Entries in this category probe deeper thoughts about old age. Spirituality, self-image, relationships, hopes and yearnings — all the stuff of self-talk and core meaning for people who are older.
(If you’ve been reading these entries for awhile, you’ll recognize legacy as a recuring idea. Today the same theme, but with a twist that might be helpful for your spirit in these times.) Some days it’s hard to find or hold a positive perspective about what’s occurring in our world. Years ago I wrote a book about *finding hope. I was convinced back then—as I am now—that one source for hope mightMORE...
Every so often I like to refresh the part of my vocabulary that includes archaic expressions. “Heed” is one of those terms, a *noun or verb that means something like paying attention—perhaps at a slightly deeper level. Making sense out of everything my senses are taking in. Perhaps even doing something about what deserves that kind of attention. Some days it feels to me like there’s too much toMORE...
Today’s entry is actually one long question—a personal one, something along the line of “Does this ever happen to you?” What follows is one of those wonderings, this time about prayer. Sometimes when I am alone with my thoughts—writing late at night; driving out in the countryside; reading e-mail, a book or journal or just sitting and thinking—I find my thoughts suddenly frozen in time and placeMORE...
We baptized Wesley on Mother’s Day. A grandchild of the congregation, Wesley was welcomed into the community, but also invited into the work we share: “Bearing God’s creating and redeeming word to all the world.” Funny word, bearing. Maybe even a little bit archaic…. Its derivation goes back to ancient languages in Northern Europe, all of those linguistic roots denoting work. When you bearMORE...
Trying to find words to express what many of us may experience during these troubled times, I keep coming back to the idea of “disorientation.” When things seem especially out-of-whack—right now?—that descriptor feels useful. These few thoughts…. Our 1 sense of place and direction is an essential part of our neurobiology. Most of us possess adequate proprioception skills—awareness of the locationMORE...
Every day I hear or read that “democracy is on the line,” its core benefits threatened or disappearing. While I agree with those sentiments, there’s probably more at stake than this form of government that we cherish. It’s not difficult to find other elements of our personal and national existence that are perhaps fading or under attack. Each element is an essential component of the over-archingMORE...
When last I wrote about the benefits of weekly Bible study groups in congregations, I left out a few thoughts. Here are some of them…. Our group’s Scripture conversations are an extension (or preview) of the proclamation of The Word in weekly worship. Whether based on the lectionary or not, Bible study somehow always connects with what has been (or will be) shared in a Sunday service. ThisMORE...
In a few days, members of Russian Orthodox churches will celebrate Easter. I’ve been trying to imagine how it might feel for them to experience Easter this year. These believers—and Christians of other faith communities—may find themselves in contexts similar to those faced by Jesus’ followers on that first Easter. Those first disciples lived in a country tightly controlled by tyrants andMORE...
From a minor theme in Eastertide, this question, “Who sacrificed their well-being to take care of Jesus’ body?” To say that another way, someone has to pay for the cost of preparing a corpse for burial. In some cultures, the death of a loved one can bring a family into poverty, perhaps made worse when the primary breadwinner has died. In Jesus’ case, Nicodemus paid for the burial site—giving awayMORE...
Easter’s message promises life after death. Loss of life is the entryway to the blessing of new life, and so we consider death as part of the process God offers in the assuring reality of resurrection. The miracle of this gift comforts us when we encounter death. But what if you and I are not yet dead? Holding on to something only resembling life, and hoping for new life? Yearning for normalMORE...
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.