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Listening to music has no practical purpose. It simply puts us in touch with the joy and beauty of life, or sometimes the sadness and uncertainty of life. Next to silence, I sometimes think, music may come closest to expressing those inexpressible my…
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I am what you call a “cradle Lutheran.” I grew up going to the same Lutheran church in Lebanon, PA until after I finished seminary and moved to the Quad Cities. I was baptized, confirmed, married, and overall raised in the faith at Holy Trinity. I at…
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Every year I look forward to watching the NFL draft on television. I love college football, and I’m eager to see the reactions of some of my favorite players when a team selects them. What an emotional moment to finally realize that their dreams of p…
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This weekend, I will meet with a committee in Indianapolis for an “approval” interview. Three years ago, in April 2015, I met with the same committee for the first time to begin the process of joining the roster of ordained ministers in the Evangelic…
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Gardening isn’t exactly my greatest talent. I’ve definitely never had much of a green thumb. But I’m grateful for a few good friends who have, over time, helped me figure out how to add some flowers and landscaping to my otherwise fairly simple yard….
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While there is much evidence to the contrary, I am convinced that humans are actually quite remarkable. We have this enormous capacity for courage, hope, and trust. If you ever doubt this, just spend some time watching trapeze artists. There they are…
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On the week of the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr’s death, it seems fitting to recall his most enduring legacy. King’s unbending commitment to non-violence turns on one central idea: revenge can never be a worthy substitute for love. In or…
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I am always flooded with emotions during Holy Week and Easter. We begin waving palm branches with a triumphant entry into Jerusalem, praising God for the coming Messiah. But then our shouts of praise turn to chants of death as we say together “crucif…
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Plenty of commentary is available regarding this generation’s young people. It’s natural to compare their experiences to our own. It’s common to hear or participate in conversations about things that they do not appreciate enough or the amount of tim…
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I’ve been trying to learn something about St. Patrick this week, but it’s hard to track down much information about a person who died 1,557 years ago. According to tradition, Patrick died on March 17, 461, which is why he is remembered and celebrated…
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Every now and then, when I’m procrastinating at my desk or filling time while waiting in line at the grocery store, my mind begins to wander a bit. Or, more aptly, it wonders. I start to think up questions I wish I knew the answer to like “Why did Go…
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Ever since Malcolm Gladwell published his popular book, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, more than a decade ago, people have been paying special homage to the benefit of “decision by instinct.” What Gladwell proposed, namely that quick…