Blog
Where
the blog
goes
On the Road: The Psalms of Ascent
Studies in Psalms 120-134, a set of pilgrimage songs.
Wayside Stops
Reflections prompted by life circumstances.
Holding the Flashlight
Assorted tips and helps for Bible study.
The Book of Daniel
Studies in Daniel 1-7 . . . where my blog began!
Recent Posts
The Heart of the Matter
February is supposed to be all about hearts and stuff – which, as a very single person, I take very little interest in (unless it translates into chocolate gifts on my desk). But in the spirit of the season, I can talk about hearts and stuff, but only on my terms: the...
Who You Callin’ Names?
What’s in a name? That all depends who’s saying it. My family and closest friends call me “Wen”; colleagues generally go with “Wendy”; students default to “Dr. Widder” (though technically, they shouldn’t…I’m still awaiting the Final Word) or “Professor Widder” (which,...
Cutting the Statue Down to Size
The statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is “mighty and of exceeding brightness” (2:31, ESV), and generally gets the most attention when people consider Daniel 2. Its commentary on world history and its prophetic value for understanding future events have been charted and...
The Worth of a Word
I’m half-way through teaching a two-week three-credit graduate class on the book of Daniel – that’s twenty hours a week of teaching graduate level material (a typical full-load week is nine hours of teaching). You’d think I’d have a head overflowing with Daniel and be...
“Are you nuts?!” Why, yes, thank you, I just might be…
One of my favorite Steve Martin scenes takes place in the bread aisle of the supermarket where he has been sent on an errand to buy hot dog buns. Annoyed by the fact that hot dogs come in packs of eight and buns come by the dozen, he flips out and rips open the bun...
A Word Is Worth a Thousand Pictures (give or take…)
Most of us are fairly obsessed with how we look. Think about how much time you spend every day making sure you smell respectably well, your clothes match, your hair is under control, your teeth are food-free, your fly is up, and so on. Appearance is pretty important...
The Host of Christmas Past
I just spent two hours swapping furniture between my dining room and living room because I'm getting ready to host a Christmas dinner party that exceeds the square footage of my dining room. I do realize Christmas is past, but not entirely. Not yet. While most of my...
Finding Our Footing
Welcome to the new year! My Christmas tree is still up (until after Epiphany), but I’m definitely ready to start jogging off the Christmas calories and to start blogging again. In case you’ve forgotten, we’re in Daniel 2, a chapter in which King Nebuchadnezzar has a...
All (Animal) Guts, No Glory
It’s your lucky day. A while back I threatened to give you more information about some men in the king’s court, specifically, the “magicians and enchanters” (1:20). We’ve reached the second appearance of these characters, so the time has come, ready or not. After his...