on a visit to New Orleans, he toured a former slave plantation. At the end of the…

In our final interview with Biblical heavyweight, Joseph bar Jacob, he opened up about his emotional moments and shared what he has learned about forgiveness. Arrow: Joseph, today I was hoping to get a better picture of your emotional side. In all of the stories about your life, there are five that stand out to…

Our exclusive interview with Joseph bar Jacob continues with his shocking revelation of the reason for pretending not to recognize his brothers. If you were reading this on the internet, you would need to scroll through about forty ads, and then surrender your name, email address, and social security number before we would give you…

Although The Lake Arrowhead Arrow is not a real newspaper, Lake Arrowhead is a real place. We rented a cabin there to celebrate our fiftieth wedding anniversary with our children and grandchildren. Each morning, The Arrow introduced our theme for the day with an interview and some discussion questions. Over the next three days, I…

In downtown Oklahoma City, there stands an incredible tree – incredible because it ought to have died. Instead, it is celebrated as The Survivor Tree. Why should this tree be dead? first of all, because it is an American Elm. This species of tree was once the most popular tree in the country. Prized for…

Growing up in a beautiful American suburb, I remember the proud and patriotic stirrings in my heart each time I heard our National Anthem. “O’er the land of the free, and the home of the brave,” I would sing out as a true believer. Sadly, in recent years, I have felt that America is less…

“Why is it so hot in here?” asked my wife as she strode to the thermostat to confirm her diagnosis. “It says that its 77 degrees,” “I didn’t touch it!” I reacted. Of course, I didn’t. Setting temperatures is something I never do because I seldom notice them. My wife is different in that she…

“You are coming with me,” my daughter insisted as she made plans to attend a Tony Orlando concert at Epcot. It wasn’t that she is a fan of the singer, or even knows much about him. Her reason for wanting to go was that over the years, people have often told me that I look…

As we pulled up to the industrial complex hoping to find a good meal, I was reminded of a term I learned in my high school computer class: “Garbage in, garbage out.” How did we get to this place, and why weren’t they serving steak? It was quite simple really; we had fed the wrong…

Why would anyone take the time to write an essay when they have a robot that can do it better? That seems to be the attitude of some of my students. With the sudden and rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI), anyone with a computer also has a hard-to-detect cheating machine. Recently, two students both…