Brrr! It is COLD in western Pennsylvania. Last night the temperature dropped to -9°. It hasn’t been that cold here in over 20 years! This morning, my car didn’t want to start any more than I wanted to go outside. Last night, during the news reports about our current “polar vortex”, a commercial kept airing […]
I had lunch with a pastor-friend yesterday. Same conversation. Different pastor. I can’t begin to count how many times I have talked with pastors who are frustrated with people in their congregations. Many, I am told, are unwilling to be led, create unnecessary problems, or simply lack motivation to do anything for God. At the […]
I’m not sure why, but I’ve always like Bob Dylan’s singing voice. Although I was born a little late to join the protests of the sixties, I must have somehow absorbed the feel of the era. Dillon’s title track from his third album, The Times They Are a-Changin’, became an anthem of sorts for those […]
If ever there was a person who was an authority of the Christian gospel, it was the Apostle Paul. Author of one-third of our New Testament, Paul penned letters to the churches in Rome and Galatia, both of which have become premiere sources for our understanding of the gospel. Notice how Paul begins his letter […]
It was an odd moment in the third quarter of Super Bowl XLVII as the Mercedes-Benz Superdome suddenly went half black. The players and coaches stood befuddled, the broadcasters went ominously quiet, and the television cameras simply panned the half-darkened ceiling of the massive dome. Nobody really knew what was going on but one thing […]
It has been several days since the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School and I am still struggling to process the reality of such a horrible event. Other mass shootings in recent years have scarred communities, but this one has left deep and lasting scars for our entire nation. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 had […]
ONE–what a fascinating concept! Strangely enough, it has multiple meanings. Check out part of Webster’s definition (the rest isn’t exactly relevant to our current purposes): 1: being a single unit or thing 3 a : being the same in kind or quality <both of one species> b (1) : constituting a unified entity of two or […]
It’s there. We all know it’s there. But nobody wants to really be honest about it. It’s a big problem. Real big. And yet Jesus thoroughly addressed the issue. It’s one of those things that we readily recognize and yet find difficult to define. We might call it a spirit of contempt. Webster’s Online Dictionary defines […]
If it’s broken, my buddy John can fix it (or so he thinks!). John is always quick to volunteer the use of his Gorilla Glue whenever I am in need. When Gorilla Glue appeared on the market a few years ago John and I took interest. We’re both typical fix-it males involved in a never-ending search for products that […]
