Pressing On Toward the Goal

For most of us, museums are sanctuaries of the past -- beautiful spaces where we can peruse art and artifacts of those who have come before us, seeking to understand ourselves a little better in the process. But what about museums of the future?

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Embracing the Accidental

Did you know that one of the most iconic movie lines of all time was actually an accident that emerged from an argument? Picture Arnold Schwarzennegger in his black leather jacket, dark sunglasses, and fierce demeanor in the 1984 science fiction movie The Terminator: And the line that cemented his rise to fame? "I'll be back."

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Mastering Fear

Faith Dickey is a professional slackliner. Slacklining is an umbrella term for walking on different variations of a flat, woven band suspended off the ground. What Dickey is known for, however, pushes slacklining high into the sky, often into the alps of France, and has occasionally involved high heels.

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Stress & Jesus

Authors Roy Oswald and Arland Jacobson define "stress resilience" as our ability to face challenging and even traumatic situations without breaking down emotionally or losing our ability to respond in a calm, measured manner. And they point to our perfect example of a traumatic life lived with great self-control, tranquility, and peace: Jesus Christ.

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Expecting the Unexpected

When Laura Young paid $34.99 for a white marble bust at a Goodwill in Austin, Texas, several years ago, she was pleased with her discovery: "I was just looking for anything that looked interesting," she said. She never would have guessed that her 52-pound living room decor is actually a 2,000-year-old sculpture of the ancient Roman military leader Sextus Pompey.

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The Fleeting Moment

When she was only 16 years old, American poet Emily Dickinson wrote the following in a letter to her friend Abiah Root: "Let us strive together to part with time more reluctantly, to watch the pinions of the fleeting moment until they are dim in the distance & the new coming moment claims our attention."

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From Teddy Bears to Turtles

Most of us avoid conflict -- at least on some level -- because the experience can prove uncomfortable, stressful, and even disorienting. But why is resolving conflicts such a struggle? If God calls us to love others as we love ourselves, why can't we all live joyfully -- supporting one another and sacrificing our own needs when appropriate? 

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Holy Week

As we move through Holy Week -- the week between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday as Jesus journeyed his final days to the cross-- how will you prepare your heart for the most important celebration on our Christian calendar: Easter morning?

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The Ultimate Center

Luci Shaw is a poet and essayist born in London, England, in 1928 who now lives in Bellingham, Washington, with her husband. Her 2020 poetry collection The Generosity is a delightful glimpse of God's hand across our lives -- from the moss of Orcas Island to the secret sounds of a cloudy day. As we anticipate Holy Week next week, listen to the ponderings of Shaw's poem "The 'O' in Hope":

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Flight of the Bumblebee

In a new study conducted at Queen Mary University of London and published in PLOS Biology, researchers have discovered that bumblebees watch and learn from one another, demonstrating a level of social learning that scientists have not previously seen among insects.

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Spitfire

When Linda Williams was diagnosed with terminal cancer a year ago, she started organizing a dance party. Williams, who is 76 and lives in High Wycombe, England, says she can't stand funerals: "I've never been to a good funeral," she said. "They're miserable things, so I decided I wanted a celebration of my life." 

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A Symbol of Resilience

In just over a decade, Frida located the bodies of 43 people and rescued a dozen people. She began her career in 2010 when a massive earthquake hit Haiti and she found 12 people alive beneath the rubble. In 2017, she helped rescue survivors from a landslide in Ecuador. Several months later, she became a social media star and national icon when she assisted rescuers after the Mexico City earthquake that killed hundreds.

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A Carnival of Color

As we anticipate Easter Sunday on April 9, today -- Ash Wednesday -- marks the beginning of a season of introspection and spiritual self-awareness. Whether you choose to "give something up for Lent" or you are waiting for the first crocuses to bloom, how will you let this be a season of reflection and faith? What spiritual practices can you experiment with as you seek the Lord's presence this spring?

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Rev. Dr. Jennie A. Harrop
Crescendo

For the first time ever, the ceremonial pre-game flyover at last Sunday's Super Bowl was performed by an all-woman aviator team -- commemorating the 50-year anniversary of women pilots in the U.S. Navy.

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Rev. Dr. Jennie A. Harrop
Every Sense Applauds

Wallace Stegner authored more than 40 novels, short story collections, essay collections, and nonfiction treatises. Often referred to as the "Dean of Western Writers," Stegener earned the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1972 for Angle of Repose and the National Book Award for Fiction in 1977 for The Spectator Bird. A Presbyterian and an Eagle Scout, Stegner taught at the University of Wisconsin and Harvard University before settling at Stanford University for the bulk of his career as a professor of creative writing and literature.

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Rev. Dr. Jennie A. Harrop
Stars & Galaxies

According to American poet David Rosenberg, Jewish tradition has long avoided direct translations, instead employing such creative approaches as "midrash," an imaginative interpretation that digs into the meaning beneath the words.

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Rev. Dr. Jennie A. Harrop
Spreading Joy

This February, employees for the City of Tualatin will be hiding 175 hand-blown glass hearts around local parks, trails, and walkways as a part of their "Share the Love" campaign. Those who discover a decorative heart are encouraged to either keep it or hide it again so someone else can experience the joy of discovery.

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Rev. Dr. Jennie A. Harrop
Every Bird

Christian Moullec is a 58-year-old French meteorologist who is aiding the migration of a vulnerable species of white-fronted geese -- not from a lab or a classroom, but by flying alongside them.

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Rev. Dr. Jennie A. Harrop