In this category you can find all the blogs that focus on mind/body matters, separately or intertwined. As people age, this aspect of life can be the most worrisome or worse. In these blogs, “fullness” suggests otherwise.
(The following thoughts continue a three-part consideration of the theme: Christians are called to servanthood. Today, the possibility that we may be unwilling servants of those who are extraordinarily wealthy.) It’s possible that the Church’s current usage of “servant” may be more of a widely accepted 1metaphor than an exact match to biblical roles—perhaps an idea that also calls forMORE...
(This entry is part of an ongoing collection of blogs that examine the future of congregations post-COVID19. Each entry forms itself around a question looking for clarity or even answers.) Most congregations have been severely restricted in bringing members together physically for worship, fellowship, planning, support or service. The dangers of a relentless epidemic have reminded us how illnessMORE...
The number of *lapses in my life seems to be increasing: Breaks in attention, small mistakes, bumpy intuition, sometimes-faulty logic or slightly flawed decision-making. Perhaps this is the stuff of age-related cognitive decline, but more likely it’s the result of the stress and anxiety I have experienced these past few years. Whatever the causes, the effects require attention. So I’ve revisitedMORE...
Our Monarch larva/babies have morphed into adult butterflies, wending their way out into the larger world. These observations from this part of their life cycle…. “I am a man and no butterfly.” This quote from 2 Hezekiah 19:42 reminds me that, despite my most cherished hopes, I will never fly. In my Spirited imagination, though, I am capable of soaring and swooping, darting among obstacles andMORE...
Because of hearing aids, my auditory capabilities extend far beyond my ears. These tiny devices, matched to the color of my remaining hair, enable me to hear far better than I thought possible. Years ago, I wasn’t ready to admit that my frequent “Huhs?” were a problem. I was never going to wear an ungainly technology that would reveal that I wasn’t tracking much of what was happening around me. IMORE...
There must surely come the time when my life’s high point will have been reached. It’s hard to pin down the exact moment or description of when that will occur, but right now it feels honest to admit that I am no longer at my peak. Some after-apex thoughts follow…. It’s also truthful to acknowledge gratefully the years when much of my life felt like an ascending path, reaching towards increasedMORE...
I don’t feel that way right now, but one of these days I could… Feel guilty, sad or remorseful for somehow not living up to your expectations or hopes. Not meeting my obligations or fulfilling my promises to you. Again, not something that comes up that often, but I expect that it will eventually happen. To be sure, others can disappoint me, but that seems just to be a part of life. NoneMORE...
A significant part of my solitary thoughts—including those during my dreams—have music attached to them. Active somewhere deep in some unnamed corner of my brain, the intricacies of music spark my imagination and memory. I sometimes find myself recalling or reconstructing moments of music that I’ve played, sung or directed. Because of my training and life experiences, most of that music isMORE...
Advent seeds have been sprouting in my spirit during Lent. The seeds? Things begin, but they also end. Both can happen in an instant. The seasonal growth of these kernels takes a little more time to describe. On one hand, Advent heralds both the end of all things—Judgment Day—and their beginning—A Baby Savior foretells deliverance. On the other hand, Lent leads me through the horrors of punishingMORE...
1Tepid 2Torpor I’m not sure what comes first: 3isolation, boredom or apathy. I am fairly certain, though, that all three have been working together to lull me into something close to torpor: a physiological condition best described as prolonged inactivity. Mostly I’m not a 4torporous guy. With Chris, I walk or exercise every day. Zoom-enabled worship and Bible study are part of my life. I keep upMORE...
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.