Category: Archive

“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.”  ~Galileo Galilei

Reading this quote immediately sent a vast array of images into my mind. The more technology we develop, the more knowledge we gain, and the more gadgets we collect mean nothing if common sense and reason are not applied in our day-to-day lives.  Occasionally, it seems that all of these “advancements” are leading us further and further away from common sense.  For example, a cell phone can be a wonderful tool; texting while driving can prove to be fatal. We know this, and yet many choose to continue to do it anyway. That is just one example of hundreds that could be given.

“Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life.”
~Immanuel Kant

It is essential that Christian believers continue to grow in the virtue of wisdom. Wisdom is a gift of the Holy Spirit, and I must join my sentiment to Galileo’s that God has not obliged us to forgo its use. We are called to be models of virtue and beacons of light in a world that sometimes struggles to find its way in the darkness. If Christians aren’t going to demonstrate the gift of wisdom, who will?

I could point to a multitude of social and moral issues where Christians need to be in the forefront of the discussion.  However, I will leave that piece to each individual reader. Where do you need to take a stand in your own life, in your church, in your community, or in your country to promote justice, peace, wisdom and common sense? If you have become disengaged from the happenings in your family, church, or community it is time to re-enter into the mix. Read one verse from the Gospel of John chapter 10 verse10 and answer the following question. How is God calling you to fullness of life?

The huge snowstorm and the strong, gusty winds made for the fourth day in a row of being home-bound. Then there was hope! The snow plow went through our subdivision. I was also able to finally shovel enough snow out of the driveway to briefly make it into town to get some groceries and hurry back home. By the time I returned (in less than two hours) most of the road was already drifted shut again. I couldn’t make it back up the lane to our house so I had to carry the groceries through the drifting snow nearly a tenth of a mile.

I will admit that my attitude was a little less than stellar at that point. It seems that I have shoveled more snow in a week than I have in a lifetime. The worst part is that I still don’t have the ability to get in and out of our subdivision safely. As the saying goes, “The harder I work, the behinder I get.” Mother Nature certainly maintained the upper hand in recent days, and quite frankly, I had enough.

After resting my aching body, it occurred to me that I should be grateful that I have the health and strength to shovel snow. There was a time in life when I did not possess the good health and vitality to execute such tasks. I felt it necessary to remind myself today that every breath I take and every beat of my heart is a gift from God. To know that God loves me enough to give me the gift of life fills me with great hope. It doesn’t make me want to shovel snow; but it does fill me with hope.

Today, let us keep in prayer all those still recovering from the bombing in Boston, those recovering from the explosion at the fertilizer plant in Texas, and all those in hospitals, nursing homes, and those under the care of hospice. May the grace and healing of Lord, Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all.

Although we are more than half-way through the month of April, Wyoming has been receiving an abundance of snowfall in recent days.  The snow, along with gusty winds, have made travel conditions treacherous.  Thus, I have spent a significant amount of time indoors reading, pondering, and praying.  It has been helpful to have this extra time for reflection, but I will admit that it has also contributed to having a heavy heart.

The reality of what took place in Boston is starting to sink in a little more deeply.  The loss of life in such a dreadful attack stirs emotions in a powerful way.  More and more people being interviewed seem to be leaning toward seeking revenge upon the person or persons responsible for this horrendous act.  My concern is that this type of attitudinal approach will tend to fuel the cycle of violence in which we find ourselves rather than promote the peace and justice for which we long.

Violence is a troublesome aspect of life in a multitude of circumstances.  Taking attention away from Boston and moving to Philadelphia where the trial of Dr. Kermit Gosnell is taking place, it is mind-boggling to see the lack of coverage from the mainstream media regarding this case.  The trial has been underway for weeks, and if it wouldn’t be for pro-life websites there would be almost no coverage of it at all.  Dr. Gosnell has been charged with seven counts of first degree murder and some absolutely gruesome details surrounding the charges have been depicted during the testimony.  Yet, since it involves abortion, the whole affair has been essentially swept under the rug by much of the liberal media.  It seems that in our culture we only experience outrage at certain types of violent actions.

How do we as a society regain our respect for the dignity and sacred value of each human life?  It appears that it will be a monumental task to turn things around in our country at this point in time.  One thing is for sure.  We, who call ourselves Christians, are being challenged to live our lives in a way that is consistent with what we profess to believe.  Faithfulness in our actions will give greater moral credibility to our words when we speak about the sacredness of life.  

We are filled with HOPE because we are children of God.  During this Easter season, may we continue to grow in union with the risen Christ!

In the aftermath of the bombing in Boston yesterday, it is evident once again that our world experiences pain and suffering in a multitude of ways. Natural disasters, accidents, and serious illnesses bring enough heartache into our lives, but when the pain is inflicted intentionally by someone desiring to do great physical harm to others, it becomes even more difficult to digest the age old question, “Why?”

Why do bad things happen to good people? How can God allow such evil to exist? More directly, why do people choose to use their free will for such evil intentions? Trying to find reasonable answers to such unreasonable actions as the bombing in Boston is simply a circle without end.

The intent of my blog is to encourage growth in the virtues of faith, hope, and love. How can each of us make a difference in our little part of the world? How will we articulate hope to those who are hurting? Those are the things I hope to explore with you on a regular basis. Today, let us pray for our country, and for all individuals who have experienced pain, suffering and loss from intentional acts of violence.