A quote attributed to Alan Greenspan, the former chairman of the Federal Reserve, sums up our challenges with missing the point: "I know you think you understand what you thought I said but I'm not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
The truth is, with all the ways we…
Science struggles with paradox. In fact, our whole Western philosophy since the Enlightenment (so-called) has fought against the very idea of paradox. We want things in our world neat and in order. We want to be able to predict how our world will behave, and we want, above all, to feel safe! And yet...
Take light…
“Salt makes people thirsty. People are thirsting for more of God’s word. We are the salt, the salt of the earth!” I remember hearing that song as a teenager and thinking “so THAT’S what that means!”
Jesus did call we Christians the “salt of the earth” and in His days on earth, salt wasn’t just something…
It was an old suit, but I loved it! It had both sentimental value and the added benefit of actually fitting me! But my dear bride said it had to go! Sure, it had a few stains but I thought they were hard to see. Yes, there was a tear inside the jacket, but I…
Think about the word “Appropriate.” What a powerful idea! If something or someone is “appropriate” then that thing or that person or that situation is laudatory, worthy of emulation, and creates a space where there is a sense of well-being. In other words, the complete opposite of the current American election for president!
OK, no…
I really like to write and I enjoy public speaking, but I had a hint of my tendency to wordiness when my first time in seminary produced a comment from one of my favorite professors. I had just finished a fairly intensive philosophy paper for his class and was really sweating the grade he would…
I was embarrassed. I was ashamed. I had wandered into the wrong place. Everything about me screamed, “he doesn’t belong here!” And it was confirmed when a waiter came to escort me out!
There is nothing quite as cutting to anyone than to be made to feel unwelcome or unwanted. The stigma of being the “outsider” is…
OK, so I have a hard time asking for directions. But, hey, since the invention of the GPS, I don’t have to! My man’s ego is protected by technology once again! Seriously, I do admit to not being crazy about asking for help. It feels like weakness to me and that plugs into my own…
“Count your blessings. Name them one by one. Count your many blessings, see what God has done.” When I sang that old hymn as a boy, I wondered what it could mean. After all, how can you count your blessings? There are so many. All you’d do is count all day long. But maybe that’s…
