Have you ever traveled to where snow is made, seen the vault where hail is stockpiled, The arsenals of hail and snow that I keep in readiness for times of trouble and battle and war? Can you find your way to where lightning is launched, or to the place from …
Category Archives: Spirit
D-Day, Pray for Peace
On this day, June 6 in 1944, the Allied Forces invaded Normandy, France to initiate the destruction and surrender of the German war machine that would end World War II. Eleven months later on April 29, 1945, Germany surrendered and on August 15, 1945, Japan surrendered ending WWII. War remains. Pray for Peace. General Dwight …
Memorial Day 2018
I lit a candle this morning to honor the millions of men, women, and children who have died in conflict.
The Rich Young Man
It was not until I was 55-years old that I began to read the gospels with genuine interest and a true desire to understand the messages contained in them. The story that has gnawed at my brain since that time is the story of the rich young man. It can be found in Mark 10:17, …
Kayak
With the Kinnickinnic River a short drive from the house and inspired by the thought that I can take my grandchildren on a grand adventure, I acquired a tandem kayak that is easily converted to a solo kayak. Grandson Travis will be the first victim, but we will wait until summer vacation in just a …
Angels
In a recent “Listen Well” offering, author, playwright and essayist Margaret Dulaney referenced the Irish mystic, Lorna Byrne. Unfamiliar with Lorna Byrne, I did some research which quickly grabbed my attention. I purchased her first book Angels in My Hair (©2008) and read the 300 pages over two months in small pieces. The ‘about the …
Education: Path to a Better World
Eighteen months ago, Gail Rongen and I embarked on a direct giving program in Haiti. Direct giving is risky business and it requires trust. We accept the risk because we trust the young Haitians we work with. Our choice is valid… Within the poverty and violence of Cité Soleil, a courageous group of young men …
Expressing Love and Joy
We woke up this April morning to a blizzard. It is as beautiful as it is surprising. After walking the dogs for their morning constitutions, I shoveled the driveway and cleared the walkway to the house – more for the dogs than for Mrs. tVM and me, for we have no intentions to use the …
Who Is Your Neighbor?
Who is your neighbor? No, I’m not asking the question from a biblical perspective. I am asking the question from a strictly geographic perspective. Who is the person who lives in the house or perhaps apartment next to your house or apartment? Who is your neighbor? I was born in Gt. Barrington, Massachusetts in 1949. …
The Three Evils of Society
Every third Monday of January – a day close to his birthday – we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Every year since 2013 on that day, I post Dr. King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” In it, he says, “The time is always ripe to do right.” Powerful words from a powerful man that …