Monthly Archives: November 2025

from Rachel: Understanding Biblical Change

In the blanks below write the two most significant statements in today’s reading assignment. Be prepared to discuss why the statements you chose were significant to you. “‘And most important, will it stir within them a thirst for God, a hunger for His Word, and a desire to represent Him well as salt in theContinue reading “from Rachel: Understanding Biblical Change”

The Irony of Weekend Snow

Dearest Rachel – They tell us that we’re in for a real dose of winter starting today, and going well on into tomorrow, honey – somewhere in the neighborhood of six inches to a foot, depending on who you listen to. It’s that time of year, after all, and for all that I make anContinue reading “The Irony of Weekend Snow”

Dreams of Alter Egos

Dearest Rachel – It’s been a while since I’ve had a dream worth telling you about (and had both the time to write it down before it dissipated and no real topic to discuss with you that might supersede it). The problem is, while it may have answered a long-known problem of science fiction whileContinue reading “Dreams of Alter Egos”

Half the Holiday

Dearest Rachel – I was getting serious flashbacks from 2020 yesterday morning, honey. You remember that year; we’d all been tested for Covid before Thanksgiving, for the sake of the folks (and, I think, at the recommendation, if not requirement, of the government when it came to such gatherings at the time). Yours and Daniel’sContinue reading “Half the Holiday”

The List We All Need To Make

Dearest Rachel – I don’t really need to tell you about all this, since I already did at the time (and basically in the moment – which means that the story I related over the course of several letters may have been clouded by my emotions at the time, for obvious reasons), but during thatContinue reading “The List We All Need To Make”

Not a Time to Experiment

Dearest Rachel – The holiday season is upon us once again, honey, and as the sun takes that much more time off than it did when we were in Israel (where it’s so much more noticeable, since we can’t sightsee in the dark. Here at home, there’s still plenty to do when evening falls, andContinue reading “Not a Time to Experiment”

Still Not There Yet

Dearest Rachel – I’ve been writing to you a lot this past week about our difficulties in getting ourselves acclimated to our home time zone; it’s just under a week now, and we’re still not there yet. Compare that to our trip out, where we basically fell in line with the local time after aContinue reading “Still Not There Yet”

The Missing Third

Dearest Rachel – Another day, another evening of falling asleep on either side of the bed in our separate recliners while watching YouTube together, and another morning that essentially starts at one a.m., whether I mean for it to or not. We’re not still on Israel time, I don’t think, but we’re probably on GreenlandContinue reading “The Missing Third”

from Rachel: Time Gives Way to Eternity

Please read Revelation 20:1-6 and answer the following questions: Where will Satan be during the thousand-year reign of Christ? “the Abyss” Many people of God will be martyred during the terrible time of tribulation. List everything this segment of Scripture tells you about them. “They had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus (20:4),Continue reading “from Rachel: Time Gives Way to Eternity”

Just the Two of Us

Dearest Rachel – Ordinarily, upon waking up to darkness, assuming (as has been the case for the last couple of days since returning home) that’s it’s just an hour or two before I would normally get up of a Saturday, only to discover that it’s actually barely two in the morning, would be cause forContinue reading “Just the Two of Us”

Sānùk (สนุก) and Suffering

Dearest Rachel – I’ve got a lot of stuff to take care of today – much of which built up while I was overseas, and some of which even has to do with this trip and others in the near future – and while I was contemplating it all, this word popped into my head.Continue reading “Sānùk (สนุก) and Suffering”

Oh, The Places We Didn’t See

Dearest Rachel – In some ways, I don’t know how we managed it back in the day; before you were able to let me retire, we tended to be short on time, because even though I was given five weeks of vacation time after so many years of service, it was hard to squeeze suchContinue reading “Oh, The Places We Didn’t See”

Not Ready for Central Time

Dearest Rachel – Setting aside that he’s dealing with the cold that he caught on the last day or so of the trip (which I may very well catch soon enough, and is why, despite it being Thursday, we won’t be over at the folks’ place for dinner this evening. Dad is getting more andContinue reading “Not Ready for Central Time”

Early Morning Epilogue

Dearest Rachel – Travel is like this sometimes; flights take off at the weirdest hours, and one has to be up and out in order to catch them. So it is with us; after writing you last night about the activities of yesterday, Daniel and I bundled ourselves off to bed (at nine-thirty, which wasContinue reading “Early Morning Epilogue”

The Beginning of the End

Dearest Rachel – I don’t know if my body caught wind of my concerns about waking up early enough tomorrow to meet in the lobby at two in the morning, but rather than let me have a solid night’s sleep, it decided to prove what it was capable of. As a result, when I firstContinue reading “The Beginning of the End”

Letting Things Unfold As They Will

Dearest Rachel – We didn’t go out on the town last night since, as I mentioned, we really didn’t have any compelling reason to go out. As a result – as well as calling it a relatively early night – we actually woke up this morning before the alarm (which admittedly was set a bitContinue reading “Letting Things Unfold As They Will”

A Series of Ascents

Dearest Rachel – The last dozen or so of the Psalms are referred to as “songs of ascents,” as they’re meant to be sung while en route to the city of Jerusalem, which is, as you’ll recall, built on the top of a mountain (Mount Zion, or going even further back, Mount Moria, where AbrahamContinue reading “A Series of Ascents”

It All Goes South From Here

Dearest Rachel – One last morning in Ginosar, and an early one at that; we’re leaving at a quarter to eight (which doesn’t sound like much of a difference from the last couple of days, except that it doesn’t give us time to get back to the room after eating breakfast. Oh well) for theContinue reading “It All Goes South From Here”

Only So Much Daylight

Dearest Rachel – You don’t need to be reminded about this (if for no other reason, you haven’t to deal with these issues anymore, having left this world behind and living outside of time these days), but it’s like so many other situation; when you’re away from a thing, you forget what it’s like toContinue reading “Only So Much Daylight”

Blame it On the Rain

Dearest Rachel – Friday morning in Ginosar – yes, somewhere along the way, I seem to have lost a day – and while I keep hoping to be able to wander about the hotel campus (and maybe find the duplex we stayed in back in 2018), I’m still short on time to do so.  The hourContinue reading “Blame it On the Rain”

Greetings From the Cat House

Dearest Rachel – One of the things I wasn’t expecting at our lodging in Ginosar was that the place is… well, I wouldn’t say overrun, as such, but surprisingly populated with cats.  To be sure, the existence of semi-feral cats in a place serves a purpose; we’ve just been dealing with a mouse problem atContinue reading “Greetings From the Cat House”

On the Way Out and Up

Dearest Rachel – Wednesday morning, and we’re up and out after an hour’s breakfast.  Daniel and I try to eat as early as possible to finish putting ourselves together afterwards, but we barely make it to the bus by our scheduled departure time.  You would have been, maybe not so much proud, as understanding of ourContinue reading “On the Way Out and Up”

If it’s Tuesday, We Must be Northbound

Dearest Rachel – It’s always a scramble for us to get out of our first hotel in Israel, as you remember.  Not only is it our best accommodations of the trip (not to condemn the other locations, but how do you top a suite overlooking the Mediterranean?  This is as close as we get toContinue reading “If it’s Tuesday, We Must be Northbound”

Chicken and Cheese

Dearest Rachel – I wonder if Yael remembers the two of us as the “chicken and cheese” father-and-son duo. When I meet someone I consider knowledgeable about one topic or another – especially one that I may never see again – I feel the need to make an impression by asking a question that wouldContinue reading “Chicken and Cheese”

Cleared for Takeoff

Dearest Rachel – I mentioned in my last letter that there might be an issue with the actual flight, but it might require a separate letter, because I wanted to send something (which you can read as “continue my streak,” which I’m sure you would be understanding about) before we left, whereas the details ofContinue reading “Cleared for Takeoff”

Leaving Just In Time

Dearest Rachel – Yesterday morning, I woke up to this sight as I headed outdoors on the way to church: I suppose it shouldn’t have come as so much of a surprise; the night before had me falling asleep to the sound of rain on the bedroom roof, and it had been getting chilly asContinue reading “Leaving Just In Time”

from Rachel: The Arrogant Enemy of God

What two kings will rise up against this figure ‘at the time of the end’ (v. 40)? “the king of the South and the king of the North” How do you specifically guard against self-exaltation? In other words, when you come under this exact temptation, what keeps you from falling for it? “I’m not sureContinue reading “from Rachel: The Arrogant Enemy of God”

So Many Random Little Thoughts

Dearest Rachel – Some days, I wake up in the wee hours of the morning with no desire for anything but to roll over and go back to sleep. I thought this morning was going to be the same – especially given that today is a Saturday; who wakes up early on a Saturday? ButContinue reading “So Many Random Little Thoughts”

House Calls

Dearest Rachel – So I’m taking the day off from the ‘office,’ as I managed to get everything done that I’d intended to yesterday. At the same time, I’ve got lots of stuff to do here at home, such as laundry and packing for Monday’s flight out. And, as it so happens, I have toContinue reading “House Calls”

Speedrunning Life

Dearest Rachel – It was a weird realization to catch myself in last night. I’d just gotten the bank statements for the church and camp for last month, so I was thinking about how I could get everything reconciled and the statements prepared some time today. That way, the board members could have the dataContinue reading “Speedrunning Life”

No Happy Endings

Dearest Rachel – It’s something that one doesn’t see every day (which is why I’m writing to you about it, after all), although I’m now going to see it every day for at least the next week or so. I was walking to the gym on Monday morning, and spotted this outside the office complexContinue reading “No Happy Endings”

They… Pray!

Dearest Rachel – I realize just how silly this statement sounds as I’m preparing to type it, but it has to be said; there are times when I have no idea what my mind is thinking. That would seem completely oxymoronic on its face; it’s my mind, I’m inside of it, I am it, inContinue reading “They… Pray!”

To Mess About the City

Dearest Rachel – Given that it was an interesting way to spend part of the weekend – and that these letters are, in part, a means for me to record the days of my life since you left, because I’ve discovered how quickly my memories fade if I don’t – I would be remiss ifContinue reading “To Mess About the City”

from Rachel: A Vile King’s Succession

One of our chief goals in this study of Daniel is to become familiar with the basic themes of each chapter. Recall as many of our chapter rhymes as you can…Daniel One: Carried “off to Babylon”Daniel Two: “Neb’s Dream” StatueDaniel Three: From a “Fiery” Furnace “Freed”Daniel Four: I’ll “Humble Neb” Some MoreDaniel Five: Says theContinue reading “from Rachel: A Vile King’s Succession”

Not Done Out Of Boredom

Dearest Rachel – While I’m specifically writing to you with these letters – complete with references to things only you would know from actual experience – I’m well aware that there are people reading this over your shoulder. It’s what happens when you put something out on the internet; someone else will stumble across itContinue reading “Not Done Out Of Boredom”