The Word Worker

Tag: Reader

  • You Can Know Truth

    —

    by

    wordworkerrussell
    in ,

    “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

    —

    by

    wordworkerrussell
    in ,

    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

    —

    by

    wordworkerrussell
    in ,

    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

    —

    by

    wordworkerrussell
    in ,

    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

    —

    by

    wordworkerrussell
    in ,

    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

    —

    by

    wordworkerrussell
    in ,

    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

    —

    by

    wordworkerrussell
    in ,

    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

    —

    by

    wordworkerrussell
    in ,

    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…

  • The “Whatever It Is” Life

    —

    by

    wordworkerrussell
    in ,

    Yesterday my kids held their annual pumpkin carving session. Because buying a pumpkin for every family member in a household of seven puts something of a strain on the already holiday stretched budget, they team up. Boys get one pumpkin, girls get the other. As you can imagine, this is not a situation that leads…

  • “We Need a King”

    —

    by

    wordworkerrussell
    in ,

    How many times have you heard people complain about something wrong or unpleasant then demand that someone do something to fix that problem? Throughout history this has been a common human reaction. If we are honest as individuals, we have probably all done it at some point. The prophet Samuel accomplished a great deal with…