Author Archives: Oak Chapel UMC

Taking the Fall Many years ago, when I played slow-pitch softball in Wooster’s Parks and RecreationLeague, my teammates and I would often say, “Pick Me Up” after one of us made an outand seemingly let the team down. In other words, do something to lift us up since wefailed to do so. In our spiritualContinue reading “In A Nutshell | March 19, 2026”

Taking Out the Trash When we take our trash to the curb each week, we set the bin in place and walk back tothe house, never giving much thought to where it goes — until there is a problem. Lastmonth, for some reason, they failed to dump our bin into the truck. Sheri called severaltimes,Continue reading “In A Nutshell | March 5, 2026”

Correction Without Condemnation I never liked getting yelled at as a child. Even as I grew older, I was always uncomfortable, even embarrassed, when someone would correct me. It took years for me to understand and accept what my Mother told me many times early in life: “It’s for your own good.” Even my Fit Bit scoldsContinue reading “In A Nutshell | February 19, 2026”

The Power of God’s Forgiveness Having recently returned from a few days in sunny, but not so warm, Florida, I foundmyself mesmerized by the soothing sound of the ocean and the gentle waves as theylanded softly on the shore. What really caught my attention was the power of the wavesto erase all of the blemishesContinue reading “In A Nutshell | February 5, 2026”

When it Comes to Spiritual Food, Be Sure to Clean Your Plate When it comes to food, I am just as likely to get it on me as in me. Whether it’s ketchup,mustard, gravy, or spaghetti sauce, chances are I will wear it after a meal or a snack. Iknow, I need to be moreContinue reading “In A Nutshell | January 22, 2026”

Opportunities to Spread the Christmas Spirit Extend into the New Year The call came in early on Christmas morning, but I was not there to hear it. A woman’svoice left a message on the church’s answering machine at about 7:30 a.m. “We’re afamily of five, and we have nothing to eat,” she said. “I wasContinue reading “In A Nutshell | January 8, 2026”

By now, most of you have put up your Christmas tree and decorated it with lights, ornaments, garland, and tinsel. In our household, Sheri does almost all of the work in setting up our tree and decorating it. All I do is pull the tree out of the box and hand it to her. AfterContinue reading “In A Nutshell | December 18, 2025”

As winter grips our area and cold weather sends shivers down our spines, we tend to shift our thoughts to what we might do for the next four months. We don’t really hibernate like many of our four-footed friends, but we do like to spend time inside near the fire or under a blanket —Continue reading “In A Nutshell | December 8, 2025”

Thanksgiving: A Day to Savor Our Blessings Freshly sliced turkey, thick rich gravy, savory seasoned stuffing, delicious mashed potatoes, sweet creamy coleslaw, tasty green bean casserole, and how about a generous slice of pumpkin pie topped with whipped cream to cap off your Thanksgiving feast! Do I have your attention yet? It’s that day —Continue reading “In A Nutshell | November 27, 2025”

A Reminder Once Again to Focus on the World to Come Like most of you, I did my civic duty and cast my ballot on Election Day last week at Church of the Nazarene on Oak Hill Road in Wooster. While there, I was struck by the majestic beauty of the building, and to be quiteContinue reading “In A Nutshell | November 13, 2025”