Just over two weeks ago, I received an assignment to interview a chaplain who has been ministering to firefighters on the frontlines of the wildfires devouring the Los Angeles area. But even before that, I had been thinking about the contrast between the hysterical finger-pointing and blame-casting surrounding the wildfires … and the essential work…
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As 2024 was drawing to a close and my income poised to decline slightly over 2023—amid fears that Artificial Intelligence is already eating freelancers’ lunch—I needed a good laugh. I got one, thanks to a story in Time magazine about the basic errors in OpenAI’s new, advanced AI model. The company touted it as including…
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With the second half of January upon us and New Year’s resolutions already starting to fade, I have a suggestion for those hoping for an improved 2025: go to church. Such an idea is sure to draw scorn amid the fading attendance of recent years. The trend was accelerated by 2020-21 lockdowns, like the kind…
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With the recent hysteria about mysterious drones circling the country and predictions of conflict amid a new presidential administration, it’s worth reflecting on a comment made two-plus centuries ago. It came from legendary British spiritual leader John Wesley, whose impact on America includes credit as the founder of Methodism. In a letter to a friend…
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As we head into a new year, it’s common to read of resolutions for the coming 12 months, wishes for world peace, or prayers for blessings. I have a simpler aspiration. I would dearly love to see the end of blister packs. You know, those irritating, nearly impossible to crack, nasty creations that cause more…
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Despite a 20-year age difference, I have a friend who shares similar views on a number of subjects. Plus, as a self-employed installer of electronic and other devices, Homer understands the strain we freelancers face: no work means no income. When we enjoyed breakfast recently, he mentioned that he wouldn’t be at church the next…
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If I had to categorize 2024, I would label it “The Year of the Gambler.” Whether a favorite sports team, quarterback, political race, or weather forecast, it’s now possible to place a wager on almost anything. Appeals to gamble are so common it’s nearly impossible to turn on a football game, situation comedy, or newscast…
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Several years ago I did some developmental editing on a book by a Midwestern pastor. He was addressing the need to take limits off ourselves that God never placed there. However, he also wove into his message stark warnings about the damage social media is doing to young people. The statistic that I remember so…
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Back in June, I blogged about my admiration for The Baxters, an Amazon Prime series based on a novel saga written by New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury. My wife and I were nearing the end of season 2 then. However, once the reality of a slow-moving story settled in, it took several more…
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During a recent morning devotional, my wife and I encountered this question: “What significance does baptism have in your life?” I responded, “Baptism marked the beginning of my public stand as a Christian (or to use a less culturally-loaded term: a follower of Christ).” It’s been more than 43 years and yet I can remember…
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