“Extremism is a powerful alliance of fear and certitude; complexity and humility are its natural foes.”[i] Girolamo Savonarola was a charismatic and engaging priest in the city of Florence during it’s Renaissance. His passionate preaching drew the attention and allegiance of countless in Florence and beyond. From his position of notoriety he spoke out […]
It’s an unusual Sunday morning for me. Icy road have cancelled church and stopped all activity in the area. (Except for those brave souls who believe, “My Nissan Sentra can drive on ice perfectly fine, thank you very much. But that’s another story.) So, I’m relaxing at home with a cup of coffee, looking out […]
I love the week between Christmas and New Year’s. Every year I try to carve out some time to look ahead and plan for the coming year, but I also try to look back to the successes and failures of the past year. As I’ve looked back over 2016, I’ve found some things I’ve read […]
Over 2000 years ago, God came to earth as the newest member of a homeless refugee family. Since that time, Christmas has been a reminder that God’s invitation of love, hope, and forgiveness is available to all mankind. Humanity is fallen and we are unable to save ourselves. At the right time, God chose […]
Christmas is a season of love. We love candy canes. We love Christmas lights strung around trees and across rooftops. We love the smell of freshly cut wreaths and the sound of children singing Silent Night. We love Peppermint Mochas with whipped cream and Hallmark movies with sappy endings. We love tearing open neatly […]
Victor Hugo once wrote that, “The supreme happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved, loved for ourselves, or more to the point, loved in spite of ourselves.” If that is true then Christmas is our reminder that unending happiness is available to us all. This joy comes from knowing that we haven’t […]
The second week of Advent offers a closer look at something everyone would say that they desire, peace. While most people claim a desire for peace in the world, it is something that seems to be growing increasingly rare over time. Countries are at war with neighboring countries. Companies battle for greater market share. Families […]
Kingdoms don’t last forever. Neither do empires. Or democracies. Or republics. Or monarchies. I love our country. I am patriotic. I love reading about our history, and embrace our great strengths, and acknowledge our weaknesses as well. As much as I love our nation, our well-being can never come from the status […]
With our presidential election hovering just around the corner, many people are faced with the question, “which morally reprehensible option has the greatest likelihood of enacting policies that I agree with?”. Ok, it might not be that bad, but it feels that bad sometimes. A quick cyber stroll through Facebook or Twitter will confirm that […]
This is the final post in a series about small phrases that can make a big difference in your relationships. The last phrase may be the most difficult, and it is definitely the one that is used the least. These three words can make a huge difference for you at home, work, and with […]