Category Archives: Editorials

Editorials, Food for Thought, theology

A Videoed Apology

Matthew CordleYou probably saw it – Matthew Cordle staring into a camera admitting to a drunk driving accident that resulted in the death of a 61 year old man.

It’s extraordinary, if only because of it’s honesty.  Most people would enter a not-guilty plea.  Court would convene and lots of money would be spent trying to get a guilty person pronounced innocent of the crime.

The daughter of the slain man was credited with saying that she didn’t buy it.  That he was just trying to get his sentence reduced.  The only problem with her judgment is that the motives of a person are never within human view.  You can guess what they are, but it’s only a guess.  Only God has the seat in the stands where one can see a person’s motives. Continue reading A Videoed Apology →

Editorials, Food for Thought, Leadership, Life in general, People, service

Letting People Down

down or depressedThe president began the meeting with, “We can’t do any business because we don’t have a quorum.”

It has happened before.  A carefully constructed agenda and set of to-do’s was turned into just an interesting conversation.  The meeting ended with nothing getting done in spite of the fact that the organizational clock was ticking.

Those who didn’t attend had lots of reasons.  Worked spilled over into the meeting time.  School called to ask a parent to attend to a sick child.  Second thoughts about belonging to our group.  Too many commitments and not enough time.  All legitimate reasons.  But all shutting down the actions of the group. Continue reading Letting People Down →

Editorials, Food for Thought, Life in general

How To Avoid Goofy Interpretations

Bible & Eye glassesThe Bible is an ancient anthology comprised of 66 books, written by approximately 40 writers over a period of around 1600 years.

Challenges are inevitable when attempting to read a collection of writings spanning such a large period of time and cultural contexts. In many respects, reading the Bible is like listening to half of a phone conversation or reading a 100-year-old letter buried in a box of family souvenirs.

There have been good and bad attempts at understanding the Bible’s place in our lives. The awful Jonestown cult is a good example of interpretation gone wrong. Ditto the Branch Davidians of Waco, Texas. There’s no end to the craziness. Continue reading How To Avoid Goofy Interpretations →

Editorials, Food for Thought, Life in general

It’s no problem!

youre_welcome“No problem” seems to have replaced “you’re welcome” as a response to the common expression of gratitude, “Thank you.”  Since communication is a two-way proposition, “no problem” has implications for the hearer.

“It didn’t cost me anything.”  “No big deal.” “If it had been too difficult or costly, I may not have done it.”

“It was easy to do.”  “I would have done it for anyone.”  “I didn’t think about it too much.”

“No sweat.”  “Anyone could have done it.”  “Nothing particularly important happened; no biggee.”
Continue reading It’s no problem! →

Editorials, Food for Thought, theology

Freedom!

Freedom

Lots of words come to mind when “freedom” is used.

Probably the most common associations with freedom are words that have to do with government.  Autonomy, emancipation, independence, laissez-faire, liberty, power, self-governed, and a host of “un” words such as unfettered are good examples.  People who live under the reign of despots such as Kim Jung Il of North Korea are not considered to have freedom.  Continue reading Freedom! →

Editorials, Food for Thought, Life in general

The Butterfly Effect

The Butterfly Effect 01The Butterfly Effect is an idea that has been thought about and studied since the 1800’s by both scientists and science fiction writers.  The Butterfly Effect describes a very small effect, such as a butterfly flapping its wings in one place, which in later developments causes a hurricane half way around the world.

People who study highway traffic patterns observe similar events.  A car far ahead hits his brakes which radiates back though the column of cars behind him.  What was once a fast-moving column of cars turns into a long line of red lights.  What seems like a small thing has far-reaching consequences. Continue reading The Butterfly Effect →

Editorials, Food for Thought, Life in general

The Condition Is Hopeless

Hope 01

On August 5, 2010, 33 miners were trapped 2,000 feet below ground at the San Jose mine in Chile’s Atacama Desert. Seventeen days passed without any contact with the surface. In darkness. Without fresh air. Without the sun. Without friends and family. Without fresh food.

On the surface, rescuers were giving the miners a 2% chance of deliverance, and they were predicting a 4-month long effort. It was pretty hopeless looking by any measure. Continue reading The Condition Is Hopeless →

Editorials, Food for Thought

Alert, alert!

Alert 02 A recent, local radio program gave listeners information about a local emergency alert system.  The free service provides residents information that could be helpful in the event of weather, health, public safety, and other emergencies.

Our local paper reported in May that only about 1500 residents had signed up for the service.  This is a disappointing number given the fact that the service is free and can save lives and reduce stress caused by ignorance. Continue reading Alert, alert! →

Editorials, Food for Thought, Life in general, sermons

I notice that you are very religious…

Idolatry 01I’ve noticed that there is a common desire on the part of humans to have a divine imprimatur on everything we do, be that a car purchase or a job selection or a person married.  On the face of it, this seems like a good thing – to want to make divine choices.

But sometimes we just want God or god/s to approve our choices and leave us alone.

This god-desire may be found across the breadth of human opinion and experience.  Conservatives and liberals, southerners and northerners, religious and non-religious, believers and unbelievers – all want to believe that something or someone affirms them. Continue reading I notice that you are very religious… →