One of my morning rituals is to see what musicians have birthdays. Today marks the birth of Kris Kristofferson (along with Don Henley and Cyndi Lauper). Seeing Kristofferson’s name reminded me of one of my favorite songs that feels like a good soundtrack for today, so I thought I would pass it along. am I…
When I was a student at Baylor, most any afternoon after class I made a stop at Baylor Records, a small independent record store barely a block off campus. It was a small rectangle of a room decorated with the obligatory record and concert posters and lined with wooden bins filled with albums separated by…
these are the days of miracle and wonderthis is the long distance call . . .— Paul Simon, “The Boy in the Bubble” I know I’ve been away . . .I have seen many thingswalking in our neighborhoodin conversations at churchand around tables at the pubI even have stories to tell –but tonight I write…
If you haven’t already heard, consider this your invitation. The inaugural Wild Goose Festival is happening at Shakori Hills camp ground, not far from where I live here in Durham, North Carolina. Here is how the folks putting on the festival describe it: The Wild Goose is a Celtic metaphor for the Holy Spirit. We…
“Called as partners in Christ’s service”sings quite easily as a hymn,but we begin to get quite nervouswhen the reality sets in of what it means to live togetherlike our predecessors back in Acts:bonded by a faithful tether,always having each other’s backs. Sounds good – but it can get real toughwhen the conversation turns to cashand…
Dear Mr. Wallis: Yesterday, you published a post on your blog articulating why your magazine refused to publish an ad from the “Believe Out Loud” campaign, which calls for the full inclusion of LGBTQ folks in our congregational life. In explaining your choice you said, in part: But these debates have not been at the…
I went to sleep last night after hearing President Obama announce the killing Osama bin Laden and woke up to any number of blog posts and commentaries already written. You people need less sleep than I do – and I’m running on fumes. Those of us who love to put words to paper find moments…
Sometimes a life can get definedby a single moment or event:as the “doubter” Thomas gets confined,though that image does not represent the complexity of his whole beingnor his broken spirit on that nightwhen he spoke of touching and seeing —there’s not one way to grieve that is “right.” When Thomas asked to touch and seethe…
I did my best not to watch but couldn’t help but listen when they talked about it on the radio as I drove to work to play with kids and words the announcer spokeof the prince and hislongtime girlfriend . . .they were just pronouncedman and wife she saidand I wondered how it feels for…
Mary came to the grave yard aloneexpecting to pour out her grief;and she met someone she should have knowneven though their encounter was brief. She stayed after the others had goneback to town to tell Christ was alive;in the light that came after the dawnhe called her – and her heart was revived. And she…