One of the most cherished gifts I received when I graduated from seminary was a cross on a chain. It was a gift from my wife. It is quite an attractive cross, actually. It has a silver backing piece with… Continue reading

 “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,     the moon and the stars that you have established;  what are human beings that you are mindful of them,     mortals that you care for them?” Psalm 8:3-4, NRSV  … Continue reading

Try as I might, I have to confess that there are several categories of people I really have a hard time extending Christ’s love toward. Some of those categories include: people who are deliberately mean… people who see only the… Continue reading

Things fall apart. Besides being the title of the epic 1958 novel written by Nigerian author Chinua Achebe, this statement is one of those pesky immutable truths about life. “Fallingapartness” just seems to be a characteristic that is hard-wired into… Continue reading

The year 2011 was the last time September 11 fell on a Sunday. First, perhaps because it was the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and second, perhaps because it was my first year in a new church, I… Continue reading

This one is for the daughter Of the sister Of the man who Oversees the operation Of the pressing machine That squeezes the two slabs of wood Together Around the dowel rod of black graphite At the pencil factory Where… Continue reading

This morning, while sitting at a red stoplight waiting for it to turn green, I stole a quick glance to my right. A largish commercial panel truck had pulled into the lane beside me and I was curious to discover… Continue reading

A couple of weeks ago I was in the midtown Kansas City area with a friend. It was evening. We had just attended an event together and were on our way home. Suddenly he noticed that his car was low… Continue reading