In the sitcom The Office, two employees are locked in a perpetual pettiness that often manifests itself in Jim pranking Dwight and Dwight’s comical indignation. The pranks vary from Jim putting Dwight’s stapler in a Jello mold to Jim putting the entire contents of Dwight’s desk into a vending machine. Dwight always informs... Continue Reading →
Baptism of Our Lord
It’s a pleasure to be in Manhattan, Kansas this morning. I actually have some roots here. In the 1950’s my grandfather went to theVeterinary School a few miles away and went on to have a practice in Southwest Iowa where I was raised. And now, after several decades of life, who would have thought I’d wind up... Continue Reading →
Second Sunday of Christmas
Today we conclude what are very tender days in both the world both secular and Christian. These tender days are insulated from the real world. We take time away from school and work to be with one another. Christmas brings to mind large family meals, singing, gift exchanges and many other images... Continue Reading →
Advent IV
Well, are you ready? Wednesday is coming quickly and we all want to make sure we are doing things the way we are supposed to. These are the days we try to cross off those last couple of items from the wish list. We want to make sure we get everyone... Continue Reading →
Advent III
It is a custom in the homes of Orthodox Christians to have an East facing wall dedicated to icons. Icons are those uniquely two dimensional depictions of familiar saints and holy figures. There are many famous examples, the most is the portrayal of the Trinity in which three angelic figures gaze upon one another. ... Continue Reading →
Advent II
My wife has a big heart. In the summer of 2016 I was going to be doing a lot of traveling. Sara decided to basically open a hotel for dogs in our humble seminary dwelling. Sara was more than happy to take on all comers. Now I don’t know what you folks know about... Continue Reading →
Advent I
The white is on the ground and the blue is on the altar. There is no doubting the changing of the seasons. The season of Advent is here. Advent is a season of dueling anticipations. The first we know well, the coming of the infant Jesus in the crib on Christmas.... Continue Reading →
Year C: Last Sunday in Pentecost
This Sunday is officially called “The Last Sunday in the Season after Pentecost” but it also goes by “Christ the King Sunday.” It is a day we reflect on those words from Paul to the Philippians, “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth,... Continue Reading →
Proper 9 Year C
I recently saw someone singing the praises of the bullet journal on Twitter. This is not a keepsake book used to record different kinds of bullet shells, it is one of many products marketed to people who have more on their plates than they know what to do with. As a culture we... Continue Reading →
4th Sunday after Pentecost
We are now in the green growing season, sometimes called ordinary time and sometimes called the season after Pentecost. Unlike the other seasons, this one doesn’t focus on a particular mystery of God. Instead, I feel, it focuses on us. We’ve spent about six months thinking about Jesus and now we spend some time... Continue Reading →
Amphibalus 