Here is where you can find the blogs that gather together the matters of purpose and meaning — essential features of a full life at any age. “Lifework” denotes an intense and long-lived sense of usefulness–something that’s prevalent among older people.
Memorial Day comes once a year, but my thanks for members of the military extends further. With the rest of our country’s citizens, I owe a debt of gratitude to all of you who have served in the military, especially those who have paid the costs of your service in small-yet-significant ways. “Thanks for your service” doesn’t seem to say enough, so let me add these few words to express myMORE...
(What follows is a summary of the thoughts shared by our pastor this past Sunday. For most congregations this was Good Shepherd Sunday, but Pastor Shelly Satran found something more than that inside the day’s lectionary. Brilliant and inspiring stuff…..) On this Sunday, it’s common—and perhaps expected—that we revisit the familiar analogies embedded in Psalm 23 and Jesus’ musings aboutMORE...
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...
There’s more to Norbert/you/me than our lamenting. We’re also hopeful folks, whose insistent searching also keeps us positive. Today a postscript that might move us beyond mourning about the future. Those of us who are older may find our insights, our work or ourselves sidelined or shelved. Giving in to mournful outlooks doesn’t help much at all, so many of us have figured out ways to keepMORE...
There’s this brilliant guy in our church—let’s call him Norbert—who has always inhabited the worlds of front-edge science and theology. When Norbert speaks, his questions and ideas may sometimes be hard to understand. Knowing him all these years, I’m pretty sure that he knows—and perhaps laments—that many of us may never catch up to his levels of intellect and understanding. That his array ofMORE...
Living joyfully through a variety of worship services this past holiday season, I realized how many descants I’ve heard during that time. As you might imagine, “This got me to thinking….” In its original Latinate form, a descant was a cantus (voice) set apart. Connected loosely to the emergence of polyphonic (many-voices) musical styles, the descant was a melody—usually sung or played at aMORE...
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...
This blog is part of a set of occasional entries that come from Chris’s and my service as election judges. Political thoughts, but NOT partisan…. You might have wondered about the people who are serving as election judges in the upcoming general election. These few observations…. Where we live, our County Clerk leads a governmental agency that’s exemplary in running efficient and honest electionsMORE...
This blog is part of a set of occasional entries that come from Chris and my service as election judges. Political thoughts, but NOT partisan…. In past election cycles, Chris and I have had the pleasure of participating in the political process as volunteers for candidates. We’ve written postcards, knocked on doors, made phone calls and walked in parades for our candidate. The work wasMORE...
In every congregation I’ve been part of, a church secretary like you has been at the center of the congregation’s health and vitality. I’ve known some of you as colleagues, others as friends and one as beloved in-law! From those relationships and those experiences, these words of appreciation. Some of you have job titles that more closely characterize your ministries—e.g., parish administratorMORE...
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.