THE BLOG

Back in the 1980’s my family lived in Columbia, SC, where I served on the ministry staff of Shandon Baptist Church. Our family lived next to a couple in their mid-70’s. His name was Charlie. One spring day while Charlie was mowing his grass, a rake-like attachment on...

In just a few days our nation will celebrate its 249th birthday. That means the Declaration of Independence is celebrating its 249th birthday as well. With the signing of that Declaration by members of the 2nd Continental congress on July 4, 1776, our nation was born, emerging from a womb of great discontent with our past and present, but also with a great hope for a new tomorrow. Whereas all of the Declaration is important, what sets it apart for me and causes it to be such a powerful, beloved document is the preamble – and not even all of the preamble. For me it is the first 106 words which pack such great power and which resonate with me and others 249 years later.

Anyone who has bought or sold a house has experienced that moment in the sales process when the buyer makes an offer, but it is contingent on a home inspection paid for by the buyer. The moment the inspector’s report is made available can be a tense moment. My wife Lynne and I experienced that tension the last time we sold a house. When the inspection report came back, the inspector indicated that he had found three instances where…