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?
I recently read about an art museum that was having trouble keeping its guests from touching, and damaging, its priceless works of art. The paintings and sculptures that were on display were all becoming dirty and damaged. The museum put out signs that said, “Do not touch!” They strategically placed security guards throughout the displays…they had cameras … More The Problem of the Heart
Words have power. They just do. Our words have the power to shape our world…to shape how we feel about someone…to shape a relationship. We have seen this in our lives. We have seen this in the world around us. We have seen this in our famly…and our friends. A compliment can lift my spirits. … More With Just A Word
I recently read an article about a project called StoryCorps. StoryCorps was the brainchild of a man named Dave Isay, who is a documentary film maker. Isay got permission to set up a video booth in Grand Central Station in New York City. People could sit down in this little booth, a video camera would … More From the Rooftops
When we don’t want someone to understand what we are saying, we talk in code. We use words or phrases that “they,” whoever “they” are, won’t understand. When our boys were little, we didn’t talk about going out for ice cream…Lori and I would talk about possibly getting i-c-e-c-r-e-a-m. Interestingly, we use the same strategy … More Into the Fire
The power of water is an amazing thing to witness. Certainly, we saw that earlier this week. The heavy rains Thursday and the flooding between here and Rochester were a stark reminder of what water can do. At an earlier stage of my life, I spent a lot of time on the water, in canoes. … More Nope. Never Again.
This Lent, we are focusing our Wednesday, mid-week Lenten worship services on the word “Scarred.” God created the world and declared it to be “good.” But sin and brokenness entered the world. In our confession, we acknowledge that “we are captive to sin, and cannot free ourselves…” Sin shows up in broken relationships: Our relationship … More Scarred
Every year, around 6 weeks before Easter, the Christian church celebrates Ash Wednesday. This year, Ash Wednesday falls on March 6. Tomorrow. You will see people walking around with black smudges on their foreheads. It is an ancient tradition that the church practices to mark the beginning of the season of Lent. Lent is a season when Christians … More Ashes on our Forehead
The Daily Text for this morning came from 2 Corinthians 5:21. It reads: “For our sake, God made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Growing up, there were people I wanted to be “like.” I wanted to be like the police officers that … More Reflection
Sunday AM: As I look out of my office window this morning, I see snow blowing almost sideways by the wind…the snow is piled up and I know from my short walk into the building that the cold is intense. And so then I think back just a week. I was at a faith formation … More Opposites
Test Driving Theology 