Our four-year old grandson is going through a superheroes phase.  He knows more about the Marvel Avengers and the DC Universe than I will ever know and is patient with us when we miscategorize or misname one of the Avengers or one of the residents of the DC Universe.

He has asked his parents about the likelihood of being bitten by a radioactive spider and becoming a Spiderman-like superhero.  They have told him it is not likely.

For Halloween he has decided to dress up as Robin, Batman’s friend, the Boy Wonder. His mom has found the tights and shirt for the Robin costume, but Becky has designed and created the pièce de resistance, the perfect Robin vest.  There will be at least one very proud trick-or-treater in Germantown, Tennessee, this Halloween.

A smart four-year old knows that the world of superheroes is a make-believe world, but still wonders, “what if?” What if that radioactive spider bites him? Continue reading →

Last week president Biden traveled to Florida to view some of the damage done by Hurricane Ian.  During the course of the trip, Mr. Biden met several survivors of the devastation and talked with local officials about what might be done to assist in recovery and rebuilding efforts.  Among the officials with whom he talked was the mayor of Fort Meyers Beach. A hot mic from one of the news crews covering the event caught part of the exchange between the president and the mayor.

As they talked, the president tossed one of his famous f-bombs with an oddly mafia-esque tone to it.  The mayor laughed and agreed with Mr. Biden by taking the Lord’s name in vain.

While the White House declined to comment on the exchange, the mayor, basking in his 15 minutes of fame, was more than happy to say more.  “We’re both Irish Catholics,” he told reporters. “We’re both devout Catholics. But every once [in] a while a little salty language comes out.” Continue reading →

Becky and are in the midst of a wonderful week of having our oldest grandchild with us for a visit.  Caleb is 12 years old and is at that great age of being conversational and engaged with little of the attitude that sometimes, or at least stereotypically, infects children two or three years older than he is. So far, the week has been full of lots of laughter, and we are loving it.

But Caleb is 12.  Along with conversational comes opinionated and, yes, occasionally argumentative.

Caleb is 12.  Among the many joys of having him here is seeing him delight in the LEGO sets that once belonged to his dad and his aunts.  And since you asked, I do think those old LEGO sets are superior to the new LEGO sets in the way they allow creativity and imagination – fewer of those one part with one use pieces. Continue reading →

Dr. Toney with a patient at Kibuye Hospital, Burundi

We don’t need to know all the details. In its very short form, the story adds just a little more to our never-quite-complete definition of love.

As Ossian Presbyterian Church, where I preach, prepares to receive a new pastor in God’s time, we have been working to remind ourselves of what “God intends for this people, in this place, at this time.” Recent sermons have focused on Christ as our unity (Philippians 2), our call to good works (Matthew 5), the Great Commandment (Mark 12), the Great Commission (Matthew 28), and, a Sunday ago, what we called the Great Conspiracy (Acts 1). The Great Conspiracy is our Spirit-empowered witness in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

That’s just the backdrop to the very short story.

As we talked about being Christ’s witness to the ends of the earth, I shared a video that some of you have seen before. If you don’t remember or never heard the story of Fides and how God used our friend Dr. John Cropsey’s skill to restore her sight, here it is and well worth the six minutes you will invest in watching it. Continue reading →

It was a good funeral, and having officiated at several hundred funerals, I think I know a good funeral when I see one.  The setting was magnificent, the music was wonderful, and the guest list was impressive.  I am talking, of course, about the past Monday’s funeral for Queen Elizabeth.

But it was not the magnificence of Westminster Abbey, the wonder of the pipe organ and the choirs, or the impressive guest list that made it so good. Yes, there were those things that seem to be a part of most funerals.  Like a favorite grandchild who must be given some part in the service, they let the Prime Minister read the Gospel lesson.  Like the favorite grandchild who has no idea what Grandma’s faith was all about, the Prime Minister, who says she is not a “practising Christian,” seemed awkward as she read the words of life.

What makes a funeral good is when the deceased is remembered well with reminders of who she was rather than funny stories about embarrassing situations involving her. In a good funeral, the grief and the sorrow of the deceased family is acknowledged and honored with no condescending lines about being free from pain or in a better place. In a good funeral the favorite grandchild who must have a part is given something to read even if, like a Prime Minister, she doesn’t believe or understand a word of it. A good funeral is always over in less than an hour and never allows an open mic for those who might wish to share just a short story. Continue reading →