We are in a time of tremendous upheaval since the inauguration of President Donald Trump. For many Americans, including me, the sweeping changes made in federal leadership and policy have been frightening. The haste and lack of thoughtfulness in these declarations betray the administration’s lack of wisdom and carelessness. Millions of people are at risk due to these changes. Fear is a constant in many … Continue reading Fight, Flight or Freeze, and….
Recently I was in Michigan for a conference, and I rented a car so that I could drive to my friends’ homes and stay with them instead of staying in a hotel. While I’m glad I made those arrangements, in the moment I realized that I had forgotten how fast Michiganders drive. Yikes. I was white-knuckling it in a “mid-size” (small) rental car in commuter … Continue reading
I was asked to record a spot on the local radio station on the day before the national election, but it will air several days later. So please bear with me in this tricky assignment.The atmosphere is charged with the anxiety of this year’s election, and you deserve to hear something that can help you address your concerns. I assume that if you are listening … Continue reading A Pre-Election Essay for Post-Election Anxiety
It happened so fast. We had no idea on Saturday morning that the water was blocking off roads. We had a family graveside to go to in Titonka, and we left with the clothes on our backs at 8:00 a.m. In Spencer, we get flood watches and warnings every spring, so we don’t pay much attention to them. Unless there is a drought—which we have … Continue reading Notes from a Soggy Small Town
Prayer. Over the course of my life, that word and practice has meant different things. At first, we learn rote prayers. “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep…” The Lord’s Prayer. Prayers before meals. Growing up, our before-meal prayer went like this: “Father, bless this food we take, and bless us all, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.” Our … Continue reading The Miner
Often in Christian conversations and sermons these days, we are told to “stand up for your faith.” It seems like a rallying cry to protect Christianity from an onslaught of perceived threats to moral purity, to individual expressions of faith, to the right to refuse service on the basis of religion, etc. The stance is one of defensiveness. Yet I don’t hear Jesus advocating “taking … Continue reading Stand Up, for What?
When I retired at the beginning of 2022, I did not picture myself sitting in a chair looking down at the deep end of a pool, blowing the whistle to keep kids from running on the pool deck. Let me back up. Last summer I helped out at a week of family camp a mere 20 miles from home. My grandkids’ other grandma graciously agreed … Continue reading And Now for Something Completely Different
When is the last time someone asked you how you feel? These days we all want to talk about what we think, but we habitually ignore the feelings that are often driving our opinions and our actions. We are created as whole beings, with bodies, emotions, intellect, senses and so much more. Yet for some reason the idea that emotions are bad has infiltrated popular … Continue reading Do Not Fear Your Feelings
This writing refers to two pieces of legislation recently supported and signed into law by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds. Senate File 538 prohibits medical personnel from providing gender-altering treatment for minors even if they have their parents’ permission. Senate File 482 requires transgender youth to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their biology at birth, providing separate facilities only with parents’ permission. … Continue reading What if…?
I sat on one of the folding chairs lining the mini-gym at the Y on a Saturday morning in January. First and second grade boys were earnestly enacting their version of basketball, my grandson among them. They’re not bad, considering their age. The leniency about traveling violations and a rule against stealing the ball enable them to enjoy the game as aggressively as their little … Continue reading Blood Connections
saint sinner seeker 