Like most people who work with children and young people, I wish the Bible had more specific things to say about child rearing. A detailed check off list would be nice. An alliterated acrostic for each season of a child’s life would help. Even a...

I wasn’t quite sure how I wanted to spend Thanksgiving vacation this year. I love the holiday, the chance to focus on remembering and of course the food, but I was unsure about travel plans. And then I got the brilliant idea to fly up to Alaska and...

During my first (of five) knee replacement surgeries, I had a period when I was awake and aware of what was going on around me. I heard the saw, felt the hammer and I distinctly remember hearing the surgeon remarking to his assistant, “Yep, that’s...

  Recently an Australian bride confessed to some pretty selfish acts. Apparently, as the wedding preparations began, she sized up her wedding party and decided she needed to make a few adjustments. Specifically, she was concerned that her own...

I know it’s weird, but I recently had reason to take a look at the Australian Coat of Arms (perhaps Harry and Meghan’s visit had something to do with it...). If you take a look, you will notice that the crest contains two animals, the emu and the...

In 2013, there was a terrible airplane crash up in San Francisco. Asiana Airlines Flight 214 was in bound from Korea. The pilots misjudged the altitude of the plane and hit the seawall upon their descent. There were 291 people on board that plane...

During my recent five-week RV trip around the U.S., I made a special stop at Gettysburg.  I have been there several times and I love hearing the stories of the individuals who fought so valiantly on both sides that fateful July 1863. One of my...

Back in 1828, Webster’s dictionary defined an “excuse” as an allowance for a shortcoming or an attempt to vindicate. It sure seems like the folks in our society are experts at expressing classic excuses. If we are late for an activity or meeting,...

I was reading an article awhile back and a racing athlete referred to a stress fracture as a “type two adventure.” He defined it as something that seems fun only when you look back at it, but not while you are doing it. I suspicion that there are...

I just got back from a five-week trip across country. I retired as Head of School in June and wanted to give my successor every opportunity for a fresh start as school began in September. So I grabbed my best friend, jumped into my RV and took off...

I love this quote: “When I am silent the noise of the world fades and I hear the echoes of Eden in my soul, a desire stirs only God can fulfill” (Skye Jethani). It is very similar to the thought Augustine had some 2500 years ago, “You have made us...

I am told that the period after the Civil War, leading up to the end of that century was a very colorful time in American history. War always makes manufacturers wealthy. And there were quick fortunes to be made in railroads, oil exploration and...