I’ve seen this before, but it is making the rounds of the internet again. It is a copy of the questions on the 8th grade exam given in Kentucky in 1912. The questions are hard, and much is way beyond what is taught to our 8th graders today. The kind of math is also extremely practical for a farming, rural community. If they were to function in the world, young adults needed to know these things. As for grammar and... Read more
Do they never read poetry? I often ask this question when I see people picking apart poetic passages in the Bible as though these were doctoral dissertations with extensive documentation, rigid logic, and grammatical precision. Poetry reads differently. Its verbal images are meant to invoke great truths, open new worlds and connect with the hearts of its receivers. Poetry, especially biblical poetry, is intended to be read aloud to a community. The hearers use collective wisdom to understand the truths... Read more
My parents, both born and bred in Indiana, uprooted their family and moved us all to Texas when my siblings and I were 10, 7 and 6. The first thing my mother did after our move was enroll us in swimming lessons. She knew that the hotter weather here meant that water activities were a big part of summer vacations. She herself never learned to swim, and was personally terrified of water any deeper than that of a wading pool.... Read more
I was recently reading some material about learning to face the things that scare us the most while being reminded again of how difficult real life-change is. We stay stuck in destructive habits and relationships, soul-draining jobs, and unhealthy bodies. We live enlarging our separation from the Holy One because facing the pain of change so frightens us that we choose to stay stuck. The author of the work I was reading also suggested strongly that unless we are scarred... Read more
I like to start the new calendar year with my life in order. I like to, but it has never happened yet. However, this year, with the indefatigable help of my good friend, Vicki, I did a two day cleaning frenzy of my church office. Yes, folks, the skyscraper piles of dust, the cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, the disordered bookcases and desk top are now, momentarily at least, a thing of the past. This morning, after a leisurely breakfast... Read more
I noticed in the newspaper yesterday an article about a strong new painkiller that is being developed. The worry is that its availability will also bring even more drug abuse. The question that hit me is this: “Why are we in so much pain?” What it is about our lives that drives the need for continual development and misuse of pain relief meds? I am not talking here about the legitimate use of such things–there are diseases and accidents that... Read more
Peggy Railey finally died yesterday. Twenty-five years in a vegetative coma, left there after an attack by what all assumed but was never proved to be her husband, Walker Railey, then the highly popular pastor of First United Methodist Church, Dallas. Twenty five years of agony for her family, twenty-five years of low moans, what looked like agonizing pleas for help coming from her eyes, and no other communication. Thanks be to God, she has now passed into glory. It... Read more
We could have turned off all the lights in the worship center today and the light on this child’s face would have illuminated the entire space when she came forward for the blessing of the toys. As her mother said later, “Everybody and their dogs were at worship today! The children in prayer as we seek God’s blessing on their gifts: Read more
Several weeks ago, I became part of an online discussion group dealing with the question, “Should churches have services on Christmas Day since Christmas is on a Sunday?” I could hardly believe the question was even being asked, but then learned that some megachurches had decided not to hold services because of the cost of utilities and the number of volunteers needed to run a service did not seem to be worth the benefit. I wondered then if the “benefit”... Read more
Christmas Eve worship ended a little while ago for us. The worship team had decided that it would be good to have a separate time of Holy Communion with the choir and tech people beforehand so they could lead with their voices and other necessary work during that time. Rarely do I get to face them when giving the words of consecration. Tonight as I did so, love flowed through the choir room. I find it great privilege to be... Read more
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