Category: Spirituality
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Meeting God at Lake Michigan
The breeze was cool and the geese honked as they flew overhead. Right in front of the dock on which I am sitting, I listed to a rowboat quietly skimming across the surface of the water, the only sound to be heard is the oars dipping into the water to propel the small boat toward…
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Living with what used to be
It was a large square brick building painted grey, about six stories high. It used to be some sort of a manufacturing company, at least that is what I gathered from the remnants of the painted sign on the facade. The days for productivity for this building are over, at least that is what I…
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this building is a mess
At 8:30pm standing over a flooding floor drain with a wet/dry vacuum trying to control the incessant water is not how I typically picture spending my one day off. However, this is exactly how I spent four and one half hours of my day off: sucking up water, and emptying the bucket. The only redeeming…
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“…God is bigger than the bogeyman…”
For several hours I gazed at the glow from the streetlights which reflected onto the bedroom ceiling. As I listened to the heavy ticking of the second hand of the clock in the next room, I knew that I had to sleep because tomorrow was rapidly approaching. I was unable to calm my mind. I…
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A Cross in my Hand
I have a cross which is designed to be held in one’s hand. It was given to me when I was installed as pastor and teacher at my church. It has rounded corners and it is smooth to the touch. It is unfinished and it is designed to absorb the oils from hands over time.…
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“…With Sighs Too Deep for Words”
I had an out-of-town meeting yesterday, about an hour away. On my way to this meeting, the distance provided me with one full hour of unstructured alone time. I was not reading, I was not making telephone calls, I was not having people stop by my office, and I was not writing. I had an…
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Simple Things Like Coffee
I drink coffee every day, and I drink it all day. I love coffee. I’m not talking about Folgers or Maxwell House, I’m not even talking about Starbucks. I’m talking about good micro-roasted coffee. Always strong, always black. Coffee is not just something that I drink for the caffeine. I love the taste. It provides a…
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Shelter From the Rain
The other day, it was raining outside and I was walking into church. On the sidewalk outside of church, I saw a couple of children from our church: two brothers and their cousin. They came up to me, one of the boys holding an umbrella. As I often do when I speak with children, I…
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Home
Recently, during a rather difficult day, my wife and I were driving back to our flat, and I looked at her and said, “I want to go home.” “We’ll be there soon,” she said. “No,” I said, “my real home.” This, of course, referred to my desire to return to Michigan, the place whence I…
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The Idea of Brokenness is Great…
I like the idea of brokenness. I like thinking and talking about the fact that the church is a place for broken people, where broken people can be accepted and loved. I like Jesus’ words, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” and all that. I say that I like the idea of brokenness, because the…
Matthew van Maastricht 