Bravely Facing “Fleeting” Time  “with a  Heart for any Fate”

Watching this sweet child racing the waves, flying like a fairy, building sand castles and enjoying the magic and awe of this beach and some other fantastical, ethereal place  in her mind, one envies such pure, innocent, boundless imagination. She frolics unencumbered  by the questions and worries of politicians, managers, philosophers, and theologians, unware ofContinue reading “Bravely Facing “Fleeting” Time  “with a  Heart for any Fate””

Underneath Change

A recent poll of Americans found them to be exhausted and fearful and confused about the future. Sometimes it seems that “time” is filled with a jumbled, disconnected series of stories without a cohesive meaning. “Time” does change things, or things change with time. Seasons pass. Years pile up. Successes and happy times come andContinue reading “Underneath Change”

No Matter How Far away You Roam…

Hopefully, as we leave this Christmas season with its bright lights and uplifting music, worship services, and warm gatherings of family and friends, we have garnered excitement for a new year. For some, it has been a sweet time. For others, this is a difficult time of year. Unfortunate or even tragic circumstances, seemingly unendingContinue reading “No Matter How Far away You Roam…”

Romancing the World

Bucks Harbor, a small, fishing harbor in Washington County, Maine, lies in the distance beyond the sheep. Lobster boats are gently rocking on the tide but are invisible in the foggy, snowy distance. Jesus probably would have been at home here. It was the life he lived! Sheep and fishermen were  elements in his earthlyContinue reading “Romancing the World”

Romancing the World

Bucks Harbor, a small, fishing harbor in Washington County, Maine, lies in the distance beyond the sheep. Lobster boats are gently rocking on the tide but are invisible in the foggy, snowy distance. Jesus probably would have been at home here. It was the life he lived! Sheep and fishermen were  elements in his earthlyContinue reading “Romancing the World”

“In the Bleak Midwinter”….

Long, cold, 18th century, English winters inspired Christina Rossetti’s Christmas poem, In the Bleak Midwinter. In the course of this dreary weather season, several religions celebrate special days which include the Jewish Festival of Lights or Hanukkah and the Christian celebration of Christ’s Advent or Christmas. During the extended Christmas holiday, the airways are filledContinue reading ““In the Bleak Midwinter”….”

A Rose by Whatever Name…..

According to Juliet in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”. Juliet knew that the character of the boy she loved was more important than his family origin or the surname that he had been given. Labelling, fancy marketing, having a famous name, or presenting a pleasant affect doContinue reading “A Rose by Whatever Name…..”

A Paradox: Different but the Same!

Basically the same but superficially different, these colorful lawn chairs are reminders of both the similarities and the uniqueness of the people who occupy them from time to time. Brown, yellow, black or white, we categorize ourselves by physical characteristics, personal quirkiness, ancestry, social standing , abilities, intellect and other individual differences. However, whether livingContinue reading “A Paradox: Different but the Same!”

How Many “Glad” Days are there in a Year?

“Glads” make us glad! Flowers, apart from being gifts of appreciation, tokens of love, and friendly gestures, have a beauty which can and may buoy us up. In one of his “Peanuts” cartoons, Charles Shultz has Charlie Brown hugging Snoopy and questioning, “What if today, we were just grateful for everything? Such an attitude ofContinue reading “How Many “Glad” Days are there in a Year?”

Blowing in the Wind…

In a series of frustrated, rhetorical queries, Bob Dylan’s 1960’s “protest “song, “Blowing in the Wind,”  identifies both personal and national moral conundrums. He poses stirring questions about how many roads or years we must take or live before we comprehend our common humanity. He laments our inability to listen to and to show compassionContinue reading “Blowing in the Wind…”