I have an older brother by thirteen months, so we are really close to being “Irish Twins.” As a parent and now grandparent, I can’t imagine having two boys this close in age and I am sure we were a handful. One day mom went to the basement to do laundry and my brother and […]
I’ve been working on a book about the Holy Spirit, because I think the Holy Spirit is the least understood aspect of God. In the Trinity, we’re pretty familiar with God as God or the Father, we’re pretty familiar with Jesus, God as the Son. But the Holy Spirit? Simon Ponsonby, author of And the […]
Friends have been asking how my new gig as a Chaplain Intern is going. I’m not sure there are enough adjectives – hard, interesting, holy, emotional, affirming – just to begin. My colleagues have also been very generous with their time, perspective, insight, and their care for me. It was probably better for me to […]
James 3: 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. First of all, if you want to read a challenging book in the Bible, pick James. It’s a letter written by the half-brother of Jesus, who didn’t believe his […]
My granddaughter discovered Fused Bead kits. They are little, colored, plastic cylinders that you place on peg boards. After your design is finished, you fuse them together with a hot iron. She knows I like baseball so created a baseball design for me that I use as a coaster. Other common patterns are hearts and […]
In my previous job, I traveled extensively across the U.S. Lately, I’ve been having flashbacks on places that I’ve visited. Parks and buildings and sites that I have seen. Many that I can’t place. I have vivid images, but not sure of the locations of many of these images. Probably could go back to my […]
I had someone close to me say that they didn’t believe in God. My reaction was not surprise or disappointment or sadness. It was understanding. I understand why people don’t believe. Faith doesn’t make much sense. In addition, God has granted me the spiritual gift of doubt. I was a science teacher and have always […]
Soon it will be Christmas. Time for lots of things, including memories and traditions. Most families have recollections of their holidays – some great, some not so great. Remember the Reader’s Digest Christmas trees? You would meticulously fold all the pages, spray paint it gold, and afterwards — it looked like a really horrible gold […]
What does God look like? If I was made in the image of God. Do I look at others the way God looks at me? With caring acceptance and best intentions. How does God look at those who have committed great sins? The same way that God looks at those with little sins. When do […]
I made a goal of riding 60 miles on my bike for my 60th birthday. So I picked out the morning where it was forecasted to have light winds and set off around the bike trail. I wasn’t feeling the best that morning, hadn’t ridden for over a week, and was starting to sort out […]