As we begin today, I invite you to play a little word game.  I will give a phrase and ask you to complete it.  However, in completing it, please mention an animal in your answer.  Be as descriptive as you wish. So—for example… “Sly as a ___________________” (fox) “Happy as _________________________.” “Proud as_________________________.” “Wise as… [Read More]

Anne Quindlen once wrote, “You are the only person alive who has sole custody of your life … Your entire life … Not just the life of your mind, but the life of your heart. Not just your bank account, but your soul.” And yet many of our decisions both individual and collective neglect the… [Read More]

  On the surface, the Easter story is a preposterous claim.  It isn’t scientific, yet it has survived even the most dismal and humiliating of circumstances, as well as centuries of apathetic, hostile, or demeaning critics.  It doesn’t promise prosperity or a better bottom line to its proponents, and it seems more fairy tale than… [Read More]

Are we tempted to whitewash the events of this week?  If we were to choose one color to represent the events of this week, what color would we choose?  It’s always a bit tricky to decide on a sermon title ahead of time.  It’s a bit like picking out a paint color before you actually… [Read More]

What do you do when you despair of the monotony of life?  What do you do, when you are, season in and season out, burdened by the endless cycle of rising and sleeping, working and spending, eating and commuting, finding your way and then getting lost yet again?  What do you do when you despair… [Read More]

Sisters and brothers, are you in a season of acquiring or in a season of letting go?  When I was expecting, I was flabbergasted at the amount of kid paraphernalia that was advertised to us.  Somehow, we simply weren’t up to snuff as parents if we didn’t acquire the latest in baby monitors, safety gadgets,… [Read More]

Martha and Mary.  They would seem to be opposites.  In some ways, they are presented as such.  Martha is the one stirring the pots, setting the table, answering the door, and attending to the needs of the moment.  Can’t you see her wiping her hands on her apron as she rushes to open the door? … [Read More]

Meal time.  Does that arouse any particular feelings for you?  Aside from the hunger that we try to satisfy, for some of us, mealtime can be the loneliest time of the day.  We may turn on the radio, the t.v., our phones or our computers, just to keep us company or to fill the silence. … [Read More]

Truly living life deeply can be an art form, and our choices can often affect the pace and depth at which we live our lives. In the immensely popular song “Shallow” sung by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, we hear: “Tell me somethin’, girl Are you happy in this modern world? Or do you need… [Read More]

Do you remember the many changes and transformations that led to who you are and how you are now at this point in your life?  “All things change,” or so we say, and that includes our own personalities, dreams, livelihoods, and even our souls.  When I consider my own multiple transformations over time, it was… [Read More]