Author: William Douthwaite

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Down but not out

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Acts 14.

In Acts 14, Jews are on a mission of their own from Antioch and Iconium to hinder Paul’s preaching. “having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead” (Acts 14:19).

However the next day, Paul and Barnabas preached in Derbe. I imagine Paul looked like Rocky after either of his fights with Apollo Creed. Maybe worse. He’s bloody, bruised, and an eye is swollen shut. He’s limping, has one arm in a sling, and is missing a couple of teeth. With a concussion like that he should sit out at least one game, right?

How would you like to visit a church where the preacher looked like that on a Sunday morning? I once preached with some stitches on my forehead from skin cancer surgery. Another time I had a bloody nose a few moments before the sermon. I don’t remember getting many questions.

But if I were in Derbe, I’d have a lot of questions. Like, “Why didn’t anyone stop the mob who came after Paul?” And, “Barnabas, why do you look so good while Paul looks so bad?” Or how about, “Don’t you ever take a day off, Paul?”

I suppose this would have been a good chance for Paul to say, “You should see the other guy.” By the other guy, I mean Jesus. After seeing what happened to him on the cross, the apostles knew what they were in for. And yet, they rejoiced “that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name” (5:41). Prison? Beatings? It was all in the job description.

Posted in coffee

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Driving through Anastasia Island on my way to a cookie delivery, a fluttering banner caught my eye: Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii.

I thought, “Really? Out here on the east coast of Florida?”

I made a mental note of other stores nearby before I obeyed the GPS directions to my delivery destination. Check it out on my way home? Absolutely.

When I pulled in, there were no other cars but the sign announced “Open” and I walked in.

All three women behind the counter welcomed me. I cut straight to the chase. I explained that I had been to a coffee farm in Kona on the big island eighteen months ago. They had a 10% Kona blend ready to go, but could make a French press 100% Kona for me. I had a chance to chat while they prepared a medium for me.

I asked, “How long have you been open?”

“About a week.”

The manager (?) explained that she used to live on Maui, behind the original Bad Ass Coffee shop. Her home was destroyed, and after two years in FEMA housing, she decided to move to the mainland with her husband and daughter. When a new franchise opened in St. Augustine Beach, she knew she was in the right place. There are around forty franchises on the mainland.

She showed me a wall of coffees for sale, including the most expensive Peaberry Kona coffee. But there was another more expensive variety on the shelf called Typica. “What’s that?” I asked.

She admitted, “I don’t know.”

So I did a little research. It’s the original variety brought to Hawaii in the 1830s, thriving on the volcanic hillsides. I’m sure it’s delicious, but at $70 for twelve ounces, I’m probably not going to find out very soon.

Anyway, my 100% Kona was delicious, and I’ll definitely be back with the wife. How nice to find an alternative to S’Bux and Dunkin.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

The breath of life

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Some “through the bible” thoughts from John 20.

It’s the evening of resurrection day when Jesus appears to all but one of the disciples in the locked upper room. Twice he said, “Peace be with you.” “And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit'” (John 20:22).

This time around, I made the connection. At the very beginning, “the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature” (Genesis 2:7).

God shows Ezekiel a valley full of dry, lifeless bones and commands him to prophesy. Ezekiel does, and “the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10).

God’s breath gives life!

It’s that time of year when our neighborhood plays host to every imaginable Christmas lawn inflatable. They lie lifeless until someone plugs in the fan that breathes air into them. Santas, snowmen, penguins, the Grinch, and dogs in Santa hats all come to life!

  • New parents check on their sleeping infants, to make sure they’re breathing.
  • I’ve been in hospital rooms where the rhythmic sound of a ventilator reminded all of our mortality and the blessing of medical technology.
  • It doesn’t happen very often in Florida where I live, but on a cold day you can see your breath. A glimpse of the divine?
  • After a tough day of guarding the house, my dogs breathe very heavily on the love seat as they catch up on their sleep.
  • Every air mattress now comes with a built-in inflator, alleviating the need for lots of huffing and puffing before bedtime.

If I’m breathing, I’m alive. God gives me my first breath, blesses me with daily breath (ands bread), and will see me through my last breath in this world.

I’ve been there for some last breaths. I’ve been there when families have pulled the plug. I’ve been there in the hospice room waiting for that last breath. I’ve held my dogs as the vet put them to sleep and they took a last breath.

What a joy to know that God reverses that, and when we take our last breath here, we take our next with him!

Posted in construction

I think this builder might be crooked

Posted on by William Douthwaite

This is a brand new house just a few blocks away from mine. They just laid the sod and no one has moved in yet.

But the garage door looks like that.

I have to believe it was a poor install. I’ve opened and closed my garage door at least once a day for the last 29 years, and it’s never done that. I had to replace the spring and the opener, but it still rides along the track nicely.

I’m thankful that my builder hired good subs and did a great job for us. He only built eight houses a year, so he wasn’t churning them out like I’ve seen recently. It’s hard to find any sub-contractors now, much less good ones. Friends of mine had a whole year of repairs before the builder finished up fixing everything in their newly built home.

If I were a builder, I’d be embarrassed to have my name on the sign in front of this house. Isn’t your product supposed to be your best advertisement?

Posted in advent, Christmas

I guess he’s not enough

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Isn’t that a nice nativity inflatable?

It’s simple and humble. I’ve seen several like this around my neighborhood. Christ is making a comeback in the annual yard decorations of Christmas.

But wait. There’s more. Let me pan out just a bit.

For some reason, the Lord just wasn’t enough. These folks had to add the ever-popular Santa-hatted snowman and French bulldog.

Don’t get me wrong. I love dogs. And I love snowmen who wear hats, gloves, and scarves. I was old before I learned that snowmen get cold, even in Florida.

In scripture Jesus humbled himself and in our world, Jesus continues down that road of humility, taking a back seat to the Grinch, Santa, penguins, snowmen, angels, wiener dogs, Mickey and Minnie, and anyone else who dons a red hat on his birthday.

That’s what God looks like.

That’s what love looks like.

The big dog and I have accumulated a collection of Christmas lights and inflatables from our morning and evening walks. You can look forward to that post and our commentary on Christmas 2025.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

A roll of the dice?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Jonathan Petersson on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Acts 1.

“And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:26).

So basically, the eleven chose the twelfth apostle by rolling the dice. The only qualifications? Being there from the baptism of John and a witness of the resurrection? Education? Don’t care. Education? Whatever. Speaking ability? Who cares? Good looking? Not an issue. Experience? We’ll train you.

Is that any way to choose an apostle? I don’t know. Jesus chose fishermen, a tax collector, and seven other guys without checking resumes or references.

How does your church choose a pastor? You pick through their resume, watch countless online sermons, interview them (on Zoom), and even pray. We make it a beauty pageant, don’t we? No one wants to admit it, but it’s true.

Is it all random? Or is it all God ordained? It depends. I believe God is behind it all. Not all would agree.

So much of life seems random. No rhyme or reason. Not true. He’s behind it all. Even if I think I’m in control. Or when I’ve done my homework and believe I have it all figured out.

God knows me (and you). He knows how we think and how we choose. He’s not surprised. He works through us anyway.

Posted in Life

Disposable

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Anastasiia T. on Unsplash

I asked my barber, “How often do you have someone sharpen your scissors?”

He replied, “I don’t do that anymore. The last pair came back ruined. So I just buy a box of a dozen and use a new pair when the old ones start to pull.”

I remember a friend of mine who had owned several restaurants telling me someone came to sharpen her kitchen knives every two weeks. I assumed that barbers and stylists did the same. Your favorite pair of scissors is worth maintaining, right?

Not any more. Scissors have become disposable, just like shoes and televisions. I’m old enough to remember when we had a shoe repair shop in our community. A new set of heels added life to my favorite comfortable, broken-in, leather shoes. Now it’s cheaper to buy new shoes than find a shoemaker.

I remember my dad taking the back off our TV to fix whatever wasn’t working. He was an electrical engineer, so he knew exactly what he was doing. He would take some of the vacuum tubes to the hardware store to test them. Sometimes he would replace one. Other times he would solder something. With a multimeter in hand, he could figure out which resistor or capacitor to replace.

I doubt anyone repairs TVs any more. A new one is inexpensive and probably better than the one you bought a year ago. Just put it out with all the others on trash day.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

I see you

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Edi Libedinsky on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from Acts 3.

“Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” (Acts 3:1-4)

I’ve had conversations with people who would not make eye contact with me. It was one-to-one conversation with people I knew well. Yet, they looked at the ground, to the side, and over my head. Anywhere but my eyes.

One of them knew I noticed. She said, “I never make eye contact. I don’t let anyone see inside of me.”

I avoid eye contact. I’ll bet you do, too. When I’m looking at someone, I look away as soon as they make eye contact with me. They do the same.

It’s a learned behavior. I say that because I’ve watched my youngest grandchildren. The twos and threes will stand there and look at someone with nothing but curiosity. In a few years, they will learn to avert their gaze.

Why?

It’s a powerful moment when Peter and John make contact with a beggar who cannot walk. It’s the last day someone will carry him to the temple gate. It’s the last day he’ll beg. It’s the first day in his life he’ll be able to walk.

What a day!

So I wondered, “What if I intentionally made eye contact with people?” What would happen if I kept looking rather than looking away? What if I smiled at them?

If I keep looking at them, they usually look away. If I look and smile, they usually smile back. Most often, they aren’t looking at me. They are talking to someone else, looking beyond me, or looking beyond me to where they are headed.

When Peter and John make eye contact with a lame man, they change his life. They give what they have: healing from Jesus!

Can I bring life to someone by making eye contact? I don’t know. But I’m going to make eye contact. They might look away. They might smile back. They might look past me to something else.

Or maybe I’ll make their day. They will know that someone sees them.

Posted in Through the Bible Devotions

Is that true?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Some “through the bible” thoughts from John 18.

I laugh out loud at pictures and videos of people, places, and things that fill my social media feeds. After filling his wheelbarrow at the buffet, a morbidly obese man crashes through the floor and capsizes the cruise ship. A buck with a chain saw fells a tree in which a hunter in waiting in a deer stand. Stephen Hawking and Queen Elizabeth II go MMA in the octagon.

Of course, none of this is real. It’s all AI generated. But it looks real enough to capture your attention long enough to ensure the algorithm will send more.

An email tells me I’ve purchased expensive anti-virus software. A text alerts me about an undeliverable package waiting for me at the post office. A message warns that I am about to go to prison for an unpaid highway toll.

Of course, none of that is legit. But they look real enough that someone somewhere will click on the link.

A door-to-door alarm system salesman tells me about all the break-ins in my neighborhood. Lightning flashes and thunder’s not far behind as the meteorologist predicts a nice, sunny afternoon. An advertisement announces today’s the last day of the sale.

We’ve learned to take it all with a grain of salt.

Not much has changed since Pilate asked, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). The priests claimed Jesus was a criminal. Others said he was a king. Jesus insisted that his testimony was the truth.

Pilate had learned to take it all with a grain of salt, too.

But what if truth is a person? In the upper room, before his arrest in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said, “I am the truth.”

Like it or not, you and I have to deal with deception. Every day. Some days, we’ll be duped. Other days, we’ll see right through it.

But we’ll never have to doubt the veracity of Jesus.