Student of the Word

Home... What do you think of when you hear that word? If someone asked you where your home was, what would you tell them? Your current residence? Your hometown? Where is home for you? For me, I usually think of my parent's house back in Mt. Dora, FL. I go there when I need to get away from the business of college life, where I can relax, watch hours of Netflix, and snuggle with my dogs, Buttercup and Scrappy. I'm thankful to have a home like this to go back to for Thanksgiving this week.   Home is a theme people love to sing about. It's the title of countless songs. One of my favorites by Gabrielle Aplin says, "Home is where your heart is set in stone. It's where you go when you're alone. It's where you go to rest your bones." What a beautiful picture of home. The dictionary defines home as, "the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household." This definition is ironic, especially in   western...

Lately, I've been learning about the ancient and long lost art of living in the present moment. What do I mean by the present moment? Let me explain with an exercise. Disclaimer: you may look like a dork. Embrace it. In the moment as you read this, I want you to look up from your computer. Look around. What is surrounding you? Maybe you're at home in your kitchen by yourself, at your work desk surrounded by busy co-workers and ringing telephones, or in a library surrounded by students attempting to study (as I am supposed to be right now). If there's a window near by, look outside, see the beauty of the natural world with trees, flowers, sunlight, and blue skies (unless it's raining, then watch the rain fall and listen as it hits the ground outside or the roof above you.) Just take it all in for one minute. Go. Ok, now take a few seconds to look down at your hands, see how unique the patterns are, from the creases and folds, to the unique prints on your fingers. Now...