Russellings of the Spirit

joy

  • Waxing Nostalgic

    Remember the “good old days”? You know… back in January 2020… … back when we watched movies in movie theaters, went to church in church buildings, when kids went to school in school buildings, when we watched live concerts and… Continue reading

  • The Sound of Roadblocks

    Most of the time, we (maybe I should say “I”) misread roadblocks. It’s like the time my grandmother bought us a piano. I think I was eight or nine years old. Grandma thought that was the perfect age for me… Continue reading

  • Final Exam

    Urgent: [ˈərjənt] Adjective. calling for immediate attention: PRESSING  Today I am thinking back to that time when urgency seemed to rule my life. It was a time when everything had to be done RIGHT NOW! Nothing could wait. It was a… Continue reading

  • CHANGE

    What moves the world? What kind of force does it take To cause even the tiniest shudder? And alter – even microscopically – the unflinching orbit Of lives? Of fates? Of destinies? Of kingdoms? Of stars? Is it great beauty?… Continue reading

  • The Waiting Game

    “Let’s put that off for a while,” said the doctor, regarding my possible need for shoulder surgery. “Let’s wait a bit,” said the out-of-state family member about an upcoming visit. “Nope. Not happening anytime soon,” said the travel company about… Continue reading

  • Take Hope

    “But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have?” Romans 8:24, NRSV. Hope is a precious commodity these days. On some days, it can be harder to find than that ever-elusive toilet paper. We squint and look at the… Continue reading

  • “Let me OFF!”

    Well, it’s that time of year again. It is the time of year when the antennae of clergyfolk in the United Methodist Church are exquisitely attuned to every minor shift in the wind, every minute rise or fall in barometric… Continue reading

  • Being a parent…

    I’ve been an acrobat. But I have never done more juggling, flipping, and contorting than I have as a parent. I’ve been an artist. But I have never helped create anything more beautiful than my children. I’ve been heartbroken. But… Continue reading

  • Loveland

    Two days ago I went into my nearby U.S. Post Office here in Fort Collins, Colorado. The purpose of my trip – I am eager to tell you – was to mail a Super Bowl LIV Champions KANSAS CITY CHIEFS… Continue reading

  • Love Out Loud

    A year or so ago, I got fed up. Squared. First I was fed up with the escalating rancor and divisiveness in nearly every segment of American society. Yes, ill will seems to center primarily in the political realm, but… Continue reading