A Good Way To Finish Off the Year…

To all my nonbelieving, sort-of-believing, and used-to-be-believing friends: I feel like I should begin with a confession. I am sorry that so often the biggest obstacle to God has been Christians. Christians who have had so much to say with our mouths and so little to show with our lives. I am sorry that so often we have forgotten the Christ of our Christianity. SOURCE: … Continue reading A Good Way To Finish Off the Year…

Reflections on Another Year….

2013 will soon be another year that was… It’s time to sit back and reflect some on how this year developed and to look a little to what next year might be. Personally This was a year that looked pretty much like the last handful or so. Nothing spectacular but also nothing devestating. Fortunately, except for some pretty serious  (read expensive) dental work there were … Continue reading Reflections on Another Year….

Big year ends with Wall Street hopeful for 2014

As Wall Street’s best year in more than 15 draws to a close, few are expecting a repeat performance in 2014, though traders have plenty of reasons to feel optimistic. SOURCE: Big year ends with Wall Street hopeful for 2014: Fidelity. I have a fair share of stocks in my retirement portfolio and have seen them go up quite a bit this year. It almost reminds … Continue reading Big year ends with Wall Street hopeful for 2014

Helping The Poor – Reason 2

2)      It’s Not a Sin to Be Poor In a culture obsessed with consumerism, money is seen as the ultimate form of power and success, but it’s not a sin to be poor. For Christians, especially middle-class Westernized believers, it’s easy to assume the worst of the poor. We blame them for not working, being lazy, having drug addictions, making poor choices, and not trying … Continue reading Helping The Poor – Reason 2

Pope attacks mega-salaries and wealth gap…

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis said in the first peace message of his pontificate that huge salaries and bonuses are symptoms of an economy based on greed and inequality and called again for nations to narrow the wealth gap. In his message for the Roman Catholic Church’s World Day of Peace, marked around the world on January 1, he also called for sharing of … Continue reading Pope attacks mega-salaries and wealth gap…

Agency on Aging….

“Area 10 basically serves clients who, for whatever reason, are really struggling to age successfully or live successfully in their homes. We provide them with the support and service they need in order to live comfortable and safe lives at home,” she began. “We serve older adults and people with disabilities in Owen County, our youngest client is six and our oldest client in Owen … Continue reading Agency on Aging….

Helping The Poor – Reason 1

1)      Jesus Calls Us to Help the Poor Jesus wants us to help the poor—without qualifications! He doesn’t command us to help just the responsible poor, the Christian poor, the likeable poor, the sober poor, or the hardworking poor, He calls us to love and help everyone—no matter what! I t’s amazing how we’re quick to recognize that God loves us unequivocally, that His grace … Continue reading Helping The Poor – Reason 1

Rationalization (making excuses) ….

In psychology and logic, rationalization (also known as making excuses) is a defense mechanism in which perceived controversial behaviors or feelings are logically justified and explained in a rational or logical manner in order to avoid any true explanation, and are made consciously tolerable – or even admirable and superior – by plausible means. Rationalization encourages irrational or unacceptable behavior, motives, or feelings and often … Continue reading Rationalization (making excuses) ….

The Campaign to Kill Killer Robots Gains Steam…

A slew of reports over the last two weeks detailing cases of U.S. armed drones killing civilians signaled a new wave of outrage over the unregulated use of drones by the U.S. There was one report from the United Nations, another from Human Rights Watch, and one from Amnesty International. The uproar—and the sense that Washington has done little to make more transparent its use … Continue reading The Campaign to Kill Killer Robots Gains Steam…

Still Clinging To My Hard Copy Magazines….

I guess I am of that rare breed who actually gets a weekly hard-copy magazine. That magazine is Time. Each weekly issue rests on my bedside stand and is read nightly until completed. I think maybe Time is the only weekly magazine left with my political slant. There is just something about actually holding the info in my hands that still appeals to me. Now don’t … Continue reading Still Clinging To My Hard Copy Magazines….

6-Year High Schools….

Having only a high school degree means a future of $15 bucks an hour or below. But only a quarter of students who enter community colleges actually graduate (the rates are only slightly better at 4 year schools). Meanwhile, many of them that do graduate have skills that aren’t suited to the jobs they’ll actually need. We’re graduating too many sports marketing experts, and not … Continue reading 6-Year High Schools….

Getting Shocked Out Of Your Comfort Zone.

For this post I thought I would focus on a cultural topic. Let’s face it none of us are totally comfortable with change. Some of us see it as a nuisance, some as a threat, and fortunately many of us see it as an opportunity. Since we live in an ever-changing world how we face change often determines the root level of happiness in our … Continue reading Getting Shocked Out Of Your Comfort Zone.

Theological Certainty…..

Jesus Avoided Theological Certainty Within the New Testament, the people Jesus seemingly condemns the strongest — and most frequently — are the ones who have the greatest amount of theological certainty — the Pharisees. The spiritual leaders, the most prestigious religious institutions of the their day, the ones who were the most confident, the most sure and vocal about theology, were flat our wrong — … Continue reading Theological Certainty…..

Buy Nothing Day – Enough is Enough…

I just needed permission to say ENOUGH! – ENOUGH to the frenzied rush to buy stuff for people who already have everything.”Enough to the myth that happiness must be purchased. Enough to an economy that is awarding CEOs salaries 500 times that of their workers and still manages to seduce people in poverty and wealth alike to give more money to these predatorial corporations. Enough … Continue reading Buy Nothing Day – Enough is Enough…