There is a story in Mark of a man whose healing was at first incomplete.  Jesus touches the blind man’s eyes. He then asks him, “Do you see anything?” The answer is startling: “I see people; they look like trees… Continue reading

The ancient practice of fasting is little practiced in our era and when we do attempt it, it is often so symbolic that it becomes ineffectual.  Raised in a church that did not observe seasons like Advent or Lent, I… Continue reading

A lot of Americans are stressed and anxious. Anxiety shows up differently in our lives. Some of us become moody and withdrawn. Some eat too much! Some try to turn it off with alcohol or drugs. Some seek diversions in… Continue reading

Magicians fascinate me. They convince me to choose to believe that they can make people float on air or can cause the Statue of Liberty to disappear with a wave of their hands. Using tricks that divert attention, wires, and… Continue reading

Who enjoys being afraid?  Yes, there are those who ‘enjoy’ the temporary terror produced by a horror flick. (Not me!)  Then, too, there are thrill seekers who like to push the envelope in life feeling the surge of emotion that… Continue reading

My friend was socially awkward. Conversations with him tended to have long, uncomfortable pauses. Amazingly, he loved entertaining people so much that he built his house specifically to allow for extending hospitality.  He included two extra bedrooms, a big dining… Continue reading

 A young man I know was probably destined for prison. He was failing in school, hanging out with a crowd of losers, going nowhere. He made ‘easy money’ by being a courier for drugs from one city to another. One… Continue reading

Every so often a picture appears in the local newspaper featuring a couple that married for 50 or 60 years. I look at it and quietly congratulate them.  Last week I spent a couple of days at a retreat led… Continue reading

Here in the Northeast part of these United States we are ready for Springtime! It’s been an epic winter, and not in the good sense. Tons of snow and ice, bitter cold, expensive and extensive damage will make this one… Continue reading