The magnificent scenery and rock formations in the Southwest are metaphors for the troubles we often encounter in life.  When we feel alienated, lost a dear loved one, feel like a miserable failure, when the valley or canyon of grief threatens to swallow us up, the scriptures proclaim,”that nothing in life or death can [...]

I remember one of the most difficult days of my life. It was the funeral for Patti Arnold. Patti Arnold, thirty-nine years old, had cancer.  Her maiden name was Colello and she was Italian, pure Italian. Her family owned an Italian grocery story and she was the most fireball woman I had ever met in [...]

Theme: Like an umpire, God makes the final judgment call.
The word for weeds is a technical Greek word that needs to be explained since it unlocks the meaning of the story.  The Greek word for weeds is “zizania” which is a very particular type of weed that looks just like wheat as it is [...]

  
Imagine yourself in the winter, thinking about springtime, and plans for your garden. You’re looking thru the seed catalogue and you find seeds that make really, really big tomato plants with big tomatoes. So you order some of the seeds from the catalogue, they come in the mail, you put them with your [...]

  Theme:  Jesus lifts the heavy burdens of life.  (Two visual themes to choose from.) “Come onto me all who are weary and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” That simple line is so powerful. These words are sacred.
These words are from the real world of real lives of real people [...]