I was trying to leave ahead of the crowd. But something wasn’t cooperating.
That something was a button on the bottom of my folding table. In order for the table to fold, this button has to release the lock on the leg. Leg 1, easy. Leg 2, a problem.
“Fine. I’ll walk everything else out to my car and come back. Stupid button.”
Back at the table, button still not releasing, a lady approached.
“Is this your table?”
First thought, “She thinks I’m stealing a table.”
“Yes.”
“Good. I have a question about something you had on display.”
Her question was very personal. A family situation she needed some direction how to approach.
She seemed to walk away feeling supported and resourced.
I knelt back down to work some more on that stubborn button. Click. And Fold.
In that second frustration flipped to appreciation.
That stuck button delayed me long enough to ease someone’s mind, speak to their heart, and give a little peace.
More from Mark Chironna’s “Rising With Hope” devotional
Here are three clips:
We live in a culture where everyone wants to win all the time. That is not exactly a Jesus idea. Instead, it makes people who have lost something feel like they don’t belong. (Day 11, Not a Loser)
Anything that is left broken in a family tree will only be passed down to the next generation. (Day 15, A Healing Life)
When what you buried alive rises to the surface of your consciousness, you can move in the direction of healing and greater peace. What looks like the edge of darkness becomes the edge of hope. (Day 21, In the Mercy of God)
More from Mark Chironna’s “Rising With Hope” devotional
Here are three clips:
Whatever you do, do not surrender your praise or self-isolate. Lift your praises to God and allow someone in the faith whom you trust to remind you who you are. (Day 5, Facing the Unthinkable)
The hardest thing about being here, in the place of your pain, is the thought that you might be there alone. I can assure you that you aren’t. Wherever here is, He is. (Day 7, Being Here)
David said to God, “You have…put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your record?” Imagine! Your tears are so precious to God that He collects and keeps them! (Day 8, Being with Your Pain)
I’m three days into Mark Chironna’s “Rising With Hope” devotional
Here are two clips:
Sometimes you cannot see what you covered over until a crisis forces it back to the surface. Then you cannot unsee it. (Day 1, Firmly on the Edge of Hope)
Yes, you are called to live by faith rather than by sight. But faith does not ignore feelings. Faith considers feelings in the light of faith. (Day 2, Pay Attention)
I summarized an interview candidate this week saying, “He knows how to stay.”
He’s been at the same employer over 16 years and worn a couple of hats. He’s looking to leave for a couple of reasons, none of which have anything to do with his employer. Good personal reasons.
This interaction reminded me of one of Travis Bradberry’s tips for retaining employees. See this post and the image below.
I love tip #3. A board member recently made a similar suggestion regarding conducting annual reviews, but he didn’t have a name for it. Stay interviews captures it.
Some might say this appears too vulnerable, for either party. That mindset is most likely what Bradberry is saying may cost a company a top employee.
I’ve known the answer to why I’ve stayed in positions that others scratched their heads while asking, “Why do you stay?” Those “others” didn’t include my boss, of course. But my boss also didn’t take the time to be vulnerable. And guess what? I eventually left.
Your top people, for that matter all your people, desire to be seen and heard. Most likely, they would rather not leave. They would rather have the tough conversation. Chances are it won’t be near as tough as perceived and definitely not as regretful as having to find their replacement.
We’re almost six months into 2026. Time to schedule some stay interviews.
There are plenty of things that are pretty black and white for me.
All diets can include daily servings of ice cream
Baseball over hockey
“Thou shalt take naps” is the 11th Commandment
One that I wish were but it just isn’t is when to be still and when to move. We’ve all been there. The last 24 hours have reminded me that it’s not simple.
Last night a friend asked for prayer. In my efforts to pray scripture over them, Exodus 14:14 spilled out.
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.
Based on the need, this seemed like an honorable reply for prayer.
This morning while waiting in the green room at church between worship sets, I resumed reading this book:
In describing a lifechanging conversation with a longtime friend, Chacour acknowledged the grayness of being still.
Here was that old question that had troubled me so long: As a Christian do you speak out against the actions of your enemies-or do you allow them to crush the life out of you? So many seemed to think that submitting to humiliation was the only Christian alternative. Should you not, sometimes, be stinging and preserving like salt?
Old question. So many people have answered it in ways that we admire, question, or scratch our head. If only it were black and white.
Here’s my answering history. Sometimes I’ve been still successfully; sometimes I’ve sat still too long. Sometimes I’ve moved timely; sometimes I’ve moved too quickly.
It feels like I’m constantly learning the lesson much like engaging traffic lights.
“Good Lord (not really a prayer). When is this light ever going to turn green?”
“I’m sorry (sort of a prayer). I was looking at my phone.”
If I were in charge, the traffic light of being still would have three different colors from the traditional ones.
Black = “You’ll regret moving, so don’t.”
Gray = “Have some ice cream, and chill.”
White = “Floor it!”
Good Lord (this is a prayer), thank you for fighting for me…and forgiving me when I don’t let you.
A few weeks ago I decided to find a book about Lent. I’ve read articles about Lent, but I don’t recall reading a book about it. My search led me exactly to what I was looking for.
I found that Esau McCaulley and I share two things: we grew up in Alabama, and our church upbringing didn’t include Lent. Kindred spirits. I’ll have to research to see if he roots for the right football team.
I knew I was reading the right selection when he ended his introduction with these two sentences:
What follows is an attempt to point out the things I’ve seen along the way. It is not just an explanation of Lent but an invitation to experience it, a chance to meet our risen Lord who always runs just ahead of us, beckoning us forward.
Only four chapters long, the book is manageable, ideal before and throughout Lent’s forty days. For those looking for the how’s of Lent, chapter two covers seven rituals of Lent. For those questioning the place and value of rituals, chapter three walks through the prayers and scriptures of Lent.
Ritual is both a means of spiritual formation (we learn through repetition) and an encounter (God meets us in the act of worship and praise in the liturgy)…we do not outgrow God. We never arrive at a place where we are able to “take it from here.”
The final chapter is a beautiful walk through Holy Week. Whether you grew up fully aware of Holy Week or it’s a new journey for you, McCaulley encourages embracing the freedom found in the repentance and renewal of each day and its reflection.
As it is the end of Holy Saturday, here’s one reflection about this day:
At this point in the Gospel story, there is no work left for the disciples to do. There are no more great deeds to perform. All that remains is the waiting. Holy Saturday reminds us-as the Sabbath itself does-that for all our activity, our hope is not in the things we accomplish.
Two Friday nights in a row I’ve knowingly eaten dessert that I was pretty sure I’d regret the next morning.
I was right.
Friday #1…too many cookies. Didn’t care.
Friday #2…the whole piece of pie. Didn’t care.
How did I know this? 19 years of running.
Not since 2012 have I full-fledged followed a marathon training plan. And by full fledge I mean, let’s get in all the long runs. All of them. Which also means, keep your pre-race-night eating rhythm. Which means, no dessert.
I know this. I also know my preferred serving of dessert means a lot of potty breaks during the next morning’s run. Rather than listen to my body these last two Friday nights, I told it, “I hear you. But sugar wins right now. You’ll have to deal with the consequences in the morning.”
Without TMI, let’s say yesterday’s run set a personal record! Hard to enjoy.
I think God might have been laughing at me around 9:30 this morning while my pastor was speaking. On an unrelated-but-not topic, he mentioned the importance rhythm plays in spiritual intake. It’s quite simple. Find it and stick to it. Consistency matters.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
As a disciplined person, I know this. But some days I allow myself to stray. I ALLOW MYSELF.
I’ve decided ahead. This Friday night, my body and my mind will sync. Pretty sure that means the odds of a better long run Saturday morning have risen significantly.
John Gregory 