The shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, this past Sunday and the nation-wide reaction to it serve as painful reminders that the American dream of liberty and justice for all has yet to be fully realized, and no more so than for the Black community.

We pray fervently in this case as in the too many others of this summer of our discontent that the decisions of review boards and courts, judges and juries, will open wide the floodgates through which justice might roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24).

To be sure, our dedication to the proposition that all people are created equal must work itself out in new and changed public policies, with the writing of just laws, and in reimagined and rebuilt systems of opportunity and access to the bounty of our land. But that the prayer of the old hymn might be realized – our gold refined and the mending of our every flaw – will require, too, in the words of Alexis de Tocqueville borrowed by sociologist Robert Bellah, new habits of the heart. Continue reading →

Today’s Observation comes from my wife Becky. We share 42 plus years of marriage, a wonderful family, and a love of Christ, God’s Word, and the life and mission of the Church. Becky is a keen observer and diligent practitioner of the life of faith.

Becky concludes her post with a question.  If you’d like to share your answer, use our contact form, and I will be sure she sees it.   – Bill

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We’ve moved before. Quite a few times; once, literally, from one side of the country to the other. I know how to get to know a community and an area, to find new sources and supplies for the things and services we used in the old place.

Here and now, in another new place unpacking boxes and making our new house a home, I’ve been doing that “get to know the community” thing successfully.  Except in one way:  where to recycle plastic shopping bags.

Bill and I make reasonable efforts to live responsibly.  Indeed, years ago, back in Oregon, the kids used to go with me to the Clackamas County recycling center, where you could find receptacles for strawberry baskets, Styrofoam, and even used motor oil.

In this new place, there is one primary grocery store: Kroger. Two of our offspring live in Kroger country, and I’ve shopped multiple times in the Krogers in their towns. Here in Auburn, I’ve already been at the Kroger several times. Until today, however, I had not been able to locate a bin to drop off our plastic shopping bags for recycling. Though I’ve looked for it. Truly. Continue reading →

It’s been a great week in our development.  Two new houses are being built just around the corner. Trenchers and excavators, dump trucks and cement mixers, have all made their appearances. Best of all, the Stone Slinger.  Everyday, I go out and shoot some video and send it along to our two-year old grandson in Memphis who knows more about construction vehicles than I will ever know.  If you want to see a Stone Slinger in action, I’ve got video.  Message me and I’ll forward a copy.

Two new houses in the neighborhood, but a few empty lots remain.  A couple of days ago a tractor with a bush whacker showed up to whack the bushes and weeds growing on the empty lots.  I went out to shoot some video to send to our two-year old grandson in Memphis.

A few minutes later, the tractor driver knocked at the door.  I answered.  He was a nice guy, but wondered if he had done something wrong.  Was the video to be sent to his boss along with some complaint?  I told him the only person who’d get a copy of the video was our two-year old grandson who loves tractors.  Relieved, the tractor driver said he’d be glad to let our grandson sit on his tractor any time.  I told him he lived in Memphis but thank you very much. He was a nice guy, that tractor driver. Continue reading →

I had a friend whose losing battle was to convince us to say, “I’m going to worship” or “We went to Bible Study” rather than saying, “I’m going to church” or “We went to church.” His point had to do with the church being a people, not a steeple; our destination being worship or mission or study, not a building. 
 
But this past Sunday Becky and I went to church – that’s the best way to describe it, and it was really good to be at church. The last time we’d been at church was March 8. Five months and a day later we were back at church. 
 
For five months and a day we had joined millions of Christians around the world watching preachers preach and singers sing on Zoom or You Tube or Facebook Live. We’d even gathered in a park one Sunday to hear a sermon and sing some songs. But we hadn’t been to church. It was really good to be at church this past Sunday.
 
Five months and a day later, many things had changed for us as we went to church. We live in a different state. Church is in a different building, and the sanctuary is not at all familiar. Everyone was wearing a mask and keeping a safe social distance, but even if they were not, we would not have recognized many faces or heard many familiar voices. I was in the pew and not in the pulpit.  Lots of changes, but we were at church, and it felt really good. Continue reading →

Welcome or welcome back.  While there’s something new about all this, there’s also something old as I continue a 20+-year tradition of weekly comments, reflections, and thoughts on life and faith – life lived faithfully and faith made real in life. After a six-week break, it’s good to be back!

Most of you know that Becky and I have just moved 630 miles west and are settling into a new house and a new community.  All’s well so far.

As we divide the labor for this move, one of the things I’ve taken on is address changes, closing old accounts and opening new ones, and figuring our drivers licenses and car registrations and things of that sort. Becky’s share of the labor is much greater.

When I told the Post Office about our new address, they asked if we would like to open an “Informed Delivery Account.” We said, “Sure, whatever Informed Delivery might be.” Continue reading →