Several years ago, a well-known minister was invited to give the homily at a Union Gospel Mission. The Union Gospel Mission is an urban ministry, providing food, shelter and recovery for homeless men. Before the meal, the men are invited to "attend" a church service. For the majority, if not all,…
“Do you have any stories for people who feel like the world is upside down? For those of us carrying grief?” A reader asked.The answer is yes.For starters, I’m glad she asked. You see, I probably wouldn’t have. When life gets sticky…
Welcome to a new year. People have asked about my resolutions. (I tell them I’m still working on last year’s list.) Or, with our precarious world, some ask for advice on navigating it all. (I don’t remember taking a seminary…
Some movies are worth watching again and again. Because they’re good for the heart.In 1979, violinist Isaac Stern visited China. His month-long trip is recorded in the Academy-award-winning documentary, From Mao to Mozart.Stern expresses gratitude to the Chinese people (who…
Too often, the headlines tear at our national emotional quilt.I enjoy an expansive vocabulary. But some days, I don’t have words. And the spiral I take toward mental exhaustion isn’t fun.It’s as if I wake up at the mercy of…
Tell me the weight of a snowflake," a coal-mouse (a small bird) asked a wild dove."Nothing more than nothing," was the answer."In that case, I must tell you a marvelous story," the coal-mouse said."I sat on a fir branch, close…
The geese are on a brief holiday, trying out other lakes and campgrounds in our neck of the woods, so this morning my audience a cluster of ducks. I had no shortage of topics as our world’s turvyness seizes both…
It's already long past departure time. I'm standing near the gate, waiting for the inbound passengers to deplane. There's nowhere to go, and the plane will depart when it departs. Even so, the passengers (including me) are beginning to huddle, as…
On my way to church this morning, in Hayesville, NC, we passed by an open field on Chatuge Lake, a flock of geese relaxing, waiting for their own service to begin. I smiled, wondering if maybe I should stop and…
My cell phone screen yelps, “excessive heat warning.” And without glasses, I thought it said, “heart warning.” Let’s just say, both are true. It’s triple digits here. That’s very rare and worth paying attention to in our neck of the…
