Joseph was the favorite son and it seems like he liked to tell on his brothers. So Joseph was a tattletale and the favorite, and his brothers hated him for it. They hated him so much that they plotted to kill him. But Reuben knew how much Joseph meant to his father, and so he stood up for him. Kind of.
Crossroads: Don’t Give Up
July 31, 2023 by
I love learning different languages. I took French for seven years in high school and college and I absolutely loved it. I knew what I was doing and I was good at it.
Formations 07.18.2021: Owning Up
July 11, 2021 by
As an only child, I’ll readily admit that there are some aspects of growing up that I missed out on. Some of these things I count as plusses and others I count as minuses.
Waking Up to Routine and Finding Ourselves Surprised
April 27, 2021 by
The alarm goes off long before you want it to. The snooze button is not worth it, but it is tempting. You have to get to work. Or you have to get to work at home. Or you have learned that retirement is work.
Formations 04.12.2020: Giving Things Up for Lent
April 5, 2020 by
John places Jesus’ “cleansing of the temple” near the beginning of his Gospel rather than at the end, as the Synoptic Gospels do. In John, this symbolic act foreshadows the many controversies that Jesus will face and that will eventually end with the crucifixion.
Connections 10.20.2019: Prayed Up
October 13, 2019 by
Have you heard the one about the church member who prayed such long prayers that his fellow members cringed when the pastor called on him to pray? They dreaded hearing his prayers drag on for five minutes or longer, which they always did.
Connections 12.30.2018: Growing Up
December 23, 2018 by
My younger daughter Natalie will be 12 years old in March. It’s a delicate age. She is just crossing the threshold into puberty, clinging to the joys of childhood while also confronting body changes and swinging emotions.
Connections 06.24.2018: Opening Up
June 17, 2018 by
Let’s think about how we talk with one another, and particularly about how we carry out difficult conversations with each other. Along the way, let’s learn (or remember) a little Latin. We can choose between two approaches when we are discussing, debating, or arguing with someone.
Connections 12.03.2017: Wake Up!
November 26, 2017 by
In the Gospels, I identify much more with the disciples than with the people who are in awe of Jesus, scared of him, or threatened by him. The disciples, like me, are comfortable with Jesus. They feel secure enough in him to question his ideas, criticize his actions, and even fall asleep when he wants them to stay alert.
Formations 09.10.2017: Americans Step Up Their Giving
September 3, 2017 by
Hurricane Harvey made its first landfall on the evening of August 25 near Rockport, Texas. It was the first Category 4 hurricane to make landfall in the US since Charley in 2004. Three days later, FEMA Administrator Brock Long estimated that 30,000 people may need shelter, and as many as 450,000 may qualify for federal flood victim assistance.
Crossroads: Don’t Give Up
August 7, 2017 by
I love learning different languages. I took French for 7 years in high school and college and I absolutely loved it. I knew what I was doing and I was good at it. When I got to seminary, though, I had to take a semester each of Hebrew and Greek. I loved Hebrew and I was good at it.
Crossroads: Don’t Give Up!
May 23, 2016 by
When we were kids, my sister hated school. She didn’t want to do her homework or study, and so there were a lot of times when she didn’t understand things. But when she was in Middle School, she had a really hard time with math.
Wake Up to Now
January 27, 2016 by
It’s my first winter in Michigan. This is the longest I’ve gone without seeing the grass in my front yard, the furthest I’ve driven on white roads, and the most consecutive days I’ve had to wear a down coat.