We are all familiar with the maxim "those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it" (attributed to George Santayana). Though I like Santayana"s maxim (I like to think my schooling means something), yet it is not as easy to practice as one might think. For me this has been illustrated in... Continue Reading →
Where are the Shepherds?
Art has a major impact on our lives, whether or not we fully understand or appreciate the art around us. Even the lack of art in our lives can have an impact on how we see the world. At Christmas we turn our homes into works of art as we celebrate the birth of Jesus.... Continue Reading →
Repent You Hypocrite
The most underappreciated element of Advent and Christmas is repentance. John the Baptist preceded Jesus with the message to Israel for "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." And this year more than most I think of the need for repentance in preparing for Jesus' arrival at Christmas. I know this is in... Continue Reading →
What is there to be Thankful for?
Like many others, my family will not be gathering together for Thanksgiving this Thursday. It is truly disappointing to me not to be celebrating with my parents and siblings; however, some of us have had recent exposure to COVID so the decision not to get together was easy. I have been struck by how many... Continue Reading →
Justice for the Unborn.
It is not at all surprising to me that I received push back on my post Pro-Life Values and a Pro-Choice President. I completely expected the typical comments from people identifying as pro-choice saying I was pushing my values on them and pro-life individuals saying I was ignoring abortion. I do not think either of... Continue Reading →
Veteran’s Day
Today is Veteran's Day, a time when we pause to reflect on the military service of so many within our nation's history. I confess I struggle with this holiday at times. My struggles began a decade ago when I was asked to pray during a Memorial Day service. My prayer followed music which talked of... Continue Reading →
Pro-Life Values and a Pro-Choice President
In the interest of full disclosure: I did not support Mr. Biden in the election in any way. I also specifically refrained from posting this until after the election, lest I be accused of trying to influence the election or support a candidate. For the last four years while Donald Trump has been president, I... Continue Reading →
What We Need is a New Approach
The election is over (I’m writing this before that statement is true but what I am saying does not depend on the outcome) and the one thing we must remember is that God is truly just, and it is God’s work which is perfect. That means if you are despairing over the results, remember God... Continue Reading →
Life is Hard
"Life is hard." How many times have you heard that or a similar phrase used. And it is true; at many points in our lives are marked by struggle and difficulty-- that's inevitable. We are all going to struggle with loss and grief, worry and anxiety, weakness, failure, fatigue- mental and physical, and a whole... Continue Reading →
The Pieces Need to Fit Together
One of the great issues I see with modern society is that our lives are compartmentalized. We are not whole people we divide our lives based on our commitments. At work a person is expected to be an employee with total allegiance to the company. In social settings a person can be a Republican or... Continue Reading →
Squinting in the Light 