One of the other older guys in my weekly tai chi class always answers my “How are you?” greeting with “Living the dream…!” There’s some whimsy in his response, and maybe some truth, too. As it turns out, though, “Living the dream” may also be more difficult than just describing a good life. In the opening episode of the PBS documentary series, “A Brief History of the Future”, UCLA socialMORE...
Every so often I hearken back to my early childhood memories. Today’s trip back in time took me to my first “memory work.” I attended a Lutheran grade school, and even in first grade we were assigned a daily Bible verse (or other important piece of spiritual truth) to memorize. The first entry in our memory book was 1 John 4:16b, “God is love.” My reaction on completing this assignment? “HeyMORE...
“What’s actually true?” This question is as old as Jacob fooling his vision-challenged father Isaac and as current as AI’s uncanny ability to invent and shape words, images and sounds. The matter of verifying truth has become a necessary skill, perhaps especially for those of us who are targeted with misinformation, manipulation or malpractice. Today a few reminders about developing a truthMORE...
Daily life is full of tipping points, and some of them can provide reasons for hopefulness. Actual tipping points may be hard to see, because they may occur before the observable event we name as the moment of change. An example: In June, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of gay marriage. Many of us named that occasion as the possible tipping point regarding the country’s attitudesMORE...
The loud, boisterous alleluias have quieted down now, our Easter family gatherings have finished and the routines of normal life lie ahead of us. But Easter—as season, attitude and truth—isn’t done yet. In the coming weeks, we’re going to discover again how to recognize and live out our new-lives-in-Christ. One way to look at the coming Easter season? Something like a track athletes’MORE...
Easter’s joy waits on the horizon, and we can hardly wait. We need the reminders of new life—resurrection—that are possible because of Jesus. It also seems appropriate that we remember how death—Jesus’ and our own—may precede whatever we hope will come to pass because of Easter. Death looms large in news stories and in our national psyche. As these words find their way onto this screenMORE...
None of us would ever empty Easter of its power. Absent Easter’s premises and promises, the Christian life wouldn’t have much more to offer than a religion invented by science fiction writers or social malcontents. What, then, might happen if, after Easter had passed, we hadn’t changed one iota of our lives. Wouldn’t we be turning Easter into something artificial or empty? It would notMORE...
(I’m not sure where to go with this splotch of thoughts that keeps whirling around in my brain. So you can mark what follows as the kind of musing that stays around until it makes sense or invites action. This blog’s blob: Dysfunction that spreads.) I’ve seems lately that dysfunctions and dysfunctional people are cropping up everywhere. (My working definition: There areMORE...
(Today’s entry is NOT about your nearby senior citizen lifestyle complex, or about Del Webb properties anywhere in the world. Instead, I’ve been thinking about how so many congregations are truly attractive.) Over the years I’ve noticed that some congregations don’t think of themselves as attractive anymore. That saddens me, because that kind of thinking can become as self-predictive as it may beMORE...
One of Lent’s compelling narratives comes in the ritual of Confession. Its verbiage is striking: “Our fault, our own fault, our own most grievous fault.” These words suggest something more than garden-variety sinfulness or the “mortal sins” that Roman Catholics name as the most serious. Not only do we own our unrighteousness, but also openly admit its severe consequences: In a word: It’sMORE...
BOB SITZE has filled the many years of his lifework in diverse settings around the United States. His calling has included careers as a teacher/principal, church musician, writer/author, denominational executive staff member and meat worker. Bob lives in Wheaton, IL.