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….
Over the past several weeks I’ve been trying out a method for bringing small moments of grace into the lives of service personnel and random strangers. My short, appreciative interchanges start with “Hi!—(pause)—You having a good day?” This approach might be enjoyable for you, too. Here’s how it has worked for me…. Some response sequences “If “YES!”, I continue with “What’s been goodMORE...
Remember “Well done, thou good and faithful servant….” (Matthew 25:21)? These words may have comforted us when we’ve wondered if our lifework was worthy of God’s commendation. The usual interpretation of *The Parable of the Talents (or the Three Servants) revolves around reassurances that good deeds or high integrity eventually meet with God’s approval. (Although comforting, this blessing alsoMORE...
A couple of weeks ago, my ESL student and I discovered that as young boys we both spent a good share of our summer days playing in the dirt. He grew up in rural India and I spent my early years in a Los Angeles suburb. We both remembered how enjoyable it was to dig and build things—roads, dams, structures. How we added water to transform dirt into mud, streams or ponds. How sticks, rocks andMORE...
Over my lifetime, I’ve thought about *errands in several different ways. When I received my driver’s license in high school, I would volunteer to take the Dodge station wagon out for the simplest family tasks. As I matured into adulthood, the amount and complexity of necessary errands—encapsulated in TO DO Lists—shaded my feelings in a different way: I had to squeeze these chores into the inMORE...
You may have noticed my continuing fascination with words, especially their derivations and their usage. Today I extend my wordsmithing smile in your direction with a possible gift: How to craft *analogies that delight and elucidate. Ones that last…! I’m fond of linguistic truisms. One of the most reliable: Analogies and metaphors enrich communications. Like an opossum that won’t loosen itsMORE...
(The following comments come from our years living in South Lake Tahoe, CA, where the casino-oriented culture correlated with a dismal social landscape that included the highest per capita crime rate in the State of California.) Recent news headlines have announced these statistics for Illinois: In October, sports betting surpassed the $1 billion mark. The state’s share: Over $560 millionMORE...
Standing at the center of the events surrounding the circumcision and naming of Jesus is an elderly woman. (See Luke 2:36-38 for the story.) What’s perhaps overlooked about the narrative: She’s identified as “the prophet Anna.” At 84 years of age, this devout woman entered the ritual scene that had just featured a song by the “good man” Simeon. Her reaction to Jesus’ presence befitted herMORE...
(The Sunday after Christmas is sometimes designated as Holy Family Sunday, a time to remember how Joseph, Mary and Jesus escaped Herod. Today my thoughts about another way to think of that event.) CHARACTERS Herod (Computer hacker) The Holy Family (Computer innocents) The Magi and an angel (Geek Squad) TRADITIONAL STORY Generously gifted by the Wise Men, Mary and Joseph may not haveMORE...
An ancient interchange begins the Eucharistic Prayer section of each Sunday’s liturgy. The celebrant invites us to ”Lift up your hearts,” to which we respond, “We lift them up to the Lord.” This versicle—literally “upward hearts”—frames the following rituals with joy. During these Yuletide days, the sursum corda exchange might also be another way to say “Merry Christmas.” There’s somethingMORE...
One Advent theme that doesn’t get much attention comes from the idea that we live in the last times. That the world will end, perhaps soon and perhaps suddenly. The connected thought: As we head toward the end of our lives, there will be a host of “last times”—final events, thoughts and relationships that have graced our lives. Examples: The last Christmas involving your whole family; yourMORE...
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.