Irreverently, when saying the pledge of allegiance, I sometimes replace “liberty and justice for all,” with “liberty and justice for the rich.”  I’m not exactly joking!  In this nation, which I love, injustice is rampant. Perhaps I am just a… Continue reading

Jim was taught that the world was a dangerous place, that people were terrible, that God was angry.  He was told that he had to work hard to make things right, that he never could let others get ahead of… Continue reading

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 Some of us become moody and withdrawn.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