Spiritual Director

A family birthday gathering took place over the weekend. We do what we always do, which is me driving over an hour one way to the east side of town where I grew up. My two brothers, their families, and my Dad still live over that way. Because I am the “odd man” out and live so far away I am the one to do the driving for such events. We talk together some, chips...

The funeral for my neighbor was yesterday (Sunday). While I didn’t know her all that well, I wanted to pay my respects and attend the visitation and service. She was a lovely lady and always very kind to me. Just before she became ill and hospice care began she called me in a “tizzy” because her garage light had gone out. She wanted me to go to the Dollar Store and by a specific type...

Brothers and Sisters in Christ: My beautiful daughter, Emily, will be 25 years of age Wednesday! I can’t hardly believe it and like all of you with your children and grandchildren isn’t it a blessing what God has given us in our children? What a joy to be a part of their lives, to guide and direct, and to love forever and ever. I think our job as parents is to love our kids unconditionally...

Going to the eye doctor is always tough for me. I can never tell which of the two options looks clearer as they test my eyes. I am not sure I can see the bottom letters on the chart and I’d prefer not to have my eyes dilated. But my insurance will cover it so yesterday on my day off I got the full eye care work up. I thank God they no longer use...

It’s the beginning of a new month! Turn those calendar pages and prepare for Groundhog Day, Ash Wednesday (2/10), Valentine’s Day, and President’s Day! The days are getting ever so longer and this “weird-weather-winter” will soon move into Spring. Easter comes early this year, it is on March 27, one week after Spring officially begins. My daughter, Emily, turns 25 on the 17th and I also have a niece and nephew with birthdays this month....

I think it’s the scariest place in the world to be! There is no control and everything seems out of order. You cannot control others and you cannot control where you are, it’s frightening! I, personally, would rather not be there, but I have to be. I would give anything to speed ahead a few years and then be in that place. I could look back and see that everything worked out okay! And now...

I have a question for you today: Are you hard on yourself? More specifically, are you hard on yourself spiritually? I would imagine you answered yes, because I feel like we are all too hard on ourselves spiritually. The “bar of expectation” is set really high and often we feel we never measure up. I’ve been in ministry over 20 years now, served in four congregational settings and 4 different hospitals. I see it all...

I had heard enough. I took a chance, I went for it. By the time Saturday night rolled around I had heard so, so much on TV and the news about Powerball and the chance to win some or all of 900 million dollars. So I bought a ticket. There, I’ve confessed. There was no winner last week as everybody knows and now over a billion dollars is up for grabs. And by the time...

My neighbor is receiving hospice care at home and is very near death. Her family has been in and out all weekend, caring for her and each other. She is such a sweet lady, always very friendly to me and easy to talk to. Whenever I would see her sitting outside her home she would always have her phone close by. Her phone was her link to the outside world. As her vision slowly faded...

I have often wondered what it might be like to take someone from a faraway world and explain to them what happens in our country as a new year dawns. Yes, we put on silly party hats and drink and dance the night away (some do, while some just try to stay awake!) while we watch a large crystal ball drop in New York. We celebrate the ending of one year and the beginning of...

Merry Christmas! That creates some pressure, does it not? I mean we say “Merry Christmas” and “Happy New Year” and “Joy to the World” but the reality is life isn’t always merry, happy and joyful. Do not get me wrong, I’m not a pessimist and I don’t mean to bring anyone down. As I minister to and with patients over these last four years as a chaplain in four different hospital settings, I see it...

Star Wars, the movie, will be released this weekend! The only way you might not know that is if you do not have a TV, computer/phone/internet, or read a newspaper. It is the most anticipated movie in decades, said the Today show, and will likely gross several billion dollars. And that isn’t counting the merchandise that is already hot off the shelves because Star Wars has millions of rabid followers, and collectors of memorabilia. I’m...