This Pastor Has Nothing to Say

After seminary, which I completed in 2015, I didn't want to look at another book.  I especially didn't want to look at a book that someone told me I had to read.  It didn't matter if it was one that someone thought I would enjoy or if it was one that I was supposed to...

I love my routines.  I am tied to them.  If I miss something, especially with the morning routine, my whole day feels off.  Forget my watch - ok, so now it's Fitbit - I can't seem to stick to my schedule for the day, even if it is written in my planner and there are...

I have a 1,000 piece puzzle spread out on my dining room table right now.  The picture on the box made it look simple enough.  It is just a picture of Mickey Mouse and his trusty sidekick, Pluto.  It is one of the puzzles that I picked up at Disney World when we were...

This is truly one of those times that I don't really have anything to say.  Or maybe it is that I don't really have any topic that is really in my mind today.  So let me start here.  Small town America also means small town rumors.  I have had a number of people...

As I write this I am listening to the webcast from the Festival of Homiletics, a continuing education opportunity for preachers.  The particular webcast on at this time is a sermon by Otis Moss III, the pastor of Trinity Church of Christ in Chicago.  One of the things...

I have been thinking about my kids, who are both young adults now, a lot lately.  That is probably not all that surprising since we just celebrated Mother's Day.  Yet this goes beyond just receiving the customary gifts and platitudes the day brings.  Family is one of...

I have heard over and over again that the Bible is just a book of old words that have no relevance for today.  That is partially correct.  It is a book of old words.  Very old words.  Ancient words in fact.  The rest of that opening statement, I believe, is...

Since United Methodist pastors move every five years on the average, one thing most of us become good at is saying goodbye.  However, it is usually us saying that as we prepare to move on to our next appointment at a different church.  Occasionally, though, we have to...

It really is true that sometimes you need a vacation to recover from your vacation.  That is where I have existed this week.  My husband and I spent last week in sunny Florida trying to be big kids at the Disney parks in Orlando.  We enjoyed our time away, but we...

Why?  That is a question I heard a lot this morning as I served as part of a team of people to bring grief counseling services to our junior high students upon the loss of a classmate in a house fire yesterday.  Why?  Why her?  She was just nice.  Why her?  She had...