Chaplainmike

Monday with Buechner: Where Our Best Dreams Come From

Monday with Frederick Buechner “Where Our Best Dreams Come From” Somebody appears on your front stoop speaking your name, say, and you go down to open the door to see what’s up. Sometimes while it’s still raining, the sun comes out from behind the clouds, and suddenly, arching against the gray sky, there is aContinue reading “Monday with Buechner: Where Our Best Dreams Come From”

Sunday with Michael Spencer: A Jesus Prayer

Sunday with Michael Spencer A Jesus Prayer Jesus, you don’t build institutions. You don’t write catechisms. Or Systematic Theologies. Or critiques of someone’s theology or refutations of their catechism. You don’t have a blog. You don’t moderate debates. You are the bread of life who gives himself for the salvation of the world. You areContinue reading “Sunday with Michael Spencer: A Jesus Prayer”

Random Thoughts from a Black Pouring

I am a Jackson Pollock painting these days. Life and death have been splashing all over me and the result is an indecipherable hodgepodge of an inner landscape. To be honest, I love Pollock’s work and a lot of other artists who painted in the form of Abstract Expressionism. This art reminds us that theContinue reading “Random Thoughts from a Black Pouring”

In Memoriam: Jean Vanier

Jean Vanier died this past week. New York Times obituary RNS obituary An appreciation at Crux How Jean Vanier broke my heart and saved my life Many of us came to know of Jean Vanier through the work and writings of Henri Nouwen. Damaris wrote recently that “the simplest, hardest, and most effective means ofContinue reading “In Memoriam: Jean Vanier”

Is There Purpose in Biology? The Cost of Existence and the God of Love. By Denis Alexander, Chapter 4: Biology, Randomness, Chance and Purpose (Part 1)

Is There Purpose in Biology? The Cost of Existence and the God of Love. By Denis Alexander, Chapter 4: Biology, Randomness, Chance and Purpose (Part 1) We are reviewing the book: Is There Purpose in Biology? The Cost of Existence and the God of Love. By Denis Alexander. Chapter 4: Biology, Randomness, Chance and PurposeContinue reading “Is There Purpose in Biology? The Cost of Existence and the God of Love. By Denis Alexander, Chapter 4: Biology, Randomness, Chance and Purpose (Part 1)”

“Begin with fear of death”

If not with hope of life, Begin with fear of death: Strive the tremendous life-long strife Breath after breath. • Christina Rossetti • • • But…I’m afraid An excerpt from Walking Home Together: Spiritual Guidance and Practical Advice For The End Of Life [As you consider your final walk home,] I’m sure you have someContinue reading ““Begin with fear of death””

Another Look: Make the Way by Walking

Note from CM: We continue to go through an extraordinary season of loss — I can’t remember one in my personal experience quite like it. Last week we learned that our good friend, my college roommate and best man in my wedding, died suddenly. I did a funeral for a friend’s mom on Saturday andContinue reading “Another Look: Make the Way by Walking”

Another Look: God’s Scandalous Patience

God is transforming and reconciling the world. But unlike human revolutionaries who demand instant and total change, God is not impatient. The arc of the universe bends toward the full reconciliation of all creation, but — “Come, Lord Jesus!” — that arc is long. • C. Christopher Smith & John Pattison • • • ThisContinue reading “Another Look: God’s Scandalous Patience”

Another Look: Living as Easter People (2)

Note from CM: Back in 2011, we did a series called “Easter People.” I’ll be re-posting these for a few Sundays during this Easter season. • • • “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, soContinue reading “Another Look: Living as Easter People (2)”

A Sad Announcement

Rachel Held Evans has died From Rachel’s husband, Dan: May 4th, 2019 Update Rachel was slowly weaned from the coma medication. Her seizures returned but at a reduced rate. There were periods of time where she didn’t have seizures at all. Rachel did not return to an alert state during this process. The hospital teamContinue reading “A Sad Announcement”