There is something that is no longer appreciated. Perhaps it was never really liked. We live in a world filled with mystery, yet, many people seem to see mystery as something to be overcome. In our insatiable drive to eliminate mystery for the world, there has been an explosion of knowledge. “In his 1982 book … More The Discomfort of Mystery!

There’s one thing that I know I need more of: physical exercise. I regularly attend an exercise class, usually three times a week. And have taken up swimming ½ to ¾ mile before the class. It’s hard to keep the body in shape. (I should say, “in a healthy shape.” After all, round is a … More The Discomfort of Growing Spiritually

I wish I could know what was going to happen in the next few weeks or, at the very least, in the next few days. My life would be much more comfortable if I didn’t have to guess about the future. I suspect there are many who feel the same. However, I have some bad … More Life is Unpredictable

I have to admit, I want to be right. Still, why do so many people strive to prove they are right no matter what other people say? Desire to be right drives me to look for research on topics of interest. I look at what is said, how the research was done and who was … More Believing the News or Not

I recently came across a Facebook post which said that most of the trouble in the world was because of religion.  The person who wrote the piece was advocating for the banning of all religion because religion was a public health issue.  What bothered me most about the article was that it was very accurate … More Religion and Politics

When someone is asked about their religion today, it isn’t uncommon for them to respond that they are “spiritual” but not “religious.”  What is meant by that statement can be anything from the person being anti-church, to the person being heavily involved in Eastern meditation practices, to someone just wanting to have their own way … More Spiritual

There’s a difference between being a “Christian” and being a “disciple.”  During the time Jesus walked the earth and immediately following the resurrection, those who followed him were called “disciples” or “followers.”  It was only years later that they were called “Christians.”  Since that time there has been a fundamental shift in what it meant … More Being a Christian and Being a Disciple

Thanksgiving. A day to give thanks? Or, a day to overindulge? What are we to do? Each November, in the United States, we celebrate one day as Thanksgiving Day. This isn’t a uniquely Christian idea.  Many religions call for a time of thanksgiving related to the end of the harvest. The actual date might change … More Thanksgiving

What it means to be a Christian can be described by many different schemata.  Two of these are contemplation and prophetic involvement.  This idea comes from Richard Rohr in his book, Dancing Standing Still: Healing the World from a Place of Prayer.  In the book Rohr says: “God offers us quiet, contemplative eyes, but God … More Two Ways of Being Christian

One of my favorite concepts of courage is that “courage” doesn’t mean one isn’t afraid, but rather, one takes action despite the fear.  It’s indeed true that it doesn’t take courage to do something if one has no fear. I considered what takes the greatest courage.  The more I thought about it, the more the … More Courage