Growing up in West Michigan, I attended a small congregation that is part of the Reformed Church of America. I was blessed to have two incredible pastors—a married couple who put their souls into the church and each of its members. (34 years later, one of them still serves as pastor there.) Some of my…
Lent began last Wednesday in Western Christian traditions—”Ash Wednesday.” It is so called because the ashes received on the forehead signify a time for penitence, for abstinence, fasting, almsgiving and prayer. This annual journey begins with heartfelt lament from the prophet Joel, “Gird yourselves, O priests, and weep” (Joel 1:13). The great mystery of sadness…
Today, Thursday, February 4, 2021 I sit writing THIS blog post, for Friday, February 12. Snow stills everyone and everything; weather forecasters caution “reducing visibility.” We literally peer out at trillions and trillions and trillions of snowflakes transforming before our very eyes … flakes frolicking with furry-friended squirrels … dances of universal peace to…
What will we do with all the broken things? What will we do with the world, our feelings of frustration, our struggle with God? Kintsugi is the Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold. It’s not just a practice, but it’s a meditation. Because the pottery is made stronger and more beautiful…
“Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away…
Earlier this winter, on the morning of our first major snowstorm, my tub faucet started dripping suddenly. I immediately called my dad to ask how to fix it and had the necessary repair parts in hand within 48 hours, but I have to admit that it took eleven days from the time of the first…
The expression “for the birds” has always intrigued me. My grandparents and parents employed it when they wanted to discredit a claim, practice,\ or belief as trivial or meaningless. “Wearing shoes with no socks is for the birds,” they might say. In my family, “Nichts taugen (nothing good)!” was the German equivalent. According to Grammarist…
The pandemic clearly surfaces some deep cracks in the economic foundations of the world. We invite ourselves today to reflect on our personal economics and the impact our daily choices have on the greater common good. The following “Economic Justice Examen” was prompted and published by two beautiful spirits in Seattle, Washington: Kelly Hickman and…
Text-critical biblical scholars are often occupied with the arduous, sometimes frustratingly tedious task of studying palimpsests (pronounced ‘paləm(p) sest’). Palimpsests are ancient manuscripts/parchments often made from animal hides in which the original writing has been effaced—usually washed off or scraped off—in order to be reused. Traces of earlier writing remain and are visible, but the overall effect…
So many people, resigned to the fact that we can’t go back to pre-pandemic routines, seek to live into a new rhythm post-pandemic. Just a few weeks ago, the New York Times published an article, “Can Spiritual Directors Help?” citing that one gift of meeting with a spiritual director/companion is the opportunity to take a…