Russellings of the Spirit

comfort

  • Something from Nothing, Part 2

    (In yesterday’s installment, I recounted one of my most abysmal performances as a pastoral counselor. Troy, a congregant, had come to see me with an incredible mountain of problems including job loss, cancer, his wife’s infidelity, and parenting challenges, all… Continue reading

  • These Dogs

    These dogs. They don’t do much, in the grand scheme of things. Sleeping seems to be very high on their list of “Things to do” every day. (A little too much of it, if you ask me). There is also… Continue reading

  • I’m not sure Jesus could have hit the nail any more squarely on the head than when he said this. But here is the question that keeps me awake at night: Do you and I really want to be set… Continue reading

  • GLOW

    My wife GLOWs. Every fourth Thursday of the month. From 5:30 to 7:00. And because she GLOWs, we glow (and grow) together as a family. You see, GLOW is the name of the women’s cancer support group Joan attends at… Continue reading

  • One Funeral Too Many

    Jesus began to weep. (John 11:35, NRSV) Here lately I have been going to entirely too many funerals. OK, I suppose you could say this is just par for the course for people in that “certain” age bracket to which… Continue reading

  • Confessions of a human punching bag

    If memory serves, sixth grade was the last time I was ever in a genuine fistfight. It was a hot summer day. As usual, I was at the community swimming pool with my friends splashing, diving, and horsing around. When… Continue reading

  • The Empty Chair

    It is hard to miss… sitting there over on the left side of the family dining table. The empty chair. A silent witness to a place that will never again be filled… a testimony to the part of our story… Continue reading