The Word Worker

Author: wordworkerrussell

  • Christmas Train

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    wordworkerrussell
    in ,

    The whistle blew, a cheery sound in the crisp air. Even the steam from the pipe crystallized into gray mist that blended with the distant mountain peaks. The world around lay white and silent, the train with its crimson cars and bright window frames a brilliant spot of color. Inside the warm cars passengers laughed…

  • If You Know How to Look

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    wordworkerrussell
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    Today my husband and I spent the day outdoors. It’s the height of autumn here in the south, and this year has brought us a particularly fine one. The normally green beauty of the woods has flamed with color, and the lake bottom is rusty with orange and purple. I revel in the crisper air…

  • You Can Know Truth

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    wordworkerrussell
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    “What is truth?” Pilate asked that question with apparent sarcasm when faced with the Source of all truth in His courtroom. It’s a question our society has taken up as a rallying cry, and one which many who claim the name of Christ have  joined in shouting. Some have even said to me about various…

  • The Gates

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    wordworkerrussell
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    Sasha loved the Gates. They were older than memory or record, if the old ones could be believed, though they showed no sign of age. Unlike the longhouse built around them, the burnished wood of which had grayed and rotted several times even in her short lifespan. She ran a hand over the stone, soaking…

  • Book Review: Bad Kitty Scaredy-Cat

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    wordworkerrussell
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    Kitty is the boss of the house. At least, until a host of scary and unusual creatures show up at her door! But wait, those creatures have delicious candy! Kitty forgets to be scared, and decides to be very, very bad! This fun story with its colorful pictures will capture children’s imaginations while teaching the…

  • Shadow

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    wordworkerrussell
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    She touched the red leaves, just a brush as light as breath that left them trembling in the reflection from the crystal. They were the only color in the pitch black tent, tiny sparks accentuating the crystal’s glow. It was all an illusion, of course. The light absorbent black drapes lining the inside of the…

  • Work and Purpose

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    wordworkerrussell
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    When people talk about parenting challenges, they usually talk about toddlers or teenagers. No one really addresses the middle years, the years of learning, discovery, and character shaping. My ten year old son is right smack in the middle of those years. For several months now his behavior has been, well, challenging. We’ve been unable…

  • Tuned

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    wordworkerrussell
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    An old hymn from 1758 begins with the words: “O thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy praise.” These days we have all sorts of electronic gadgets and apps for instrument tuning, which takes some of the meaning out of the phrase. When I began taking music lessons, a few decades…

  • The Edge

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    wordworkerrussell
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    They called it The Edge. In reality it was a dam, the greatest feat of engineering ever achieved. The power of the great glacier harnessed, tamed, to do man’s bidding. To him it was more. The wars of the twenty-third century had left scars upon the fertile equator and stripped the temperate plains to desert.…

  • The Bells

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    wordworkerrussell
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    They rang out across the water, a symphony of sound in chiming echoes down the brick-lined canal. The bells of Bruges, incongruously peeling out disco music to peal against medieval facades, held me captive. Even the cafe goers across the canal left their sedate mugs and tables to dance with abandon. Invisible behind those ancient…