(much of this content is inspired by what I’ve learned from Dr. Paul Fitzgerald) We cannot avoid hard work. Whether it is addressing trauma, getting healthy, or building lawn mower engines, there is a necessary amount of things that are difficult. Often, we assume that things can be avoided, but they really don’t go away. The outside wall of my house where the paint is peeling will only get worse over time. If I... Read more
Some time ago I visited a hotel in my hometown to investigate places to have an event. I had heard stories that it was haunted and that there were tunnels underneath the street, but I wasn’t thinking about that when I went inside. It was much like many of the buildings in the town where I went to high school. The hotel was founded around the turn of the 20th century. Almost immediately my mind began to wonder what... Read more
Several weeks ago I had a stroke. In many ways I have fought my inherited genes for many years. After arriving at the ER, my symptoms started worsening and we haven’t left the hospital system. We went directly to an acute rehab center specifically to help people like me. I believe I have several advantages coming into this process. Some of them I can take credit for and some of them I cannot. I’m certainly not going to offload it... Read more
(warning, voice typing) Recently I had a stroke. I had health issues earlier in life and made some diet changes and fought as hard as I could, but all the pieces came together and I finally had a major issue. Last week I was experiencing a little dizziness and some tingling, eventually my foot was dragging a little and so we went to the ER. To say that this is overwhelming is an understatement.... Read more
Yesterday, I was thinking about my mother and the possibility of speaking at her funeral. I don’t know why because I am pretty sure she is going to outlive me and she may try to subvert that plan. She is an interesting person that loves to quilt and sew, but has also written and directed a play or two. We disagree on many things like politics and religion, but that’s not what I want to talk about. Before I get... Read more
When I say the church, I specifically mean Westernized Christianity. I’m not familiar with other countries, so I can’t comment. Some would say they are not as bad as someone else (usually Fundamentalists), but the entire system is broken and doesn’t work for this day and age. Here are a few things that are systemically broken, to one degree or another. There are varying degrees of nationalism. Does your church sing patriotic songs, promote exceptionalism / triumphalism of the U.S.,... Read more
For 20 years I occupied a pulpit and preached to small congregations in rural areas. For the most part, the sermons were about loving your neighbor. I never got political and I rarely stepped too far outside prescribed boundaries. I regret some of the toxic beliefs I shared, but for the most part, I felt like I was helping people be better humans. But one of the things I regret the most is my former relationship with the Bible. In... Read more
I am grateful for the opportunity to write on this site. Sometimes it surprises me how much attention a post gets. I sit down every few days and write or report what I read, and then people either read it or they don’t. My actual favorite was #3, but maybe you have a preference. Feel free to share your favorites with your audience. If you enjoy my writing, check us out on our Facebook group and at my website. The... Read more
Five years ago, when we stepped down from our final church to dive into our deconstruction, we continued to attend a church about an hour away. It was a good church whose pastor had done some deconstruction, so we found some love and acceptance and healing. It’s also where we got connected to the Benedictine Sisters that taught me to go inward. I think it was a necessary step in our evolution. But on the way home, we would get... Read more
I vividly remember Jr. High because it was a time of discovery. Almost daily, I was learning something new. Not only did I kiss my first girl, but I daily listened to what others were discovering about sex and the many mysteries of the world. The things I had never seen before were endless. I couldn’t wait to go to school, just so I could see what someone brought to show-and-tell in the boys bathroom. Back in those days, they... Read more
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