Trying too hard to stop an addiction

Posted by Jeff Olson on July 21, 2010

Ok…I’m posting without a photo. It will be clear why in a second.

Here it goes…An Old Testament proverb says, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his foolishness” (Proverbs 26:11).  Rather than post a photo of that image, let me say, “Woof,... Read More

I can’t get no satisfaction

Posted by Jeff Olson on July 16, 2010

In July of 1965 the band The Rolling Stones had the number one song in America—I Can’t Get No Satisfaction.

How right they were. As the song says…no matter how hard we try and try and try—satisfaction seems to slip through our fingers.

But... Read More

Adrenaline for your soul

Posted by Jeff Olson on July 9, 2010

In my time with God the other morning I came across this verse in Eugene Petersen’s New Testament translation The Message :

Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he... Read More

Freedom from Sacrifice

Posted by Jeff Olson on July 2, 2010

As another July 4th approaches, I’m reminded of the costly sacrifices that bought unprecedented levels of freedom we currently enjoy in the United States of America.
Freedom always comes at a cost. Freedom from goverment tyranny cost many fine men and women their lives. Freedom from... Read More

Men and Ladders

Posted by Allison Stevens on May 25, 2010

I remember as a little girl seeing my dad climb ladders. He climbed ladders to get into our attic above the garage; he climbed ladders to build our playhouse. He climbed a ladder to look at something on the roof once.

Then I married a man and he climbs ladders. Lots of ladders all the... Read More

Batteries and Jesus

Posted by Jeff Olson on April 23, 2010

A few days ago I helped my daughter purchase her first car…an older used Toyota Camry. Everything was going well until I got the call that her car wouldn’t start. The battery was dead and it needed a jump.

After driving to where she worked and jump starting the car, I took... Read More

Coffee, frappachino’s and lattes

Posted by Allison Stevens on November 9, 2009

Coffee shops intimidate me.  I stand there with this dumbfounded look on my face wondering not only what flavor I’m in the mood for (why this becomes such a mystery to me whenever I stand in front of that counter I don’t know, –it’s always chocolate), but I also worry that I haven’t... Read More

Power vs. Happiness

Posted by Jeff Olson on September 27, 2009

I don’t rent many movies these days, but last week our local movie rental store gave me a free rental. My vote was for the film about the true story of the blind man who climbed to the Summit of Mt. Everest. But since the last movie I picked out was about football, it was only fair that we went... Read More

Who are you?

Posted by Jeff Olson on August 3, 2009

Certain songs tend to stay with and get me to thinking. Lately, I’ve been struck by the following lyrics from an older song,
“Who are you? Who, who…who, who?
The words strike me as more than a line from a catchy tune by the British band The Who. The... Read More

Do you want to get well?

Posted by Jeff Olson on July 20, 2009

Early in his ministry, Jesus ran across a man who had been handicapped for thirty-eight years. After spotting him lying near a pool in Jerusalem, Jesus approached him and asked, ”Would you like to get well?” (John 5:6).

At first, that sounds like a strange question. Of... Read More