Modern-day Stoic philosopher Ryan Holiday writes about moments of awe and wonder, “These beautiful moments are available us whenever we want them. All we have to do is open our souls to them.” “The soft paw prints of a cat on the dusty trunk of a car. The hot steam pouring from the street vents […]
The apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians (5:19-20): Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is a Swedish proverb: Those who wish to sing always find a song. My friend Kenny […]
Some time ago, I heard about the first day of kindergarten for a young student in California, back in the early seventies. There were so many unusual names floating around the Santa Cruz area in those days that the teachers didn’t even blink when they first met a child whose name tag read, “Fruit Stand.” […]
There’s a funny story about a man who was rescued on a deserted island by the Coast Guard. The Captain saw three huts on the island and so he asked the man, “What’s that hut on the north side of the island?” The man answered, “That’s my house. That’s where I live.” “Okay, what’s the […]
In the Message version of the Bible, Philippians, chapter 4 reads like this: Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. […]
There is an interesting story in the gospel of Matthew in which Jesus, Peter, James, and John climb a mountain to get away from the crowds. Matthew tells us that Jesus was “transfigured” before them. His clothing turned all white. Moses and Elijah appear next to him, and God’s voice booms down from heaven, “This […]
Pastor and author Leonard Sweet writes about how Easter gives us the ability to see the world differently. Easter gives us a new vision for an old and broken world. And most importantly, it gives us the power to live into that vision. He writes, “The resurrection means that Christians can expectantly: – dream of […]
Today is Holy Saturday. It is the day between the cross of Good Friday and the empty tomb of Easter. It is a day in which we acknowledge both the reality of evil and death in this world and the reminder that hope is ever on the horizon. We remember that while Jesus was in […]
In the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10, when two of the disciples, James and Johns asked for positions of power and prestige, Jesus replied “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them… But it is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among […]
At First Presbyterian Church in Sarasota, Florida, on occasion, we would celebrate a Passover Seder. My friend Cy Wofsy, who was Jewish, helped me lead our congregation in this event. On the night that Jesus was betrayed, the last supper he celebrated with his disciples was in fact, the Passover Seder. Cy helped us make […]
