Tuck had recently discovered Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. Spellbound, he stood four feet from the TV, watching the friendly man zip up his sweater and tie his sneakers.

My little brother glanced around the room, then back at the screen several times. Mr. Rogers had just finished his opening song.

“Hi Neighbor!”

“Something wrong, Tucky?” I asked.

He cupped his mouth. “Who is he talking to?” he blurted out in a hushed voice.

I smiled. Tuck needed a fatherly person around. I played along.

“You, of course.” I said. “He wants to be your neighbor.”

With big eyes, Tuck faced the TV again.

“I’m glad we’re together again,” said Mr. Rogers, as if he’d been listening to our conversation.

Tucks lips parted. “He lives on our street?”

“No, he lives in the TV, right here in our living room.” I struggled not to laugh.

Tuck cautiously made eye contact with Mr. Rogers. He darted over to whisper in my ear. “How’d he get in there?”Continue reading

While praying one morning I saw, “That Difficult Person,” in bold print on the screen of my mind.

What are you saying, Lord? I waited in anticipation.

The capitalization of the first letters appeared like a label in the way people stereotype someone, such as, “Cat Lady,” or “Mad Scientist.” It seemed God was not talking about a specific person, but a “type.” Almost always, a Difficult Person exists in some realm of life—at home, in our extended families, in our neighborhoods, at work, in church, and in politics.

Hmm…tell me more…

God said to Jeremiah,  “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (33:3) He invites us to do the same. Yet, in my experience, God speaks in mysteries that often bypass our logical minds.

Will we search out a matter to see what’s revealed?

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One afternoon, as I drove to pick up my kids from school, I was listening to Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s radio program. Her shock-jock manner felt caustic, though her counsel was often spot on.

I tuned in out of curiosity.

That particular day, a frantic mom called in because her 13-year-old son faked being sick so he could stay home from school and surf porn sites. Horrified, the parents “grounded him for life” and made him memorize countless Bible verses.

I winced. Here it comes…I thought.

Dr. Laura, known for haranguing parents, spoke in a surprisingly calm but solemn voice. Essentially she said…Continue reading