May 9, 2022 | Pondering and Kindling
Russia’s devastating war against Ukraine has gotten our attention. The TV has made the extent of destruction and suffering vivid. The death and suffering is bringing “Crimes Against Humanity” charges against President Putin by governmental leaders. Recently the story...
May 2, 2022 | Pondering and Kindling
I didn’t know it. The month of April is historically recognized as Second Chance Month. It is so designated to raise public awareness about giving those who have been convicted of crimes and have completed their prison sentences the opportunity for an honest second...
Apr 25, 2022 | Pondering and Kindling
Suicide. The word itself carries difficult-to-name feelings…pain, shame, disbelief, gnawing questions. Professionals who deal with it in an ongoing way recently referred to it as an epidemic of hopelessness, a mental health crisis. Last year high school students...
Apr 18, 2022 | Pondering and Kindling
In her book, Learning to say Goodbye, Edna Lashon tells the story of visiting with a friend of hers whose husband had died. They went out to the graveyard where the husband had been buried and began to share together memories of their life and their relationship....
Apr 11, 2022 | Pondering and Kindling
Because it’s Holy Week, as a Christian the death Christ is vivid for me. The suffering in Ukraine is seemingly never absent from my awareness. And the word of Jesus, “If any man would come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me,” has a...
Apr 4, 2022 | Pondering and Kindling
Emotions ran high. A husband and his wife had quarreled. Both were nursing their hurt feelings in defensive silence. As they were driving to attend a family wedding in a distant city, the angry tension between them was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Then the...
