I’ve given a lot of thought to storms the last couple of weeks. Since I wrote my post about lighthouses and their strength amid the storms and relentless pounding, I’ve had some time to reflect on some of the storms in my own life. Some of them are things that I have no control over. […]

A couple of weeks ago I took a little vacation trip up to Ashland, Oregon and the Oregon Coast. The trip was very restful and energizing. The gentle rhythm of the waves rolling in is one of the greatest lullabies ever. The visit with beloved friends was wonderful as well. But one of the most […]

This week is one in which I meet myself coming and going. It’s been a month of ups and downs. I’m house sitting while both my sisters are out of town. While I’ve been house sitting, I’ve had the opportunity to revisit some of my favorite movies. The Sound of Music has been one of […]

In other times in my life, I might have given into temptation and done something I shouldn’t have. In the midst of the anxiety and discouragement though something happened that was different. I found a place in this noisy bustling city of quiet, and there I prayed. As I did so, I felt the anxiety and discouragement leave. And I realized the reason for the change was that I had decided to be still. And in that stillness, I found peace.

I have always loved hiking. Well, not always. When I was a youth, it was a real drag. I think that was not so much because I didn’t like it. It was more because I had such a bad experience as a Boy Scout.

[The] parable tells us that God has forgiven us a vast fortune of misdeeds and it behooves us to forgive all of those who owe us very little by comparison. I know that in my life, I owe God infinitely more than anyone owes me.

Probably the most evil thing about gossip is how irreversible it is. How can you ever track down everyone who has heard a rumor and passed it on, or even worse, added to it?

When it came to where the sandal hits the road, he was the one who showed compassion, probably because he knew what it felt like to be walked around.

The truth of God is a great source of comfort and strength in a world of uncertainty and distress. It keeps on going as it has in ages past and continues to do so today. Several events this last week have made me profoundly grateful for his never ending love. 4 people like this post. […]

Recently,  the choir that I sing in did a performance of Verdi’s Requiem. It’s a very dramatic work. If you’re familiar with Mozart’s Requiem think, Mozart Requiem on steroids. A lot of emphasis of the terrors of death and the final judgement. From a artistic standpoint it was nice to sing this again. I’ve sung […]

I’m not necessarily the best navigator in the world. I am not awful, but sometimes I do get confused. I have learned a lot about how to get where I’m going since moving to the foreign city of Sacramento California a year ago. But one thing of prime importance is knowing the destination and being […]

I feel a little out of my element at the moment. As part of my work I am attending a theology conference in Boulder, Colorado.  I’ve learned some new things, and been reminded of some things that I’ve known for quite a while. Sometimes something we’ve known our whole lives takes on new meaning when […]

One of the greatest gifts we can be given is having someone (or many someones for that matter) believe in us and our abilities. 6 people like this post. Like Unlike

One of my favorite movies, and an annual viewing tradition for me, is A Christmas Carol, many versions. I don’t feel like Christmas is complete unless I’ve watched the version with Alistair Sim as Scrooge and the musical version starring Albert Finney. I like other versions as well, but I always feel like I must […]

Another Christmas is here. It’s been different in a number of respects, but one thing that I have discovered is that all that I love about Christmas is still with me and it’s something that is not taken away by mass commercialism, loss of a loved one or any outward cause. The wondrous and sacred […]