Gaining a heart of wisdom
In my senior year of college, I took an English elective on the writings of C.S.Lewis. The professor, Dr. Kaye, was ebullient, effervescent, and contagious in her love for the Oxford don who spun words into gold. Her instructions for the final exam were simple but ominous: simply bring a pen and plenty of paper.… Continue reading Lessons from C.S.Lewis: Becoming Fully Human
Embrace the awkward and essential challenge of Christian community
Modern medicine has made optimists out of us all. Cancer? Surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy frequently combine to leave the patient cancer-free or living well with the disease as a chronic illness. Heart attack? Clot-busters, by-pass surgery, rehabilitation, and the patient returns to a normal life. Dementia? Well, that's a different story. Pharmaceutical options are disappointing,… Continue reading Dementia, Dignity, and Honoring God
Stuffing a ratty t-shirt into the washer's maw, I try not to think about the fact that it was only yesterday that I hung this very same t-shirt on the clothesline. The laundry is never done -- even though we are down to a family of four these days. How in the world did I… Continue reading “Laundry Is My Overflowing Inbox”: Working within the Home
The Bible is the world's best-selling and most widely distributed book. A Huffpost Survey indicates that 88% of respondents own a Bible, yet only 1 in 5 Americans read the Bible on a regular basis. At one end of the spectrum are those who consider it alongside and equivalent to any other ancient text. At… Continue reading Is Reading the Bible Different from Reading Any Other Book?
When C.S. Lewis wrote (famously) of desires unmet that set our hearts toward the journey of further up and further in, it's obvious that he was writing in the days of snail mail and expensive long-distance phone calls. The truth is that life on planet Earth is beset with longings of every kind, but chief… Continue reading Loneliness: An Opportunity and a Sign of Hope
We sat on the couch, side by side, but miles apart. She had just lost her son in a tragic accident. I had four living and healthy boys -- and no words that could touch her loss. In the weeks and months that followed, I wrote notes, shared Scripture verses, listened to her sadness, and… Continue reading If You REALLY Want to Help those Who Grieve
The words of 17th century poet John Milton from On His Blindness, come to mind with every visit to my mother's long-term care facility: "They also serve who only stand and wait." I hope it's true, and I'd love to report that in the midst of my waiting we have warm and meaningful conversations or… Continue reading Standing and Waiting with Those Who Suffer
Ash Wednesday is following hard on the heels of Groundhog's Day this year, and while retailers are throwing heart and soul into Valentine's Day, I find that my heart is more prepared to celebrate Easter if I spend some time during the Lenten season reading about the two historical events that are central to Christianity: the cross and… Continue reading One Weekend in Jerusalem
Living Our Days 