It's difficult and painful to realize that you have been wearing a mask for a long time, not really being as authentic as you should have been. It does not matter if the mask was worn unintentionally; what matters is finding the courage to admit that you need to change and to be real in... Continue Reading →
Sometimes one unexpected question can change the way you see yourself. For me, the question was asked after a lecture on domestic violence in one of my sociology questions. A young female student raised her hand and asked, "How did you become such a strong woman after all that you have been through?" I stopped... Continue Reading →
We were listening to the radio when this song came on. It made me think of the struggle I had gone through for many years. I would struggle to do things and think of reasons it would fail, then give up. As a youngster, I had a very low self image. I realized that... Continue Reading →
To me, one of the most painful times as a parent is when your toddler says, "I can do it myself!" Those words have stopped many a parent in their tracks, mouths agape, silently screaming, "No! Not Yet!" It is a downward slope from that moment to "I need the car tonight," and it seems... Continue Reading →
I turned on the TV just in time to watch the second plane hit the tower on 9/11. When the tsunami hit Indonesia, I was glued to the videos. The same thing happened when the earthquake hit Japan. As soon as I heard about the volcano in Hawaii, I had to follow the latest update... Continue Reading →
This is an odd title for what is essentially outreach/witnessing. That is my new title. It is a very small church, so it is a voluntary position. Now to decide how to implement the concept. Since there were less than 25 people in the church last Sunday, I have to keep my aims modest.... Continue Reading →
This last week, I accepted the position of Pastor of Senior Care, or Pastor of Adult Ministry, given the task of drawing people over age 50 to the church and keeping the ones we have satisfied with what the church offers for them. It is an awesome task, one that will keep me on my... Continue Reading →
I struggle with “foot in mouth” disease. I see some point in the spiritual life that we are missing. Then I try to express it so that others might grow. Usually, it is the equivalent of saying to a woman, “That is an ugly dress.” I mean, I try to say it right. It might... Continue Reading →
Imagine that you were given a car, but it wouldn’t start. Then someone said, you need a new alternator, so you put it in but it still balked at starting. Next, a friend suggested better tires. A mechanic said the new advanced computer control system, and finally the parts store suggested their top of... Continue Reading →
On one of the legs of the flight from Portugal, I sat next to a young woman, possibly in her twenties, who coughed a lot but did not cover her mouth. Douglas and I gave her the evil eye, trying to embarrass her into using good manners, but to no avail. I should have spoken... Continue Reading →
Help from Heaven 