These are surreal times in our world. How often have we watched the reports lately and said, “I can’t believe this is happening.” I try to avoid too much television news but want to stay informed. I think we have what we need at our house to carry on with some normalcy, but I have … Continue reading The Scattered Church
Social media is primarily skewed by our own choices. We pick who we follow. We can block or mute those who follow us, who seem to put out objectional content. I'm glad that's an option. I do follow some people whose opinions and worldviews are different from mine. I've got several reasons for doing that, … Continue reading Choose Your Fuel
My dentist found a cracked tooth the other day. That's a first for me, and I'd say that's pretty good for a person my age. As I wait for him to install the permanent crown, I'm very aware of the temporary's alien presence in my mouth. I've never had a crown either. The process is … Continue reading In Stages
"Behind every dark cloud there's a silver lining." The idea behind this famous phrase may have originated with seventeenth century writer John Milton. The optimistic Victorians popularized it in the nineteenth century. If we were doing a small group together, I might ask you, "What are some things in your life that obscure your vision … Continue reading Glimpse of a Silver Lining
Ebenezer Scrooge is famous for responding to others' greeting of “Merry Christmas,” with his trademark, “Bah! Humbug!” Many people feel this way about Valentine’s Day. I get it, with our cultural commercialization and high-pressure focus on an idealized romantic love. But, far be it from me to throw cold water on this holiday. After all, … Continue reading Valentine’s Day: What Love Is This?
Infectious diseases can be scary, especially one that’s new and has no vaccination. When illnesses are introduced into a population that hasn’t built up an immunity, it can spread rapidly, becoming an epidemic. You never know if you’re standing next to a carrier in a public place. Early Christianity spread like an epidemic. When Paul’s … Continue reading Are You a Carrier?
Thank the Lord that we live in an age when we can still hear firsthand memories from the people who suffered through the horrors of Hitler’s regime. Thank God for technology that has been preserving those memories for generations to come. It was real. It happened. Human beings committed atrocities on other humans beyond our … Continue reading Our Dark Human Heart
