Here’s another poem inspired by a passage from God Makes the Rivers to Flow; An Anthology of the World’s Sacred Poetry & Prose by Eknath Easwaran. Praise God, World “Raise a shout for the Lord, all the earth…” —Psalm 100 Praise the Lord, O computer. Praise the Lord, iPhone, iPad, iPod. Shout hallelujah, posters. Glorify God, …
Bible
In Times of Transition: Practice Gratitude and Change the Way You Think
If you’ve read my blog and my “about the blog” page, you already know that I’m in a state of transition. Here’s the summary: I’ve been on disability since October 2009, and now it’s up for review. I’m afraid I might lose it, so I’ve decided to start a freelance writing business, just in case. …
Jesus says, “Make Friends for Yourself by Means of Dishonest Wealth”: What Does He Really Want from Us?
Sometimes Jesus can be absolutely shocking. Like when he says, “make friends for yourself by means of dishonest wealth.” Before the service at St. Luke’s two weeks ago, if someone randomly asked me, “Didn’t Jesus say, ‘make friends for yourself by means of dishonest wealth’?” my response would be, “That can’t be!” But in the …
From St. Nicholas the Cabbagehead to Christ on the Cross: When Appearing Foolish Isn’t Foolish
If Sunday two weeks ago had a theme, it would be “Be Foolish for Christ.” A couple weeks ago on Sunday at St. Luke’s we celebrated the Feast of the Holy Cross. Rev. Dr. Randall R. Warren set the stage for the celebration in the homily. He introduced us to a “fool for Christ,” named …
Does God Really Care When I Get Out of Bed? Finding the Divine in Daily Living
I wish I could tell you I got up every morning like a saint, rising at the break of dawn and saying my prayers. The truth is, I routinely oversleep. It’s med-related. But that’s no comfort. Going off my meds is not an option. I have to find some other way to reduce the amount …
Taking Joy Seriously and Working Hard Joyfully: Thoughts on a Homily about Luke 13:10-17
OK, so the homily wasn’t just about Luke 13:10-17. It was also about Isaiah 58:9b-14 and Hebrews 12:18-29. But it was mostly about Luke 13:10-17. The Homily Last week Sunday at St. Luke’s, Rev. Dr. Randall R. Warren highlighted two sets of spiritual directions found in these scripture passages, as well as scripture in general: …
Did Jesus Really Say He Came to Bring Division? A Response to Luke 12:49-53.
I Have a Hard Time with Luke 12:49-53. When I think of Jesus, I don’t typically think of division. Sure, there are divisions within Christianity and between Christianity and other religions. But I don’t think of Jesus as someone who would want that. So, the passage Rev. Dr. Randall R. Warren preached on last Sunday …