Over night a Christmas tree had appeared in the lobby of our hotel. But when my wife and I stepped out into the streets of Cairns, Australia last week, it was a hot steamy 95 degree day. We watched as a group of third grade students, girls wearing white blouses and plaid skirts and boys [...]
Yearly Archives: 2005
November, 2005 – Surprising Hospital Experience
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Surprising Hospital Experience In spite of having been diagnosed with a rare and progressive neurological disease 15 years ago, I have always prided myself in being able to take care of my own health concerns. As a pastor, I have visited patients in many hospitals in Kansas, Ohio, Wisconsin and Indiana. I have heard many [...]
September, 2005 – Government Needs to be Accountable for its Actions
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Government Needs to be Accountable for its Actions Three days after hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, I was staring at images of muddy rubble, and of people dying for lack of food and water. Other people were wading through the water scavenging for food. Dead bodies, covered with sheets were being dragged outside the [...]
August, 2005 – Human Rights Must Be Upheld By The Law
Monday, August 15, 2005
Human Rights Must Be Upheld By The Law For the past two weeks I have not been able to turn on the TV at night without coming across a discussion of the war in Iraq and President Bush’s policy regarding the mistreatment of prisoners of war. Then, last night I caught a hearing on C-Span [...]
July, 2005 – Service With a Smile
Friday, July 15, 2005
Service With a Smile As I drove my power chair into the cafeteria at Indianapolis University I saw two college girls in colorful uniforms standing by the door. One of them asked, “Would you like me to help you get your food?” I nodded, “Thank you for asking.” “It’s my job to ask. I do [...]
June, 2005 – Physical Barriers Do Exclude
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Physical Barriers Do Exclude When I arrived at my first church, I was provided with a list of the shut-ins I was expected to call on regularly. Since many of the folks on this list did actually appear at church on high days such as Christmas, Easter, and Mother’s Day, and at the annual Chili [...]
May, 2005 – Do You Have a Spirit Parent?
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Do You Have a Spirit Parent? Born in 1896, my grandfather, Whitfield Reid, left home at the age of 14. He could not wait to get out from under his mother’s roof. His father had been a preacher. He died of pneumonia, after preaching a revival in the snowy Adirondack Mountains. Grandpa was only two [...]
April, 2005 – Reflections on the meaning of Easter
Friday, April 15, 2005
Reflections on the meaning of Easter As Mary Jane drove her husband Roger to the hospital in Topeka Kansas for a heart catheterization, they talked about their plans for their 50th wedding anniversary celebration. The following day Roger collapsed in the shower as he was preparing for his procedure. In spite of the hospital staff’s [...]
March, 2005 – A Mind Needs To Be Trained
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
A Mind Needs To Be Trained Every time I opened the front door, my new puppy tried to slip out and run away. One day he escaped. I called after him. He turned around, looked at me, and with a toss of his head dashed off. When he returned three days later, I enrolled him [...]
February, 2005 – Fight Depression With Body, Mind, Spirit Medicine
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Fight Depression With Body, Mind, Spirit Medicine I looked into the mirror. Leaning closer and looking into my eyes, I found myself repeating, “You ain’t so bad! You ain’t so bad! You ain’t so bad!” My wife peered around the corner, “What are you doing?” “I’m taking an ‘emotional pill’.” What I did not tell [...]