A PRAYER FOR ELECTION DAY AND ALL THAT FOLLOWS

November 5, 2024.Reading time 6 minutes.

Here is my prayer for this day….EF

All That You Have Is Your Soul

February 16, 2024.Reading time 11 minutes.

It’s now more than a week past Tracy Chapman’s incredible performance at this year’s Grammy Awards Show. I can’t stop thinking about it. And it’s reminded me of my favorite Tracy Chapman song. Most people’s favorite is likely the big hit she performed at the Grammy’s. But mine has always been “All That You Have […]

Driving Gratitude

November 23, 2023.Reading time 13 minutes.

On this Thanksgiving morning, I’m posting a picture that shows you what I see every day as I am driving home from North Oak Cliff. This pic from the great Justin Terveen shows a much more swollen river than usual…I mostly post it for how the buildings look…because that’s how it looks, every night… I […]

The God’s Honest Truth About “Revival”

February 16, 2023.Reading time 19 minutes.

It’s likely that mainline United Methodists are only vaguely aware of the “revival” happening at United Methodist-adjacent Asbury College. But it’s an event that evangelicals across denominational lines can’t stop talking about, and so I’ll jump in a bit today. Let me start with my primary ending point: If “revivals” are not a part of […]

Stop. Wait. Think About This.

February 26, 2020.Reading time 19 minutes.

Sometime this morning, maybe even as I write this, the “Leaning Tower of Dallas” will finally come down. (UPDATE: Obviously, the timeline is much longer now…again, reinforcing the point of this essay…EF) I’ve been captivated by our fascination with this wreck of a wreck ever since it happened a week ago. I always love metaphor, […]

“Be the Dog On A Walk”

January 10, 2020.Reading time 10 minutes.

One of the most important life lessons Dennise and I have ever learned, we learned from our dog. The lesson is: “Be the Dog On a Walk.” We learned this lesson observing our dog, Daisy. And I should describe it by first describe the opposite… “Daisy in the yard…” When Daisy is in the * […]

Be Here Now

December 26, 2019.Reading time 9 minutes.

I’ve got my Apple Watch set so that when I don’t have a calendar event, the phrase “Be Here Now” pops up on the calendar app. There aren’t many days when “Be Here Now” is the only thing on my schedule. But yesterday was one of those days. Today is too. Just about every minister […]

Thomas Merton Had It Easy

August 27, 2019.Reading time 9 minutes.

I spent a good bit of my twenties pissed off at Thomas Merton. I was pissed off by a very specific thing in his writings. Merton writes beautifully about the need for regular time in prayer, quiet, and contemplation. He also writes scathingly about the chaos, noise, and confusion of everyday life for most people […]

What Sufferings Are Not Gifts?

August 20, 2019.Reading time 3 minutes.

Watching this interview between Colbert and Anderson Cooper, I am reminded of the great quote attributed to Charlie Chaplin: “To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain and play with it.” Colbert is one of the masters of this, and always has been. And it was years ago now that I first […]

Our Sick Culture of Competition

March 13, 2019.Reading time 16 minutes.

Before we roast these college cheating scandal parents on the scapegoat-altar of our media culture… Before we throw too many self-righteous stones… And even before we get too high and mighty about the privileged and the wealthy and how they get special treatment (which is all true, of course)… We must turn a harsh light […]