You've seen the bumper sticker "Practice Random Acts of Kindness." I confess I've seen them all over and my reaction to this altruistic admonition ranges (depending on my mood) from mild annoyance to a twinge of guilt. But rarely does this bumper sticker psychology move me to action. But, hey, that's the weakness of a…
Fr. Barnabas Powell
"It is a great achievement not to be attracted by things. But it is a far greater achievement to remain dispassionate in the face both of things and of the conceptual images we derive from them." St. Maximos the Confessor
Isn't that great? The ability to be free from a slavery to desires, but not just…
It started with what I thought was a simple explanation. But he didn't "get" it. So, I tried again to make it even simpler. And still the quizzical look on this PhD.'s face wouldn't go away. He didn't understand what i was trying to say. Frustrated, I told him "Your just too educated to understand!"…
"I am sick of this! I mean it, this is the very last time!" I hear these words in my head and I know they are a lie. I'm having to clean up another mess someone else has made! And I feel the resentment and anger rising in my heart and mind, and starting to…
Years ago a Protestant mega-pastor wrote the book "The Purpose Driven Life." The subtitle was "What on Earth am I here For?" Great title and a great question. The content of the book was helpful in places and, frankly, a bit theologically shallow and even questionable in places. But, come on, the greatest value in…
Sometimes it's inevitable; that clash of strong willed people. And, to be honest, it's a good thing IF you have the discernment to mine the gold in such events!
The truth is conflict is unavoidable IF you actually hold to timeless principles. The inevitable spirit of the age that dismisses even the notion of timeless truths…
I suppose the whole world couldn’t contain the poems, stories, and memories we children collect about our mothers. I know I owe much of my good qualities to the brave lady who raised me and my little brother. And the one quality I always remember is that, no matter what was going on in my…
There was a day when I relished a good theological argument. Jousting with this or that “opponent” over this or that doctrine was as much fun as it was challenging. My favorite fights were over questions about the Trinity or predestination or even the very question about what was salvation anyway. I’d pour over scriptures…
I’m convinced everyone wants to know God. Everyone. Even the most radical atheist or hedonist wants to know God above everything else. In fact, I’m convinced a man is an atheist because he is so angry that the God he longs for at the very core of his being doesn’t exist and it’s this existential…
Every parent has heard themselves say this at one time or another: "If you two don't stop bickering, I'll stop this car and punish you both!" I mean, surely I'm not the only one! Please tell me I'm not the only dad that has threatened this!
Seriously, as parents, we really do set expectations of behavior…