Why Is Apology So Strange?

February 5, 2009.Reading time 7 minutes.

“I screwed up.” No, I didn’t really screw up. At least, not in any way that I believe I owe you all an apology. It’s an expression. It’s something many of us say every day. Learning to apologize is a key value of a mature adult human being. But to hear the screaming headlines in […]

Warren-less Wiretap

January 28, 2009.Reading time 7 minutes.

It’s sleeting outside and very cold. We’ve got a fire in the hearth, and are assuming that, at the very least life will be delayed a few hours tomorrow morning. The dogs are grateful for their position under the kitchen table, and we had a nice night of turkey chili and Merlot. The perfect time […]

Inauguration Day Prayer from Bishop Gene Robinson

January 21, 2009.Reading time 6 minutes.

Thanks to Pastor Dan at Street Prophets for the heads up on this video and text. Below is the prayer of Bishop Gene Robinson, at the beginning of the “We Are One” concert on the Mall in Washington. (Blogged about yesterday, here) Apparently, the prayer has become somewhat controversial, in that the Inaugural Committee chose […]

Like You and Like I (A Christmas Meditation

December 22, 2008.Reading time 20 minutes.

I didn’t think I’d get a Christmas devotional done this year. But it looks like I did. You can hear most of this in audio form by clicking here. You can read it by just continuing below. Hope you’re having a blessed holiday… There is an old story I have heard various folks –from conservative […]

A Prayer for President-Elect Obama

November 7, 2008.Reading time 3 minutes.

Ross Wise is a friend of mine. He and wife Sharon live in the beautiful East Texas town of Gilmer. I know Ross because he’s a Kerrvert…and even more intimately than that, he’s a “Nasbillian” like me. But, unlike me, Ross is a Baptist and a Republican. That’s why this prayer he’s written captured my […]

Sarah Palin Owes Some Good People an Apology

September 7, 2008.Reading time 14 minutes.

I’ve been bothered by a snippy comment from Sarah Palin’s speech the other night, and have wanted to write about it. But Jim Wallis beat me to it. So, this morning, I will simply cite a few of the highlights of his fine blog –whose title I have borrowed as the title of this one– […]

A Photo History of Community Organizers

September 7, 2008.Reading time 1 minute.

Wow. The repost of my little blog, expanding on Jim Wallis’ original ideas, has been burning up the wires over at DailyKos this afternoon. It spent a better part of the afternoon as the top “recommended” journal, and is on the way to having 400 comments. Wow. This issue clearly touches a button. I certainly […]

Would it be Wrong to Pray for Rain?

September 2, 2008.Reading time 23 minutes.

I posted the video that inspired this question to my Facebook page, and it got a couple of nice comments. So I thought I’d expand my thinking on it into a blog entry. The question for this blog is: Would it be wrong to pray for rain? The answer is: it depends, I suppose. If […]

The Long Road To Forgiveness (The Kim Phuc Story)

July 13, 2008.Reading time 8 minutes.

Every so often, I find one of the “The I Believe” podcasts that is so compelling that I just have to pass it along to you. That happened yesterday, as I was driving along listening to an episode of the great NPR series. What came up on the iPod was the incredible story of Kim […]

A Conversation with Job (Yes, the guy from the Bible…)

July 12, 2008.Reading time 73 minutes.

Job, the guy from the Old Testament, stopped by the house the other day for a visit. He looked good for somebody pushing 2,500-years-old. We had a nice chat. I wish I’d turned on the tape recorder in time, but I didn’t think about that quickly enough. However, I’m pretty sure I can recall the […]