An odd category at first glance, this is the place where you can find odd facts, rocks you can turn over, minutia that’s important, wandering musings and rabbit trails to tempt you into different realms of thought. “Miscellany” might describe the category, and it might not….
In the past, it would have been too easy for me to write this blog from an attitude of snarkiness, schadenfruede or false superiority. The more I read these columns, though, the more I see that they can be instructive, encouraging and even hopeful. See if my observations match some of your thinking…. My daily newspaper reading includes advice columns. The core content of advice-seeking letters:MORE...
This entry illustrates one example of the lifestyle axiom, “There’s wonder in seemingly ordinary things.” Today, the marvel of the compact folding umbrella. From your own experiences over the years, you may also remember other times when you discovered awesome ordinariness…. I’m amazed how the relatively simple umbrella of my childhood has developed into this sophisticated device. AllMORE...
This holiday offers us an opportunity to celebrate the example of national heroes, the people who we can hold up as truly great patriots. One problem, though: Some of our forebears were not saints. Thus this idea: Why not also think about truly admirable saints on this day? Unless you’re part of Roman Catholic traditions, you may not be aware of the multitude of named saints who have been part ofMORE...
Sometimes I do things for no apparent reason. One purpose-free activity that I occasionally revisit: Reading product labels. Sometimes there’s fascinating information hiding in the small print. For example, today I’d like to tell you about one of my favorites, the label on a tube of Gillette® PRO Shave Cream. This is a good shaving cream for anyone who appreciates a product that doesn’tMORE...
Looking at recent e-mails, I’ve noticed a higher number of junk messages and spam—all of them essentially e-garbage. Because I would have to open questionable links in order to unsubscribe, I feel stuck in e-Purgatory, writhing inside the grips of people who want to foul this e-nest. This bird-brained matter seems to characterize most other e-tools. E-mail’s original intent was quicklyMORE...
Just a few days ago, I wrote what I thought would be a convincing entry about the inability of AI to possess or use a sense of humor. Although some comedians and humorists seemed to doubt the present capacity of this technology to achieve that pinnacle of human sentience, a greater preponderance of social thinkers now seem resigned to the opposite: That AI will develop a sense of humor that goesMORE...
A few weeks ago, it struck me as linguistically correct that the people—mostly women—who take care of the many tasks associated with worship logistics are in many congregations called the Altar Guild. Some of the characteristics of Medieval guilds might also fit the skilled, knowledgeable people who make sure that all worship-related matters are done well. As I think more about it nowMORE...
Sometimes I putter. From the outside, it might look like I’m poking around at random tasks whose end results may not be all that important. My puttering can seem like a waste of time or an avoidance of responsibility. There’s more to puttering than meets the eye, though. Because I think of myself as a steward, I want to maintain and use the assets God has given me. Completing even the smallestMORE...
This is one of those weeks on my calendar where “Doctor visit” shows up more than once. Several of those doctors have given me the gift of added useful years—e.g., cancers in abeyance, limbs and eyes in good working order. Although I thank them at every visit—“Because of you, I’m still alive and doing well”—I don’t think I’ve ever given them an account of what these additional years have meant toMORE...
Easter’s multitude of joyful themes starts with *resurrection, but can also expand in many directions. Beyond the comfort and assurances that come from the realization that Death is not the final reality, there are other metaphorical and physically tangible restorations of life that we can rejoice about. The Resurrection of Jesus makes possible other joy-carrying resurrections. As a mindset thatMORE...
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.