Here’s where the roving eye of Bob Sitze lands on interesting or important events, trends, discoveries, opinions or research that are part of contemporary life. Sometimes missed in spiritually oriented utterances, the stuff of life consists of all the places where God’s hand stirs, supports or motivates. These blogs may also include links for further information or action.
Already an overused buzzword, unprecedented is a convenient adjective that we might use to describe some action or event that we think has never occurred. By its use, we admit our lack of knowledge about X or Y – or the individuals responsible for X or Y. “How could I have known about X or Y,” we might ask. “This hasn’t ever happened.” Hold on, though. Most of us have likely lived throughMORE...
(This entry started out as a rant—a collection of raging observations about truth-under-attack and the triumph of liars. After considering the various rabbit trails of angry content, I realized that I was jousting with windmills and heading towards foolishness. So instead, I present to you a simpler set of observations about seeking truth.) Truth’s reassuring reach enters into every aspect of theMORE...
One of the possible side effects of COVID’s isolation is the number of congregation members that we might have lost track of. Nowadays, that phenomenon may be connected to some folks’ consistent online worship attendance. Virtually invisible to us, these good people may think of themselves as connected and active, but the rest of us might not realize this is true. If this sounds familiarMORE...
On Holy Cross Day (September 14), we honor Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. We thank God for Jesus’ willingness to endure a tortured death for our sakes. Centuries later, this day might also be set aside to observe the (holy) cross-bearing of those who sacrifice their well-being for the sake of others. This day could mark the suffering of anyone whose life is filled with sorrow—who carryMORE...
Another birthday’s edging this way, and once again I’ve noticed the small voice inside of me that marks the scope of my life. Unlike when I was younger, I’m not looking at a faraway horizon, an unimaginable ending. (I’m not anticipating my immediate demise, either.) These thoughts are somewhere in-between—more like measuring the present against the backdrop of time writ large. My lifespan as aMORE...
Dementia may be an unspoken matter that nags at our older adult well-being. It may also be one of those conditions I don’t talk about with others, perhaps unsure how to broach the subject. I know that this condition is broader than one specific disease—e.g., Alzheimer’s—and that only a percentage of older adults might have to deal with complete cognitive loss. I am also aware that medicallyMORE...
In case you missed the latest news in particle physics, the Argonne National Laboratories in Batavia, Illinois, announced last week that they had once again verified, this time more accurately, the errant behavior of a muon, a sub-atomic particle valuable in understanding the Standard Model of Physics. For the scintilla of a second it flashed into sight, the thing wobbled! According to theMORE...
My father taught me the value of insurance. Over the years, I’ve relied on the blessed assurance that our insurance policies would continue to serve as practical and emotional backstops to most losses we might incur. Now I’m not so sure…. A few weeks ago, several major insurers pulled back from their coverages. In California, it was new home owners policies. In Florida, both auto and home ownersMORE...
As I write this, entertainment industry workers continue their strike. Threatened by economic and technological changes, they fear that their work may disappear. Legendary entertainment tycoon Barry Diller has warned that these strikes threaten to collapse the entire industry. Those stories may be good reason(s) for us to get ready for the slow changes to *entertainment as we know it. Perhaps weMORE...
Todays’ entry’s title comes from Luke 21:24 (KJV), where Jesus assures his listeners that, despite all the strange things happening before he comes again, redemption (deliverance, salvation, rescue) is close at hand. You and I may have waited, perhaps for years, for (small and large) deliverance from irksome, dangerous or life-threatening circumstances that just don’t seem to go away. The rescuesMORE...
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.