When the Magi saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.Matthew 2:10-11 - NC writer Derek Maul According to Merriam-Webster, epiphany can be defined as …
Continue reading A January 6 Epiphany – grant us wisdom, grant us courage
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.Psalm 90:12 - NC writer Derek Maul This is the day I look back on 2021 and check the statistics. The numbers are interesting, and promising across the board. Health, fitness, reach, influence, even solvency(!) - it's all good. Numbers don't tell anywhere …
Continue reading Some encouraging stats from 2021 – and goals for 2022
Jesus said - “Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Put on my yoke, and learn from me. I’m gentle and humble. And you will find rest for yourselves. My yoke is easy to bear, and my burden is light.”Matthew 11:28-30 If just one photograph …
Here is my challenge. I need to communicate the essence of one whole year while still limiting myself to just a handful of photographs for each month. This is going to be tough, because some months involved a whole lot! August, for example, featured not only Rebekah's retirement, but a trip to the Mountains, and …
Continue reading The Year 2021 in s̶e̶v̶e̶n̶t̶y̶-̶f̶i̶v̶e̶ (a little over 100) photographs
Mont Blanc “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.”Luke 2:29-32 - writer Derek Maul Years ago, back in the days when our children …
Continue reading What’s the difference between my Mont Blanc pen and my dad’s new Jaguar?
Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.Psalm 37 Today I am taking a detour away from the "Love and Mercy" theme this third …
Continue reading False Positive – and the potential cost of losing trust
The "official" 2021 Christmas photo So it is time for the traditional "Rebekah & Derek Annual Newsletter." It's all right here, folks, the year 2021 in a nutshell: Rebekah and Derek turn 65, 12 more months of Covid,The end of an era,40-years of active, full-time ministry wrapped up in an epic retirement celebration, Four generations …
- bonus pick because Geoffrey took his first step! How can I summarize 30 days in 30 photos? Impossible, of course, yet it's also fun to collage a splash of images that gives the month a visual voice. By all measurements, November was full. You will see photos of us, my parents, and Naomi's beautiful …
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.John 1:14 Hope and Light: If this week's Advent lenses are "hope" and "light," then today is a good day to begin looking at the process …
Continue reading Hope and Light – good words of grace and truth
- cooking Thanksgiving Day Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.James 1:17 Thanksgiving sure has shifted in the past few years. We had all the good food; we spent hours in the …
Continue reading Glimpses of Thanksgiving Grace (Photo-Friday)
Derek Maul: Words and Photographs for the Journey 