My first car was a 1978 AMC Concord DL (DL for DeeLuxe!) For those unfamiliar with the AMC Concord, it was a small car, a compact, but it was a bit of a beast. I think the bodies were made out of cast iron. But the thing that my particular AMC Concord DL was known for, besides … More The Moment That Changed Everything
The people were angry. They were. The Jewish people had been robbed of their land, and their dignity. They were subjects to the Romans, their rights had been taken away and the Roman soldiers were regularly mistreating, beating and even killing those who broke any kind of law or rule. Emotions were high, and the people were angry. Enter … More Something Different
This past week, Lori, Sam and I watched a documentary on Netflix called “14 Peaks.” It is the story of a man from Nepal, named Nimsdai Purja. Nimsdai grew up in Kathmandu. After he finished school and graducated, he decided to join the British army. (Nepal is a British protectorate). After serving four years, Nimsdai tried out for, and was … More What Do You Expect?
Mark was a functioning alcoholic who I met when I was doing my student chaplaincy at a treatment center in the Twin Cities. A “functioning alcoholic” is someone who is addicted to alcohol, but is able to maintain, at least for awhile, their jobs, their families and their lives. Their addiction often does great damage in these … More The God who Waits
This is, of course, a most important season. A season that catches our attention… a season we approach with anticipation…a season that makes us look with awe and with wonder. I am speaking of course, about awards show season. Now, at the Buegler home, we don’t plan our lives around the Academy Awards, or the Emmy’s, or … More The Jesus You Didn’t Expect
A few years ago, I was driving from Thousand Oaks, California, to Los Angeles International Airport for my flight home. It was a 40-mile drive, so I gave myself plenty of time to get there…I thought. It turns out I was using Minnesota standards. I was unaware, at the time, of what Los Angeles traffic … More Grace Upon Grace Upon Grace Upon Grace
Tens of millions of people sat glued to their televisions on April 29, 2011 to watch the wedding of the decade. This was the day that Prince William and Kate Middleton were married. (Ok, just a moment of honesty here…who remembers watching it? Yeah, I thought so. I did too…I’m not particularly proud of that, … More Invitation
On August 28, 1963, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stepped up to the podium and delivered his famous, “I Have a Dream” speech. It is a speech that has embedded itself into the DNA of American culture. At the very end of his speech, King … More Free
“Forgiven” John 4:7-15 Pastor Todd Buegler March 8, 2016 (Wednesday Evening Lenten Service) Trinity Lutheran Church Grace and peace to you from God our creator, and from Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior. Amen. I have a confession to make. Here it is: I hate confessing. I can’t stand admitting my mistakes, my … More Forgiven
I will select very carefully who I recommend reads this book. I’ll do so for two reasons: The language Nadia uses in her book is going to cause problems for some people. She is raw, she is honest, she is herself. And she can express herself with colorful metaphors better than any other pastor I’ve … More “Pastrix”
Test Driving Theology 