I sometimes wish that I could find a DeLorean, dump some trash in the fuel tank,and transport to the past. There, I would undo some things. I would say things differently, walk more carefully, and show a little more compassion. Truth is, I cannot untie the complicated knot that I’ve tied.So, all I have left is grace. My friend and High Calling editor LL Barkat, said this last night, “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago.... Read more
If you just take a second to look, you’ll see wonder. In order to fully appreciate the nature of the Creator, we need to become students of His creation. We need to take joy in the intricate details of the world around us We need to see the fashion of the rocks, plants, trees and hills around us. Despite man’s continued use of the planet, beauty is all around us if only we will open our eyes to it. To... Read more
USA Today ran an interesting opinion piece a couple of years ago on faith in the workplace. The editorial begins like this: “You don’t have to leave your beliefs at home. In fact, some employers see the value of integrating religion and work in meaningful ways.” Bold stuff from the mainstream press. In fact, the editorial goes on to say “religious people need to practice their faith in the workplace if they are going to pursue their vocations with integrity.” Ah, here... Read more
I admit as a boy, sneaking off to read Mad magazine. I was Alfred E. Neuman, and he was me. Nerdy. Loveable. And a thoughtful realist. His mantra, “What? Me worry?” became my personal answer to all of life’s problems. Homework. Parents. Siblings. Friends. None of that stuff mattered. I was the teflon kid. Of course, that’s what I wanted everyone to believe. The truth is, I worried. And I still do. I justify it as “concern” or better yet,... Read more
I remember the flames dancing on the next ridge. A raging forest fire was threatening our little mountain community of Wilson, Wyoming. The firefighters were throwing everything they had at the fire, but the winds whippped the flames into a full fury. They warned us to be ready to evacuate. We looked around at our possessions — at the things we had accumulated over two decades and wondered, “what was worth taking?” There was surprisingly little we packed for the Jeep that... Read more
“Of the Seven Deadly Sins, anger is possibly the most fun. To lick your wounds, to smack your lips over grievances long past, to roll over your tongue the prospect of bitter confrontations still to come, to savor to the last toothsome morsel both the pain you are given and the pain you are giving back — in many ways it is a feast fit for a king. The chief drawback is that what you are wolfing down is yourself.... Read more
Do I really want to hear the truth? Or do I want others to feed me what I want to hear? I once had a job that I just wasn’t qualified to do. No amount of training or effort would ever make me improve. I just wasn’t cut out for it. That ceiling was a painful one to bump into, every hour of every day. I needed someone to tell me the truth.There are certain physical features that I can’t readily admit.... Read more
Read the newspapers. Listen to the news. Participate in the chatter. This world is in chaos. Terrorism. Unemployment. Uncertainty. It’s chaos out there. And we are quick to find targets: The Democrats. The Republicans. The UN. The corporate world. What’s even worse is the hopeless feeling that we can do nothing about any of this. We are pawns in the power broker’s game. Pushed around. Nearly a century ago, The Times of London asked G.K. Chesterton and several other eminent... Read more
“It’s not foresight or hindsight we need. We need sight, plain and simple. We need to see what is right in front of us.” — Gordon Atkinson, Real Live Preacher It all started when I was a young man. I spent hours looked at Life magazine, the photos of men in action, wondering what I would be when I grew up. Photo by Smiley, with permission Sure, like plenty of other boys, I wanted to a fireman. Then it was a doctor.... Read more
Reading the Gospels has a way of tweaking all my emotions. I love the stories about fish and figs, crops and coins. And who doesn’t like the healings and feedings and miracles? Personally, I get a real charge when Jesus thumps the religious elite. “Take that you two-faced pompous twit!” But then, there are those passages — you know, the ones that you cannot possibly apply to someone else. “Love your enemies. Do good to those that hate. Pray for those... Read more
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