When you take a snapshot of our personal and collective wealth compared to just 30 years ago, it is staggering. While pockets of poverty exist, even our poor live much better than the majority of the world. Our “middle class” is extraordinarily well off, living in a world that is virtually limitless in its ability to produce, supply and purchase more goods and luxuries. Yet despite our wealth, we are a lonely people. While money buys automobiles, homes, and... Read more
“Nobody likes being around people who hate their jobs. We all need to love what we do, or go work somewhere else. It’s really that simple.” That’s the honest appraisal by writer and blogger Jeff Goins. He recently had an experience with a surly flight attendant, who made the entire group of passengers uncomfortable. Clearly, she was in the wrong career field. “We’ve all encountered someone like this—angry, frustrated workers who make their jobs worse by complaining about them,” he writes.... Read more
If you want to peer into my life, just take a look at my key ring. I have a key to my front door, the back door and the door off the bedroom. I have a key to my car, my office and my desk. There’s a key to my gym locker and the lock for the shed. And then there are two mystery keys. I’m not sure I’m ready to get rid of them. Then there’s the remote key that... Read more
“God is Good.”“God is Love”“God is Light” You’ve heard these expressions from the time you were a wee child. You’ll hear them in Hollywood, popular culture and in fact, from many churches. From these images, we’ve imagined the Almighty as the grandfather we never had. This elderly gentleman smiles at us, pats us on the back, and gives us our allowance. He doesn’t ask for anything in return. No wonder, when asked about eternity, eight out of 10 Americans will answer that... Read more
No man ever wants to comment on a woman’s weight. Even when pressed to be honest, we know it’s just a no win situation and you need to back away slowly. I mean swiftly. Similarly, few people are willing to talk about pride. The problem with pointing out pride, noticing those those specks of self-promotion in others, is that darn 2×4 that gets in the way. Those in the arts — writers, painters, sculptors, dancers, designers, poets, singers — are really in the... Read more
The worst conversation you can have with someone is when that person constantly refers to themselves, their experiences and their opinion. It’s a one-uppance that just can’t be overcome. Whatever place you’ve been, they went to a better one. Whatever tragedy you encountered, they had a worse one. Whatever beauty you saw, they found a nicer one. It’s exhausting. In this world of personal experience, it seems that everyone needs to validate themselves. We see it splayed on YouTube, Twitter... Read more
Last week, I opened up the book of Ecclesiastes and read the yearnings of Solomon. A man on the outside that looks like he had it all. But really, he was a sorry sap, a man looking for satisfaction in all the wrong things.“Vanity of Vanities,” he wrote.“So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. What does a man get for all... Read more
Since I was barely out of the womb, I’ve been in church. Sunday school, bible studies, small groups, sermons. I figure I’ve got several years worth of hours of teaching soaked in there somewhere. I’m still amazed that I’m still not getting it. But as I’ve looked at the familiar Bible characters lately, I’m seeing them differently as I read with an open mind. All those great heros of faith were also involved in the most sordid of sinful ways. Murder.... Read more
If you ever think the Bible is from ancient days and really doesn’t apply to modern society, read Ecclesiastes. Solomon was a king. He had thousands of women at his beck and call. He had gold and rubies, silver and rubies. There wasn’t a cubic zirconium to be found in his house. He had vineyards and horses, a different house for every day of the week, and a garage full of gleaming chariots. It’s like watching MTV, or Hollywood insider or just watching... Read more
“There lives more faith in honest doubt, believe me, than in half the creeds” — Lord Alfred TennysonA few years ago, I entered a fishing derby. These derbies are traditionally filled with anglers who look for the proverbial “whopper” in hopes of winning the big prize. I was excited to see a friend from church there. Bill was a man that I developed a great deal of respect for. He was smart, articulate and confident. Although he never struck me... Read more
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