Tag Archives: Renewal

“Fire and Forgiveness” A Mix of a Boy’s Fascination with Fire and Problems That Never Seem to Go Away

Posted on October 2, 2026 by richrockwood

My three volume novel is a story about the struggles of Barry Brown, a Catholic boy’s fascination with candles and other sacred objects causing him many problems. It started when he served his first Mass. He had been excited to … Continue reading →

Posted in Adversity, Anger, Attitude, Challenge, Choices, Faith, Fathers, Fathers and Sons, Forgiveness, Friendship, Grief, Healing, Life, Loss, Parenting, Peer Pressure, Prayer, Reconciliation, Rejection, relationships, Religion, Religious Heritage, Right Standing with God, Self-Worth, Sin, Symbols, Thankfulness, The Past | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

A Christmas Fable

Posted on December 4, 2024 by richrockwood

I just Might Believe in Santa Claus Again. Something happened to me this year that may cause me to believe in Santa Claus again. It all started one afternoon this month.  I was walking into my pharmacy when I saw … Continue reading →

Posted in Appearance, Baby Jesus, Belief, Christmas, Depression, Despair, Faith, Fiction, Humanity, Santa Claus, Testimony, Uncategorized | Tagged | Leave a comment

Why Attend Church With the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Posted on June 24, 2013 by richrockwood

Many people are turned off by church people and so don’t attend.  Although I attend, my feelings run in different directions because of my experiences: a.   Church people have been unusually nice to me, visiting me in the hospital, … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Adaptability, Belief, Bible, Choices, Christ, Church, Commitment, Communion, Despair, Diversity, Eternal Life, Faithfulness, Feelings, God, Grace, Healing, Identity, Music, Peer Pressure, Perfectionism, Perseverance, Persistence, Perspective, Praise, Reconciliation, relationships, Religion, Social Pressure, Spirituality, Worship | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

If Jesus Were a Contemporary Writer

Posted on May 29, 2013 by richrockwood

While my wife was reading the story of the Prodigal Son to me, I was struck by the powerful dialogue, the structure, and the twist at the end.  Granted it was only a parable, the impact was still stunning.  This … Continue reading →

Posted in Christ, Drama, Eternal Life, Family, Father's Day, Fathers, Fathers and Sons, Fiction, Forgiveness, Inspiration, Novel, Parenting, Problem Children, Prodigal Son, Reconciliation, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Not Made by Human Hands

Posted on May 8, 2013 by richrockwood

With so much gorgeous color all around in Spring it is natural to stop and notice it.  In fact men and women have so admired flowers and other parts of nature they have made duplicates of them.  I remember seeing … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Appreciation, Art, Balance, Belief, Creation, Depression, Enjoyment, Fear, Feelings, Gifts, God, Grace, Letting Go, Life, Nature, Old Age, Perseverance, Photography, Reality, Seasons, Spring, Time, Trust, Worry, Youth | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Life Closing In

Posted on May 6, 2013 by richrockwood

After a blustery snowy winter and then c0ld rainy days we finally are seeing signs of new life all around us.  As soon as the rains stopped, the store rooms of water in the ground and trees provided plenty of … Continue reading →

Posted in Creation, Eternal Life, Nature, Spring | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A Second Look at Life-Every Sunrise Brings a New Day

Posted on April 25, 2013 by richrockwood

An experience with despair need not end there.  Every sunrise brings a new day. A Second Look While I traveled through The back pages of my mind In search of something meaningful To calm my awareness of failure, I realized … Continue reading →

Posted in Acceptance, Adaptability, Adventures, Adversity, Appreciation, Contentment, Creation, Darkness, Depression, Despair, Enjoyment, Feelings, Grief, Healing, Letting Go, Life, Miracles, Morale, Perseverance, Perspective, Providence, Restoration, Spirituality, Stress, Suffering, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Denial

Posted on March 23, 2013 by richrockwood

The final part of a daily devotional series at Words of Hope (https://woh.org/word/devotionals/2013/03/23) looking at how people in the Bible handled tough situations: Read Matthew 26:31-35 Have you ever denied you are a follower of Jesus? In many countries a … Continue reading →

Posted in Courage, denial, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Healing, Identity, Peer Pressure, Perseverance, Perspective, reinstatement, relationships, Repentance, Restoration, Social Pressure, Spirituality, Trials, Witnessing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Questioning Life’s Reproductive Mystery

Posted on March 4, 2013 by richrockwood

A blessing breeze blows over the earth each time a seed is created.   A seed is the product of fertilization and growth within the mother plant.  It is the miracle of potential encased within a tiny coat, packed with enough … Continue reading →

Posted in Appreciation, Creation, Gifts, Life, Meditation, Nature, Pleasure, Praise, Spring | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Promise of the Rainbow

Posted on February 6, 2013 by richrockwood

Living in the Past:  Back in the late 1970’s I was returning to Michigan from California.  I had lived out there for almost two years and was now heading home.  I was driving through New Mexico when it started to … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventures, Appearance, Faith, Fear, Heaven, Nature, Perseverance, Perspective, Providence, Religion, Stress, Suffering, The Past, Trust, Visual, Weather, Worry | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment