Russellings of the Spirit

Jesus Christ

  • Part I: What I Actually Asked the Imam

    Earlier this month, Joan and I were on a tour. We were in Turkey with a group of 24 other travelers spending 14 days touring that amazing place with the Rick Steves organization. Our incredible guide was the Istanbul born-and-raised… Continue reading

  • Not Enough

    It is always there. It never rests.  I try to ignore it. I try to muffle it. I try to shout over it. All to no avail. It is as persistent as a mosquito on a humid summer night. It… Continue reading

  • Scratching the Choir Itch

    There is something magical about singing. Especially when that singing is done in harmony with other people.  I am not musically intelligent enough to know how it all works, but when those people over there sing one note, the folks… Continue reading

  • A Rich, Rich Man

    It was one of those perfect, early autumn evenings. The air was still hot and clammy, but the rays of the sun were starting to slant toward the horizon. I was excited because tonight was the first game of the… Continue reading

  • Block Party Confessional

    Joan and I went to a block party last week. The party wasn’t technically on OUR block. But someone on that other, partying block was kind enough to invite us. It was a nice event featuring grilled goodies, a potluck… Continue reading

  • The Unseen Doorknob

    I watered our outdoor plants this morning… … and in so doing, got a first-hand taste of the meaning of futility. I say futility first because Joan and I are big fans of annuals. Second, because it is late August. In June… Continue reading

  • Afflicting the Comfortable

    Thank God for Willis Carrier. Mr. Carrier, as you may have heard, is widely believed to be the inventor of the modern air conditioning system. According to Wikipedia, while Carrier did indeed develop the first ELECTRICAL air conditioning system in… Continue reading

  • Plagued by Purpose

    There was a time… I remember it well… when the answer was so simple, it wasn’t even necessary to ask the question. Those were the days when you only had to look one branch down on the family tree to… Continue reading

  • Viva la difference!

    I’m sorry, but it’s true; I am married to the best cook in the world. The votes are in… tallies have been verified by Price-Waterhouse… the verdict is final. How she does it – consistently night after night– I’ll never… Continue reading

  • Breathing Lessons

    WHEW! Dodged another COVID bullet. Joan and I just heard from a close friend – one we had recently been in physical proximity with – that she and her husband both tested positive for the virus.  Fortunately, their symptoms are… Continue reading