Emmanuel Emmanuel, God-With-Us Emmanuel, God-With-Us: leaving heaven’s peaceful comfort   God-With-Us in the smell, sound, chaos and shelter of the stable God-With-Us, almost helpless; Mary whispers a lullaby blessings for her nursing child God-With-Us as a midwife cleans and fashions a makeshift cradle God-With-Us as shepherds offer midnight harmonies to the Christmas child God-With-Us as […]

At this moment, in this place, I am thankful For the privilege to pastor leaders on the moon shot, rocket scientists, engineers, technicians,  educators,  fighter pilots,  officers, enlisted, civil servants, business leaders, medical professionals, professors, entrepreneurs, artists, writers, musicians, community builders, and home makers.  When I slow down and think about all the gifts, talents, […]

I came home from church feeling on top of the world.  Our special UMCOR offering for Tsunami relief almost equaled to our regular Sunday offering.  I felt deep pride for the people of my little church.   Over pot roast I exclaimed “Connie, you will not believe how much the people gave for the Indonesia Tsunami!” […]

Almighty God, Giver of life, Creator of all We long for the day spoken of by the prophet Isaiah When your Love and Light eclipses our sin When You come to judge the nations, when all swords shall be hammered into ploughshares,   and all spears crafted into pruning-hooks; when nation shall not lift up sword […]

Unless a hanging chad or an Electoral College tie stirs widespread anxiety, some time Tuesday night or Wednesday morning roughly 48% of likely voters will experience mild to severe disappointment.    Hopefully, at least half of all voters experience some measure of happiness.   I need no powers of prophecy to predict that: some will cry foul, […]

Every year I wear a deep red tie with an almost hidden fish symbol buried in large silver circles to our Annual Conference. A careful look reveals a series of crosses emerging from the silver patterns. People always compliment it. Maybe they are simply happy to see me in a suit and tie. I have […]

“Where are you from?”  This is a seemingly easy question for me to answer.  I grew up and lived in the same house from age three until college. My mom still lives there, my dad’s tools hang in his workshop, and a “GI Joe Footlocker” full of old ribbons gathers dust in the attic.  Yet, […]

Watching yellow, orange and brown leaves dance down from the tree tops I opened some Thomas Merton, a good Kentucky Trapist Monk.  Merton speaks of gratitude as an essential part of the spiritual life.   A coffee cup warming my hands and leaves ride on the wind; it is easy to find grateful. Our Creator has […]

Earlier that summer I took my first swim lessons, now I crouched behind the starter’s block about to cry.   Mom’s fear of water drove us to swim lessons at age five.   A month later I faced the unknown with my first race at the Lone Oak Country Club.  What if I come in last?  What […]

A high school freshman slid into the driver’s seat.  His mind turning over roles, responsibilities and options:  should he drive, sit in the passenger seat, or move to the back.   What would mom say?   He unconsciously longed to fill his father’s shoes.   Stinging grief paralyzed his thinking.  Funeral procession move slowly but he only held […]