If I Were the Evil Spirit…
The great British writer C. S. Lewis wrote (in the midst of World War II) an intriguing book entitled The Screwtape Letters. The book, one of his most popular works, consists of letters written by a major devil, Screwtape, to his nephew devil, Wormwood. He advises the younger devil on how to best tempt a […]
Mattie J. T. Stepanek: American Poet and Peacemaker
Mattie Stepanek, an American poet and peace activist, was born near Rockville, MD in July 1990. During his life he wrote seven best-selling books of poetry and peace essays. And he did it all before he turned fourteen. In June 2004, Mattie died of a rare form of muscular dystrophy. This illness also took the […]
Quotations Filed under “T”
As many of you know, I’ve been collecting quotations ever since I was in high school. I write them on 3″ X 5″ cards and file them away in alphabetical order. Every now and than I devote this blog to one of the topics in that file or one of the letters. Today we’re visiting […]
Have You Had Your Dose of Beauty for Today?
The old proverb says, “If you have only two coins left, use one to buy a loaf of bread, and the other one to buy a hyacinth.” I like that! It reminds us that having beauty in our life can be just as important as having food. We need a regular dose of beauty to […]
“Something’s Trapped Inside the Dumpster!”
Sister Annie was taking a walk outside after supper. As she emerged from the woods, she passed the dumpster behind our elementary school. As she did, she heard, “THUMP!… THUMP-THUMP!…. THUMP!… THUMP!” She stopped. “Something’s trapped inside the dumpster!” she thought. Was it a bird, perhaps? She went to the dumpster and carefully lifted the […]
Some Fun with Patron Saints
A patron saint is a saint who is considered a heavenly advocate or special helper of a nation, place, occupation, activity, clan, family, or person. Some well-known patron saints include these: Mary under the title of “Immaculate Conception” (USA), St. Patrick (Ireland), St. Nicholas (children), St. Gerard Majella (expectant mothers), and St. Luke and Saints […]
A Hall of Fame Speech that Inspires Hope
I am always looking for signs of hope in the world. Sometimes I don’t have to look very far; they just fall into my lap. Here’s one: The acceptance speech of a former student of mine who was recently inducted into the North Carolina Media and Journalism Hall of Fame. His name is John Drescher […]
“Braiding Sweetgrass” and the Grammar of Animacy
I’m reading another fascinating book recommended to me by one of my nephews, John Hartman. It’s titled Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, a botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation. In her book, she blends her scientific knowledge with her indigenous wisdom. The result is (as one reviewer said) “A hymn of love […]
Four Thoughts on Happiness
I’ve been reflecting on happiness lately. Here are four thoughts I’d like to share with you—and then solicit your thoughts on happiness. 1. God wants us to be happy—in this life. I’m old enough to remember the old Baltimore Catechism that presented the faith in question and answer form. One of the first questions was […]
This & That
(Note: I’m posting today’s blog on Sunday, May 8, hoping my subscribers will get it earlier in the week.) If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know that every now and then I like to share a few short things I’ve come across recently. I sometimes call these reflections “This & That.” […]