Wallabies in Berlin

When You’re Not Where You’re Supposed to Be Somewhere in the forests of Berlin, a wallaby is hopping around like he owns the place. He doesn’t. He belongs in the Australian outback, not dodging German traffic and licking his paws on dimly lit sidewalks while baffled pedestrians try to film him. Authorities aren’t even chasing […]
Embracing The Gracious Gift

Writing in a book entitled With Open Hands, Henri Nouwen asserts: “The challenge of the gospel lies precisely in the invitation to accept a gift for which we can give nothing in return. For the gift is the very life-breath of God, the Spirit who is poured out on us through Jesus Christ. This life […]
No Energy for Pouting

In the Ken Burns PBS series on jazz music, Duke Ellington was asked how it felt to be unable, due to segregation, to stay in the guest rooms of the very hotels where he and his band performed. Duke said, “I took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.” I’m a big […]
Images

Malcolm Muggeridge is remembered as one of the most notable figures of the twentieth century. The wit and style of the self-dubbed “fatally fluent” journalist was endearing and yet, controversial. He was present in print, on the radio, and television. With over fifty years in the public eye, Muggeridge knew well the effect of publicity […]
The Opposite of Presence

(From a “Slice of Infinity” blog by Jill Carattini) In a poem titled “Moments of Joy” Denise Levertov tells the story of an old scholar who takes a room on the next street down from his grown children—“the better to concentrate on his unending work, his word, his world.” And though he comes and goes […]
Criticism

“And why worry about a speck in the eye of a brother when you have a board in your own? Should you say, ‘Friend, let me help you get that speck out of your eye,’ when you can’t even see because of the board in your own? Hypocrite! First get rid of the board. Then […]
Prayer is Power

Do you ever wonder about the value of prayer? Do you wonder if there is really such a thing as a direct connection to Heaven? And if there is, does it make any difference on Earth? Christians are frequently and regularly admonished to pray. We use catch phrases, such as “I’ll keep you in my […]
Miraculous!

Charles Swindoll tells a funny story about a nine-year-old named Danny who came bursting out of Sunday school like a wild stallion. His eyes were darting in every direction as he tried to locate either mom or dad. Finally, after a quick search, he grabbed his Daddy by the leg and yelled, “Man, that story […]
When The Cheering Stopped

Gene Smith, a noted American historian, wrote the book, “When The Cheering Stopped.” The book was the story of President Woodrow Wilson and the events leading up to and following WWI. When that war was over, Wilson was an international hero. There was a great spirit of optimism abroad, and people actually believed that the […]
She Died with Her Running Shoes On

Eighty-six year old Joy Johnson, a veteran of 25 New York City marathons, died with her running shoes on. Johnson, who still holds the record as the oldest female to finish the race, fell at the 20 mile marker in her last event. She crossed the finish line at about eight hours. After the race […]