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Glimpses of Wonder™

The Song You Can’t Hold — But That Holds You — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ —

The Boston Pops were on TV, performing the piece that opens 2001: A Space Odyssey. That’s what I call it, because I don’t know how to pronounce its real name. I happened to be walking through the room as my dad was watching the performance, and when they announced what piece they would play, I stopped to hear it. This was not the first time I had heard it, so I stood about ten feet from the television set — this was before stereo TV. The brass crept in — ba… ba… baaaaa… — a pause, then ba, baaa…
Glimpses of Wonder™

The Smallest Tick of Time — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ —

A lightning bug drifts low over the grass, its glow blinking on and off like a lantern guided by an unseen hand. It hovers for a moment, then dips and lands on a leaf. Another spark, then a slow float to a nearby blade of grass. Another blink, another drift, as though the whole meadow breathes with its rhythm. Glitter and float. Glitter and float.   In the distance, a storm gathers. The horizon flickers with lightning, far off at first, just a flash at the edge of the sky. The firefly
dljbsp

dljbsp in Systems of Wonder

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Wonderful Little Lessons

Finding Contentment Amidst Unmet Desires

The Bible acknowledges the pain of unfulfilled longings. Many faithful ones have felt “yearning for a better place” (Hebrews 11:16, NWT). It can be difficult when our lives don’t match what we hoped for, especially when others seem to move forward while we feel stuck. Jehovah does not ask us to deny that pain — he keeps track of every tear (Psalm 56:8).   Contentment, however, is something that must be learned. The apostle Paul admitted: “I have learned to be content in whatever circum
dljbsp

dljbsp in Blessings

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Glimpses of Wonder™

The Wonder of Simultaneity — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ —

Two lightning bolts strike. To Albert Einstein, this was more than a storm; it was a thought experiment that cracked open our understanding of time. He imagined two bolts flashing at opposite ends of a railway. To a person standing on the platform, the bolts might flare at the same instant. But to someone speeding past on the train, one flash comes first, the other a beat later. Which is correct? Both. Einstein’s lesson was that simultaneity is relative. Two observers can watch the same world an
dljbsp

dljbsp in Perspective

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Scriptural Consideration

He Knows. He Promises. He Strengthens. — a Scriptural Consideration entry —

“There is not a word on my tongue, but look! O Jehovah, you already know it well.” (Psalm 139:4, NWT)   Have you ever sat in silence, unsure how to explain yourself? Have you ever swallowed a sob, too tired to pray? What if you knew that Jehovah already understood the word you could not speak? Before your lips move, before your mind can arrange a single phrase, Jehovah knows. He knows the fear that seizes your chest like iron. He knows the racing thoughts that will not be quiet. He kno
Scriptural Consideration

The Questions That Steady Us — a Scriptural Consideration entry —

The night is swollen with silence. You lie there staring at the ceiling, the sheet cool against your skin. The faint smell of stale coffee lingers from the counter, and the air feels heavy, almost metallic, like hospital antiseptic clinging after bad news. The shadows stretch longer than they should, and even the clock ticks louder than it has any right to. Your chest is tight — not just from worry, but from the sheer weight of being small in a world that will not stop spinning. And in that dark
Scriptural Consideration

The Witness in the Storm — a Scriptural Consideration entry —

The roof hums when rain begins. A soft tapping, then a wild drumroll. And inside, your chest hums too — from pressure you can’t shake. Maybe it’s the rent that’s due, the doctor’s voicemail waiting unheard, or the silence of someone who used to call but doesn’t anymore. The storm outside feels almost personal. Too loud. Too close. Too much.   Scientists call rain a puzzle. They map the air, count the droplets, chase the clouds. But after all the charts and equations, they still confess
Glimpses of Wonder™

As Plain as the Nose on Your Face — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ —

People have long said that a lie is “as plain as the nose on your face.” Maybe that’s why Carlo Collodi, back in 1883, chose a boy’s nose as the telltale marker of deceit. His wooden puppet Pinocchio couldn’t keep a secret — each falsehood stretched his face farther into a billboard of dishonesty.   That was children’s fiction. Yet more than a century later, researchers at the University of Granada in Spain used thermal cameras and found that lying changes facial temperature in telltal
Scriptural Consideration

Treasures That Melt Too Soon — a Scriptural Consideration entry —

Snow doesn’t wait politely. It sweeps in overnight, stacking white barricades across the driveway, pressing silence onto the streets. And just when you’re tempted to sigh at the inconvenience, Jehovah leans down and asks a question that stirs awe: “Have you entered into the storehouses of the snow?” (Job 38:22).   Picture it. Not shovels, not plows, not winter jackets. Picture vaults. Endless vaults. Each shelf lined not with sacks of grain or jars of oil, but with countless flakes. Fr
Scriptural Consideration

The Questions That Hold You Up — a Scriptural Consideration entry —

The world tilts under our feet. One day it’s a steady sidewalk, the next it’s a patch of black ice you never saw coming. You grab at air, you land hard, and suddenly all the things you thought were nailed down start sliding. Plans unravel. Friends let you down. The doctor’s tone turns heavy. And lying there, staring at the ceiling at 2 a.m., you whisper, Where is the solid ground?   Jehovah has already laid the ground under you, thicker than bedrock, older than the mountains that scrap
Glimpses of Wonder™

Elimination of Extra Dimensions — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ —

Two city-sized stars, each so heavy they bend space like iron weights on a trampoline, circle each other for eons. Think of figure skaters in slow motion — except these skaters weigh more than the Sun, and their rink is the fabric of the universe itself. In 2017, after that long, relentless dance, they finally collided. The crash sent ripples through space-time that traveled for 130 million years before brushing past Earth, where we caught them with our great laser ears, LIGO and Virgo. The even
Scriptural Consideration

The Yielding God — a Scriptural Consideration entry —

What if the Almighty never bent? What if every word came down like stone, every decree unmovable, every sentence final? Who could stand before him? Who could even speak?   But Abraham did. He stood before Jehovah and whispered the unthinkable: “What if there are 50 righteous in the city?” Then, almost sheepish, he dares again: “What if 40? What if 30? What if 20? What if 10?” (Genesis 18:28-32, NWT). Each question hangs in the air like a child tugging at his father’s sleeve. And the Ma
Scriptural Consideration

When the Father Runs — a Scriptural Consideration entry —

Some people puff themselves up so tall you can’t get near them. Ever try talking to someone who’s all ego? You feel small. You hesitate. You walk away. But what if the Almighty were like that? What if the Creator held you at arm’s length?   He doesn’t. He leans down. He says: “Pour out your hearts before him. God is a refuge for us” (Psalm 62:8, NWT). So why do we still sometimes freeze up, feeling too unworthy to speak?   Picture this: a little girl comes flying around the c
How Would You Answer?

The Party — a How Would You Answer entry —

The final tone buzzed at Ridgeview High, and the hallways erupted. Sneakers squeaked on the waxed tile floors, lockers clanged shut, and voices tangled together in a wall of sound.   “She was kissing who?” a girl shouted to her friend.   “Anyone got a lighter?” another voice called from across the hall.   “He knocked over the beaker and the whole desk was covered with foam,” a boy laughed, his voice carrying over the crowd. His friends joined in the laughter, the so
Scriptural Consideration

Jehovah’s Eyes Also Watch the Good Ones — a Scriptural Consideration entry —

Why is it comforting to remember that Jehovah notices even the smallest good? Because as his servants, we are often painfully aware of our flaws. We see the mistakes. We feel the failures. Some days, the weight of what we are not doing presses heavier than what we are. In those moments, how kind to recall that Jehovah is not only watching for faults. He is watching for the good — to correct, to help, and to bless.   Think of Baruch. He was a decent man, loyal to Jeremiah, faithfully wr
dljbsp

dljbsp in Jehovah's Care

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Glimpses of Wonder™

Surfing Giants of Loango — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ —

The Atlantic heaves, rolling out big green walls of water, and riding one of them is a hippo—yes, a hippo—perched as if on a surfboard too small for its bulk. Ears flick like rudders, nostrils flare, and for one glorious instant this half-ton river horse leans forward just right, catching the curl like a pro from a Saturday morning cartoon. Spray arcs around it like confetti, and the sight is so absurd you almost expect it to throw a shaka sign with one stubby leg.   By the time your g
dljbsp

dljbsp in Creation

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Timl1980

One Heart-Part 5

Part Five--The Road Back 📜 Research Note: Though the festival ended, the unity they experienced wasn’t tied to geography...it was tied to a decision to put Jehovah first every day. For reflection, see Insight under “Unity” and “Neutrality” and the NWT Study Bible cross-references to John 17:21 and Philippians 2:2.     “The real test of unity isn’t how we worship together...it’s how we live apart.”   The morning they left Jerusalem, the streets were quieter. Pilgrims embr
Timl1980

One Heart-Part 4

Part Four--Seven Days That Weren’t Enough Research Note: 2 Chronicles 30:23 records that the festival was extended another seven days...an unprecedented act of joy and unity. The NWT Study Bible note on this verse and Insight under “Festival” explain the significance of this extension. Hezekiah’s generosity (v. 24) is also worth noting...see Insight under “Hezekiah” for details.     “When unity is real, you don’t count the days...you add more.”   The Passover was so
Timl1980

One Heart-Part 3

Part Three – The City of One Heart Research Note: Verse 12 says Jehovah gave them “one heart” (lev echad) to act in harmony with His word. For a deeper look, see the NWT Study Bible note on verse 12 and the Insight entry on “Heart” (section on figurative use). The temple atmosphere...music, incense, priestly garments...is described in Insight under “Temple” and “Priest.”     “When Jehovah gives you one heart, you stop asking who’s from where and start asking who’s here to wor
Timl1980

One Heart-Part 2

Part Two – Crossing the Divide Research Note: Still in 2 Chronicles 30, verses 10 11 highlight that many mocked the invitation, but “some from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came.” The Hebrew for “humbled themselves” (yekhniʿu) implies bending the will...a deliberate act of submission to Jehovah. For more, see the Insight entry on “Humility” and the NWT Study Bible note on verse 11. These help us appreciate the personal cost of leaving political loyalties behind.  
Timl1980

One Heart

* I will also be posting these stories under the creative writing section as well   (I have spent the last four or five months working on a deeply personal research topic. Now, somehow, it has metamorphized several times...until finally it has turned into a short story about a real biblical account.  Even after I wrote it, I wasn't satisfied with it. I broke it down, started over...and did more research...more digging. Finally I reassembled it only to then break it into five separate s
How Would You Answer?

The Expansion — a How Would You Answer? entry —

Reynolds stood in the break room doorway. “Evan, you got a minute?”   “Sure,” Evan said, lifting his coffee as he stood.   They stepped into the factory together. The machines were pounding, gears clashing, belts whirring — a sharp clanging that made Evan flinch for a moment before his ears adjusted. It was the steady roar of work he’d long since learned to live with.   At Reynolds’s office door, the boss motioned him in. The door swung shut behind them, and the noi
Glimpses of Wonder™

The Fingerprints of God’s Precision — a Glimpse of Wonder entry™ —

If your fingertip were the size of Earth, you could run it over a city and know whether you’d just brushed past a house or a car. That’s how sensitive Jehovah made your sense of touch.   In 2013, researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden discovered that the human fingertip can detect surface differences as small as 13 nanometers—about the size of a large molecule. Imagine that: something invisible to the naked eye, smaller than a single wavelength of light, yet your bo
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dljbsp in Sensory Design

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