Author Archives: Jim Gleason

When I was in school, I did well on the exams for which I was prepared, but not as well on the exams for which my preparation was inadequate. Preparation always seemed so mundane. I tried to avoid the boring study work and get right to the challenge of the test. Later in life, IContinue reading “Inadequate Preparation”

When I hike through the forests around here, I am continually amazed at the beauty of the trees. I love the colors and the evidence of the strength of the trees. But autumn always comes, and the leaves will eventually wither and fall from the trees, leaving the trees barren and rather weak looking. PsalmContinue reading “Does Not Wither”

We went to the beach on the east shore of Lake Michigan this morning. I always enjoy the serenity of the seashore. But today the wind was strong and storm clouds were visible on the horizon. We walked out onto the pier but the waves were crashing over the walkway. Matthew 8 tells the storyContinue reading “Storms on the Horizon”

We often evaluate the quality of a message by the character of the messenger. You wouldn’t buy a used car from a dealership that has demonstrated shady practices. You wouldn’t take financial advice from someone convicted of financial crimes. And you shouldn’t listen to spiritual counsel from someone whose life does not demonstrate spiritual fruitContinue reading “Quality of the Message”

I have gone into many buildings, both public and private, and seen a sign restricting access to a room or section of the building. I have even called people on the phone and heard that I cannot speak to the person, because access to them is restricted. It makes me wonder, what are they hiding?Continue reading “Access Restricted”

The last few years have brought a whirlwind of change to our lives. We have been living under the constant upheaval of fluctuating health mandates, prices and wages, product availability, and store closures. It is hard to know what to expect from one day to the next. All of us are searching for some sortContinue reading “Unchangeable”

I often find myself in a conversation with someone who loves to talk. Actually, these are more monologs than conversations. I find it hard to get in a word. Later, I will try to avoid engaging this person in conversation, thus our relationship diminishes. It is often said that Christians do not follow a religion,Continue reading “Two-Way Relationship”

When we were children, we believed what our parents and other authority figures told us. With great anticipation, we waited for our parents to fulfill their promises to us. Unfortunately, they were unable to fulfill all their promises. Work gets in way way of taking us to the ballgame. The car breaks down so theyContinue reading “Broken Promises”

When I was about 10 years old, we took a boat from the Southern California coast to Catalina Island. It was a short and enjoyable trip. Once we got to Catalina I made the mistake of eating too many hot dogs. During the night my stomach was upset, resulting in vomiting for quite some timeContinue reading “Aim Higher”

When cooking a meal for someone special, it is best to first find out what foods they enjoy. When trying to do something nice for someone, it is prudent to first discover their needs and desires. When buying a gift for someone we should first learn their interests. To really please someone, we consider whatContinue reading “Misguided”