• Sleep Reading

    A couple of nights ago, I crawled into bed as I normally do.  My wife and I were reading, despite the fact that we were both exhausted.  I’m in the middle of Border Crossing by Pat Barker, author of one of my all-time favorite books, Regeneration. This is what I read: ELEVEN At six, Tom gave…

  • On Creating More Hassles

    In today’s blog post, “On creating a hassle,” Seth Godin writes: To quote Merlin Mann, “You don’t let the guy with the broom control how many elephants are in the parade.” Harsh to say, but the fact is that great storytellers and artists and ruckus makers manage to insulate themselves from the people they’re going…

  • The New Authority: Trust

    It comes down to trust.  Our current behavior demonstrates that we don’t trust the system, we simply rely on it and expect it to function.  Then when it doesn’t, we condemn it.  Sometimes we even argue that the system can’t do it.  And even then we still don’t hold the community responsible for cleaning up the mess. Perhaps this…

  • I’ll Take “Bitter” For $300, Alex!

    It seems that when it comes to making the “right” decision, it is a lot harder than we think. A young man, DeAnthony Arnett, is looking to return home.  And he can…if he accepts a punishment for it. Arnett plays college football and was a highly-talented recruit last year.  And as the rules go, when…

  • More Important New Year Markers Than New Year’s Day

    The longest tradition in my life with regards to New Year’s is the annual double-date my wife and I would do with her best friend and husband, Kelli and Doug.  We would go out to a fancy restaurant, eat well, go back to their house and wait for that big Ball to “Drop”.  The guys…

  • Wishing It Doesn’t Make It So

    Whether or not you follow the politics of the Anglican Communion is probably related to whether or not you have a mental illness.  Nevertheless, my people have been engaged in a struggle that represents the very understanding of authority in the postmodern age.  Which is actually pretty cool, in that geeky sort-of-way. Here’s my basic overview: Since…

  • With Regards To Conflict

    MadPriest made a cogent statement over at his blog about the relationship between Sudan and the Episcopal Church: The Episcopal Church of Sudan’s retraction of their invitation to the presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church in the USA is like the Jew set upon by robbers, upon his recovery, telling the good Samaritan to fuck…

  • Mike Friesen: The Science of Forgiveness

    In a quick read, Mike Friesen describes the scientific underpinnings of why some are so easy to forgive and why others are so challenged by it. I remember a Sunday School teacher threatening my class with a verse when I was a little boy, “Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” I remember him teaching that…