We Need Nuance in an Either/Or Culture!

Last updated on: November 8, 2023 at 5:11 pm By Christine Schmertz Navarro

For the number of choices Americans have for food, clothes, cleaning products, worship, social media, etc., one would think we could move beyond either/or thinking. Either/Or Questions I Hear These Days Most recently, the question of whether one supports Israel or the Palestinians has been asked. Choosing one over the other, unless one is Israeli or Palestinian, is difficult. If someone asked me that question, I would say that I do not support terrorist attacks or attacks on civilians, so... Read more

Fund Mental Healthcare Like Cancer Treatment

Last updated on: November 2, 2023 at 12:25 pm By Christine Schmertz Navarro

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The tragic Maine massacre reminds Americans of two poorly addressed issues in the United States: guns and mental health. Guns If the U.S. properly regulated guns, Robert Card could not have quickly shot so many people. Mass shootings occur because of firearms that release many bullets quickly. If guns like this were not easily available, we would not lose loved ones, friends, and neighbors so often. Regulating guns is important. Many Americans needlessly die every year, children included, because of... Read more

Halloween Witch Turns Saint the Next Day!

Last updated on: October 30, 2023 at 11:59 am By Christine Schmertz Navarro

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Not many trick-or-treaters transform their costume from witch to saint. A Favorite Halloween Memory My favorite Halloween memory is when my daughter was a witch. We had purchased a witch’s hat, she had a broom, and I think we put a green substance on her face. She already had a black dress. We took her photo beforehand. She went out with a friend and her parents and brought home a load of candy. A Transformation The next morning, she donned... Read more

War is a Waste for All

Last updated on: October 26, 2023 at 2:52 pm By Christine Schmertz Navarro

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It is difficult to make general statements about most subjects, but I think it is easy to say that war is a waste. It is not that I cannot understand why some wars begin or that certain groups feel that they need to fight back. No matter the reason behind the conflict, I think that we could conclude that war wastes human lives, sucks up financial resources, and wastes buildings and infrastructure built over centuries in some cases. War Wastes... Read more

Healthy Stem Cells are a Selfless Gift to Cancer Patients

Last updated on: October 26, 2023 at 11:01 am By Christine Schmertz Navarro

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I am not sure what led my daughter to begin donating blood. My husband had donated blood and platelets through apheresis for many years. She also did apheresis once even though they had inserted one of the tubes into her arm incorrectly. They Found a Stem Cell Match! A year or two ago, she gave a blood sample to be matched with patients in need of stem cells or bone marrow. Sometime in the late summer, she received a call... Read more

A Resurrection Story: Improving the Lives of Others

Last updated on: October 17, 2023 at 5:00 pm By Christine Schmertz Navarro

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Yesterday, my former classmate lost her daughter. Because of her daughter’s illness, my classmates’ actions will give life to many others with the same and similar diseases. High School Context I attended an all-girls convent school in Washington, DC for high school. Siobhan (not her real name) immediately stood out. She knew many people. Her sisters had gone to the same school (and possibly her mother too) so she had the more comfortable uniform skirt that had been passed down... Read more

When in Doubt, Pray for Both Sides

Last updated on: October 16, 2023 at 3:27 pm By Christine Schmertz Navarro

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After the recent violence, some people support the Palestinians only or Israelis only. Those who are from the region understand the tension between these two groups, so know better than me. Rarely is there a long-standing conflict in which one side is blameless and the other side is completely at fault. This area of the world has a long history, going back to early civilizations, and Palestine as a region has a complex history even in the 20th and 21st... Read more

Does God Care About Sporting Events?

Last updated on: October 9, 2023 at 1:30 pm By Christine Schmertz Navarro

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When we hear that current or former athletes have suffered a significant loss or come down with terminal disease, most people would agree that praying for the players and their families is appropriate. Does God heed our prayers for athletes and their success in games? Of course, I think that God prefers that players avoid injury and cares for them as individuals, but what about their success or failure? Praying for Teams or Athletes in Competition As I was leaving... Read more

Faith Powers My Dream Car

Last updated on: September 30, 2023 at 10:07 pm By Christine Schmertz Navarro

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Have you ever had a dream that provided spiritual food for thought? I did. A Car Powered by Faith When I was in graduate school, some time ago, I dreamt that I had a car powered by faith rather than gasoline. I was driving in the sky at the same altitude as planes. To look down would have been madness given the height. In addition, I could not see the road ahead of me. Instead, it seemed to form beneath... Read more