I wanted to share some reflections from an article in the recent issue of The New Yorker. The title of the article was “Helicopter Parents” (by Nick Paumgarten), and from the title alone, I imagine the same topic jumped into your mind as it did into mine: those human parents who hover over their children,…… Continue reading Fervor in the Face of Futility
Category: Imagination
Working in the Micro
On Tuesday in chapel, we prayed a really lovely petition for small gratitudes–giving thanks for God showing up in small ways in our everyday lives. It struck me at the time, and I have continued to think about it. This prayer has stayed with me because I realize that I am feeling overwhelmed by so…… Continue reading Working in the Micro
Seeing, and being Seen
“Something looks back from the trees, and knows me for who I am.” Jane Hirschfield I finally saw him. For months, I have heard the Great Horned Owls that live in the trees near my house. Almost every day, every evening and every early morning, I hear the pair of them [Great Horned Owls are…… Continue reading Seeing, and being Seen
Choose Hope in 2025
Whether you are a resolution person or not, the start of a new year affords all of us the opportunity to reflect upon and set some intentions for how we want to show up in 2025: the kind of energy we want to manifest and bring to others; where we want to commit our time,…… Continue reading Choose Hope in 2025
What Makes You Come Alive
This is one of the Advent devotionals I have been using this season [shout-out to faculty colleague Troy Troftgruben, who is one of the contributors], and I really loved today’s reflection. Here it is; and I hope it sparks your own thinking about joy, and how you come alive in service to God and others!…… Continue reading What Makes You Come Alive
The “Now” of the Church
This book, The End of Theological Education, by Ted Smith, is part of a larger series, “Theological Education Between the Times.” I have read several books in this series, and I highly recommend them; you can find out more about it here: https://www.htiopenplaza.org/tebt#:~:text=The%20Theological%20Education%20between%20the,of%20this%20time%20of%20transition. I read this particular book over the weekend, and I thought it…… Continue reading The “Now” of the Church
A Miracle for the Camels
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it will be hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ When the disciples…… Continue reading A Miracle for the Camels
Letting Go
And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Matthew 4:19 The new academic year at Wartburg Theological Seminary is up and going, and I was privileged to preach at the opening worship service. Instead of preaching on following, I preached on leaving/letting go. I think the idea that…… Continue reading Letting Go
The Bread of Life
If you attend a congregation in a denomination that follows the daily lectionary [like most ELCA Lutheran congregations], you have been deep in John 6 for several weeks, hearing a great deal about bread–and Jesus’ relationship to bread, to life, and to his Father. Most pastors will tell you that this can be a hard…… Continue reading The Bread of Life
Whisper, “found.”
As I was skimming one of my favorite book of meditations and prayers yesterday, I found a lovely prayer by Rev. Emmy Kegler. It is called “For All the So-Called Lost,” and it is a reflection on Luke 15:8: “And what woman, if she had ten coins and lost one, wouldn’t light a lamp, and…… Continue reading Whisper, “found.”
Happy Lutheran 