"What's with the collar?” asked a UCC colleague. “Did you lose a bet?” I smiled and explained that this was my Lenten discipline: wearing a collar for 40 days.
The lectionary reading from Matthew's Gospel is the story of
Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee in the midst of a storm. In a couple of
decades, anyone will be able to cross the Sea of Galilee on foot because of
climate change.
The worst haircut I ever received was a $7 special at a local salon. I was in my thirties and my hair was thick and curly, the kind of hair that could hide a multitude of styling sins—but not after the $7 special. It was short in back and uneven in front, with tufts sticking out in random places. I looked like I had mange.
Recently, I learned that a young couple I know had filed for
divorce after 18 months of marriage. By my calculations, they spent more time
planning the wedding than being married.
What superpower would you like to have?" my son asked as we were driving away from the local cinema multiplex. With all the superhero movies we've seen this summer, I wasn't surprised by the question. "I'd like to be invisible," said his sister. "Flying would be cooler," he responded, and so the debate began.
Books
Beyond Accessibility
Toward Full Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Faith Communities
My former congregation prided itself on being warm and friendly. Then one Sunday Michael came to worship, and we discovered the limits of our welcome. Michael had Tourette's syndrome, a neurological disorder characterized by involuntary physical and vocal tics. At first, there were no signs of our visitor's disability; Michael seemed rather quiet.
Miss Manners’ Guide to Excruciatingly Correct Behavior, by Judith Martin (Norton). Part etiquette manual, part psychology text, Miss Manners’ Guide has been a dependable source of insight and information over the years.
Books
Caring Cultures: How Congregations Respond to the Sick
