Fear and Its Friends: A Poem for Lent 1
No Justice. No Peace.
There is no peace here. Jesus may have breathed peace on his disciples. However, many have turned away from the peace he both breathed and embodied.
Easter
White Supremacy, a Trial, and the Possibility of Resurrection
I love the story of Thomas. He wasn’t going to believe what he had not seen with his own eyes or touched with his own hands. History has labeled him “Doubting Thomas.” It’s a bit of a misnomer.
Celebrating Resurrection
A sense of Resurrection hit me early this year. Yesterday I was able to get a vaccine sooner than I had anticipated. I needed to be in a hospital setting because of my medical conditions and the possibility of an allergic reaction.
Theological Math: We All Add Up to One (at least that’s what Jesus said… um… prayed)
We are connected, you and I, to every other person on the planet, and to the planet itself. If a global pandemic does not awaken us to this truth, nothing will. By the time this pandemic is over, everyone will be touched by it. Most will have lost a loved one to the virus. Many … Read More
Chaos, Church, and Butterfly Wings
My favorite seminary professor, Dr. James Loder, often referenced physics when discussing theology. Every time I went to his office I was fascinated by the equations and notes that covered the white boards on his walls. Very little of it made sense to me. However, when Dr. Loder spoke, and shared his views on how … Read More
The Way. The Truth. The Life.
The way. The truth. The life. These words may not mean what you think. They are not a claim on the superiority of Christianity. They are not meant to raise Jesus followers to an elite status. Jesus spoke them (at least according to the writer of the Fourth Gospel) to his disciples in order to … Read More
A Pastor’s Prayer in the midst of Pandemic
Shepherding God, my desire is to follow you to those green pastures and still waters. I want to rest in you. Yet, rest is rare in these days of crisis, and stillness if fraught with exhaustion. Caring for your people, and finding the right path through this deep valley weighs heavily on my spirit. I … Read More
Traveling Companions
On the fifth anniversary of my mother’s death, I find myself thinking about all the roads I have traveled – literally and figuratively. I’ve been on roads in many states and a few other countries. Some were crowded city roads and others were quiet rural roads. I’ve traveled on foot, on bicycle, on motor cycle, … Read More
A Living Hope
I like Thomas. I’ve always liked Thomas. He was falsely labeled as “doubting Thomas.” Imagine being Thomas. Jesus died a week before and you’ve been sequestered with the rest of the 11 for fear of the Jewish and Roman authorities. Someone has to go out for supplies and so you go. Never would you have … Read More
Grace in the Wilderness: A Poem for Easter 2020
Grace in the Wilderness an eagle flies across the sunset skies wings spread in benediction a boy peddles lazily with gas station flowers balanced in his hoodie pocket dogs behind fencing tumble and play pausing to bark as we pass by mostly masked faces hands raised in greeting keep a healthy distance small green leaves … Read More