Every year I try to watch Mel Gibson’s, The Passion of Christ, on Good Friday, or the Saturday (Silent Saturday), before Easter Sunday. The movie depicts the scourging and crucifixion of Jesus in brutal scenes, and at times, we want to look away, but those graphic images serve to remind us of the horrible ordeal Jesus experienced …
We gather to pray, just a handful of us, at 7 a.m., in a prayer room, at church, during Holy Week. Baptists, being a part of the Protestant faith, aren’t sure what to with Holy Week. We know there’s something special about it, but many aren’t sure if they should acknowledge it, participate in it, …
“Hi, how are you?” I greeted the stranger as I strolled along the walkway. He acknowledged me with only a faint smile. Oops, I had momentarily lapsed into conversing and was reminded that, “Silence is spoken here.” It had been years since I’d spent more than a few hours at a time in visits to …
“Interested in a little side-trip?” I asked. We were cruising along I-44, from Oklahoma City, headed southwest, making good time, on the way to my hometown, Altus, Oklahoma. My mom had died two days before. “We may never pass this way again,” I added, as an incentive to take the detour. “Just keep following me,” …
The two missed calls and voicemail from my brother, Mark, caught my attention. His voice message said: “Call me back as soon as you can.” Of the three sons, Mark lived closest to Mom, and he and his wife, Joy, had made frequent trips to Lubbock, Texas, to check on and care for Mom. “This …