Category Archives: Uncategorized

By the time May arrives, if you’re anything like me, you’re ready for a break. This spring seems to have been busier than ever, but this is actually a good thing. Looking back, I am both amazed and energized by … Continue reading →

A friend of mine knows exactly how to create the perfect Christmas for her family. Visiting her home in December is like stepping into a Hallmark card or one of Budweiser’s “I’ll be home for Christmas” commercials—the ones with the … Continue reading →

Theology runs in my family. I think it’s in our DNA. Recently my two seminarian nephews attended an academic conference on the Dead Sea Scrolls. Simultaneously, over a thousand miles away on a California freeway, the same subject captured the … Continue reading →

The cover of Time Magazine’s September 3, 2007 issue features the familiar lined face and penetrating gaze of Mother Teresa, a.k.a. the “Saint of the Gutter” for her sacrificial and tireless efforts on behalf of Calcutta’s hungry, poor and dying. … Continue reading →

It has been a long time since I was in a math class. But the other day, while listening to Garrison Keiller’s Writer’s Almanac on NPR, I was suddenly back in the classroom. He was reading Jessica Goodfellow’s poem entitled … Continue reading →

After the death of a loved one—or any other sorrow or loss—there is the expectation in the minds of many Christians that the sorrower should put their grief aside and move on with their life. Our troubles are like hurdles … Continue reading →

When Frank and I returned home from Kelly’s funeral, I was thinking that (except for a couple of final notices) the blog I had maintained during the crisis on Mt. Hood had pretty much served its purpose and should simply … Continue reading →

New Year’s Day has always been a favorite holiday for me. Having grown up with three brothers, I naturally associate it with good food and lots of football, minus the pressures Christmas creates. At a personal level, I like the … Continue reading →

Anyone who has ever had a baby knows the world becomes a friendly place when you have a baby in tow. Strangers in the grocery store, the post office, or the mall, who would otherwise walk right past as though … Continue reading →

When Frank and I hiked Hadrian’s Wall in England, back in 2006, we covered long stretches where no trace of the ancient Roman wall remains. Lots of sheep and cows and picturesque English countryside, but no wall. Built to last, … Continue reading →