Like a Good Neighbor?

…Would State Farm be there? When I am poorly treated by a corporation, I make my complaints known, loudly–a trait I inherited from my father (for example: UPS, United Airlines, Exxon, PS: I’m still mad at all of them.) I’ve been hoping that this would not be the case with my homeowner’s insurance policy, which

An Obituary for my Patriotism

A friend–whose perspective I value–challenged me yesterday on my dark view of the Fourth of July celebration this year. I decided to expand my answer into a blogpost.  At issue (I believe) is whether I could make more of a difference in improving the system by aligning myself with my neighbors and fellow citizens in

When did we decide to put politics above relationships?

I love the Facebook “memories” feature, but at times it is also painful. Between 2016 and 2021 I was quite vocal (both in person and on social media) in my opposition to Trump; my conscience would not permit me to remain silent about the terrible things happening to our nation.  In the months since those

“Did heaven look on and would not take their part?”

Watching the atrocities being committed against the Ukrainian people, their children, even their pets, is incapacitating me.  Putin’s evil forces are destroying homes, infrastructure, and power sources, thus leaving the Ukrainian people to suffer, flee, freeze, starve, and die. The madman appear to be actually targeting fleeing civilians. Peace-loving people around the world watch in

Farewell, Sweet Tillie

“Everyone thinks that they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong.” – W. R. Purche I chose you, sight unseen, and went to retrieve you over in Busti (?), New York.  The breeder had two simultaneous litters, born one day apart, and I could hear the noise from the puppy pen before

The dog no one wanted…

“Too big.”“Too loud.”“Too strong.”“Too aggressive.”“Too naughty.”“She runs away too often.”How many times had she been brought back to the shelter?Sarah didn’t know any of that.All she knew was this:For a creature who wanted nothing more than to run wild & free,She was dying a little, every day, in this tiny cage, at the Norfolk Animal

Seeking Common Ground

 I know that it can’t be easy to be my friend, either in real life, or on Facebook. The past five years of deep political turmoil, societal inequity, and racial reckoning have been traumatic for me and I have a hard time keeping my mouth shut and my Facebook profile focused on pictures of my

Above all else: protect the children

From the time we were expecting our first child, at least until the last one left for college, I saw myself as having ONE JOB ABOVE ALL OTHERS: protecting my children and keeping them safe. Nothing else really mattered. Our first pregnancy ended in miscarriage and so we were frantic to protect the next child.

Roll up your sleeves, America!

Last night on the news I watched the tragic images coming out of India and they destroyed me. India lacks the resources that we have and the situation there is horrifying. Family members desperately–and with utter futility–trying to save their loved ones dying of COVID: without hospitals, medicine, doctors, ventilators, oxygen, or vaccines. Funeral pyres

“A man after God’s own heart”

Across my four decades in the Genesee Valley I have been immeasurably blessed by the ministry of three godly senior pastors at the Houghton Wesleyan Church: Mark Abbott, Mike Walters, and most recenty Wes Oden. On the occasion of Wes and Cindy’s quarter century of ministry with us I’d like to pause and pay tribute