Deus Misereatur

I sat my youngest grandson down with this book in hand and asked him, "Have you ever heard of Sherlock Holmes?" He thought for a bit and then shook his head no. I knew, then, that I had failed as a grandfather! So this handy, fully illustrated volume was the perfect gateway into the legacy of Sherlock Holmes for a grandfather to read with his grandson.  The book only includes three of Arthur Conan Doyle's tales of the great detective: "The Red-Headed League" "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" and "The Adventure of the Copper Beeches". Illustrations are on every other page and help young readers to stay with the story line. And Malvina G. Vogel has edited these stories in such a way that it is almost impossible to tell where she has made adaptions and edits. It is large print that old eyes and young readers alike can take in comfortably. Now my grandson has had a taste of Holmes and Watson, and it has been my pleasure to introduce him to the...

Departing In Peace Many years back I was hired on as a part-time hospice chaplain in Midland Texas. Sometimes emotionally exhausting, at other times extremely enriching. It was during that 1 ½ year time I gained a deep appreciation for end-of-life occurrences and comprehension that came in handy as my own father reached the end of his days. And that period as a hospice chaplain has confronted me with my own mortality and brevity of life. That’s what makes “Departing in Peace: Biblical Decision-Making at the End of Life” such a valuable volume. This 328-page paperback, penned by Bill Davis, professor of philosophy at Covenant College, adjunct professor of systematic theology at Reformed Theological Seminary, and an elder in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), brings readers to address important questions for themselves and their loved ones when they approach their final season. It may well bring one to tears, but more importantly, it will give a person biblical and practical tools...