Movies tend to be somewhat therapeutic for me. They provide my overactive, hyper-analytical mind with something outside of my everyday, real-life struggles to focus my attention and energy on. I often find myself looking for myself in the movie. I try to figure out who best represents the point of view I would hold were I to find myself in the same situations, with the same options, and with the...
The Church Has Left the Building
I have not always been a fan of memes. Actually, I still find that I am more often annoyed than amused by memes. For those who aren’t 100% sure what a “meme” is, according to Merriam-Webster, a meme is “an amusing or interesting item (such as a captioned picture or video) or genre of items that is spread widely online, especially through social media.” All those pictures with famous quotes...
Own the Moment: Responding to the Current Crisis.
Much like everybody else, I find many of my waking hours occupied contemplating the new realities and possibilities created by the COVID-19 outbreak. Honestly, it is impossible to escape it at this juncture. All of our normal distractions have been infected. March Madness has been turned into March Sadness as all tournaments have been canceled. Likewise, professional athletics have been put on an...
No Lost Cause
One of my favorite movie series’ of all time is Pirates of the Caribbean. I watch the original trilogy at least once a year, all of which are currently available on the Disney+ app. The reasons I love these movies are legion, but not the least is the relevant themes that persist throughout the course of the story. At first blush, the movies appear to be about an absent-minded captain seeking...
Is There A Doctor In The House
Last week, I had to make my bi-yearly visit to the doctor’s office. I got my CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) several years ago so that I could drive our church bus when necessary, and in order to maintain it, the Department of Transportation requires that I have a physical done once every two years. I had time last Friday morning and the deadline for getting the paperwork in was fast...
Life Is Hard… Grace Is Sufficient
“Life is hard. Then you die. Then they throw dirt in your face. Then the worms eat you. Be grateful it happens in that order.” I don’t really know who David Gerrold is, but I’m grateful for this quote that is attributed to him. While it certainly presents a painfully dark and narrow view of life, there are times when it paints a fairly accurate picture of the struggle I feel in my heart. For any...
Every Scar Has A Story
West Virginia offered a host of recreational activities not available where I grew up in the northern plains of Indiana. So, when I moved to the “Mountain State,” I took advantage of as many of the outdoor adventures as possible. My wife Robyn and I hiked the hills of nearby state parks, I took a college course on Whitewater Rafting and served as a guide for a summer, and I purchased a mountain...
A Place and a Part to Play
Over the years, I have developed quite the collection of nativity sets. For those unfamiliar with this term, the nativity is the depiction of the birth of Jesus. It is often referred to as the manger. These sets often contain the virgin Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus, a donkey, an ox, some shepherds with sheep, wisemen/magi with their accompanying animals, and an angel or a star. These nativity...
What I Want or What I Need
For about 20 years now, I’ve wanted the same thing for Christmas. I often feel much like Ralphie, the main character in the Christmas classic, A Christmas Story. In the movie, all Ralphie wants for Christmas is a “Red Ryder, carbine action, 200-shot, range model, air rifle.” At every turn, poor Ralphie is stymied by the prevailing sentiment that he will “shoot his eye out” should he get one. The...
Entertaining Angels
Over the past eight years I have had the privilege of traveling to various parts of the nation of India several times. Each of my journeys to India have taken me to different portions of the country. This has allowed me to experience a wide range of the cultures, foods, and scenery the country has to offer. It is an incredibly diverse country with an amazing cornucopia of traditions...
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