• The Discipline of Hope, {Advent 2, 2016}

    Cynicism. In many ways it seems like the most logical, natural way to wrap up a year like 2016. There have been so many unexpected deaths: Natalie Cole, Prince, Leonard Cohen, Gwen Ifil, Florence Henderson, David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Gene Wilder. (Whew. And those are just a few.). All of these have been layered over a world hell bent on violence, and a campaign so full of insult and vitriol that even some of the campaigns’ mangers were at each other’s throats after the election. So it was a surprise, but a very small one, when many of my friends who had been supportive of the protests in the Dakotas,…

  • Its Jesus, Not Dinosaurs…that are coming. Advent Day One

    Ah. I begin Advent again with boxes and branches strewn about my small living room.   I just put in the last of what I call the Deadly Poultry Dishes in the dish washer and hope that I have done so prudently enough to keep the infinite number of possible turkey based bacterial death contaminates at bay… I guess we will see soon enough. I worked too many hours selling self described “magic” gadgets to strangers over the past two days and I feel harried and hurried and anxious and I feel certain if I sit down to finish writing this I will once again be late for Church.  …

  • 29 Days of Hope: Day 9, The Gift of the Mad Guy.

    “Allan” greeted me at the door with an enthusiasm that frankly would have scared me if it hadn’t made me so happy to be alive.  He was in his late fifties 6’3″ thin like a coat rack with a smile that made his eyes disappear.   This time of year I can only think to call him jolly.  Allan has a unique way of lighting up a place.    It was hard for me to believe that he was anything other than a ray of light, but he once was something else, which only makes his story that much more beautiful…