The Myth of Quality Vs. Quantity

We recently had the privilege of having a visiting pastor from Uganda over to our home. It was the pastor’s first visit to the U.S and I was curious about his experience. I asked him: “What has been your biggest surprise about our country?” I assured him that I would not be offended by candor. His response surprised me and I have been thinking about it ever since. He said: “It seems that Americans...

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The Science of Interpreting Dreams

Last night I had a dream with deep spiritual implications. The dream started with P-Diddy and myself hanging out at a party. After a while I could tell that P-Diddy was agitated and unsettled. He seem to be bordering on a mental breakdown. Being a good friend of his, I asked him if he was ok. He began to confess that he was feeling stressed to the point of not being able to go on. Apparently, being...

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Getting Comfortable in Auschwitz

When I was a younger man I spent some time in jail. One of the not so obvious lessons that I learned from this period of my life is that much of what we think of as happiness is a bit relative. I spent my time in jail reading and sleeping a lot. I would watch TV and occasionally go to the gym for volleyball. I am not trying to be cavalier; loss of freedom is not fun, but I found that over time I...

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Women in Combat

She is no stranger to the screams that accompany the battlefield. There are no ribbons on her uniform. Evidence of her valor is marked on her body. She carries her wounds with dignity, never a complaint. When in the company of fellow warriors, there is a bond, no words need be said. She is a veteran of many campaigns. When new recruits pass by her there is a hushed tone and respectful salute....

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The Cart Without the Horse

Growing up my mother loved me deeply. One of the ways she expressed that love was to allow me a special treat every Christmas. For that one day a year my mom would let me smoke pot with her. I have pictures of me as a young boy (perhaps 5 or 6) with a joint in my mouth and a Santa hat on my head. I do not point this out to be disrespectful to my mom or to be flippant. Later in life my mom had deep...

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The Gift

For the Christian all of life is a gift from God. Like a present wrapped under the tree. The pleasures of this world are at best the wrapping and the bow. Affliction will come, but this too is a gift. Like an anxious child on Christmas morning, suffering rips away the wrapping. Beside the pile of torn paper and discarded bows we open the lid and find our true treasure…Jes...

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The New Story

Those that know me know that I do not have the most praise worthy past. In grade school my teachers were at a loss on how to deal with this unruly child. My high school years were nonexistent (save one) because I had better things to do. My teenage years were spent chasing the next high and running from the five-oh as I would have called them. When I was twenty and near death or prison (whichever...

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