August 12, 2019

My wife and I are catching up on the series Lucifer, once on network TV but now exclusively on Netflix. For those of you who watch the show, it wouldn’t surprise you to know that I go around the house asking the question, “What is it you desire?” Desire. That’s an interesting word. The premise of the show is that Lucifer (Tom Ellis) is exhausted with administrating the affairs of Hell and decides to buck his father’s punishment and start... Read more

August 11, 2019

The sun came up, gently, again this morning. Surprisingly I have memories of the same thing happening yesterday, the day before, and the litany of days prior. Habitual, isn’t it, the sun? I cleared the sticky unknown from my eyes, slid my legs out of bed, and began searching for order. Clothes, yes, clothes first. Good idea. The switch on the electric kettle glowed “on” before I knew what had happened. Of course I turned it on, it simply didn’t... Read more

August 3, 2019

I can hear my wife chuckle before the words are even out of my mouth. Lines. Order. One of the most sacred moments in my life is to walk through our neighborhood with my wife and my daughter. Actually, my daughter tends to bow out of this family tradition on a regular basis. Not sure why. I suppose walking with your parents past the houses of your classmates isn’t an enjoyable thing. So we walk the neighborhood. We see little... Read more

July 29, 2019

As a parent of a pre-teen, I’m constantly unearthing pithy and extremely unhelpful phrases. These limerick-like zingers came from various adults in my life. My parents used them sparingly, but youth leaders and teachers did their part as well. I give them credit: they were simply interested in my becoming a healthy person. One phrase that comes to mind is this: If you lie down with dogs, you’ll end up with fleas. Suspend for a moment the way this reflects... Read more

July 25, 2019

About a year and change ago, I started recording episodes of a podcast. The “otherWISE” podcast was (and still is) a passion project for me. I started it because I found myself having wonderful, interesting conversations with all sorts of people. “Why can’t everyone have these conversations?” I thought. Oh right, they can. The podcast was intended to be something fun that opened the door to ideas, books, and people are helpful guides for the spiritual journey. The point of... Read more

July 22, 2019

I’ve heard several very good spiritual conversations end in the exact same way. With the claim that things got too “political.” Someone moves the discussion from philosophy to pragmatics. In the hopes of talking about the “So what?” of God, a thought is offered that sound partisan. Conversations about love, economics, race, immigration, it doesn’t matter. If it sounds like politics there are some who respond with this phrase: “This was a good conversation until you made it political.” My response to... Read more

July 19, 2019

I’ve just returned home from a few days of vacation. For the last 19 years or so, my family has spent a week away with my in-law’s and it has been a gift. Some focused time with grandparents is a gift to my daughter. For my wife and I, a chance to reconnect after busy seasons of ministry and life. The vacation time often flies by. We long for another few days to celebrate the slow-down. However, all things must... Read more

July 14, 2019

Life and relationships are all about posture. My wife Holley came in with groceries yesterday. I helped carry in the remainder, and bags both plastic and fabric were stacked on any empty elevated surface. There is a method to Holley’s madness – certain bags are placed nearest to their final destination. I posture myself towards the things that I know where they go, and then begin to clear away empty bags. Add to yesterday’s excitement the fact that as the... Read more

July 11, 2019

Let me begin by saying this: I use social media on a regular basis. Facebook, Twitter, and sometimes Instagram – I use and enjoy each one. My relationship with Instagram is far less invested, simply because sometimes the picture is best lived and experienced, rather than shared. In my journeys through statuses, retweets, and posts I notice a common theme. It’s a theme that I hoped to capture, albeit sarcastically, in the title to this post. Many people love social... Read more

July 5, 2019

I decided to do a quick Google search for the phrase “fall in love.” The search, unsurprisingly, yielded 2.5 billion (with a “b”) results. Results ranged from Psychology Today articles, numerous pop songs, and a plethora of advice columns that shed light on the question “Are they/aren’t they falling in love with me?” While this is a light and largely accidental kind of research, my guess is that a deeper look would provide the following insight: We are all falling... Read more


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