1+ day, 18+ hour ago (451+ words) I think what most of us get wrong about gratitude is we believe the source of our gratitude emanates from things, both tangible and intangible, that we possess. Right? So many of us take stock of our lives and think, "Well, I have a beautiful house; my family is healthy; we have plenty of food; and I even have productive, fulfilling work. I am blessed!" The reality, though, is the source of true gratitude comes from recognition of the one inexplicably beautiful life we are given. In my humble experience, those very few who are unequivocally intertwined with the true source of being in this universe " call it God, if you will, like I do " their gratitude comes from the knowledge they have only today to live, to breath, to care for others, to honor this gift. Admit it: Many…...

1+ day, 18+ hour ago (451+ words) I think what most of us get wrong about gratitude is we believe the source of our gratitude emanates from things, both tangible and intangible, that we possess. Right? So many of us take stock of our lives and think, "Well, I have a beautiful house; my family is healthy; we have plenty of food; and I even have productive, fulfilling work. I am blessed!" The reality, though, is the source of true gratitude comes from recognition of the one inexplicably beautiful life we are given. In my humble experience, those very few who are unequivocally intertwined with the true source of being in this universe " call it God, if you will, like I do " their gratitude comes from the knowledge they have only today to live, to breath, to care for others, to honor this gift. Admit it: Many…...

2+ week, 1+ day ago (448+ words) The other morning I hopped into my Ford F150 to start the day. When the onboard computer systems were a go, and the radio fired up, my SiriusXM was tuned to a station that I never, ever listen to. Some pop music channel I'd never heard of. Then on came a rap/reggae tune that my brother who passed in April absolutely loved! But, I'll skip the song title to spare judgment of his musical tastes! Maybe not such a great story to anyone else, but the thing is " it was the morning of his birthday! So, sometime between when I shut off my truck the night before, and when I got back in 12 hours later, the satellite radio service was tuned to a station I never listen to so that I would hear a song my brother loved " on the…...

3+ week, 1+ day ago (392+ words) I think that one of the most challenging aspects of living a life of faith is the realization that everything in this earthly life we know is so " ethereal. Circumstances can change in the time that it takes for an eyelash to drop to the ground, and that is a very disconcerting thought for most of us. This precariousness is jarring and reminds us that truly we walk through this life trusting in things unseen. (Hebrews 11:1) I was reminded this week by a devotion I read that all we are certain of in this world is only temporary, and that our fortunes can literally change with the dawning of a new day. The rub, of course, is that those changes can either bring us great joy " or tremendous sorrow. I think it is exactly this uncertainty that vexes so many…...

3+ week, 2+ day ago (326+ words) I could tell even before opening the door of the sauna at the local YMCA that the conversation was lively. "Meet our new young resident philosopher," a friend said to me as I entered. I sat down, and our philosopher said, "There is a difference between right and wrong, on the one hand, and truth and falsehood, on the other." Then he left. Not having been there long enough to grasp the context of what had come before, I was on my own to interpret what he meant. In more than two decades as a pastor at two Duluth congregations before retirement, I often began sermons by recalling a conversation that had occurred in the sauna the previous week. These came to be dubbed "sauna theology." It has always been my contention that all conversations have moral and theological implications....

4+ week, 1+ day ago (411+ words) Five hundred words to encapsulate four years. Doesn't seem possible. It was four years ago this weekend, friends, that we started this journey together. Borne from a simple idea about a weekly column viewing faith through everyday stories and circumstances. What a trip it's been! You've witnessed two more of our kids leave the nest, and our youngest start her senior year in high school. You've consoled me through the loss of our mother, two brothers and a beloved Husky named Cody in that short time too. For that I'll be forever grateful. You've supported me through a career change that if had been left up to me, wouldn't have happened. But here I am now, getting to wear my pastoral identity all day long! We've enjoyed laughs; shared tears; and helped hold each other's anger. You've helped me see…...