This is a photo I took at the Ansel Adams exhibit in the San Antonio Museum. Read more

I never know quite what to say when I’m talking sometimes to people who have lost a loved one and say ‘well it was God’s will’, when sometimes I know that to be an errant blasphemy on the love not to say the common sense of God. Much of the suffering of life is due to human sin and to say that it is God’s will is just a lie. Of course it is not (to take just the most... Read more

THE CHILD BEARING ‘Saved– by the Child-bearing’ Or so St. Paul once said. Not ‘saved by baby-making’, That’s how that text’s misread. Not ‘kept safe through childbearing’ For that’s not always true. Many a faithful godly woman Have died in labor too. Mary is the Christmas Eve Obedient, well-rehearsed The blessing of her new born Son Would see the curse reversed. What was the curse on Eve you say? Desire, male domination. But Mary conceived without male help And Eve’s... Read more

(Nope, not Jesus, but rather EJV, my T.A.’s brand new baby) MOTHER LOAD From the very beginning The burden was clear Sometimes bearable Sometimes severe Ate from the apple Shared it with him Disobeyed the order Indulged the whim. What was the outcome? The fruit of the act? She ‘knew’ good and evil? She experienced it in fact? Did the earth creature join her? Did he crumble into dust? Did he die in an instant? Or just tumble into lust?... Read more

INCOGNITO He came in incognito, A thinly veiled disguise The not so subtle son of man, A human with God’s eyes. The messianic secret, Left many unawares A God had walked upon the earth And shared our human cares. We did not see his glory, At least not at first glimpse, It took an Easter wake up call, Before it all made sense. The truth of Incarnation, Of dwelling within flesh, Shows goodness in creation, And Word of God made... Read more

THE BONDING A cold and listless season, And full of cheerless cheer, When hopes are raised and dashed again And joy dissolves in tears. The search for endless family The search for one true Friend Leaves questers tired, disconsolate With questions without end. Best find some potent pleasure quick Some superficial thrill Than search for everlasting love When none can fill that bill. So hide yourselves in shopping And eating ‘til you burst, Use endless entertainment As shelter from the... Read more

Commenting in a sermon on the discussion of apostasy in 1 John 5, Kingsley Barrett says—- “You cannot ever become so good a Christian as to be secure, beyond all fear of falling. ‘AH Lord, with trembling I confess, A gracious soul may fall from grace; The salt may lose its seasoning power, And never, never, find it more’ (Charles Wesley). This means you must watch your step when you talk about Christian certainty. Karl Barth once wrote ‘God lends... Read more

A few days ago my son and I were doing our lessons and learning to read and write small words. We were doing those which end with the N, putting various consonants in front of them— bin, din, pin, and so on, we read. We came to the letter S and (I must admit) more for fun than for anything else I asked ‘Do you know what sin means?’ Martin looked at me and said ‘it is something we like... Read more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGqc_srpUzA When you have a sequel to the prequels that has as its sequel the original three Star Wars movies (plus last year’s installment), things can get confusing fast, especially if you are not literate in ‘Star Wars’ sagas. And sure enough, this movie, which consists at the outset with all new characters, not to mention a flurry of new planets and moons is confusing, even for those with whom the Force is strong. You might need Yoda to sort... Read more