Uses of Fear

The Uses of Fear: Part Two

My last blog post contained some reflections on the struggles with fear—especially bullying—that I’ve dealt with on a personal level in the past. In this post, I want to focus on escalating fears I am observing all around me—and feeling myself—that seem to be operating on a societal level today. We are currently living in a climate of fear unlike anything I have experienced in my lifetime. Even though I have lived through multiple wars, serious civil unrest, the threat of nuclear annihilation and terrorism, the level of fear I

Click your favorite social share option below!
Read More »

The Uses of Fear: Part One

This month I would like to address something that has been on my mind a lot lately: fear. All of us have dealt with a wide variety of fears and levels of fear throughout our lifetime. One of the earliest, most powerful memories I have dealing with fear is from when I was a youngster of around ten or eleven. There was a big, rather mean boy named Clyde in our small town. He called me “Four Eyes” because I wore glasses and he dubbed one of my best friends

Click your favorite social share option below!
Read More »

The $30,000 Hat

When Rita and I stopped for breakfast at our favorite little café, I noticed a gentleman around my age at a table near the door. More specifically, I noticed what was on his head. Rita, in the way that couples who have been married as long as we have, was thinking the same thing I was. “It’s your kind of hat” she said. It was the kind of flat hat I wear most of my waking hours now that I have lost the curly locks I had in my younger

Click your favorite social share option below!
Read More »

Better to Give Than to Receive?

For several years our church has been providing a free dinner each month for folks in the community. It has grown into a meaningful ministry. Most appreciate a good “church-made” meal but equally important has been the opportunity for fellowship amongst members and the community at large. Obviously while we were under stay-at-home orders, the dinner was temporarily canceled. However within a short time the team transitioned to delivering the meals to the homes of anyone who called in and requested one. I called an older neighbor who lives alone to

Click your favorite social share option below!
Read More »

Our Unopened Gifts

Imagine for a moment that on Christmas morning you were so taken up by one or two of your parent’s presents that you didn’t take the time to open any of the other gifts you were given—and that this exact same scenario played out again and again every single year for your entire life! Now suppose that one day you are stuck at home with nothing else to do when you go into a back room in the house and discover all the presents you never opened over the years,

Click your favorite social share option below!
Read More »

For Better or Worse

Crisis seems to bring out the best and worst of human nature, and the crisis we now find ourselves in is no exception. Daily we witness the heroism of medical professionals, while grocery store workers and delivery people who certainly never signed up to put their lives on the line, still go in to work each day to make sure our needs are met. Individuals and businesses across the nation are stepping up to do what they can to help those most affected by the crisis. On the other hand,

Click your favorite social share option below!
Read More »

How to Not Just Survive the Pandemic, but Thrive!

For those of you who have been following my writing, you will recognize this post takes a somewhat different approach than usual. However, over the last few days, several of the patients that I counsel by phone have encouraged—or in one case, demanded!—that I write a post on some of the practical coping strategies I have shared with them and that they have found helpful. So I would like to offer some brief reflections and suggestions as we wrestle together as to how we can not only survive this pandemic

Click your favorite social share option below!
Read More »

Mom’s Wisdom

I was late! The parking lot of the doctor’s office was full except for a row of empty handicap spaces right up front. I glanced at the handicap tag hanging on the rear-view mirror. The tag is for my wife who wasn’t in the car. Should I…? I felt quite embarrassed being late for the appointment and finding another parking space would make me even later. Excuses ran through my mind. Being late would inconvenience the doctor and his staff and besides, there were several other handicap spaces available. And

Click your favorite social share option below!
Read More »

Reaching Across the Divide

I admit it. I was eavesdropping. I didn’t mean to be, but in light of what I heard, I can’t say I’m sorry. It happened in line at Publix. The two gentlemen directly in front of me, who apparently were friends or at least acquaintances, were talking loudly enough that I couldn’t help but overhear their conversation. The older gentleman with a full beard pointed out the re-usable bags that were for sale and commented that they were just another way for the store to make extra money by charging

Click your favorite social share option below!
Read More »
Join Us

In Deepening Your Journey