justice
Two of my neighbors, Eugene and Lorraine Williams, have lived a story we all need to hear. Back in 1958, they bought a house on Ridge Street, and the welcome from their white neighbors wasn’t exactly warm—most of them moved away. Soon the Williams family also realized their third-grader Scheryl would be bussed to a black school across town, while…
simple
Life seems so much simpler in the Old Testament. Obey God = get blessed. Don’t obey Him = expect trouble. It’s a simple theology that satisfies our craving for justice.
The story of King Asa offers a textbook example of this apparent cause-and-effect relationship with God. Asa was an excellent leader who turned his people from worshiping false gods (2…
a transforming vision
Where there is no vision, the people perish,” states the well-known proverb (29:18 KJV). Or, as the New Living Translation puts it: “When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild.” In this most simple of statements lies a profound spiritual truth. When we lose sight of God’s revealed wisdom, we experience moral decay. Like the Israelites with their…
maranatha
My children were so excited about their cousins coming over that they rode their bikes to the end of our road in anticipation of their arrival. As I watched them stand sentinel at the top of our hill, ready to escort their cousins’ van to our house, I was reminded of the ancient word parousia. A parousia, or appearance of…
freak folk
Freak folk, psych folk, and folk-pop are terms used to describe genres within folk music. Musically, freak folk features acoustic instruments, mostly guitar and occasionally violin or flute, accompanied by percussion instruments such as bongos. Psych folk is a blending of folk music and psychedelic rock or pop. The varieties of folk music just keep unfolding.
The Bible has its…
"stay together"
Gladiator tells the story of Maximus, a once-celebrated general of the northern Roman armies who was betrayed and forced into slavery. The epic film captures his rise through the gladiator ranks, eventually to avenge injustices committed against him and his family.
Moments before Maximus's first battle against a powerful, unseen foe in a Roman coliseum, he tells his fellow gladiators,…
static
I love the conveniences of modern technology—especially cordless phones. These devices afford me mobility without the problem of tangled cords. But while I enjoy the freedom, I often have to cope with an irritation—the snap, crackle, and pop of static. These hindrances happen mainly when I move too far away from the phone base. The greater the distance, the more…
inconvenient compassion
It's 10:00 at night her time. Just finishing my lunch, I wonder if she's safely asleep or if she's still working. Time zones away from each other, we are worlds apart. I don't even know her name. Probably, neither do the men who seek her out. She's just a little girl—used again and again for the price of shelter and…
