There he was--like so many people in the book of Mark, coming to kneel at the feet of Jesus and ask for healing. Make no mistake about it. This is a healing story (read here). The rich young man had done everything he was supposed to do, yet something was off. He wasn’t sleeping well. He felt anxious all the time. And how could that be happening when he was so wildly ...
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In my neck of the woods, most schools kick off classes tomorrow. Whether or not we have kids of our own, we all benefit when the children in our community have positive experiences in school and receive a solid education. Here's a prayer we can pray today and throughout the year for the kids, teachers and parents in our midst. Thank you, God for children whose excitement and energy and creativity ...
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One of my theological pet peeves is the phrase, God’s Got This. It seems to be used on everything from a pop quiz to a cancer diagnosis to an upcoming job interview to relationship issues. In response to troubles, you get: don’t worry, God’s got this. I see it crop upon FB and email threads and even refrigerator magnets. Depressed? Cheer up! God’s got this. Lonely? Get out there! God’s got this. Money ...
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Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats. Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along ...
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The first day of August, typically one of the hottest times of the year across the country, is a great time to think about the story of Jesus being tempted in the desert. Because the dog days of summer may be the best time for us to try and relate to what Jesus went through. Just imagine: You have been out of work for over a month. It’s August in Arkansas and the ...
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It's National Avocado Day, y'all! Today at Chipotle's (and probably other burrito franchises) across the country, you will not have to pay for guacamole on your rice, meat, bean and cheese concoction of choice. Other ways you could celebrate National Avocado Day: Hug a milennial Serve avocado toast to someone who doesn't know it's a thing Save a friend from avocado hand by giving her/him one of these Make avocado ice cream. Yum! And while guac may ...
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William Barclay, one of the world’s most prolific Christian commentators, said, “One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement…It is easy to laugh at [people’s] ideals; it is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks ...
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Psalm 13 Psalm 13 is a psalm of lament. Psalms of lament are more than a little uncomfortable to read. Should the psalmist really be saying those things out loud? Should we even be reading this stuff that the psalmist shouldn’t have said out loud in the first place? I mean, this kind of Psalm made the final cut into the cannonized scripture, right? Surely they’re not as blasphemous as they ...
Read MoreRecently, Mark Harris, the GOP Nominee for North Carolina's 9th Congressional District seat, said that women should serve their husbands because "only one title is given to a woman in all of scripture...the title given to a woman is 'helper.'" Now there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a helper. We should all be helpers, but no one should be relegated to a single role in life. It's limiting and oppressive ...
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Go ahead. Take your faith to work today. Let go of the idea that people who are seriously called by God become ordained clergy-type people or go into the foreign mission field, and everyone else is off the evangelism hook. Not only is this misguided, it’s not even Biblical. *Noah was a shipbuilder, a zookeeper and a cruise director Abraham was in real estate development Joseph was a pioneer in food distribution systems Esther was ...
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“It’s the only national anthem that exists that ends [as usually sung] in a question mark,” according to Loras John Schissel, a music specialist at the Library of Congress, long the center of anthem scholarship. “I think that’s so appropriate for this big thing we call the experiment in Democracy,” he said. “Because it’s always unfinished. It’s always a day-to-day contribution that we all make to make sure that it goes ...
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If you have given up on church because the church is anti-LGBTQ, anti-women, full of hypocrites, too interested in social status and not interested enough in helping the poor and the marginalized, you clearly haven't looked very hard for a church. There are plenty of churches (like mine) that are welcoming and affirming, have LGBTQ people and women in leadership roles, wear shorts to church and turn tiny amounts of resources ...
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This is at the core of what I believe it means to be Christian. Jesus invites us all to the table. There is enough for everyone, and everyone has a place. As Christians, we don't get to choose who we serve, and we don't get to decide who gets a place at the table. In my eyes, Sara Sanders Huckabee is the worst kind of people. She has completely deserted the ...
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Joy is something that sees quite elusive these days. Outrage, indignation and anger are readily available, but joy seems in short supply. These words of poet Mary Oliver are resonating with me today, particularly her thought that what she was born for was to instruct herself over and over in joy and acclamation. Mindfulby Mary Oliver Every DayI see or hearsomethingthat more or less kills mewith delight,that leaves melike a needle in the haystackof ...
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William Barclay, one of the world’s most prolific Christian commentators, said, “One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement…It is easy to laugh at [people’s] ideals; it is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks ...
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We watch as the jets fly in with the power people and the money people, the suits, the budgets, the billions We wonder about monetary policy because we are among the haves, and about generosity because we care about the have-nots. By slower modes we notice Lazarus and the poor arriving from [war torn countries], and the beggars from [Mexico and ...
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John 9 I always find healing stories in the Bible problematic. It’s not that I don’t believe the stories. It’s not that I don’t believe that Jesus has the power to heal. It’s that it always brings up the question—if Jesus could heal this blind man, then why doesn’t he heal my blind friend…or my mother who is dying of cancer…or my child with cerebral palsey? If Jesus is this great ...
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As a student at Princeton Theological Seminary, I have found that some of the best theology I have learned has been centered around “RuPaul’s Drag Race." This past year, every Monday, a loyal contingent of queer students at PTS gathers in my room to drink wine, chat and hardly pay attention to this show. It’s one of the places on campus where true familial community is found. The show only runs ...
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If you are not participating in (or even heard about) The Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, you need to find a way to get involved. As Christians, we are called to serve those who are in need, to reach out to those on the margins of society and to welcome the stranger. And we often do a pretty good job of addressing the immediate needs of the ...
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Created In God's Own Image Genesis 1:26-31 We are created in God’s own image, in Latin, the imago dei. But what does that mean? How can we fully embrace that we are created in God’s own image if we have no idea what God looks like? Truthfully, it is hard to understand how we are made in the likeness of God when we don’t fully understand God. And, because we are not God ...
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This is a revised version of a post in which I asked the question: Do Christians get to choose who to serve? Three years later, I’m ready to simply answer with an emphatic “No. We don’t,” but ask again: why would any Christian even think we get to choose when it comes to serving people? I get that as a business owner, you may want the ability to choose who you ...
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To paraphrase the late, great humorist Sam Levenson: Disliking entire groups of people because of their skin color or religion is ridiculous when there are so many perfectly legitimate reasons to dislike people on an individual basis. I've come to believe that racism is for lazy people who love to hate. Take Roseanne Barr's career-ending tweet. Her rant against Valerie Jarrett attacked the former Obama aid's looks (and that alone is ...
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We all start our day with an invisible sign around our necks--one that says, I AM Lovable and Capable (IALAC). We head out in to the world believing that it is a new day, anything can happen and we will be able to handle anything that comes our way. But as the day wears on, we encounter people who put us down, situations that bring us down and problems that ...
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It is harsh when your own kid calls you on your bull#@*%. I've been struggling lately, as nothing I touch seems to fall in to the "successful" category. Over the course of my ministry at First Pres Argenta, I have been ghosted by church attendees/members too many times to count. I've received so many calls and/or emails explaining how much people love and appreciate the church (and me), but they've decided ...
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People like to talk about "Family Values" or "Core Values" as if we all hold the same things to be important and, well, valuable. But we all have different values, and even those of us with the same set of values would most likely rank their order of importance differently. But whatever our values are, the key is to stick to them, not use them as weapons when it suits our ...
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In my Presbyterian tradition (PCUSA), we talk about being reformed and always reforming. In the United Church of Christ (UCC), they say that God is still speaking. Both statements are ways of communicating that our understanding of who God is and who we are called to be is ever changing and growing. Other traditions may criticize us for implying that God changes or accuse us of "changing God" to fit ...
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May those who have waited until the last minute be swift and safe on their way to the post box (or at least be fleet of finger on their keyboards) May those who turned in their forms weeks ago resist the urge to be smug May those who feel taxed by the work that comes their way during this season find some relief May those who receive a refund spend it wisely May those ...
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Everyone knows Sherlock Holmes, but most people have not heard of Edward Locard--often referred to as the Sherlock Holmes of France. Locard was a pioneer in the use of forensic science to solve crimes, particularly the science of trace evidence. He posited that every contact leaves a trace. A criminal always leaves something behind at the scene of a crime s/he commits and takes something from that scene with him/her. ...
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John 20:1-18 There she was Sitting in the darkness The sunlight just barely beginning to creep in to the world She was hiding in her memories Reminiscing about better nights and better days She was certain that nothing would ever be better again. She was still breathing But the air just seemed to rattle around in an empty cavity since she was sure her soul had been sucked right out of her body and there was nothing left ...
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The word “Maundy” is derived from Latin “mandatum,” which means “commandment.” On Maundy Thursday (when we celebrate the institution of the Lord's Supper), not only does Jesus command us to eat the bread and drink the wine in remembrance of him, he also offers us a new commandment: "that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 13:34, Revised Standard Version). In ...
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I sometimes wonder if the death of the church will be youth soccer or apathy (I would say the two will have to duke it out, but you know...apathy). Actually, the biggest sign that a congregation is marking the beginning of their end is when they decide to cut mission and outreach money out of their budget. Because that's when a church quits reaching out beyond its walls and becomes ...
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As I proudly watch young people across the country stand up against violence in their schools, I am saddened by the many adults who discount their efforts, their feelings and their voices. Just a quick reminder that many of the heroes of our Bible were young, too. Gideon He was sure that someone has young as he from a family of no influence or power could possibly lead the Israelites to victory ...
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On this International Women's Day, we're celebrating 10 women who were the first in their field--not the first women, just the first. Annie Edison Taylor –first person to go in a barrel over Niagara falls (okay, perhaps this doesn't fall into the category of "historic," but it's still cool.) Marie Curie –first to win Nobel Prizes in Two Different Fields (chemistry and physics) Lady Gaga—first to have 30 million Twitter followers Margaret Knight—invented the ...
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Beyond his Holy Week famous and oft-quoted line (slightly paraphrased), "I wash my hands of the whole thing," how much do you really know about Pilate? Here are five things you may not know about the man who sent Jesus to his death. One: Pilate's wife, Procula, is a canonized Saint in the Orthodox Church. The basis of this canonization is mainly found in Matthew 27: 19, in which she shared ...
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I'm thinking of starting a movement to use the word "team" instead of "church" in order to boost commitment to the latter. Almost every kid I know who plays on a team has been taught by parents and coaches that once you commit to a team, nothing (short of extreme illness or injury) should keep you from making it to practice or a game/match. Because if you're not there, you're letting ...
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The message of Ash Wednesday has never been so painfully illustrated as it was yesterday. When clergy talk of facing our own mortality on the first day of Lent, we are generally speaking metaphorically, but for parents and students in Parkland, Florida, it was tragically literal. Every time another school or mass shooting occurs in our country, an Onion article entitled 'No Way to Prevent This' Says the Only Nation where ...
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We do, indeed, live in politically divisive times. There is much to stand up for, speak out about and steel against. But statements like the one above from the former governor of my state, who is also a fellow clergy member, have no place in our discourse. They are offensive (this one on SO many levels), distasteful and (as any good Southern girl would tell you) down right tacky. I get it. I ...
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Over the last few days, I've been marinating in my own anger (something I really don't like doing and generally manage to avoid) over the statement Tony Perkins, head of the evangelical Family Research Council, made in response to the allegations that Trump paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 for her silence over their alleged affair. Perkins asserts that President Trump gets a "mulligan" for his behavior. Other prominent evangelicals claim ...
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This is what we've come to: Thank you God. Only two this time. Only two children died in the latest school shooting. (I mean, at the time of this writing it is the latest school shooting...at least as far as I know...there's probably another one happening by now.) Thank you, God, that it was high school kids. Kids who have grown up in the school shooting culture and have been trained in how to ...
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Tomorrow is National Compliment Day. While there is still plenty to be outraged about, many policies to protest and a ton of things in our nation and our world that need changing, my heart craves a break from all the criticism and critiques, from the ugly words and angry hearts. For a day, could we flood our social media feeds with compliments? Not empty, insincere platitudes, but sincere compliments for people, businesses, ...
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I am an ardent advocate for self-care. There is no debating that if you do not get enough sleep, healthy food, exercise and quiet, you are not living your best life now. You are not able to live into all that God calls you to be. Of course, we all go through times when all of those things are simply not possible (sick kids, work deadlines, family crises), but making ...
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According to my extremely anecdotal and highly-unscientific research, despite the musical claim that the holidays are the most wonderful time of the year, about 90 to 95 percent of the population spends at least part of the holidays with relatives who do not bring out the best in us. Relatives whose opinions and stances on politics, race, religion and the lives of everyone in the room cause stress, strife and ...
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Maybe this Christmas Ron Sexsmith captures what we all hope for at Christmas. Maybe this will be the year. The one where we access everything we truly want out of Christmas. Maybe... If this kind of Christmas is the one you've been seeking, then don't leave it to chance. Don't just hope for "maybe." Love deeper Choose to forgive Open Doors Shine the light Be grateful Participate in the incarnation by letting the Word be ...
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I'm leading a study on the book "Waking up White" beginning in January. We'll meet once a week via Zoom, so you can sign up from anywhere. It's free. I'm leading the one that meets on Tuesday nights, but there's also a Sunday evening and Thursday noon option. Come on. Read the book. Wrestle with the hard stuff with other folks who are willing to do the same. Sign up HERE
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This song has a part in the Lessons and Carols service at First Pres Argenta every year as, for me, it captures who we are supposed to be as Christians (at Christmas and throughout the year). If we can't welcome those who don't believe exactly as we do to the table, then we are embarking on adventures in missing the point.
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Recently I had to explain to my 16-year-old that No Doubt was the name of a punk band that Gwen Stefani was in before she was Gwen Stefani. Their cover of the Vandals "Oi to the World" makes my favorite Christmas song list because it captures the hope of Christmas as well as espousing the sound theology that God coming on Christmas Day means that "everybody wins." Note: the lyrics are below ...
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Today only, use the code CYMON to get 25% off of all Doubting Believer online studies. If you're buying as a gift for someone, just put their email in the note at checkout and the date you'd like them notified, and we'll include them in the study. The Bible On-Location 22 plus 44 Days to a New Prayer Discipline (now with weekly Zoom call) The Gospel According to Broadway
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It is a powerful indicator of the mood and the state of our country that the American Music awards opened last night with a soulful duet cover of REM's Everybody Hurts by Pink and Kelly Clarkson. Last year the opening of the award's show was a supercharged Bruno Mars medly, and the year before that it was a dance extravaganza, featuring host JLo and Nicki Minaj. This year, the show ...
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There are a lot of statements floating around these days masquerading as apologies. From politicians to celebrities to news anchors to the guy next door. A lot of people are saying that they are sorry in ways that make us all pretty sure they don't mean it at all. To help cut through the apology clutter, here are the three key elements to include (or look for) in a genuine apology: Own ...
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At the heart of my call to ministry is the desire to combat the use of the Bible as a weapon. Christians are not called to tear other people down--governments, temples and systems of oppressions--yes...but never people. We can't possibly attempt to live into our call to follow Jesus Christ and to become more Christ-like if we insist on tearing, holding and/or keeping others down. "Love one another as I ...
Read MoreWhile studying the Book of Amos this week, it occurred to me that it is the anti-prosperity gospel. It doesn't tell rich people they've received their riches as a reward from God, but that their riches have caused them to turn away from God and from the least of these. So just for fun, I searched "Joel Osteen Amos" to see how (or if!) the king of the prosperity gospel ...
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In our 22 plus 44 days to a Personal Practice, we've talked about how technology can be a great aid to prayer and devotional disciplines. If you haven't checked out these apps, take a look. The Ceaseless app is designed to pull from your contacts and remind you daily to pray for three or more of them (picked at random) from your contact list. The beauty of this app is that ...
Read MoreAlmost every pastor I know right now is struggling with criticisms of being "too political" in the age of Trump, but he's really left us no choice. Because while we, as Christians, can and will disagree on policy, we must stand against the mistreatment of people. Wherever you are on the political spectrum, there's no denying that our presidnet continues to make statements and take actions that are harmful (not just ...
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Last week's episode of the re-vamped Will and Grace (featuring the always-adorable Ben Platt) pointed out how the experiences of young gay people today are vastly different than those of the folks who came along (and out) 20 years ago...even 10 years ago. Today is National Coming Out Day. A professor from Ohio State has written an op-ed piece for the Washington Post asserting that a special day for coming out ...
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I’m just going to come right out and say it—I don’t care for football. I’m really not interested in who played this weekend or what the outcome of the games were. Perhaps it’s because in four years of high school, our team won one game. I attended two different colleges and one grad school—none of which had a football team. Maybe I’m turned off by all the hitting. What can ...
Read MoreI read and watch and listen to a lot of mystery, police procedural and spy story fiction. No reality-tv or true crime for me. If today were the beginning of one of my books, I would bet money that the retired accountant who was found dead, surrounded by a pile of guns in the hotel room where the shooting took place was a dupe. Not the real shooter. Instead, he would ...
Read MoreI know that's really not an acceptable thing for a pastor to say, but you might as well know the truth (if you don't already). Holy Week and the week before Christmas are a bit of a nightmare for pastors. Not only are the schedules jam packed, but there is the pressure of coming up with just the right thing to say about the same story year after year in ...
Read MoreMatthew 18:21-35 When I was about eight years old, I told my mother that I would not be attending Sunday School anymore. I said they just told the same stories over and over again, and that I had heard them all. Needless to say, I did not get out of Sunday School. This is one of those stories that seems to come up over and over again in the Bible...at least the ...
Read MoreThis is one of the prayers we're doing in our 22 plus 44 Days to a Personal Prayer Practice. In the midst of hectic days and troubled times, I've found this one particularly helpful, so I thought I'd share with everyone. Breath Prayer There are several ways to do breath prayer, and we'll go through several types over the next few days. The goal of this prayer is simply to experience God. ...
Read MoreSome of my favorite religious songs are songs about water. Themes of thirst being quenched, heading down to the river and being washed clean really resonate with me. As I helplessly watch the Houston (and now New Orleans) waters rise on television and social media, I think about how those songs must sound to people whose lives have been turned upside down and endangered by water. Coming to the fountain no ...
Read MoreThis idea of a whites only country is not only offensive and ridiculous, it would be a logistical nightmare. I mean, how white do you have to be? Is there a shade-o-rometer? Is there a DNA test you have to take? What if it's summer, and you're just really tan...or orange? See? Sure, there are far more than 10 reasons why a whites-only country would be a drab and dreary palce, ...
Read MoreWhite Flour, the tale of humor winning over hate (based on a real event), is now available in video form. Author, songwriter and peace activist David LaMotte has made it available for all to share.
Read MoreThere is a lot to be angry* about right now, but to allow that anger to transform us into hateful creatures is to defeat ourselves instead of the ones who are causing our anger. Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Ephesians 4:26 (The Message translation) Anger isn't a bad thing. ...
Read MoreLike many pastors this weekend, I scrambled to adapt/change/rewrite my sermon to make at least some attempt to address the events in Charlottesville. It's not as poetic or as polished as I would like it to be, but here it is in audio and written form. Psalm 46 Acts 2:37-42 [podbean type=audio-square resource="episode=yswmd-6f22e5" skin="1" auto="0" height=315 ] Today kicks off a series on the sacraments. There’s two Sundays on Baptism and two Sundays on ...
Read MoreWe all know there is an opioid addiction epidemic plaguing our country. An epidemic that is far too serious and complicated a problem to fix in a blog post. However, there is another epidemic sweeping the country (if not the entire world) that can easily be addressed is five simple steps. I'm referring, of course, to our growing addiction to outrage. It seems there is nothing that America loves more than to ...
Read More"I breathe in. The water will wash my wounds clean. I breathe out. My mother submerged me in water when I was a baby, to give me to God. It has been a long time since I thought about God, but I think about him now. It is only natural. I am glad, suddenly, that I shot Eric in the foot instead of the head." —Tris in Divergent by Veronica Roth This ...
Read MoreI've been thinking (as many have) about what it means to resist in our particular time in history, and how difficult it is not succumb the infectious anger and the addiction to outrage that exists and persists in our world today. Intellectually, I know that the heart of peaceful resistance is not repaying hate for hate or anger for anger and actually loving our neighbors and our enemies just like Jesus ...
Read MoreI am not a fan of self-help books. I was scarred by a Zig Ziglar "I Can" course back in high school and have never fully recovered. I'm not even sure the following fall into that self-help category, but I have found myself illumined, amused and empowered by all of these foul-mouthed books. If you've ever found yourself stymied by other people's opinion, the belief that you are not good enough ...
Read MoreRecently, I've seen several articles that speak of progressive Christianity and use the word "progressive" as a derogatory term, suggesting that we progressive Christians have tossed out the Bible, given up any moral compass we may have possessed and just do whatever feels good. Yeah, I call horse hockey on that. Here is my list of six signs that you may be going to a progressive church. Nobody is arguing about who does and doesn't ...
Read MoreIn my neck of the woods, we are about two weeks away from the start of the school year (except for the kids who have already started at year-round charter schools), so all of the articles about the importance of preparing the night before--backpacks, homework, breakfast, lunches, etc--are starting to appear. We all know mornings go more smoothly when we've taken the time to prep the night before. We don't always ...
Read MoreTake a moment to read this beautiful and heartbreaking response to Trump's twee re: transgender people serving in the military. Please Be Advised
Read MoreI know. It's just like a cis-gendered, straight white person to ask for some leeway, some wiggle room, some forgiveness...as if we don't already have enough advantages. But as the landscape of gender identity and sexuality is becoming more and more fluid, some of us--even those with the best of intentions (I know, I know, road to hell and all)--are having trouble keeping up with how to be helpful allies and ...
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I've was never a huge Kei$ha fan when she was at her peak. First of all, there's that dollar sign in her name (how substantive can you be when money is literally part of your name?). Then, there are the songs that made her famous, which celebrate and champion drunken debauchery. One night of drinking too much and dancing too hard and staying out too late can be celebratory and ...
Read MoreThe unsung hero of the summer conference season--the adult sponsor. This is for you. This is for: The ones who give up vacation, income and time with family to bring youth into Christian community The ones who spend nights on rickety cots and under inflated air mattresses The ones who drive the vans filled with stinky teenage boys and giggly teenage girls The ones who who can't believe they have to do one more trust ...
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I just spent a week at Ferncliff Camp and Conference Center, a camp that is growing and flourishing and providing a space to live in Christian community and revel in God's creation. Far too many Presbyteries and other denominational entities are exercising extreme short-sightedness by letting go of their camps. It is to them that I dedicate the following psalm--or at least I'm calling it an psalm. Purists may challenge ...
Read MoreOne of our most popular posts during the Lift Up For Lent series was about the importance of hugs. If you need more reasons to increase your hugging, check out this post on Jen Reviews. You owe it to your physical, spiritual and emotional well-being.
Read MoreMy mother's day children's sermon was more of a bust than my children's sermons normally are. I generally don't preach on Mother's Day. I attend a conference every year the week before, and I have historically gotten someone else to preach for me that day. But I'm going to be gone three different Sundays during the summer, so I thought I should fill my own pulpit post-conference this year. My mind must ...
Read MoreOn Not Leaving it to the Stones Preached at a gathering of the Arkansas United Methodist Clergywomen May 4,2017 Luke 19:37-40 This passage marks the beginning of the end of Jesus ministry on earth. People have gathered to welcome him to Jerusalem, and they are so excited! They’ve heard about the healings. They’ve heard about the miracles. And here was the man behind it all. They are shouting and singing and waving palms, and ...
Read MoreBecause the runaway hit series 13 Reasons Why is distinctly lacking in resources and alternatives for those who are dealing with mental illness, contemplating suicide or living with complicated grief, here are some sites that provide information, encouragement and support. Please pass along to teens and parents that you know. The Born This Way Foundation (the non-profit, not the Two-Faced cosmetic brand foundation) is working to end the stigma of mental health ...
Read MoreRecently my home state has gone on a killing spree of inmates on death row. It has been a painful time. I am against the death penalty. I was raised by parents who were and are anti-death penalty. I have some good and honorable reasons for holding that stance and some very Christian (yet oddly not that honorable) reasons as well. When I was a kid, someone was debating with my ...
Read MoreThere is an attempt in our community to hijack our public school system and bring in more privately run schools and implement a voucher system. It's being touted as school choice. It sounds good. We like choices. Especially Americans. And any good parent wants to do what is best for their child. Why shouldn't parents be able to choose the best school for their child? There are many reasons vouchers are not a ...
Read MoreEveryone should be free to breathe. That's something we can all agree on, right? But for about a month in the spring and around three weeks in the fall, I can't breathe. I have some serious grass and tree pollen allergies and when everything starts to bloom and the world looks beautiful, I stay inside as much as possible. But even then, I can't breathe. I'm in pretty good shape. I ...
Read MoreNo matter what your stance on immigration, can we please stop referring to people as illegal? People can be in a country illegally or even be residents without proper documentation, but people, themselves, are not illegal.* No one has to apply to be a person. One might argue that application to be part of humanity should be required, but as it stands now, everyone who is born gets to be a person. It's important ...
Read MoreFollowing a message at our Saturday night service on taking Sabbath seriously, I made good on my commitment to turn off my phone, computer and television for 24 hours. I'm a little embarrassed that such action is a radical move for me, but here's what happened. I had to wonder about things. What yogurt chain was the first one to start the self-serve craze? No idea. Who voiced the fluffy white fru ...
Read MoreOn this inauguration day, we pray for a day when hope abounds in all our people when no one is viewed as suspect because of the color of his skin or the covering of her hair when everyone is able to make a living wage when there is healthcare for all when all children have full access to quality education when art and music and theater are valued and viewed as vital to our lives when women are given control over ...
Read MoreOne of our household's favorite quotes is from Dory the amnesiac blue tang fish in Finding Nemo. When Dory is lost and disoriented and confused, she repeats this mantra, "Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming." So when one of our family members gets a little overwhelmed and is unsure where to go or what to do next, we like to turn to that wisdom. Just keep swimming. Just keep going. As we prepare ...
Read MoreFor all the headaches and heartaches caused by social media, when people are at their best, social media is at its best. The youngest son of some friends of ours in the hospital following heart surgery. There have been some complications, and the family is in a holding pattern, waiting to see how everything is going to turn out. Waiting to see if everything is going to be okay. It's excruciating. While ...
Read MoreThere are certain things that you have to see through to the end to get the full experience. My husband once left a professional football game early because one team had clearly run away with it. He awoke the next morning to learn that he had missed what was being called the biggest comeback in NFL history. One time I remarked to an aunt of mine how much I like the ...
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If some of the rhetoric of late has you fearing that America is in danger of becoming a nation of boring straight white people, just head to your local Waffle House. You'll feel better. My daughter and I "brunched" there today. The Waffle House was busy on this rainy Saturday, and we had to wait for a table to clear. As we waited, I noticed that I felt really relaxed ...
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Modern Nativity has come up with a hipster nativity scene to showcase what it might look like if the baby Jesus arrived in 2016. Mary and Joseph are taking a selfie and the wisemen arrive on Segues bearing boxes from Amazon. There are those who have been a little outraged (if one can be a little outraged) at what they consider a sacrilegious scene. How dare they turn Mary and Joseph ...
Read MoreWe lit the candle of Hope yesterday in church. We looked at the story of Daniel and the Lion's den But didn't talk so much about the lions It was Daniels defiant act of prayer that held our attention Prayer that was illegal Done right in an open window where everyone could see A subversive act of resistance that testified to all That his God was greater than the king. That his God was ...
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In about a week, people all over our country will be gathered around the table to celebrate Thanksgiving. With the exception of a few people who may have had life-altering experiences, the people you will gather with this year are exactly the same as they were when you gathered last year... and the year before that...and for as long as you can remember. Except that this year you know. They voted for ...
Read MoreIsaiah 6:1-8 It was in the year that King Uzziah died that Isaiah saw the Lord. King Uzziah was king for over 50 years. His death thew the Judeans into a time of transition and uncertainty. Their king of over five decades had died, his son who had served as his co-regent (or co-king) for 11 years would be on his own. The Assyrians, who were heavily armed and ready for battle, were ...
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Gracious and loving God, Today, we give thanks that we live in the United States and for the freedoms and rights we often take for granted. We are grateful for the right to vote, and we honor those who sacrificed so that we might each have a voice. May we never take the privilege for granted. We ask that You would help heal the deep divisions that exist in our country. Help us ...
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