I recently stumbled upon this speech given by the sister of the groom at a wedding: Her speech is heartwarming in the shorthand way it conveys the mystical (but SO relatable) manner our lives progress from haphazard meanderings (a random date with “the volleyball girl”), to the unveiling of destiny (“Sarah’s the one”). In the … More Things Become Clear in the Rearview Mirror
If I may, I’d like to ask a direct and uncomfortable question right out of the gate. What scandalizes you? The term snowflake has transformed in meaning over the past few years. It used to refer to freezing precipitation, or as a metaphor for the unique attributes of each person. But now snowflake is a … More Christians and Offensive Art
There’s quite a smorgasbord of ways to refer to folks in my line of work: Priests Holy Rollers Men of the Cloth Bible thumpers Elders Preachers One particularly dear sister at my church calls me “Pastor Sweetie” Whatever you might call us, I’m sure you’re aware that people of my occupation aren’t perfect. We are … More When Pastors Say Stupid Stuff
What am I supposed to do? As you read that question, I suppose an assortment of scenarios and memories come to mind when you’ve asked it in the past: When you’ve already asked someone to repeat a statement you couldn’t hear the first time, but you still couldn’t hear when he tried again. When you’re … More Limitations
There’s a hypothetical ethical quandary posed in nearly every basic ethics class. I’m sure you’re familiar with all the main beats: You’re an average, working-class German during the era of the Holocaust You’re hiding a Jewish family in the crawl space of your house in an attempt to protect them from the Nazis The Nazis … More More Literal Than I Thought
In the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing some of my favorites (authors, preachers, places, etc.) Today we will begin with five of my favorite podcasts: These various and wide-ranging “casual conversations about things that count” are presented by the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. Episodes are kept relatively brief (usually between 20-40 minutes) and strike … More My Favorites: Podcasts
Today’s Photo Today in Review We’re having a very quiet and low-key New Year’s Day. I’m trying to implement a “seed habit” this year in place of resolutions, beginning with the habit of becoming more observant – of where I spend my money, of how I dedicate my time, of what food I eat, etc. … More Daily Reflections: The Only Today I’ll Ever Get
Small Town Gospel 