Friday Messages

Experts. Life would be a lot easier if we had experts always available, and within easy reach. I am reminded of a time when I had mysterious brake issues with my car, a 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx....

I’m going to go ahead and rip off a band-aid: You can’t fix everything on your own. Eventually, you will need help. While that probably doesn’t come as a surprise to anyone, some of us may need the...

Here at Open Door Chapel, we enjoy our church tradition of gathering together each Friday evening to welcome the Sabbath. As the Sabbath comes there often is a change in the atmosphere--a "hushing...

Sitting here with my grandson on my lap, the words of a song came floating into my soul, a song often sung on Sabbath evenings. It’s No. 210 in Warrior Songs, written by Rose Tiedeman: “The Sabbath...

Yesterday my wife and I were at Union Square in New York City. We sell our maple goods, honey and beef there every Monday and Wednesday year round. At times it is quite surreal as you leave the...

For today, we reprint a Friday email from the late David Murray, first written in July 2000.Dear people of the living God,How many times do we look around us and sigh and groan over...

On my morning walk, I often meet Ron, an 87-year-old retired lobster fisherman. About a year ago he lost his lower leg. Today he walks with a prosthetic leg almost as well as he did before. Perhaps...

This past week I spent a lot of time "riding on the high places of the earth." Well, actually I was just standing on the roof of the Main House painting some of the dormers, but the view was...

There is a saying that exhorts us to “Major on the majors” (instead of majoring on the minors). Of course, even if we intend to major on the majors, we still have to figure out what the majors are,...

Exodus 30:7 And Aaron shall burn incense of perfume on it (the altar of incense) morning by morning; when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it. And when Aaron sets up the lamps between the evenings...

“Oh, how restful is the thought, of Eloah’s loveliness!”  These are the opening lines to the Sabbath hymn “Eloah.”  Eloah is “the lovely poetic name of God.” Should we or any thoughtful people...