I sat in the church as a visitor, invited by a loving friend. I initially felt oddly out of place, but that was dispelled by the warmth of everyone towards me. The music started and the choir swayed. It seems that everyone in the congregation was swept up. Then the message began. And I was gripped by energy and passion. But then, in the middle, a politician was introduced from the crowd. He was brought to the stage, preacher’s arms... Read more
That Saturday is a day I won’t forget. It was the day I lost my mind. You see the day before I found an unexpected bounty. It happens a couple of times a year, you know when there are three paydays in a month. No mortgage payment. The power bill was paid. No car payment. I had a whole paycheck — extra! I was going to live large. I sauntered through Lowe’s like I owned the joint, buying tools I didn’t really need. And then I went to Foot... Read more
The National Prayer Breakfast is a yearly affair where D.C. leaders presumably gather to eat breakfast and pray. More than 3,500 guests gather, supposedly leaving their bickering and partisanship at the door to bow their heads and commit to one nation under God. It’s been a yearly event since 1953 and every president since Eisenhower has attended. Most have spoken. But to call it an event of the sacred, solemn is a stretch. It’s a political show with everyone glad-handing,... Read more
President Trump selected a judge from the local Denver area Appeals Court Judge to the Supreme Court – Judge Neal Gorsuch. He was recently lauded in the Denver Post for his “sharp mind, clear writing and affable nature.” Admittedly, that was the first I had ever heard of the man. Of course there will be those who oppose him simply because he was nominated by an R, just as others opposed nominees because they were nominated by a D. Let the... Read more
This weekend, President Trump dropped the jarring news of an executive order that spelled out a ban on refugees and immigrants from certain countries. It really isn’t news, since throughout his march to the presidency he spoke repeatedly about keeping out the bad actors and promising a temporary ban. As long as a year ago, he said this: “Donald J. Trump is calling for a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can... Read more
More than a million women marched across the nation and world this weekend. They marched for issues like gender gaps in pay, abortion and gay rights. But call it what you want, these rallies were really just an opposition toward the election and now inauguration of Donald Trump. That’s fine, when you have a nation that routinely votes about half and half, you’ll always have a side that stands in opposition. In a civilized world that values free speech this... Read more
He was animated, gregarious and engaging. He was also slightly edgy, not really comfortable. Glancing around, he seemed to check every person that walked past our table at Whole Foods. But when I heard Joe Bagi’s story, I couldn’t blame him for being furtive. “I never go to crowded places,” he admitted. “I grew up in chaos. War is always on my mind.” Joe grew up just yards from the Lebanese “Green Line.” The famous separation kept Muslim factions... Read more
You’ve seen the bumper stickers, COEXIST printed out in letters representing all religions. It sounds good, but truth is a funny thing – it doesn’t play well with others. And you believe you have truth, then the clash of ideas enters. The same goes for politics. We’ve seen a nation split. The Blue Dogs and Centrists and Statesmen have all been supplanted by ideologues. The middle ground is viewed as compromise. I’ve tried to reach out to millennials and atheists... Read more
Sometimes meaningless repetition is found in tradition. But if you look, there is great beauty. The story of Mary and Joseph looking for a place to rest on the Holy Night has been retold in nearly every culture and language. The King and Savior of the world wasn’t born in a castle, but in the lowest of circumstances. He would die in the same manner. Last night we went a traditional Las Posadas festival. Celebrated throughout Mexico it gives a... Read more
My friend Marlene Bagnull is rich in love and grace. And based on an article she wrote more than 35 years ago for Decision Magazine, she is also wise. Entitled, “When Families Don’t Get Along – Peace at Christmas” the piece strikes a chord in many lives. We love to sing the Silent Night, when all is calm, all is bright,” but the reality is that in many families, the season is far from perfect. In fact, it’s often rough... Read more
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