I doubt anyone can give a definitive answer to these questions, but here's what I've been pondering recently: Why am I just now realizing what a good writer Stephen King is? Why do people turn the fans on full blast at the Y? People: you're going there to...
One of my favorite novelists is John Irving. He's the author of books that are both critically acclaimed and wildly popular, such as The Word According To Garp, A Prayer For Owen Meany, and The Cider House Rules. Most Irving novels blend high hilarity, deep pathos,...
This math will be revolutionary to no one, but . . . I realized today that the 90s started a quarter century ago. In some ways, 1990 seems like yesterday -- that's when I began full-time ministry, when Julie and I moved to the Carolinas, when we were in the early days...
When you're down for the count. When you need a buzzer beater. When you utter a Hail Mary. When you're ready throw in the towel. When that certain lady is warming up her voice. We've all had those situations. Some people are in the middle of them. And Psalm...
Pick your cliche: There's Down For The Count: Or Throw In The Towel: Or a certain lady who sings: Whatever the cliche, it's a season of life with which we are all familiar -- hope seems lost and perseverance appears futile. Psalm 126 -- one of the...
On Tuesday evening, I went to CharlotteONE, an eclectic gathering of 20s and 30s now meeting at the Visulite Theater in the Elizabeth District near uptown. I serve on CharlotteONE's Board, which means I get to help ensure they stay focused on the three-fold mission: ...
We are hosting a funeral today at Good Shepherd -- another in a run of them recently -- which serves as an occasion to remember the two most important words in designing a service that both honors the dead and comforts the living: expression and permission. By...
Throughout the series On The Up And Up, I have been telling the people of Good Shepherd that the Songs Of Ascent (Psalm 120-134) are some of the most vivid examples of how the books of the bible (in this case, the "book" within a book!) had a life before they were...
Things came together calendar-wise for a message that both celebrated American freedom and pointed out that living as a citizen of the Kingdom is not the same as being a citizen of the USA. And it was a sermon based on pronouns. Or the lack of them. Week 2 of "On The...
What does an ancient piece of Hebrew poetry like Psalm 122 have to do with the 4th of July weekend in the USA. Quite a lot, actually. And the reason why has everything to do with the pronouns. To see what I mean, it's Sunday. 8:30. 10. 11:30. ...